iCOS PDF
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iCOS

Sign in, open project drawings, create RFIs / QA-QC / tasks from markups, save back, MR / RFQ drafts.

iCOS PDF works directly with iCOS (iConstruction OS): open a project's issued drawings, turn markups into RFIs, QA/QC inspections and tasks, save marked-up PDFs back, and create material requests and RFQ drafts from the takeoff.

How to sign in

  1. Open the iCOS panel (building button on the left rail, or iCOS → iCOS).
  2. Check the Server (normally https://iconstructionos.ca) and, if you like, give the connection a Name (optional).
  3. Click Sign in to iCOS. Your browser opens the iCOS sign-in page: sign in and choose the company this connection works in (Baydo, WOW Electrical, …). Then come back to iCOS PDF.
  4. Work for more than one company? Add account (another company) adds a connection per company.

Sign out and disconnect ends a connection. If an account shows "signed out", sign in again. If the sign-in page says the app is not registered, click Sign-in page says this app is not registered? Register it again and sign in once more.

How to open project drawings

  1. In the iCOS panel, pick a project (Filter projects to search).
  2. Open a drawing set: the sheets are listed. Tick Show superseded issues to see older issues.
  3. Click Open set to open the issued PDF, or Open and keep offline to keep a copy on this device for the site.

Where the PDF comes from:

  • From the NAS, if Drawing source settings → NAS folders for issued PDFs points at the folder and the file matches iCOS (Check NAS files against iCOS (sha-256)).
  • Otherwise it is downloaded from iCOS.
  • If neither is possible, a raster copy is built from the iCOS sheet images, with the banner "RASTER COPY from iCOS sheet images — not the issued PDF". Its sheet size is inferred: calibrate before measuring.

How to create an RFI, QA/QC inspection or task from a markup

  1. Select one or more markups (e.g. a cloud around the problem).
  2. Right-click → Create RFI in iCOS…, Create QA/QC inspection in iCOS… or Create task in iCOS… (also in the Review and iCOS menus).
  3. Fill in the dialog:
    • Account, Project, Sheet; the Pin position is taken from the markup.
    • RFI: Subject, Question, Priority, Due date, Discipline, Drawing reference. With AI turned on, Draft with AI writes a first draft (check every word).
    • QA/QC: Checklist template, Location, Visibility (Private to my company / Shared with the project).
    • Task: Task, Description, Add to (Project Work Plan or My tasks), due date.
  4. What will be sent to iCOS lists exactly what goes. Nothing else is sent; iCOS records it as a draft in the app, with no email or outside distribution.
  5. Click Send to iCOS.

The markup is now linked: its Properties show iCOS records with Open in iCOS, Refresh status and Remove link (the iCOS record stays).

If your iCOS version does not support RFI pins yet, the pin position is written into the drawing reference instead.

How to save back to iCOS

iCOS → Save to iCOS… (also in the File menu):

  • Project document: give a Title and Upload. It is uploaded as a private project document.
  • New drawing-set revision: choose the Drawing package, Set name, Revision, Issue purpose and Issue date, then Upload. Make current replaces the package's current issue once processed, so everyone will see your upload as the current issue: leave it off for a markup copy.

Material requests and RFQs from the takeoff (estimating profiles)

  • iCOS → Material request from takeoff… and RFQ draft from takeoff… (also in the Takeoff menu): rows come from the takeoff roll-up (or from the measurement markups). Set Round quantities up, Required on site and Notes, then Create draft in iCOS. It is a draft only: nothing is sent to suppliers or approved.
  • iCOS → Price history…: type an item (e.g. EMT 3/4" or NMD90 14/2) and Look up past purchase prices by supplier, unit and currency.

Field and offline (tablets)

  • File → Keep this document offline keeps the open document on the device; View → Field / offline lists the Offline packages with Remove from this device.
  • Changes made offline are saved into the package. Upload them with Save to iCOS when you are back online.
  • View → Field mode (large touch targets) makes buttons bigger for gloves and tablets.

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