Print or Export Document Drafts

Overview

SpecLink Cloud provides the ability to print or export a section as a document draft in PDF. 

This article will focus on Document Drafts and cover the following topics: 

• Definitions
• The Print Menu - Document Drafts
• Creating an All Text Draft
• Creating an Active Text Draft
• Creating an All Sections Table of Contents
• The Exported Files Menu

Learn more about Printing & Exporting Documents here.

Definitions

Documents vs. Document Drafts vs. Sheet Specs

• Documents are the final output file for your project manual. Documents will include all formatting selected for the project. Click here to review the article and video detailing printing and exporting documents.
• Document drafts are section-only PDF files that include a "DRAFT" watermark. The options of an all-text draft, an active-text draft, and an all sections table of contents report are available.
• Sheet Specs are PDF documents intended to be incorporated into the drawings.

Printing vs. Exporting

• Print provides a preview of the selected section as a single PDF file displayed in a new tab of the current browser.
• Export provides the ability to create document drafts as PDF files.  Document drafts are exclusively PDF files.

The Print Menu - Document Drafts

Access the Print Menu in one of the following ways:

1. From the SpecLink Cloud Dashboard, using the options menu (3 dot icon) and clicking "Print Project" from the dropdown list. 

2. By clicking the print icon on the Quick Access Toolbar from the Sections List within a project.

3. By clicking the print icon from the SpecLink Cloud Toolbar from within a specification section.

When the Print Menu opens, select the Document Drafts tab as pictured below.

The Print Menu - Document Drafts has 4 areas to review and make selections:

• Type of Draft Options
• Advanced Settings
• Track Changes Options
• File Name Format Settings

Type of Draft Options:

• All Text: An all text draft provides a draft of a section that includes all content, both inactive and inactive.  All inactive text will appear with a gray background, and all active text will have a white background. 
• Active Text: Active text drafts display only the paragraphs within the section that have been activated for printing. 
• All Sections Table of Contents: The All Sections Table of Contents is a PDF of all sections serving as a guide/draft for planning purposes.

Advanced Settings:

• Keep With Next: Ensures that “End of Section” verbiage is not left alone on a printed page, and that levels 1 and 2 do not appear as the last text on a page. 
• Include Hyperlink: If hyperlinks have been created within the sections text, they will be active in the exported files.
• Bookmark for PDF: Checking this box adds a bookmark for each of the section titles into the exported PDF.
• Include Author: When selected, the Author/Suffix that accompanies the Section Number (eg: “RIB” in 032000-RIB) will be included in the PDF Bookmarks. This cannot be selected without "Bookmark for PDF" also selected.
• Show All Choice Options: Selecting this option will display all of the choices in a choice field in bold, with the selected choice underlined.
• Widow/Orphan: Checking this box keep all paragraph text on the same page and does not allow for a paragraph to be split between pages.
• Print Master Notes: Allows for the inclusion of Master Notes on the PDF/DOCX output.
• Print Project Notes: Allows for the inclusion of Project Notes on the PDF/DOCX output.
• Print Note Images: Allows for the inclusion of images included in the Master or Project Notes on the PDF/DOCX output.
• Print IHS Logo: Allows for the inclusion of the IHS logo the options of Print Master or Print Project Notes is selected.
• Include End of Section: When this option is selected, END OF SECTION will appear at the end of the document.
• Include End of Section ID: When this option is selected, the Section ID will appear next to the END OF SECTION in the document output (PDF/DOCX). This cannot be selected unless "Include End of Section" is also selected.
• Begin Each Section on Odd Page: This option performs the following actions...
  • Each section will begin on an odd page
  • Inserts a blank page where necessary
  • Creates a "This Page Left Blank Intentionally" watermark on the blank inserted page
• Include Header/Footer On Blank Pages: Checking this box will add the header/footer to blank pages.
• Mark Pages as Blank:  Adds a watermark letting the reader know that the page was left blank intentionally.
• Custom Blank Page Message Entry Field: Displays the watermark message that will be displayed on all blank pages. This message is customizable.

Track Changes Options:

Track Changes Options will allow for the selection of how Track Changes will be displayed, if the tool was used while editing.

• None: No Track Changes Markup (default)
• All: Print All Sections with Track Changes Markup
• Inherit Settings: Print Markup Only for Sections Currently in Track Changes Mode

File Name Format Settings:

When exporting a document or report to PDF or DOCX, the option to customize the file name(s) is available, eliminating the need to edit file names after exporting.

Click here to learn more about customizing file names when exporting.

Creating an All Text Draft

An all text draft provides a draft of a section that includes all content, both inactive and inactive.  All inactive text will appear with a gray background, and all active text will have a white background. 

When printed or exported, a “DRAFT” watermark will appear on every page in gray. 

All Text Drafts include:

• All paragraphs in a section will be included, including master, user, active and inactive.
• Excluded paragraphs will be displayed when all text drafts are exported/printed.
• All options for checkboxes and multiple choices will be shown when all text drafts are exported/printed.
• Header/footer and images can also be printed as part of all text drafts.  
• Paragraph levels will be reflected so that each paragraph appears as it does in the user's project, even if it is a master paragraph that has a different paragraph level in the actual master.
• If a master paragraph has a user modification, only the version that is visible in the document pane in the user's project will be printed. (If toggled to “M,” the master version will be printed; if toggled to “M*,” the user version will be printed.)

Follow the steps below to create an All Text Draft:

1. Access the Print Menu from one of the three options listed above.
   
   
2. From the Print menu, choose Document Drafts as pictured below.
   
   
   
   
3. Select All Text Draft from the Type of Draft area.
   
   
   
   
4. Select an available section from the pull-down menu.
   
   
   
   
5. Review and select the appropriate desired options from the Advanced Settings area. 
   
6. Review the file name settings and make any desired changes. Click here to learn more about customizing file names when exporting.
   
   
7. Click Print to create and open the PDF in another tab of your current browser, or click Export to download the PDF to your specified downloads folder.
   
   

Selecting Print creates and opens the PDF in another tab of your current browser. Selecting Export creates and downloads the PDF to your specified downloads folder.

Creating an Active Text Draft

Active text drafts display only the paragraphs within the section that have been activated for printing. Active text drafts are akin to a print preview.

Documents drafts will include all formatting selected for the project as well as a “DRAFT” watermark will appear on every page in gray. 

Follow the steps below to create an Active Text Draft:

1. Access the Print Menu from one of the three options listed above.
   
   
2. From the Print menu, choose Document Drafts as pictured below.
   
   
   
   
3. Select Active Text Draft from the Type of Draft area.
   
   
   
   
4. Select an available section from the pull-down menu.
   
   
   
   
5. Review and select the appropriate desired options from the Advanced Settings area. 
   
6. Review the file name settings and make any desired changes. Click here to learn more about customizing file names when exporting.
   
7. Click Print to create and open the PDF in another tab of your current browser, or click Export to download the PDF to your specified downloads folder.
   
   

Selecting Print creates and opens the PDF in another tab of your current browser. Selecting Export creates and downloads the PDF to your specified downloads folder.

Creating an All Sections Table of Contents

The All Sections Table of Contents is a PDF of all sections serving as a guide/draft for planning purposes. 

Follow the steps below to print or export an All Sections Table of Contents.

1. Access the Print Menu from one of the three options listed above.
   
   
2. From the Print menu, click the Document Drafts tab.
   
   
   
   
3. Select the All Sections Table of Contents option in the Type of Draft area.
   
   
   
   

4. Click Print to create and open a PDF in another tab of your current browser or click Export to select between PDF and DOCX files for download to the specified downloads folder of the computer.

   
   Selecting Print creates and opens the PDF in another tab of your current browser.

   Selecting Export provides the options to create and download a PDF or Word DOCX.

   

The Exported Files Menu

When selecting to Export a draft, the entry for that action is added to the Exported Files menu located in the top right corner of the SpecLink Cloud Quick Access Menu.

This is done to allow the user to download the file again if and when necessary, as well as to review file details. For example, if the user is logged into SpecLink Cloud on a different computer than the file was downloaded, they would be able to download it again wherever they need the file.

Each exported file has an options menu available. Click the three vertical dots to the right of the exported file name.

The options menu provides the ability to view the export file details and download it again if necessary.

Watch the video below to see the steps of printing and exporting document drafts in action: