This article contains information for using the ProductionPro Web App. If you're using the ProductionPro iPad App, please see this article.
Annotation layers are a great way to:
Separate and organize your notes by department, topic, or meeting; and
Share some notes while keeping others private.
What’s a Layer?
When you make notes on a PDF in ProductionPro, these notes are saved in a transparent layer on top of your original document. You can have one or as many layers as you want, and manage them in the Annotation Layer dropdown menu:
Once opened, the menu lists all your layers:
Active Layer vs. Visible Layers
Active Layer
The Active Layer is the layer where the notes you make are saved. You always have exactly one Active Layer. You can make any layer you own active. When you have multiple layers, you can only edit notes from the Active Layer (simply tap on a note layer to select and edit it).
Note: Disabled Layers are layers you cannot edit; these are layers that have been shared with you by someone else on the production.
Visible Layers
When you have multiple layers of notes, you can view them all concurrently: use the eye icon to toggle on and off the visibility of each layer. Note that your Active Layer (see above) is always visible.
What You Can Do with Layers
Create a new layer
To create a new layer, click on the ‘Create Layer’ button, name the layer, and hit 'Save'.
Rename a layer
To rename a layer, tap on the 3-dot icon on said layer, choose ‘Rename Layer’, enter a new name and hit 'Save'. If you rename a layer that has been shared with you or a layer that you have already shared, the name change will only be visible to you.
Delete a layer
To delete a layer, click on the 3-dot icon on said layer, choose ‘Delete Layer’, and confirm your choice. Two things to note:
You always need one Active Layer so, when you delete the last of your layers, a new empty layer called "My Notes" will be automatically created and marked as the Active Layer.
You can’t delete a layer that has been shared with you: only the owner of the layer can delete it. If you don’t want to view the contents of that layer, simply hide it.
Transfer a layer
When there's a new version of a document you made layers on, you can transfer those layers to from the original file to the new one. Here's a step-by-step walkthrough on how to transfer your notes.
Share a layer
Your layers are private by default: only you can see them and the notes they contain. To share a layer, tap on the ‘Share Layer’ icon on said layer. It will open a layer sharing menu where you will be able to select the Team Member(s) you want to share that layer with. You can only share layers that you own.
Once you’ve shared a layer, you’ll see an indicator (under the layer's name) reflecting its shared state:
In the example below, the first layer is a layer you have shared with others, and the second layer was shared with you:
FAQ
Can I annotate on a layer shared with me?
No, you cannot make notes on any layer that's been shared with you.
Can I export my notes?
No, the same way you can’t export documents out of ProductionPro.
What about the bookmarks?
Bookmarks are considered part of the notes you can make on a document. Everything explained in this article applies to bookmarks as well.