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Navigational Tools
Drawings Tools
Design Tools
System Tools

FAQ

Designing an Office:

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Please note: Visual Planner usability on Macs cannot be guaranteed because of the large number of operating system and browser configurations.

The Visual Planner home page contains three buttons to access the system. The Select An Office Layout button provides you with a collection popular room layouts that you can customize. The Design A Room From Scratch button lets you start with a blank floorplan and customize the room shape and size before laying out your office furniture. The Return To A Saved Plan button allows registered users to login to the system in order to start a new design OR load a previously saved office layout.

When entering the system through the Dealer Area, you will be presented with a Log In page, allowing you to log in to the system using your previously selected Username (email) and Password. Once logged in, you can either select to "Start a Design from Scratch" or "Retrieve a Previously Saved Session".

Please note: When retrieving a design you can either select a session from the provided list or manually enter a session number.

Navigation tools

Step Navigation: Once inside the system, you will have the following options in the layout process. You can simply navigate back and forth between these pages by clicking on the desired button or pressing the "back/next" buttons.

  1. Step 1 Walls: Create, modify, delete and resize design area. Add Doors & Windows as needed.
  2. Step 2 Design: Access available products and lay them out in your space.
  3. Step 3 Accessories: Browse through manufacturer and product lines add Accessories to your order.
  4. Step 4 Quote: Review bill of materials

Users may select a pre-designed room shape or draw their own from scratch. Initial room measurements can be entered now and changed later on if necessary.

If using one of the pre-designed room shapes, the walls will be already in place after you click the continue button. In contrast, when drawing a room from scratch, you will automatically be in the "Draw Mode" where you can trace the layout of your walls by clicking on the grid. (See below for a Video Tutorial). Rooms can be resized and walls can be deleted while in this section of the system. General Room Elements such as columns, outlets, switches, phone jacks and thermostats can be found in the Room Elements category in Step 2 Design. Tutorial

Note: Each square on the grid equals 1 foot.

 

Drawing Tools allows users to modify the shape and size of their room.

Draw/Edit Walls: Pick points on the screen to create your room shape. Make sure to connect your last point with the starting point to close the walls. Once closed, you will be able to edit them. Edit walls by dragging (click and hold) any existing point to a new location.Tutorial
Delete All: Erase all of your walls to start again.Tutorial
Resize Area: Change the dimensions of the area you are currently planning. Reducing the size will automatically remove all the walls.Tutorial

Windows and Doors: Allows the user to draw windows and doors along the walls of the room.

Draw Windows: Click and drag the cursor along a wall to create a window. Release when the desired width is reached. Window height and floor-to-sill distance can be set in the window options popup. Delete a window by clicking on it (while the Draw Window button is activated). Tutorial
Draw Doors: Click and drag your cursor along a wall to create a door. You can go up or down from your starting point or move the cursor slightly to the left/right of the wall to change the direction of your door swing. Release when desired door width and swing direction is reached. Door height can be set in the door options popup. Delete a door by clicking on it (while the Draw Door button is activated). Tutorial
 

The plan view area allows users to design a layout using the products provided in the Products pull-down menus.The design screen also contains several commands including system tools and navigation tools. Tutorial

Product Pull-Down Menus: Start here to access all available products in the system:

 

Product Type: contains a library of products available for dragging onto the stage area. Product categories are divided by similar characteristics of each group.

Viewport Tools: allows users to navigate in planning area and manipulate products.

 3D/BACK: The 3D button displays an isometric 3D preview of the floor plan. Back returns you to the plan view. Tutorial
Measure/Reset: Measure distances with a tape measure tool. Use Reset to delete current measurements from the screen. Simply click the Measure button again to turn it off and hide your measurements. Measurements can be printed if left on the screen while printing floor plan. Tutorial
Zoom In/Out/Reset: Zoom in, out, or reset the room area.Tutorial


 

Product Tools: Perform specific operations on the selected product.

Rotate: Rotates the current product selected.
Information: Provides specific information about the current product selected.
Delete: Deletes the current product selected.
Configure: Allows user to configure below the product if options are available.Tutorial

Color: Lets the user choose different material options when an individual item is selected on the floor plan. A sample arrangement can be seen in all materials available. Finish selections made here will be applied to the entire collection you are currently working with, except for products with different finish choices. This feature affects both the items placed on the screen and the items inside the library. Tutorial
Snap On/Off: Allows user to turn on and off product snapping. Snapping is when products automatically move together at sides or corners indicated by red lines or x's when they are within a certain distance. Tutorial

The accessory section allows users to browse through available items (such as ergonomic products, door kits, etc.) not found inside the design section and enter the desired quantity to be added to the order. Tutorial

The quote screen contains a detailed bill of materials. Sku, Description, Finish, Quantity and Unassembled and/or Assembled Price all listed for every product placed in the room or added as an Accessory.

There are also fields to enter Sales Tax as well as Design, Delivery and Installation Fee. Sub-totals as well as the grand total are calculated automatically. Additionally, any/all information entered on this page is saved along with the design when saving a session. This section can be printed.

System Tools

1. Open: Used to start a new session and/or retrieve a previously saved session without the need to restart the system or entry of log-in information.
3. Save: Command allows users to save a current office layout design. Designs are given a unique session number that can be used to retrieve them in the future.
4. Save As: Allows users to save a copy of the current office layout design as a new session number.
5. Print: Command allows users to print plan view, 3D view, and bill of materials for current office layout design. Tutorial
6. Share: Command allows you to share your design with someone else, pre-registering them in the system and granting them temporary access. You must be logged in and your design saved before it can be shared.
Please Note: Designs can only be shared with one email address at a time.
7. Restart: Command allows users to log out of the system and either start a new layout or log back in to work on previous designs. Please note: If multiple users are using the same computer station to access the system, each user should restart after they complete a session and leave the station.
Contact Us: Command allows users to contact a salesperson with their design information and questions. This feature automatically saves a customer's session prior to forwarding the contact request.

FAQ

  1. I am having difficulties drawing Doors and Windows. What am I doing wrong? If the wall touches the borders of the overall room boundaries it will be difficult to draw a window or door on that wall. It is suggested you move your walls in slightly to make creating the windows and doors easier. Tutorial
  2. Why do all my products change to the same color? Finish/Fabric selections made in the color selection screen will be applied to the entire collection you are currently working with. Individual color selections for the same collection must be made outside of the system.
  3. How do I move, rotate, or delete more than one product at a time? Hold down your left mouse button and draw a selection area that contains all or part of any products you want to move together. An outline will appear as you draw. When you release, all of the products selected will be grouped within red brackets. You can move, rotate, or delete all of these products at one time. To cancel this group, simply on the grid in an area away from the group and it will become separate products again. Tutorial
  4. Why do some products include left and right options? These products are identical, however certain planning decisions may require either a left or right orientation for a given product. These options are provided within each category.
  5. Where is the hutch category? The hutch category does not exist. Hutches are combined with desking products within the following categories: Bridges, Corner Desks/Credenzas, and Returns.
  6. Where can I find furniture groupings? Furniture groupings can be found under Select An Office Layout on the Home Page or under the Typicals category in the Design section.
  7. Why do I get a message when i click the color button? You must have an item selected to access the finish selections page.
  8. How do I share my design with someone? The Share feature can be accessed under the File menu on the upper right corner of the system interface. Use the share button to send your session to someone else. An email will be sent letting them know there is a new design waitng for them and pre-registering them if they are not already registered with the system. Tutorial
  9. Can I generate a PDF from the available print pages? Yes. You can use any third-party PDF maker software, such as Adobe Acrobat or CutePDF Writer (Free Download under: http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp) for this purpose. With a PDF maker software installed, proceed to the Print page of Visual Planner, simply select the view you would like to turn into a PDF and click the Print button located below the 3 views. When your printer selection window opens, simply scroll through your available options and select a PDF Maker Software instead of your default printer. Next, select a file name and a location where you would like to save the PDF. Tutorial
  10. Where do I find generic elements such as Columns for my design? Columns as well as symbols for Electrical Outlets, Communication Ports, Wall Switches and Thermostat Units can be found in the second drop-down menu in Step 2-Design under the "ROOM ELEMENTS" category. The ROOM ELEMENTS category is available under both Manufacturer and Product Index sorting type in the first drop-down menu.
    Please Note: Once placed on the floor plan, Columns will appear in the 3D-view while the symbols for the switches/outlets, etc. are only meant to enable the user to mark the walls as a reminder in the Plan-view (2D).


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