In this FAQ
- Installing and updating
- Signing in and licensing
- What looks and works differently from PlanSwift 11
- Takeoff BOOST™ in PlanSwift 12
- Plugins, scripting, and IT
- Getting help
This FAQ answers the questions customers ask most about PlanSwift 12, and lists what looks or works differently from PlanSwift 11. Most of what changed is underneath: PlanSwift 12 is a modernized, 64-bit version built to stop crashes on large jobs and install cleanly.
1. Installing and updating
Do I need to uninstall PlanSwift 11 first?
No. PlanSwift 12 installs alongside PlanSwift 11 and does not replace it. You can keep working in PlanSwift 11 while you move over. Installing does not require administrator rights; each Windows user installs PlanSwift 12 separately.
Can I update PlanSwift 11 to PlanSwift 12 in place, the way I updated from PlanSwift 10 to 11?
No. PlanSwift 12 is a new 64-bit application, so it installs next to PlanSwift 11 instead of over it. Use Import Jobs and Templates to bring your work across.
What are the system requirements?
- 64-bit Windows. PlanSwift 12 does not run on 32-bit Windows.
- 8 GB RAM minimum (up from 4 GB).
- Processor requirement: 64-bit processor with a clock speed of 1 GHz or faster.
How do I bring my jobs and templates into PlanSwift 12?
- Open PlanSwift 12 and choose Import Jobs and Templates from the PlanSwift menu (icon, top left).
- The wizard finds your PlanSwift 10 and 11 installs and copies your storage locations (with their jobs and templates), lists, and types across. It also copies your saved PlanSwift 11 reports and custom report filters. It shows progress and has a Cancel button.
- If your jobs are in a protected folder such as Program Files, PlanSwift 12 may ask for administrator rights during the import. You can also copy the job files to the new location yourself.
Importing copies your data into PlanSwift 12 and leaves your PlanSwift 11 data unchanged. If you choose to link a storage location, such as a cloud or network folder, both versions use that same folder.
Where does PlanSwift 12 keep my data?
By default, PlanSwift 12 installs for each Windows user. The program is under %LocalAppData%\Programs\PlanSwift12, and your jobs, templates, and plugin data are under %LocalAppData%\PlanSwift12, not in Program Files. Each time PlanSwift 12 installs or updates, it replaces the unit files that ship with PlanSwift, and shipped types are replaced the same way. If you changed a shipped unit file, that change is lost. Units you created yourself are not touched.
How do I update PlanSwift 12?
PlanSwift 12 checks for updates in the background and offers an update when one is available, including when it starts. You can also click Account Settings (top right) > Check for Updates. Updates install with one click.
What are the Stable and Beta update channels?
PlanSwift 12 has two update channels. Stable is the default and the supported release. Beta stays open after launch: new features go to Beta first so they can be tested, and move to Stable once they have been thoroughly tested. Stay on Stable if you want the most stable setup. Switch to Beta if you need a feature that is only available there or want new features early. Beta builds are pre-release and may contain defects.
How do I switch between Stable and Beta?
- Open the PlanSwift menu > Settings > Advanced > Update channel and choose Beta.
- PlanSwift shows a message titled "Switch to the Beta update channel?" It explains that Beta builds are pre-release and may contain defects, that results and data produced with them are not guaranteed, and that Stable is the supported channel. Choose I accept to continue or Cancel to keep your current channel. The message appears every time you switch to Beta.
- After you accept, PlanSwift checks for updates and offers the current Beta build. You can also click Account Settings (top right) > Check for Updates.
To go back, choose Stable in the same setting. PlanSwift offers the current stable release, even when its version number is lower than your Beta build, and you accept the offer to move back. Zip any important jobs before you switch channels. We cannot guarantee that a job saved or changed in a Beta build opens after you switch back to Stable.
Can I open a PlanSwift 12 job in PlanSwift 11 or an earlier version?
No. Jobs from PlanSwift 10 and 11 open in PlanSwift 12 after you import them, but PlanSwift 12 does not support opening or sharing jobs in PlanSwift 11 or earlier. A job zipped in PlanSwift 12 does not unzip correctly in PlanSwift 11, which shows a "Metafile is not valid" error and no sheets or takeoff. Share PlanSwift 12 jobs with other PlanSwift 12 users. For a job that started in PlanSwift 11, keep your PlanSwift 11 copy to share with someone still on PlanSwift 11. Someone who cannot update can download PlanSwift 12 from the PlanSwift installer page and open the job in read-only mode.
2. Signing in and licensing
Where do I sign in? What happened to the PlanSwift tab?
Sign in with your PlanSwift account from the Account Settings menu in the title bar (top right-hand corner). The separate "PlanSwift" ribbon tab from earlier versions is gone.
What can I do if I am not signed in?
You can create and save jobs, open and view them, and print. Until you sign in, the Estimating, Lists, Templates, Reports, and Plugins tabs are hidden and takeoff is turned off. Signing in unlocks full functionality, including takeoff and estimating, plus any Takeoff BOOST™ tools your plan includes.
I cannot sign in. What should I check?
Make sure you are using the email and password for your PlanSwift account. A wrong password shows "The email and password combination is incorrect." If your account has no seats left, PlanSwift says so and gives a sales contact. If you see a message about a subscription upgrade, see the next question. If you are sure your credentials are right and still cannot sign in, contact Support (Section 6).
Which plans can sign in to PlanSwift 12? I see a message that I need a subscription upgrade.
PlanSwift 12 sign-in needs an active maintenance plan or subscription on the account you sign in with: Standard Maintenance, Advanced Maintenance, Premium Maintenance, Core Subscription, or Essential Subscription. Users with an active PlanSwift trial can sign in as well. Not every plan includes the Takeoff BOOST™ tools (see Section 4). A PlanSwift Professional license with no active maintenance plan is not enough and shows "Subscription upgrade required." An expired plan shows "No active license." Contact your Account Manager or Support (Section 6) to arrange access.
Sign-in says too many computers are signed in, or no seats are available. What do I do?
Each signed-in computer uses a license seat. Signing out of PlanSwift 12 while you are online frees that computer's seat, so sign out on each computer you stop using. If you also use the same account in PlanSwift 11, deactivate the license in PlanSwift 11 first, wait a couple of minutes, then sign in to PlanSwift 12 again. If you use Takeoff BOOST™ in PlanSwift 11, see the next question as well.
I use Takeoff BOOST™ in PlanSwift 11. How do I free up my seat for PlanSwift 12?
Takeoff BOOST™ users need to deactivate both their PlanSwift license and their AI tools in PlanSwift 11 to free up their seat for use in PlanSwift 12. Deactivate your PlanSwift license in PlanSwift 11 (PlanSwift menu > Deactivate License), then right-click the Takeoff BOOST™ icon in the Windows system tray and choose Deactivate AI Tools. Wait a couple of minutes, then sign in to PlanSwift 12.
Can I activate by entering a code while offline?
No. For security, PlanSwift 12 no longer supports manual activation. Sign in online to activate.
3. What looks and works differently from PlanSwift 11
Look and layout
| Area | What is different in PlanSwift 12 |
|---|---|
| Themes | Choose Auto (Windows), Modern Light, or Modern Dark. The legacy themes are removed because they clipped buttons on high-resolution and multi-monitor screens. If you had a legacy theme selected, PlanSwift switches you to Auto (Windows). |
| Icons and text | New vector icons and High-DPI support keep icons and text sharp on 4K and other high-resolution monitors. |
| Layout | You can customize the layout. Choose Default Layout or Minimal Layout from the layout list in the title bar, and save your own from Tools > Layout > Layout options. The pin button on a panel's title expands the panel to fill the entire sidebar. |
| Home tab | The tools you use most are on the Home tab, including most of the Takeoff BOOST™ tools your plan includes (Reassign Takeoff stays on the Tools tab). |
| Export Plugin Package | The Export Package button is always on the Plugins tab, in the Package group. In PlanSwift 11 you had to turn on Show Dev Tools on Plugins Tab in the interface settings first. PlanSwift 12 has no Show Dev Tools option. The Require a license option is also gone: exported packages are not license-locked, and you can still import an older package that was license-locked. |
| Properties window | Opens wider so the whole toolbar above the Advanced view, including the Find box and the Show list, is visible. |
| Job Properties | Greyed out in the PlanSwift menu until a job is open. |
| Scripted tools (Grid, Joist, Beam) | Select a section from one of these tools and a ribbon tab named for the tool appears at the right of the ribbon, with a Methods group holding a button for each method. In PlanSwift 11 these buttons sat in the corner of the sheet and covered the drawing. The right-click menu still offers the same methods. |
Signing in, installing, and updating
| Area | What is different in PlanSwift 12 |
|---|---|
| Sign-in | Moved from the PlanSwift ribbon tab to the Account Settings menu in the title bar. |
| Activation | Online only. Manual (offline) activation is retired. |
| Installer | One installer that runs per user with no administrator rights. Takeoff BOOST™ is built in, with no separate installer, system-tray icon, or updates. |
| Updates | PlanSwift 12 checks for updates in the background, and you apply them with one click. Choose the Stable or Beta update channel in Settings > Advanced. |
| Data location | Per user under %LocalAppData%\PlanSwift12. |
Moving around the plan
| Area | What is different in PlanSwift 12 |
|---|---|
| Zoom speed | Each wheel notch zooms 1.4x by default, the same as PlanSwift 11. The Zoom Speed slider under Settings > Zoom / Pan ranges from 1.1x to 3x. The Hover Zoom Speed setting is gone; PlanSwift 11 never used it. |
| Auto-scroll (pan on hover) | PlanSwift 11's auto-scroll is back. While you record or drag, hold the cursor in a canvas edge band or corner and the page pans after the Hover Delay. Turn it on or off from the canvas right-click menu (Auto Scrolling) or the Auto Scroll panel in the status bar. Settings > Zoom / Pan has Hover Delay (500 ms by default), Hover Pan Speed, Hover Transparency, and Disable Hovering. |
| Zoom bug fixed | The random zooming introduced in PlanSwift 11, where pages zoomed on their own while you worked, is fixed. |
| Panning past the page edge | PlanSwift 12 stops panning at the page edge, so you zoom out and pan again; PlanSwift 11 let you pan past it. |
| Box markup line | The default line for box markup is thicker than PlanSwift 11's. |
Taking off and estimating
| Area | What is different in PlanSwift 12 |
|---|---|
| Starting a takeoff | The green record button in the Pages panel starts recording on the page you are viewing. The Record button and hotkey also work from an item you picked in the Takeoff Summary, as in PlanSwift 11. |
| New takeoff item | The New Takeoff Item dialog has PlanSwift 11's Folder field. It lists the folders under Takeoff, accepts a new path such as Walls\Interior, and remembers the last folder you used in the job. |
| Panels remember folders | Templates, Takeoff Summary, and Pages remember the folders you collapsed while you work in a job. They may expand again when a job opens. While you search, everything opens so you can see matches, and your collapsed folders return when you clear the search. |
| Paste | Pasting into a new item is much faster on large jobs and is a single Undo step. |
| Notes panel | Columns are Name and Page, as in PlanSwift 11. |
| Reassign Takeoff | To move one segment to another item, tick Only Selected Sections. With it ticked only the selected sections move; with it clear, the whole takeoff item moves, as in PlanSwift 11. |
| Moving a part | In Estimating you can drag a part onto an assembly or takeoff item (the middle of its row) to make it a child, not only onto folders. |
| Annotations | The Annotations button is gone. The Markups dropdown now uses the old Annotations icon. It holds Pen, Box, Circle, and Arrow Markup, plus Revision Clouds, Sticky Tabs, and Rubber Stamps, each with its own submenu. |
Jobs and files
| Area | What is different in PlanSwift 12 |
|---|---|
| Open Job dialog | Copy To and Move To are drop-down buttons and list every storage location, including Local. Each location shows its icon, and an Add Location icon sits beside them. Copying a job into its own location names the copy "<job name> - Copy". Delete is now in the Utility group. |
| Pinned jobs | A job you pin under Recent in the PlanSwift menu stays pinned when you open other jobs and after you restart. |
| New Job and Add Pages | The wizard remembers your Convert options (DPI, color depth, page naming, index text), your Blank Page entries, and the last image folder. |
| Plans | PDFs open natively, so you no longer need to convert them to TIF. Higher-detail rendering and a larger scratch disk help with bigger, more complex jobs. |
| Email Project | Not included in PlanSwift 12. Export the job and share it by email or a cloud drive. A better, more secure way to share a job is planned. |
Lists, reports, and search
| Area | What is different in PlanSwift 12 |
|---|---|
| Search | The ribbon Search box finds text on your plan pages, plus templates and items. PlanSwift 11 never searched the text on plan pages. Results appear in a Search Results panel with a tab for each filter (Pages, Templates, Items), each with its own hit count. The panel starts minimized on the right-hand side in the default layout. The Search box has a Clear button and shows "Search" when empty. |
| Editable database lists (new) | Open a database list (an Access table or an ADO query) in Lists and add, edit, and delete its rows. Changes save to the database at once. Right-click the footer for Sum, Count, Min, Max, or Average. Edits cannot be undone, and a warning appears before your first change to each list. Turn editing off for a list with its Read Only property. |
| List limits | A list runs a single SELECT. A list whose SQL is anything else (an INSERT, DELETE, or make-table query) is not run, and PlanSwift says so. A query that cannot be edited, such as a COUNT, shows as read-only. |
| Export To Excel Template (new) | On the Reports tab, choose one of your own Excel templates and PlanSwift fills it with the report. Put <begin data> in column A where rows should start, and optionally <end data> on the last row to use. Your formatting, formulas, and other sheets are kept. If the data does not fit, it continues on the next sheet, which needs its own <begin data>. Excel must be installed. PlanSwift asks whether to expand collapsed groups first. |
| Reports from PlanSwift 11 | The import wizard copies your saved PlanSwift 11 reports and custom report filters. |
| Excel Integration | Not included in PlanSwift 12 at launch. It will be included later, but it has to be rebuilt to work properly with PlanSwift 12. You can still send a report to Excel with Export To Excel Template, described above. |
4. Takeoff BOOST™ in PlanSwift 12
Where are the Takeoff BOOST™ tools, and do I still need the separate installer?
All of your Takeoff BOOST™ tools (Auto Takeoff, Auto Count, Auto Scale, Auto Bookmark, Auto Name, and Reassign Takeoff) are installed with PlanSwift 12. There is no separate installer, no system-tray icon, and no separate updates. Most Takeoff BOOST™ tools are on the Home tab when you sign in with the account that holds your plan. Auto Scale, Auto Bookmark, and Auto Name are in the Project group, and Auto Takeoff and Auto Count are in the Takeoff group. Reassign Takeoff stays on the Tools tab.
Which tools come with my plan?
Premium Maintenance, Advanced Maintenance, Core Subscription, and Essential Subscription plans include Auto Count, Auto Scale, Auto Bookmark, and Reassign Takeoff. Auto Takeoff comes with a Premium Maintenance plan or Core Subscription. Advanced Maintenance and Essential plans do not include Auto Takeoff. Standard Maintenance signs in to PlanSwift 12 without the Takeoff BOOST™ tools, as in PlanSwift 11. Upgrade your plan to add them; contact your Account Manager.
Can Auto Takeoff take off concrete?
Yes. Auto Takeoff can take off spread footings, linear footings, piers, and slab on grade. Open the Auto Takeoff wizard and use the Volume tab. The results go under Takeoff\Boost\Concrete as conditions with a volume in cubic yards (cubic meters on Metric). Footing and pier sizes come from the footing and pier schedule sheets in your plan set. You do not need to select the schedule sheets, but selecting them also works. Markers are drawn at their real size on the plan, and a footing's marker resizes when you edit its width.
A concrete run can take one to three minutes, because PlanSwift reads the schedules before the results come back. Where a size cannot be read, the template's default size is used (for example 24 x 12 inches), and the completion notice counts those conditions as needing dimensions, so check them. Linear footings are not sized from the schedules yet. Concrete takeoff comes with Auto Takeoff, so it is included in Premium Maintenance and Core Subscription.
Can I keep working while a tool runs?
Yes. PlanSwift 12's 64-bit design runs the Takeoff BOOST™ tools while you continue working on the job.
Reassign Takeoff moved the whole takeoff item when I selected one segment.
Tick Only Selected Sections in the Reassign Takeoff dialog. With it ticked only the selected sections move. With it clear, the whole takeoff item moves.
Takeoff BOOST™ shows as not enabled in PlanSwift 12.
Make sure you are signed in with the account that holds your plan, that your plan includes the Takeoff BOOST™ tools (see "Which tools come with my plan?"), and that a seat is free, then restart PlanSwift 12. You may need to deactivate Takeoff BOOST™ in PlanSwift 11 via the system tray icon to free up a seat.
5. Plugins, Scripting, and IT
Do my plugins and Starter Packs work in PlanSwift 12?
Plugin Starter Packs are now subscription based. An active PlanSwift subscription opens the 11 PlanSwift Starter Packs. Essential and Core subscriptions can install plugin packs, including their templates, lists, and layouts. If you are signed out or your subscription has expired, parts stay locked and the notice says a PlanSwift subscription is needed. Third-party compiled content stays locked. Takeoff BOOST™ and Earthwork Pro are built into PlanSwift 12.
Is Earthworks Pro available in PlanSwift 12?
Yes; however it will not be available at launch but will be available shortly after. Earthworks Pro is built into PlanSwift 12 and is based on your Earthworks Pro entitlement, so there is no separate installer. It will be available on the Beta update channel and is not on Stable yet, because we are testing it thoroughly before we move it. Keep an eye out for an announcement of its availability in PlanSwift 12, then you can switch to the Beta channel to use it (see section 1).
You can keep using Earthworks Pro in PlanSwift 11 until it is available in PlanSwift 12
Can I compile the plugins I build?
Yes. Export Plugin Package includes compiling. On the Plugins tab, in the Package group, click Export Package to open the wizard. Export Package shows on the Plugins tab with no setting to turn on. PlanSwift 12 has no Show Dev Tools option.
How do I share templates, lists, report layouts, or Estimating layouts with another PlanSwift 12 user?
Export them as a plugin package. On the Plugins tab, in the Package group, click Export Package, enter a name, and choose what to include: Templates, Types, Lists, Estimating, Reports, or Scripts. Estimating and Reports cover your Estimating layouts and report layouts. Send the package file to the other person, who clicks Import Package on the same tab.
I use PlanSwift's COM interface or scripting. Where do I start?
Scripted tools (Grid, Joist, and Beam) are supported in PlanSwift 12.
For COM developers, PlanSwift 12 includes a COM Developer Examples app that documents every COM call with a C# example and a guide to moving from PlanSwift 11. Open it from the PlanSwift menu > Settings > Advanced > COM Developer Examples. It needs the Microsoft .NET 9 Desktop Runtime (x64).
To switch a PlanSwift 11 integration over, change the ProgID from PlanSwift9.PlanSwift to PlanSwift.PlanSwift12, run your client as 64-bit, and sign in to PlanSwift 12 before the client connects. PlanSwift 11 and 12 can run side by side, and each ProgID reaches only its own program.
Is the PlanSwift Excel integration included in PlanSwift 12?
Not at launch. The Excel integration, the PlanSwift add-in for Microsoft Excel, is not included in PlanSwift 12. It will be included later, but it has to be rebuilt to work properly with PlanSwift 12. You can still send a report to Excel: on the Reports tab, Export To Excel Template fills one of your own Excel templates with the report (Section 3). Excel must be installed.
How does PlanSwift 12 fit a managed or shared-computer environment?
- Installs per user with no administrator rights. Each Windows user has their own data under %LocalAppData%\PlanSwift12.
- Locking the one-click update by policy is not available in this release.
- PlanSwift 12 renders on the CPU and does not use GPU acceleration.
6. Getting help
- Contact Support. Email techsupport@constructconnect.com or call 866-689-5687.
- Browse the Help Center. Find PlanSwift 12 help articles in the Help Center.
- Report a bug or request a feature. Use Report a Bug and Feature Request on the Help tab.
- When you contact us, include: your build number (Help > About), your update channel (stable or beta), what you were doing, and a screenshot or short recording. For display problems, include Help > About > Copy diagnostics. For import problems, include the exact error text and title, the file type and page count, and where the files are stored.
