Portland, Maine (February 8, 2017) – Chalkline is pleased to announce the availability of the first application to offer coordinated construction specification writing directly in Autodesk^® Revit^®.  VisiSpecs, the next generation of BIM-integrated specifications, has taken another leap forward centralizing the construction document coordination with the BIM model.

Project Architects, engineers, and designers who are using Autodesk Revit to model their designs are now able to also write the coordinated construction specifications side by side with the model. As BIM elements get added to the model, the linked specifications for that element can also be included. As the linked models are added, the specifications for those linked elements can also be added and coordinated with the project specs. Integration and verification of the BIM model and specs without having to export the model first means tighter integration, simplified processes, less data management, and fewer errors and omissions. Contractors can easily link the specs and docs to their construction intent BIM model for estimating, bidding, construction administration, as-builts, and commissioning.

Chalkline is delivering the most integrated construction document solutions by leveraging the tools already being used resulting in less implementation effort and higher adoption rates. VisiWord^™ enables users to edit directly in Microsoft Word with additional spec editing and project management functionality like the customizable project tree, spec editing tools, header/footer, and TOC management, and complete publishing of all documents. As VisiSpecs integrates with client BIM model element and material standard naming conventions, the BIM model does not need to be changed in any way.  This enables immediate integration of the BIM model and specifications delivering more coordination and verification improving product quality.

“VisiSpecs’ integration, coordination, and verification of the project specifications directly in Revit is a great example of an Autodesk Development Network partner’s solutions,” said Jim Quanci, director of the Autodesk Developer Network. “VisiSpecs brings together two separate processes creating a design environment enabling our customers to produce coordinated construction documents while saving time and reducing design errors and omissions.”

VisiWord is document-neutral and BIM models don’t have to change meaning clients are able to download the free VisiSpecs trial and immediately link their models and specs. Spec editing in Microsoft Word is both familiar and feature-rich while the enhanced editing features and publication tools provide time and cost savings in writing project manuals. Team collaborators can simply open Word to read and comment on specs as well as other related project files and data linked in the project. As the BIM model and specs continue to be designed and written, the verification and coordination checks are done either in Revit or in VisiView^™ for those not using Revit.

“We are proud to be delivering this major upgrade to the BIM users,” said Michael Brennan, CEO and President of Chalkline, Inc. “Listening and working closely with our clients has enabled us to focus on the right solution delivering the highest value.”

VisiSpecs upgrades the editing and publication tools for specifiers while simplifying the BIM model coordination process by not forcing any changes to the existing models. VisiSpecs can also help to highlight areas of the model needing improvement or data changes further improving the quality of the product delivered. Through live model and spec coordination directly in Autodesk Revit, users are not left wondering how old the data is and what has changed since their export.

Those interested in learning more should visit www.chalklineinc.com or email info@chalklineinc.com to request the free trial, register for live webinars, read customer testimonials, and download product information.

About Chalkline, Inc.

Chalkline is a developer of architectural and engineering specification software designed to visually document, coordinate, and verify BIM models and project specifications. VisiSpecs^® is a suite of applications that includes VisiWord and VisiRevit. VisiSpecs is a software as a service (SaaS) cloud solution where its desktop and mobile applications store and access the model and specification data on the company’s cloud servers for easy access and collaboration among distributed team members. Built on familiar applications already in use by most in the market, VisiSpecs requires minimal training and setup time. Users can easily integrate their own masters and project documents with the project models to accomplish true BIM integration without learning to use complicated model applications and without a lengthy integration process. For those who do use model applications, VisiSpecs provides direct access to the project specifications and documentation. For more information, visit www.chalklineinc.com. Autodesk^®, the Autodesk logo and Revit^® are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. 

Portland, Maine (November 21, 2016) – Chalkline, Inc. continues to work with customers to increase efficiency, add functionality, and improve the ease of implementation.

Customers using VisiSpecs are providing feedback on new feature requests and enhancements and seeing the new functionality updated in as little as a day or two with the automatic update features.  Chalkline is also taking advantage of the existing and well-known applications, like MS Word for instance, so development can focus on improving the integration, processes, and spec editing features.

Chalkline is about to release V1.3 which includes the following updates since the initial release of VisiSpecs just two months ago:

• Submittal Register
• Project Outline Reports
• Project and Document Transaction Logs
• Project Keyword Search
• Multi-User Check-in and Check-out Editing

In addition, many other features were improved such as export folder support for network servers and multiple users, local backups, project publishing with an advanced table of contents and page count features, tighter synchronization between the document and the VisiSpecs Doc Outliner, along with user experience improvements and feature improvements. Seamus McGrady, COO of Chalkline, stated “Rapid development on new features is possible since we are not spending our development resources reinventing the wheel. Instead, we can work closely with our customers to improve their processes which means there is very little time spent learning new tools, converting documents to new formats, or asking users to change the way they model.”

Customers using VisiSpecs see the automatic updates as soon as they are released helping to ensure the highest quality products and features are available without spending IT time updating applications.

Visit the Chalkline website and/or contact sales@chalklineinc.com to learn more about the introductory discounts of up to 40 percent, promotional monthly drawings for FREE licenses, and to get started downloading your free 30-Day Trial.

About Chalkline, Inc.

Chalkline is a developer of architectural and engineering specification software designed to visually document, coordinate, and verify BIM models and project specifications. VisiSpecs^® is a suite of applications that includes VisiWord and VisiRevit. VisiSpecs is a software as a service (SaaS) cloud solution where its desktop and mobile applications store and access the model and specification data on the company’s cloud servers for easy access and collaboration among distributed team members. Built on familiar applications already in use by most in the market, VisiSpecs requires minimal training and setup time. Users can easily integrate their own masters and project documents with the project models to accomplish true BIM integration without learning to use complicated model applications and without a lengthy integration process. For those who do use model applications, VisiSpecs provides direct access to the project specifications and documentation. For more information, visit www.chalklineinc.com. Autodesk^®, the Autodesk logo and Revit^® are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. 

Portland, Maine (July 13, 2016) – Chalkline, Inc. has confirmed the pricing, licensing, and promotions for VisiSpecs^TM, The Visual Specification System, due to be released later this month.

The strategy in pricing and licensing is to enable large corporations

the functionality and pricing options to best suit their budgets and implementation plans while also offering the smallest of firms a low entry price point.  Larger firms require more integration and collaboration functionality with the ease of data access in the cloud and simple deployment across their offices around the globe.  Smaller firms may initially only need easier and faster specification writing and publishing tools with fewer collaborators.

VisiSpecs is adopting the user-based license subscription model which is becoming popular and familiar to clients in the AECO market.  Basic, Standard, Premium, and Enterprise level Editions will offer value-based pricing levels for the functionality and size of the firm’s implementation.  Smaller firms can start at a very low price point and as they grow and their implementation fills out, the price level adjusts according to the value received.  Enterprise-level firms can deploy a very large number of users with capped per-user prices and multi-year discounts.  Pricing will be available at an annual reduced price or customers have the flexibility for month-to-month pay-as-you-go payments and licensing.

VisiSpecs offers license subscriptions based on levels of functionality, number of users, server storage space, and user adoption metrics. Larger firms can take advantage of Enterprise licensing managing more projects and data with reduced IT requirements based on the Hybrid Cloud solution deployment of VisiSpecs.  Smaller firms also reap the IT savings of the Cloud solutions while initially starting without the BIM integration and coordination which can be added as they are ready.

VisiSpecs data is stored in Microsoft’s Azure Data Centers, which guarantees an industry-leading 99.99% availability. All VisiSpecs databases are protected by redundant backups and replicated servers with automatic failover. To ensure availability for disaster recovery purposes, VisiSpecs data is also replicated on a continuous basis to a secondary Microsoft Azure Data Center located in a different geographic region.  This Active Geo-Replication protects the data from a catastrophic failure within the primary data center due to natural disasters or other causes of prolonged downtime.

All licensed accounts will benefit from the core functionality within VisiSpecs including:

• The most feature-rich editor which is already known and installed, Microsoft Word
• VisiWord advanced editing, navigation, and collaboration features added to Word
• The VisiSpecs Project Tree with customizable folders and access to all project documents
• Project team sharing with markup, editing, and collaboration directly in Microsoft Word
• Document management including header/footer, TOC, and merged field control
• Entire project manual compilation without exporting and/or manual processing

FREE VisiSpecs Trials enable all the functionality for users to import their current projects and BIM models and start linking them within just an hour or two.  The return on the investment is easy to justify as the user pricing only requires 1-2 hours of savings to be recognized.  The upside includes reduced IT management costs, access to centralized project files and data, improved team collaboration, coordination and verification of construction documents, and more.

Seamus McGrady, COO of Chalkline adds, “No longer do users have to spend time and money while struggling with document conversions, mixed formats, limited editors, SQL server installation and administration, lack of team collaboration, or updating BIM models and families to integrate.  VisiSpecs leverages the tools already in use in the market providing the most powerful BIM model integrated document solutions in the market.  With a very simple pricing model, low entry point pricing, and free trials, we have very high expectations.”

Introductory discounts are aggressive at 40 percent off licenses and free video tutorials (a $300 value) for orders by December 31^st, 2016.  A 20 percent license discount with free video tutorials is available for orders by March 31^st, 2017. Educational curriculum licenses are highly encouraged and will always be free of charge.

For more information on the VisiSpecs pricing and licensing, please visit the Chalkline website.  Those interested in accessing the final Beta version of VisiSpecs or receiving a specific quotation for their VisiSpecs implementation should email sales@chalklineinc.com.

About Chalkline, Inc.

Chalkline is a developer of architectural and engineering specification software designed to visually document, coordinate, and verify BIM models and project specifications. VisiSpecs^® is a suite of applications that includes VisiWord and VisiRevit. VisiSpecs is a software as a service (SaaS) cloud solution where its desktop and mobile applications store and access the model and specification data on the company’s cloud servers for easy access and collaboration among distributed team members. Built on familiar applications already in use by most in the market, VisiSpecs requires minimal training and setup time. Users can easily integrate their own masters and project documents with the project models to accomplish true BIM integration without learning to use complicated model applications and without a lengthy integration process. For those who do use model applications, VisiSpecs provides direct access to the project specifications and documentation. For more information, visit www.chalklineinc.com. Autodesk^®, the Autodesk logo and Revit^® are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.