Design room plans
The Room Plan page provides you with a canvas and all the tools you will need to create a diagram for your event.
Use Automatic Layout to quickly fill the space with tables, chairs, and standard resources such as stages, dance floors, and podiums.
Automatic Layout is available if your administrator set the seating styles that apply to the room using the Layout Editor. If you select a room that does not have seating styles applied, you'll go straight to Design Mode.
Switch to Design Mode to take full control and add more resources from the library, adjust the sizes and shapes, or tailor the layout. The canvas displays a ruler to help you accurately place objects. When you move your cursor, you'll see the coordinates of your position in the key at the bottom of the screen update in real time. If it's been a minute since you looked at a graph, X is horizontal, and Y is vertical.
You can switch back to Automatic Layout any time you want to. Click Yes to keep your edits and continue fine-tuning or click No to clear your edits and reset the room.
Once you are finished, you can click to preview a three-dimensional render of your room. Click Share
to send the room plan to customers and your colleagues to receive their feedback and approval.
Navigation to another page from the room plan is easy. Click on the menu located at the top left of the page. Select the desired location, and it will open in a new tab. This enables efficient continued working on your room plan design.
To set up a room
- From an event on the Booking Details page, create, open, or import a room plan.
- In Automatic Layout Mode, use the tools to do the following:
Automatic layout fills the room using the attendance on the event. It rounds up to make complete rows or uses the maximum capacity for the room if it can't fit the number of attendees.
- The room setup (such as theater, classroom, or banquet) you selected for the event is shown by default. You can select a different setup from the drop-down list, if needed.
- Select your Room Arrangement.
Standard is available for banquet, classroom, and theater. Chevron is available for classroom and theater. Staggered is available for banquet and theater. - If needed, adjust the Aisle Options.
- You may also modify Aisles properties further by specifying groups of chairs with settings in Advanced Options.
- You may also retain the front aisle's width by selecting Retain Original Front Aisle Width in the Aisle options.
- If needed, set Distance between rows and resources for theater, classroom, banquet, and exhibit setup styles.
- Select the Group Seating Objects check box to have the full Settings menu available, for your seating groups, when moving from Automatic Layout to Design Mode. Clear the Group Seating Objects check box if you don't want your seating resources to be grouped.
- If you want to number for classroom, banquet, or exhibit seating styles, select On. To skip specific numbers, enter them in the Skip Numbers field separated by commas.
- Select all of the common resources you want to place in your room plan (for example, Dance Floor or Podium).
- Various room setups have additional options that you can set as appropriate: Table Type, Table Size, Chair Arrangement, and Chairs Per Table.
- Click Update Room Plan after you've made all of the necessary changes in Automatic Layout Mode.
- In Design Mode, use the tools to do the following:
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Add a resource |
If you double-click a resource without dragging it to the canvas, it will be placed in the center of the current canvas view. When you select and move a resource, the coordinates will update to describe the position of top left (TL), center (CTR), and bottom right (BR). This makes it easier to make sure the corners of the dance floor are exactly five feet from the wall without eyeballing the ruler. The exact coordinates of resources show when Live Update is selected. |
Select a resource | Click the Pointer Tool ![]() The resource is outlined in a blue selection box with the following icons in the corners: |
Select multiple resources | Click and drag to draw a rectangle around the resources (box select). Alternatively, you can hold the CRTL key and then click each resource (not available on tablets). |
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Grow or shrink tables, chairs, exhibit booths, dance floor tiles or risers |
Select a table, chair, exhibit booth, dance floor tile, or riser on the canvas. Click Grow in the corner of the selection box and drag outward or inward to increase or decrease the number of resources. For example, you can grow a chair into many rows of chairs. Maximize efficiency and performance by setting desired attributes, such as color, aisles, or number of chairs per table, before "growing" the resource. |
Grow or shrink rope and stanchions or drapes | Select a rope and stanchion or drape. Click Grow in the corner of the selection box and drag outward or inward to increase or decrease the length. For example, you can grow a single drape along its length for as long as needed. |
Set aisle properties | Select the "growable" resource, click Settings in the corner of the selection box, and then click Aisles. Edit the number of Center and Cross aisles and enter the distance for each Aisle Size. |
Set advanced aisle properties for chair groupings | Select the "growable" chair, click Settings in the corner of the selection box, click Aisles, and then select the Advanced Aisles check box. Edit the number of chairs Across and Back and enter the distance for each Aisle Size.
Advanced aisle options are not available for the Chevron and Staggered seating styles. |
Growable resources numbering | Grow groups of chairs, tables, booths, and risers can be numbered from their properties. Click Settings in the corner of the group’s selection box, click Numbering, specify Starting Number, Increment, and Skip Numbers, and click Apply. |
Renumber growable resources | Grow groups of chairs, tables, booths, and risers that are numbered can be renumbered after ungrouping. Formerly numbered grouped resources can be deleted, and the remaining grow group resources can be renumbered. Select one of the original numbered group resources, click Settings in the corner of the selection box, click Renumber, and specify Starting Number, Increment, and Skip Numbers, click Apply. |
Set the number of chairs in a row | Select the chair, click Settings in the corner of the selection box, click Chairs in a Row, and enter a number, or use the -/+ nudge buttons to add chairs to the row. |
Distance | Set distance between rows and resources for chairs, tables, and exhibit grow groups. |
Set chevron angle for Chevron room arrangements | For a chevron arrangement of chairs in Automatic Layout, select Chevron Angle from the layout tools, edit the chevron angle, and click Update Room Plan. In Design Mode, select a "grow group" of chairs set to Chevron Arrangement, click Settings in the corner of the selection box, click Chevron Angle, and edit the angle. |
Select/clear Group Seating Objects | If the Group Seating Objects
check box is selected in Automatic Layout, then the full Settings menu is available for your seating groups in Design Mode. Clear the Group Seating Objects check box if you don't want your seating resources to be grouped. Select the "grow group", click Settings in the corner of the selection box, and then select or clear Group Seating Objects. You can select your Group Seating Objects default in your profile for all diagrams that you open or create. |
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Clone grouped items | Select the grouped resources, click Settings in the corner of the selection box, and then select Clone. Enter the number of clones, or copies, in Count and set the distance between each with Spacing. Select the direction needed and click Apply. |
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Access properties | Select the resource, or group of resources, and click Settings in the corner of the selection box. If you've selected a group of like resources, then you can modify the properties of all those resources (such as making them red or changing their size). |
Work with chairs | Select the chair(s) and then click Settings in the corner of the selection box. The following properties are available:
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Work with tables | Select the table(s) and then click Settings in the corner of the selection box. The following properties are available:
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Work with steps |
Represent the number of steps when adding stairs to your diagram so that your customer can see if it's one step or three to get their equipment up to the stage. To change the number of steps:
Four steps are shown as default and each one is 4 inches, or 10.16 centimeters. The minimum you can display is one step and the size of the resource will determine the maximum number you can add. For example, if the resource is two feet tall (24 inches), you'll be able to add a maximum of 6 steps. Three-dimensional render will display the default 3D model selected in the Resources Editor, which may not have the same number of steps as your diagram. |
Work with exhibit booths | Select the exhibit booth(s) and then click Settings in the corner of the selection box. The following properties are available:
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Work with drawn shapes | To edit the properties of drawn shapes, click Settings in the corner of the selection box. The following properties are available for rectangles and ellipses:
The following properties are available for polygons:
The following properties are available for multi-line shapes:
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Change resource size | Select the resource, click Settings in the corner of the selection box, and then select an appropriate Size. If the resource has dimensions that haven't been defined in your resource library, select Custom, and then enter the Width, Length, and Height. Custom resource sizes are not added to your resource library. |
Choose resource color | Point out important seats and tables by adding a pop of color. Select the resource, click Settings in the corner of the selection box, and then select a Color.
If the color is locked, the color selection is unavailable for that resource. |
Choose Fill Pattern |
Add a pattern to communicate significant features in your diagram. Use a solid block of color as you always have, then add white stripes, checks, or crisscross. For example, call attention to the steps up to the stage with black and white diagonal stripes.
Select Hollow to show resources placed in layers. For example, show a floorbox that is under a table. Colors are not applied to the Hollow pattern. |
Customize resource 3D model |
Modify the 3D appearance of a resource in a specific room layout without altering the default configuration. You can opt for a different color or texture to align with your client's preferences. Select the resource, click Settings in the corner of the selection box, and then click 3D Model. To restore the resource to its original appearance, simply select the Set to Default option. |
Label resources | Select the resource, click Settings in the corner of the selection box, and then type a Label. We will automatically display it on the diagram for you. To hide the label, clear Show Label. |
Rotate resources | Select the resource, click Rotate in the top-right corner of the selection box, and rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. Alternatively, you can specify the exact rotation (such as 45 degrees) from the resource's Properties. |
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Use the tools on the Arrange menu | Click Arrange to open the menu from the toolbar. |
Bring a resource to the front | Select the resource, click Arrange, and then click Bring to Front. Repeat this process until the resource appears in the appropriate order. |
Send a resource behind another | Select the resource, click Arrange, and then click Send to Back. Repeat this process until the resource appears in the appropriate order. |
Group resources | Multi-select the resources you want to group, click Arrange, and then click Group. All actions performed on a group apply to everything within it (such as rotating or moving). |
Ungroup resources | Select the group of resources, click Arrange, and then click Ungroup. You can then perform an action on an individual item. |
Flip Horizontal | Select a resource, many resources, or a group of resources, and then click Flip Horizontal. For example, if you select a left-facing flip chart and click Flip Horizontal, it will now face right. This is a quick way to precisely change the direction of a resource without using the settings or Rotate icon. Text will not flip horizontally (text will not display backward). |
Flip Vertical | Select a resource, many resources, or a group of resources, and then click Flip Vertical. Individual resources and selections of multiple resources will flip in relation to the individual resource. A group of resources will flip in relation to the center of the group. Text will flip vertically and be readable when printed. |
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Use the alignment tools to position resources quickly and accurately.
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Align resources | You can align multiple resources with each other when you need them placed in a straight line, like a row of chairs. Or use the walls of the room if you need to position an item within a specific space, like placing the dance floor perfectly in the center of the room. Resources can be aligned vertically, horizontally, or by sides (tops, bottoms, or left or right sides). To align multiple resources, use the pointer tool To align to walls or lines, select the resource that you want to move. Then, press and hold CTRL + SHIFT on your keyboard to select walls, or lines created with the Multi-line or Polygon tools. Once you have made your selections, click the appropriate option in the Align menu. When aligning resources by sides, the first resource you select (indicated by a bold outline) is the basis for that alignment. When aligning to walls and lines, your selected reference points are indicated by dots. |
Abut resources | Abutting helps you position resources or groups of resources perfectly adjacent to one another. For example, you can quickly create an eight-foot head table for a wedding by placing two four-foot tables right next to each other. Resources can be abutted to the top, bottom, left, or right of each other. To abut to multiple resources, select the resources, click Align, and then choose an appropriate abut option. To abut to walls or lines, select the resources you want to move. Then, press and hold CTRL + SHIFT on your keyboard to select walls or lines created with the Multi-line or Polygon tools. When abutting resources, the first resource you select (indicated by a bold outline) is the basis for that abutment. When aligning to walls and lines, your selected reference points are indicated by dots. |
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Access the Text, Dimension, Line, Arrow, Number Stamp, and Shape tools | Click ![]() As you select different tools, the toolbar menu icon will change to indicate your current tool. |
Add and work with text | Click Tools and then click the Text Tool. Click the canvas to create a text box, and then enter your text. To change the font type, size, color, bold, italic, or underline of the text, click Settings in the corner of the selection box and make the necessary adjustments. |
Measure distances |
Click Tools and then click the Dimension Tool. Click the first point, drag to the second point, and release.
Walls and air walls do not display snapping points.
Changing the resource after placing dimension lines may require you to re-snap the line to the changed resource. For example, changing from an oval table to a square table. |
Draw lines | Click Tools and then click the Line Tool. Click the first point, drag to the second point, and then release. |
Draw arrows | Click Tools and then click the Arrow Tool. Click the first point, drag to the second point, and then release. |
Stamp, edit, and clear numbers | Stamp numbers by clicking Tools and then clicking the Number Stamp Tool.
To modify the number assignment, click Settings in the corner of the resource, and edit the Number assigned. To clear all numbering, click Clear, and then click Clear Numbers. |
Draw shapes | Click Tools and then click one of the following: To draw a rectangle or ellipse, select the tool, and then click and drag on the canvas to start drawing. To stop drawing, release the mouse button. For polygons, select the tool, and then click on the canvas for each point of your shape. Double-click to stop drawing. The shape will automatically close. For multi-line shapes, select the tool, and then click on the canvas for each point. Double-click to stop drawing. To edit the properties of drawn shapes, select Settings in the corner of the selection box. |
Add images |
Click Tools and then click the Picture It Tool.
Displaying your image larger than its actual size will affect the image quality. |
Add documents |
Click Tools and then click the Document Tool.
Supported formats are DOC, DOCX, PDF, TXT, XLS, and XLSX with a maximum file size of five megabytes (5 MB). If you choose to include documents when sharing diagrams, they display in the order they were attached at the end of the email body. |
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Use the tools on the Clear menu | Click Clear to open the menu from the toolbar. |
Clear room | Click Clear and then click Clear Room to remove everything from the room (resources, text, etc.). |
Clear all numbers | Click Clear and then click Clear Numbers (to assign numbers, see the Number Stamping tool). |
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Use the tools on the Clipboard menu | Click Clipboard to open the menu from the toolbar. Use the clipboard to copy and paste the selected resources into this or another room setup. |
Copy a resource | Select the resource on the canvas, click Clipboard, and then click Copy. Alternatively, press CTRL+C. |
Paste a resource | Click Clipboard and then click Paste. Alternatively, press CTRL+V. The resource is pasted to the center of the canvas view. You can then drag it to the appropriate location on the canvas. |
Delete resources | Select the resource and then click Delete. Alternatively, press DELETE. |
Undo changes | Click Undo to undo your last change on the canvas. Alternatively, press CTRL+Z. |
Redo changes | Click Redo to restore your last change (after it had been undone). Alternatively, press CTRL+Y. |
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Use the tools on the View menu | Click View to open the menu from the toolbar. |
Hide/show layers |
Click View to display a list of available layers (Room, Text, Boundaries, Setup Resources, Dimensions, and Air Walls). To make a layer visible, select the check box. Clear the check box to hide a layer.
Printing and exporting will use your current layer visibility. Air wall visibility works for newly created meeting spaces (after June 2020). |
Outlets |
Click View and select Outlets to display floor boxes in the room. Switch to Design Mode and double click the floorbox to see the details. |
Sketch Mode |
Click View and do one of the following:
Alternatively, press CTRL+S to toggle Sketch Mode on and off. Press CTRL+1, +2, or +3 to change the detail level. You can select your Sketch Mode default in My Profile for all diagrams that you open or create. |
Show Gridlines and adjust grid line spacing | Click View and enter a new value for spacing the grid units. The canvas will refresh with your new grid spacing. Clear the Show Gridlines check box to hide the grid lines. To choose your unit of measurement, see My Profile. |
Social Distancing |
Click View and do one of the following:
Printing and exporting will use your current social distancing settings. |
Select/clear Live Update | Click View and do one of the following:
You can select your Live Update default in your profile for all diagrams that you open or create. |
Select/clear Placement Alert |
If a resource crosses a boundary or is placed on top of another that appears impractical, you will see it highlighted. For example, if you overlap two tables or place a chair too close to a door opening. This is especially helpful to spot-check busy diagrams before sharing them with your customer. Click View and then select the Placement Alert check box.
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Zoom | Click Zoom In ![]() ![]() |
Pan around canvas | Click the Pan ![]() |
Fit to canvas | Click Fit to Canvas ![]() |
Expand the drawing area | Click Expand Drawing Area ![]() |
Collapse the button bar |
Click on the gray line between the title & owner information and the button bar to collapse or expand the button bar. |
Maximize drawing canvas |
Click Maximize Drawing Canvas, located in the view menu |
Rotate the room plan |
Click the Rotate Room button |
Set print orientation |
Click the Page Orientation button to change the print orientation for your room plan to either portrait |
Included in batch print |
Click to include |
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Before you share a 3D plan with your customer, insert placeholders to direct them to specific points of view in the room. Highlight the view from the perspective of the speaker, the seated audience, or the camera that will be mounted on the ceiling. Sort the visual points into order and name them to take your customer on a journey through the event. Then, all your client has to do is click through the viewpoints of the room as if you were right there with them, leading the way.
To provide the best experience for your client in 3D rendering, we recommend adding a few viewpoints in a variety of positions and angles.
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Click the Tools menu.
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Select the Viewpoint Tool and then click the diagram where you want to place it.
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In the Set 3D Viewpoint Position pop-up, enter the following details:
Name Type a name to describe what the view will show. This is displayed to the customer when they're viewing the space. Sort Order Enter the sort order in which the viewpoints should be displayed. For example, you may want to begin your customer's journey at the entrance of the room or show them the bird's eye view from the ceiling first. The viewpoint with the lowest number is what the customer will see as soon as they open the 3D preview. Angle (degrees) To rotate the view to a precise angle, enter the number of degrees between 0 and 359. If you're not sure of the angle you need, leave this field blank. After you click OK, you can re-position and rotate the Viewpoint icon on the canvas just like a resource. Point the larger front of the binoculars in the direction you want them to look. Field of View angle (degrees) The default is 45 degrees. To specify the width of the view, enter the number of degrees between 0 and 90. Using a wide angle will capture more of the peripheral view.
Target distance Enter the distance between the viewpoint and the scene you want to capture. For example, if your viewpoint is from the back of the room pointing at a stage, enter the distance between the back of the room to the stage. Viewer Current height The default is Standing. Select the position of the viewer—Ceiling, Standing, from a Sitting position, or on the Floor. If you want the view to be taken from a different height, select Custom and enter the specific height. For example, if you want the view to show the room layout from the perspective of a seated person, select Sitting. Target height The default is Standing. Select the height of what you want the viewer to look at. For example, to show the view for a seated guest looking at the presenter, select Sitting for the Current height, and Standing for the Target height. If the presenter will be on a tall stage, you may need to enter a custom height. -
Click OK. Repeat steps 1-3 to add more viewpoints.
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Click
and select the appropriate option based on the 3D experience you are using to preview the rendering.
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In the bottom right corner, click the arrows to move through the viewpoints, or select one from the drop-down list.
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Do one of the following:
To save the room plan for the current booking and event, click Save
.
To save the room plan for a different booking or event, click Save As
.
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Enter the Plan Name.
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Click Change to select another booking or click Create New to associate the room plan to a new booking.
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Click Change to select another event or click Create New to associate the room plan to a new event.
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Click Save.
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- Click
and select View 3D to view your room setup in 3D.
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Click the navigation arrows to move through your event space.
This feature will be discontinued early next year (2024). To transition to the updated experience, follow the instructions provided on the Enabling 3D page.
- Use the navigation panel on the right to walk through the room. Alternatively, use your keyboard arrow keys. You can also navigate by clicking and dragging in an appropriate direction.
- Use the panel to the left to rotate up, down, left, and right from a stationary position. Use the small arrows located in the center of the panel to change the height of the viewpoint. See keyboard shortcuts in 3D render for more tips.
- If you added Viewpoints to your diagram to showcase pre-set positions, use the additional viewpoint navigation bar at the bottom to move through the perspectives.
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Click share to send the current image via email. Enter the email address of each person you want to share the image with separated by a semicolon. Enter comments that should appear in the email.
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Click Create in the 3D render to create a PDF. Select the information you'd like to share with the image and click Save as PDF.
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Click the center camera icon to save an image as a JPG.
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When you're done, close the 3D page.
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Click
and select View 3D (New) to view your room setup in the new 3D experience.
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Click the navigation arrows to move through your event space.
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Use your keyboard arrow keys to walk through the room. You can also navigate by clicking the W, A, S, and D keyboard buttons.
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Hold the mouse button to rotate up, down, left, and right from a stationary position.
- See keyboard shortcuts in 3D render for more tips.
- If you added Viewpoints to your diagram to showcase pre-set positions, use the additional viewpoint navigation bar at the bottom to move through the perspectives.
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Click Share to send the current image via email. Enter the email address of each person you want to share the image with separated by a semicolon. Enter comments that should appear in the email.
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Click Create PDF in the 3D render to create a PDF. Select the information you'd like to share with the image and click Save as PDF.
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Click the camera icon to save an image as a JPG.
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When you're done, close the 3D page.
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Print, export, or share your room plan.
- Click
and then choose Print/Export.
- Do any of the following:
- Change the report's orientation from Portrait to Landscape.
- Select Hide additional information to hide information at the bottom of the printed page.
- Select Include Inventory Report.
- Select Fit To Page to maximize the size of your diagram.
- Select Include Distance KEY to display the distance of the gridlines.
- Select Include Property Logo to display your logo. This will be displayed in the header or footer of the page.
- Select Show Advanced Options to do any of the following:
- Change the information to display at the top or the bottom of the printed page.
- Hide Owner
- Hide Booking Name
- Hide Event Name
- Hide Date
- Hide Time
- Hide Modified Date
- Hide Room Plan Name
- Hide Location
- Hide BEO#
- Click
- Do one of the following:
- Click Save as PDF to browse to a location to save your report as a PDF.
- Click Print to print your report immediately.
- Click Cancel to close without saving or printing.
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Click Share
to send the room plan via email. Enter the email address of each person you want to share the image with separated by a semicolon. Enter comments that should appear in the email, select 3D Sharing if applicable, and then click Share to send the email. Recipients will receive a view-only image of the current room plan and, if selected, a link to its 3D virtual tour.
Explore more...
Video: Introduction to Delphi Diagramming