The Annotation Layering functionality allows you to create, view and manage multiple sets of annotations within a document and improves collaboration during document reviewing.

This section covers how to use annotation layers within a document and assumes you are already familiar with adding annotations and redactions to your document. If you have not added annotations or redactions to your document, refer to the following topics first: Working with Annotations and Working with Redactions.

This topic contains the following sections:

Introduction

The Annotation Layer functionality is located under both the Annotate and Redact tabs:

Annotate tab:

Redact tab:

To open the Annotation Layers pane, click the Annotation Layers icon from the toolbar:

Example of Annotate tab in viewer

There are two sections on the Annotation Layers pane that you can use - 'My Annotations' and 'Annotations for Review':

• My Annotations Pane - Load annotations, save annotations and edit the layer name.
• Annotations Review Pane - Load annotations and review, show/hide all annotations in one click, merge specific annotations or merge all annotations in one click.

The 'My Annotations' Pane

How to Create & Save Your Own Layer under the 'My Annotations' Pane

1. Draw an annotation on the document and add a comment.
2. Draw a redaction on the document and add a comment.

When you click on either the annotation or redaction, the comment displays a Reply field so another reviewer can respond to your comment in that layer:

3. Under My Annotations, click on the Annotation Layers icon and three options display (Edit Name, Load Annotations, Save Annotations):

4. Select Save Annotations. The Save As field displays:

5. Enter the Layer Name and click Save.
6. A green notification bar displays stating the annotation and redaction are now saved in that layer.

How to Load Annotations from other Reviewers from the 'My Annotations' Pane

1. Under My Annotations, click on the Annotation Layers icon and three options display (Edit Name, Load Annotations, Save Annotations):

2. Select Load Annotations. The Load Annotations pane displays:

3. Select the annotations set you want to edit from the drop-down and another reviewer's annotations (from their layer) are displayed on the document:
   

   Example of the Annotation set in the viewer

The name of the layer that a comment belongs to is displayed next to the date and time in the comment (as shown above in the yellow highlighted area).

4. You can review their annotations and reply to their comments. You can also add your own annotations and comments to their layer:

Example of annotation layers that have been merged and include comments and replies

   

5. To save your changes, click on the Annotation Layers icon and select Save Annotations:

6. A green notification bar displays notifying you that your changes are now saved in that layer.

How to Edit the Name of an Annotation Layer under the 'My Annotations' Pane

1. Under My Annotations, click on the Annotation Layers icon and select Edit Name:

2. Add a Layer Name in the field and then press Enter:

How to Hide an Annotation Layer under the 'My Annotations' Pane

1. Under My Annotations, click on the Eye icon to toggle hide/show annotation layers on or off:

Annotation layers showing:

Annotation layers hidden:

The 'Annotations for Review' Pane

How to Load and Review Annotations from the 'Annotations for Review' Pane

1. Under Annotations for Review, click on the Annotation Layers icon and five options display (Load Annotations, Show All, Hide All, Merge Annotations, and Merge All Annotations):

2. Click on Load Annotations and a list of annotations for review are displayed:

3. If you want to select all the annotations for review, select Toggle All and click Done:

Or if you only want to load and review specific annotations, select the checkbox in front of each set of annotations you want to review and click Done:

How to Show & Hide Annotations from the 'Annotations for Review' Pane

1. To show all annotations, click on the Annotation Layers icon and select Show All:

The Eye icon is displayed:

2. To hide all annotations, click on the Annotation Layers icon and select Hide All:

The Eye icon is displayed showing they are now hidden:

If you hide a layer that contains redactions, those redactions will not burn with the document.

How to Merge Annotations from the 'Annotations for Review' Pane

Note that when you merge annotations from one layer to another layer, the original layer name will stay with any comments made in the original layer.

1. To merge annotations, click on the Annotation Layers icon and select Merge Annotations:

2. To select all annotations, select Toggle All:

If you want to select specific annotations, select the checkbox in front of the annotations you want to merge:

3. When you are done making your selections, click Merge Selected to My Annotations. The annotations that you selected have been merged with your annotations.

How to Merge all Annotations from the 'Annotations for Review' Pane

Note that when you merge annotations from one layer to another layer, the original layer name will stay with any comments made in the original layer.

1. To merge all annotations, click on the Annotation Layers icon and select Merge All Annotations:

All annotations have been merged with your annotations.