Flattened (Raster) PDF Warnings

A warning icon on a page means it is a flattened PDF: a scan or print-to-PDF image instead of a native vector drawing. Boon says this "may reduce takeoff precision". It is about the source file, not a Boon error.

What the warning icon means

Hover the warning icon on the page in the pages list. Flattened pages can still be measured, but Snap to Drawing is unavailable on any page Boon treats as raster (fully raster, or mostly raster even if some vector linework remains), and AI takeoff is less precise. For the best results, upload the original vector PDF exported from the design tool.

The Flattened PDF Detected dialog

In the original takeoff, some trades also see a dialog titled Flattened PDF Detected when the project opens. It explains "How to ensure the best format:" (use original exports, "Save As" rather than "Print") and "What to avoid:" (screenshots, flattening, aggressive compression).

• Got it closes the dialog and keeps the pages.
• Re-upload archives the flagged pages and takes you back to upload, so you can add a vector copy of the same drawings.

The newer takeoff shows the hover explanation only.

How to fix it

1. Get the original PDF exported from the design tool (CAD or Revit export, or "Save As" PDF), not a scan or a printed PDF.
2. Upload it to the project's Plans folder.
3. Archive the old flattened pages if they are still active. Archived pages can be recovered later.

Boon cannot turn a flattened page back into vector data.