[VIDEO] A Better Building Survey Process

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Building surveys are the use case that spawned Layer. We were faced with a challenge that's common to any other architect or engineer working on large renovation projects:

How do you collect and organize so much data (in our case over 100k data points!) without losing our collective minds?

Helping our users simplify their building survey process is still one of my favorite things about working at Layer. Our Building Survey template makes it easy to go from data gathering to on-site surveying in about 15 minutes.

Building surveys are the use case that spawned Layer. We were faced with a challenge that's common to any other architect or engineer working on large renovation projects:

How do you collect and organize so much data (in our case over 100k data points!) without losing our collective minds?

Building surveys are the use case that spawned Layer. We were faced with a challenge that's common to any other architect or engineer working on large renovation projects:

How do you collect and organize so much data (in our case over 100k data points!) without losing our collective minds?

Related Workflow Videos

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How to write an RFI

RFIs—short for Requests for Information—are a critical yet often time-consuming part of any construction project. A good RFI ensures that your team gathers the right information at the right time, reducing costly delays and miscommunications on-site.

In this short video, Giorgios from Layer’s Customer Success team walks you through how to write an RFI using Layer’s construction management platform. Whether you're on desktop, mobile, tablet, or in Revit, Layer makes it simple to create, manage, and track RFIs—all in one place.

What is an RFI?

A Request for Information (RFI) is a formal process used in construction to clarify project details, resolve design issues, or verify discrepancies between documents. Effective RFIs are clear, concise, and contain the right type of information to ensure fast and accurate responses.

RFIs are often confused with other requests like Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotation (RFQ)—but they serve a distinct purpose. While RFPs and RFQs involve pricing and vendor selection, RFIs help gather additional information and clarify uncertainties before construction progresses.

Why Use Layer for the RFI Process?

Layer streamlines the RFI process from start to finish, enabling you to:

Create an RFI directly from your project drawings
Tag and assign team members for quicker response times
Upload relevant attachments like site photos or specs
Track status and due dates to avoid missed deadlines
Export RFI documents as polished PDF reports
Automate notifications and workflows

The result? A more transparent and efficient way to manage RFIs—no more chasing down email threads or managing disjointed spreadsheets.

Video Walkthrough: Creating an RFI in Layer

In the video, Giorgios shows how to:

Open your project from the Layer dashboard.
Use a built-in RFI template to get started quickly.
Navigate to the RFI category, where each RFI includes key fields like:
- Title
- Status
- Due Date
- Assigned Team Member
- Question + Answer
- Attachments
- Drawing References
Mark up drawings with annotations to pinpoint exactly where the issue exists.
Assign the RFI to a teammate or collaborator directly within the platform.
Add supporting documents or photos as needed.
Receive responses, and see everything tracked in one place.

Layer automatically generates an RFI report as you work. You can export individual RFIs or a full report with multiple entries—perfect for sharing with stakeholders or including in your project documentation.

What Makes a Good RFI?

A good RFI does more than ask a question. It helps the recipient understand the context, urgency, and potential impact. In Layer, you can create an RFI that includes:

Clear background information
Relevant drawing or spec references
Well-defined questions with space for detailed answers
Evaluation criteria, if applicable
A due date to encourage timely responses

Layer’s intuitive fields guide you through the process of writing and sending an RFI that gets results—fast.

Automate RFI Tracking

One of the standout features in Layer is RFI automation. In the video, you’ll learn how to:

Trigger an email when an RFI’s status is updated (e.g. from “Open” to “Closed”)
Customize the message using fields from the RFI itself
Stay informed in real-time without constantly checking for updates

Automation is especially useful when managing RFIs across multiple vendors, trades, or project phases.

Layer Supports Every Step of the RFI Process

From drafting to resolution, Layer helps streamline your RFI process with tools that support collaboration, transparency, and speed. Here’s how Layer fits into your larger construction communication workflow:

Create an RFI directly from a drawing or floor plan
Send an RFI with background information and attachments
Receive an RFI response from the assigned team member
Generate an RFI report as part of your documentation
Use evaluation criteria to ensure consistency across multiple RFIs
Transition to an RFP or RFQ if the next step involves pricing or bids

Designed for Collaboration

Layer allows you to tag anyone on your team—whether it’s an architect, engineer, consultant, or contractor. Everyone has access to the same data and can contribute to the request for information process without switching tools.

You can even associate your RFI with other project details like FF&E items, field observations, or design specs to create a single source of truth for your team.

Layer Training Webinars: A step by step walkthrough on creating a Survey Report Template in Layer

On-site surveys & assessments are stressful enough. Typing up reports in inDesign or Microsoft Word afterwards is just the dreaded icing on the cake.

In this 20 minute webinar, learn how you can create a survey report template in Layer that can be applied to any type of Survey Data. Layer Director of Customer Success Silvia Lee walks through how easy it is to create any type of report from scratch with Layer's Document Builder as she creates a Playground Equipment Survey Report.

Conditional Formatting for Layer Document View

In this video, Zach from the Layer team walks you through our latest and most powerful feature yet — Conditional Formatting in Document Views! 🎉 Now you can easily track revisions, highlight changes, and streamline your workflows with customizable formatting rules. Whether you're working with project updates or data submissions, this tool will save you time and effort.

🎯 What you'll see in this video

How to set up conditional formatting rules for document views.
Step-by-step guide to highlighting changes since specific submission dates (e.g., 9/27 or 9/20).
How to create multiple rules, customize text colors, and export reports with ease.
Best practices for automating document updates and improving revision tracking.

👉 Who is this feature for?

This feature is perfect for Layer users looking to highlight key data changes without the hassle of manual tracking.

A Tour of Layer's Construction Administration Template

See how Layer's Construction Administration template can help you keep track of it all. Product Manager Georgios Papadogeorgakis will walk you through this template and show you how you can get started customizing everything to your own organization's workflows.

This template includes tools for tracking RFIs, submittals, punch lists, meeting minute notes, and more. Learn how to capture and organize all meeting minute notes, RFIs, site observations, punch lists items and more in a single platform connected directly to Revit.

Connect with Vendors, GCs, and other project stakeholders in a single source of truth so that everyone is on the ball and no time is lost during the most crucial stages of construction.

Customize and export custom reports so that your team is not wasting time formatting docs, and instead concentrating on what matters: delivering beautiful spaces your clients will love.

Layer's Shared Views Feature

You can now share views from your Project with others and control what specific information they can see without compromising any other Project data!

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Bulk Edit Dot Annotations

Use this feature to update all the annotations on your drawing view with one click!

Focus Mode in Layer App

Check out Layer's newest feature: Focus Mode

Show only the fields you want when you turn on Focus Mode

See more details here: https://help.layer.team/en/articles/9274561-focus-mode

Automations in Templates

You can now add Automations in your Templates!

Favorite Views in Layer App

Check out our latest feature here to create a Favorites list at the top of your Categories for your views.

See more details here: https://help.layer.team/en/articles/9274562-favorite-views

Summary Document View

Learn how you can use Layer's latest feature: Summary Document View to create all sorts of summarized tables and PDF documents. You can use this feature to create schedules, tables, product galleries and more!