Quick video
- Reference Notes Manager Overview
- Adding Reference Notes
- Using Reference Notes to Spec Amenities from Manufacturers
- Assigning a Detail to a Reference Note
- User Fields and Values
- Leader and Callout Style Options
- Placing Reference Notes
- Highlighting RefNotes in Your Drawing
- Referencing Multiple Sheets in One Drawing
- RefNotes and MultiLeaders (MLeaders)
- Importing Reference Notes from a Template or Project
- Reference Notes Callouts and Schedules
- Reference Notes Preferences
- Adding Color to RefNote Hatches
- Electrical Symbols
- Related Webinars
- Troubleshooting
Want to place a site object or hatch? Try using Reference Notes. Our Reference Notes (RefNotes) tool allows you to place site amenities, mulches, and any other site object you can think of – while also assigning data such as cost by unit, area, length, or volume.
Did you know you can quickly convert generic blocks (graphics) in your drawings directly into RefNotes with data, costs, etc.? Find out how!
Reference Notes Manager Overview
Open the Reference Notes (RefNotes) Manager:
F/X Site ribbon, RefNotes flyout
F/X Site ribbon, Site Amenities flyout
F/X Details ribbon, RefNotes flyout
F/X Site menu
Graphics RefNotes toolbar
Graphics toolbar
Or use one of the following keyboard commands:
- RefNotes
- FX_Amenities
The Reference Notes Manager will open.
1. Select a RefNote type to filter the list to view only that type, or select All to view all types.
2. Use the Division menu to filter the list by RefNote Division Learn about RefNote organization and divisions.
3. Check this box to see your RefNotes in Grid View.
4. The list of Reference Notes shows results from each filter individually, or results from both filters combined.
5. Buttons to create a New RefNote, Edit or Delete an existing RefNote, Import a RefNote from another project, and Highlight all instances of the selected RefNote in the drawing.
6. Buttons to Place a note, mark a note with a Callout, and place a Reference Note Schedule.
Quick video
Reference Note Types
We offer several types of Reference Notes, each of which has its own specific function in adding items and data to your drawing. To learn about the different Reference Note types, visit our documentation sections on:
- Notation Reference Notes: Place a numeric symbol referring to a text notation.
- Amenity (Object) Reference Notes: Place one or more site objects, and calculate quantities and costs automatically.
- Length Reference Notes: Place an item of linear quantity, and calculate data such as cost per foot.
- Area/Volume Reference Notes: Place a material such as a mulch in your drawing, represented as a hatch, and calculate data such as cost and square or cubic footage.
You can select a Reference Note Type in both the Reference Notes Manager and the New Reference Note dialog box, which opens when you go to add a new Reference Note.
Use the options at the top of the RefNotes Manager to filter the list of RefNotes that have been added to your project by type, or to see all added Reference Notes at once by selecting All.
When adding a new Reference Note to a project, you'll select the type of Reference Note to add. Note that Area and Volume Reference Notes are combined into one category in this dialog box.
Grid View
The Reference Notes Manager includes a Grid View option, pictured to the right.
Check the Grid View box to see your RefNotes in a grid format, with columns for the RefNote Code (number), Note (title of the RefNote, and Detail (the detail you've assigned to a RefNote, if applicable).
The text within each of these columns is editable, which allows you to edit your RefNotes on the fly.
Uncheck the Grid View box to return the Reference Notes Manager to standard mode (pictured above).
Adding Reference Notes
Before you can place a Reference Note in your drawing, you'll first need to add it to a Land F/X project.
To begin adding a Reference Note to a project, click the New button in the Reference Notes Manager.
Select a Reference Note Type at the top of the New Reference Note dialog box.
Because each Reference Note type has its own set of data, this dialog box will have different options depending on the Reference Note type you selected. Pictured above are the options available for Notation Reference Notes.
For instructions on adding a specific Reference Note type, visit our documentation sections on:
- Adding a Notation Reference Note
- Adding an Amenity (Object) Reference Note
- Adding a Length Reference Note
- Adding an Area/Volume Reference Note
Adding a Note
The Note field, available for all Reference Note types, is the most commonly used portion of the New Reference Note dialog box.
At its most basic level, a Reference Note is a text notation to some aspect of the project. Our Reference Notes system includes three types of notes. You could easily use all three types in a project, or primarily only one type. The three note types are:
- Basic Numbered Note: This simply applies a number from 1 to 99 to notes as you enter them. This type of note is best used if your project requires only a limited number of notes, such as a simple project where you want to enter a few notes. Remember: It's often of value to use this system even if you think you have only one note to enter. In many cases, you may think of another note later ... then another ... and pretty soon, you regret not using the system. Even with a very small number of notes, the system is of value.
- CSI Division Organized Notes: These are notes that are organized by Construction Specification Institute (CSI) Division of construction. This type of organization is especially valuable in two ways: (1) You have a fairly large number of notes, and this system allows the notes to be organized and grouped by construction division, for easier retrieval and organization. (2) The notes you use on a project are organized by Division of construction, and just a list of the notes may be of value to your specification writer for the project.
- One-Two Letter Identifier: These identifiers can be helpful in organizing notes in a user-friendly system relating to the note type, such as, D for Demolition, P for Paving, F for Fence, ST for Stairs etc. This system also allows the notes to be grouped by the topic.
If you want, you can even mix any and all of the above methods of notes on any one project.
You can add a cost factor to the note to keep track of costs of that item. You can also add a detail reference to any of the notes, where a detail will be added to our Detail System.
Using Reference Notes to Spec Amenities from Manufacturers
With Reference Notes, you can spec products from specific manufacturers' catalogs. Because of our Manufacturer Connection, you'll always have access to accurate, up-to-date information from the catalogs of manufacturers who choose to be included in our database. More information
Assigning a Detail to a Reference Note
Quick video
When adding or editing a Reference Note, you have the option of referencing a detail with that Reference Note (also known as assigning a detail to that Reference Note).
This option allows you to associate a detail with the RefNote you're creating, and thus add that detail to the current project’s Detail Manager. Once you've placed the detail in a drawing, its related detail number and sheet number will be listed automatically within the Reference Note Schedule in a column to the right of the RefNote associated with that detail. You can click Set Detail and associate a detail with a RefNote at any time – you don’t have to associate a detail right when you first create the RefNote.
As the detail number and sheet number appear just to the right of the RefNote they refer to in the schedule, a good way to deal with a detail reference within a RefNote is to include the text "See detail." at the end of the note. You can then associate a detail with that RefNote and later, when you actually place the detail in a drawing, that detail number and sheet number reference will apply automatically.
Assigning a detail to a Reference Note offers two main advantages:
- For one, you can reference the details in a schedule (the Reference Notes Schedule). The schedule will reference the actual sheet where the detail was placed, along with the detail number on that page. You can also choose to export that information out to a spreadsheet. That way, you have an easy-to-copy list of detail locations to include in a bid sheet for contractors, giving them a quick way to reference the detail while bidding. More information and instructions
- The second benefit comes into play when you're using project templates. If you import a Reference Note from a template, and that Reference Note is referencing a detail, it will also import the detail into the project. This lovely feature saves you an extra step of having to also import that detail before you place it on your sheet. For more information, see our Templates documentation page.
To assign a detail to a Reference Note, click the ... (Set Detail) button next to the Detail field in the Add Reference Note or Edit Reference Note dialog box.
The Detail Manager for the current project will open.
Here, you can select a detail to assign to the Reference Note. Once you've selected the detail you want to assign, click OK.
If the detail you want to assign to the RefNote hasn't been added to your project yet, click New and add the detail to your project.
You can then select the detail and click OK to assign it to the RefNote.
The detail will be assigned to the RefNote.
Listing Details in the Reference Notes Schedule
As mentioned above, assigning a detail to a Reference Note means you can list that detail in the Reference Notes Schedule.
To place a Reference Notes Schedule listing details you've assigned to RefNotes follow our instructions to place a Reference Notes Schedule.
Take care to check the option to Include Detail.
The Reference Notes Schedule will include all details assigned to RefNotes you've placed in your drawing.
To send the Reference Notes Schedule to a spreadsheet to provide the contractor with a quick reference to your details, for example, select the Spreadsheet option when generating your Reference Notes Schedule.
User Fields and Values
You can add your own custom user fields to your Reference Notes, which will become columns in the Reference Notes Schedule.
The User Fields section of this dialog box includes buttons to:
- Add Field: Create a new user field for a RefNote.
- Add Row: Add a bolded second line to this section.
For further information and instructions on User Fields and rows, see the User Fields and Values section of our documentation on editing RefNotes.
Before you can assign a field to a RefNote, you'll need to assign that RefNote with a Division.
Leader and Callout Style Options
To assign a leader and callout box style to the callouts that will label your RefNotes, use the Callout and Leader options at the bottom of the Add Reference Note dialog box.
We've provided the ability to give each RefNote its own distinct style for callouts, should you want to do so. If you want all your RefNotes Callouts to look the same, take care to set the leader and callout styles the same in each RefNote you create or edit.
Click either the Callout or Leader preview thumbnail to see your style options for your callouts.
The Callout Options dialog box will open. Here, you can make all your selections for your callout box and leader styles.
After making your selections, click OK to save the changes and close this dialog box.
The options for leader types, each with its own arrow style, are at the type of this dialog box. Click to select your desired leader type.
For no leader at all, select the X option on the far right.
You have four options for your callout box style: Square, Stadium, Hex, and Circle
You can also choose to have your callout boxes include a Screen Fill and/or a Drop Shadow.
The Circle callout style now allows you to select a drop shadow as well.
