Spotlight lets you focus on specific measurements on a plan sheet without hiding everything else. Choose filters such as Labels, Tags, Takeoffs, Typicals, or Scale, and matching measurements stay fully visible (spotlighted) while all other measurements are dimmed in place (ghosted). This keeps the surrounding context on the drawing while removing visual clutter.

Spotlight is especially useful on dense drawings for validating takeoffs, reviewing work, and finding gaps, without toggling takeoff visibility on and off.

Key Information

• Spotlight is opened from the Spotlight tab in the Right Panel of the PLANS & TAKEOFFS workspace.
• Filter measurements by Labels, Tags, Takeoffs (by measurement type), Typicals, or Scale.
• Measurements that match your filters are spotlighted; all other measurements are ghosted. Nothing is deleted or hidden.
• Spotlight and Ghost appearance are set in Preferences > Spotlight.
• Spotlights can be saved and reused, either as a Personal Spotlight or shared with everyone on the project as a Project Spotlight.

Set Spotlight and Ghost Appearance

Before filtering, choose how spotlighted and ghosted measurements look on the canvas.

1. Click the User menu in the top-right corner and select Preferences.
2. Select the Spotlight tab.
3. Under Spotlight appearance, choose a Color:
   • Measurement color – spotlighted measurements keep their takeoff color.
   • Custom – spotlighted measurements use a color you choose.
   • No Fill – spotlighted measurements are not filled.
4. Choose a Fill pattern: Diamond, Gradient, or Solid.
5. Under Ghost appearance, choose how non-matching measurements are dimmed:
   • Dim, keep color
   • Dim + greyscale
6. Set the Opacity for ghosted measurements.
7. Review the Preview, then click Save.

Spotlight Measurements

Use the Spotlight panel to choose which measurements stay sharp on the canvas.

1. Open a project and go to the PLANS & TAKEOFFS workspace.
2. In the Right Panel, select the Spotlight tab.
3. Check one or more filters. Expand a category with the arrow to choose specific values:
   • Labels
   • Tags
   • Takeoffs – filter by measurement type: Area, Linear, Count, or Surface Area.
   • Typicals
   • Scale
4. Review the canvas. Matching measurements stay at full strength, and everything else is ghosted.
5. To return all measurements to full strength, click Clear All at the bottom of the panel.

TIPS
Use the Search field at the top of the panel to find a filter value quickly.
Turn on Hide unused filters to shorten the list to filters in use.
Spotlight by Scale to quickly check sheets that use more than one scale.

NOTE
Ghosted measurements stay on the canvas in their original position, so you keep the context of the full drawing. Spotlight only changes how measurements are displayed; it does not change takeoff quantities.

Save and Reuse a Spotlight

Save a set of filters as a Spotlight so you can apply it again later.

1. Set the filters you want to save in the Spotlight panel.
2. Click the saved spotlights menu in the top-right corner of the Spotlight panel.
3. Select Save Spotlight.
4. Choose whether to keep the Spotlight personal or share it with the project.

Saved Spotlights appear in the same menu under Project Spotlights or Personal Spotlights. Select a saved Spotlight to apply its filters.

GOOD PRACTICE
Save Project Spotlights for common review views, such as a specific trade or scale, so everyone on the project checks drawings the same way.

Next Steps

• Assign Labels and Tags consistently so Spotlight filters are more useful.
• Use Spotlight to validate takeoffs and find missed items before estimating.

Related Articles

Takeoff Tags & Labels (TE)
Create Takeoffs (TE)
Takeoff Toolbar (TE)

See how others use this feature in the STACK Community.

If you need additional assistance, please Contact Us.