ProjectDox

By
Avolve Software

http://dcaplanreview.nj.gov

Applicant User Guide V.2.8 In addition to this user manual, please refer to
June 23, 2016 the instructions provided in the ProjectDox
system.
Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 2 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
Contents
NJDCA ePlans ................................................................................................................................................ 5
Getting Started.......................................................................................................................................... 5
Technical Support ..................................................................................................................................... 5
System Requirements ............................................................................................................................... 5
Security Timeout ....................................................................................................................................... 5
File Standards ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Required Files........................................................................................................................................ 5
Layout Standards .................................................................................................................................. 6
Signatures and Seals ............................................................................................................................. 7
File Naming Standards Building Plans ................................................................................................ 7
File Type Standards ............................................................................................................................... 7
Folder Structure ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Drawing & Specifications Folder ........................................................................................................... 8
Documents Folder ................................................................................................................................. 8
Released Folder..................................................................................................................................... 8
DOs and DONTs ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Logging into DCAs ePlans System .............................................................................................................. 10
Navigating the Home Screen/Dashboard ............................................................................................... 10
Starting a new application .................................................................................................................. 10
Initial Plan Submission ................................................................................................................................ 14
Uploading Files ........................................................................................................................................ 14
Prescreen Review ........................................................................................................................................ 18
Prescreen Correction Request ................................................................................................................ 18
Plan Review ................................................................................................................................................. 23
Applicant Resubmit ................................................................................................................................. 23
Review Cycles .............................................................................................................................................. 28
Reviewing Changemarks (Markups) ....................................................................................................... 28
File Versions ........................................................................................................................................ 29
Printing Changemarks ............................................................................................................................. 29
Option One (Pasting into a Word document) ..................................................................................... 29
Option Two (Creating a PDF file)......................................................................................................... 30
Plan Release ................................................................................................................................................ 31
Print Released Plans ............................................................................................................................ 31
Amendments............................................................................................................................................... 32
Amending Final Releases ........................................................................................................................ 32
Amending Partial Releases...................................................................................................................... 32
Questions or Problems............................................................................................................................ 32
Adding New* Files....................................................................................................................................... 33
Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 3 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
Reports ........................................................................................................................................................ 34
Site Wide Reports ................................................................................................................................... 34
Project Reports ....................................................................................................................................... 34
Vista and Windows 7 Install Instruction ..................................................................................................... 36
Uninstall-reinstall DCA Electronic Plan Review components.............................................................. 36
Turning Off UAC in Windows Vista and Windows 7 ........................................................................... 36
Turning off Protected mode in IE8 ...................................................................................................... 36

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 4 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
NJDCA ePlans
NJDCA ePlans (ProjectDox) is a web-based solution that will allow building plans to be submitted and
reviewed electronically.
See DOs and DONTs on page 9.

Getting Started
Review the standards for how to name your drawing and documents files, border spacing, acceptable
file formats, etc. (See File Standards, below.)

Technical Support
NJDCA Help Desk: (609) 292-8134 or [email protected]
Please be as specific as possible describing your question in your phone message or the Subject line and
text of your email.

System Requirements
You may use Internet Explorer v10.0 or higher, Google Chrome, or Firefox to access the ePlans
system.
Prior to logging into ePlans, the following actions must be completed:
If your computer has pop-up blockers installed, disable pop-up blocking for the ePlans systems
web address (http://dcaplanreview.nj.gov). If pop-up blockers are still active, when you type in
your login and password and hit the Login button, the page will immediately disappear. You
might have more than one pop-up blocker installed (Internet Explorer, Google Task Bar, etc.).
Once the dcaplanreview.nj.gov site is allowed, you will be able to run the application.
If you are using Internet Explorer, a link to a Microsoft Silent Install (MSI) component (required
to install all the necessary ProjectDox ActiveX controls) is available on the login page. This
installation will only need to be done once per computer. If use a different computer to access
ePlans, you will need to install the ProjectDox ActiveX controls on that computer, too. Please
refer to the Vista and Windows 7 Install Instructions on page 36 if you are running Windows 7 or
Vista on your computer.

Security Timeout
Due to security and resource concerns, the system will automatically sign you out after 60 minutes of
inactivity. When you are ready to resume working with the system, click any button on the screen. The
system will automatically load the login page. You can also close the web browser window and reload
the login page manually in a new browser window.

File Standards
Required Files
Scope of Work a brief narrative describing the work to be performed.
For renovations or additions to existing structures, the Scope of Work will fully describe any current
existing conditions (i.e., building Use Group(s), Construction Type, Height & Area, extent of demolition,
etc.), the new intended use of the structure or spaces within the structure, Project construction phasing
(if applicable), and all proposed new work.
For new structures, the Scope of Work will fully describe the intended building (i.e., building Use
Group(s), Construction Type, Height & Area, etc.), the intended use of the structure or spaces within the
structure, Project construction phasing (if applicable), and all work to be done.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 5 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Confirmation of Professional Certifications Design professionals must send a signed and sealed letter
attesting that the electronic documents submitted were developed under their supervision. A hard copy
of this letter must be submitted to the DCA Plan Review Unit. The applicants must also scan and upload
a PDF of the letter into the Documents folder when submitting their plans.
Mailing Address: New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
Bureau of Construction Project Review
Intake and Admissions
101 South Broad Street, 4th Floor
PO Box 817
Trenton, NJ 08625-0817
Drawing and Specification Files All required drawings following State standards for submission (along
with other information required by the Plan Submission Checklist found in the Plan Review Instructions,
available on the Bureau of Construction Project Review site
http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/codes/offices/bcpr.html).
Index A listing of all project drawings that must be uploaded into the Index sub-folder under
Drawings. The index may be appended through the course of the project, but existing files on the index
must not be renamed.
! Narratives Provide a narrative every time files are submitted (or resubmitted) for a particular subcode,
including amended drawings. Upload the narratives into the proper subcode Documents folder.
Supporting Document Files All other required files that are part of the plan submission but are not
drawing files (i.e. Drainage Calculations, Easement letter, certifications, etc.) and will not require a DCA
Release stamp.

Layout Standards
! Drawings
All uploaded drawings must be configured in LANDSCAPE orientation.
The top right corner of all drawings must be reserved for NJDCAs electronic release stamps. Please
leave the top right corner completely blank on all drawings (with the exception of the border). Stamp
location box dimensions should be 3 width x 3 height (3/4 from edge of paper in both directions).
! Specifications
The top right corner of the first page must be reserved for NJDCAs electronic release stamps. Please
leave the top right corner completely blank (with exception of the border). Stamp location box
dimensions should be 3 width x 3 height (3/4 from edge of paper in both directions).

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 6 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Signatures and Seals

! During the Review Process

Design professionals must send a signed and sealed letter attesting that the electronic documents
submitted were developed under their supervision. A hard copy of this letter must be submitted to the
DCA Plan Review Unit. The applicants must also scan and upload a PDF of the letter into the Documents
folder when submitting their plans.
IMPORTANT: Plans to be uploaded should be exported as PDFs directly from the design software. Do
not print the plans, manually sign and seal them, and then scan the plans for upload into the ePlans
system. Scanning the printed drawings degrades the images and causes details to be lost, making it
difficult for reviewers to accurately evaluate the plans.
Scanned images will be returned for resubmittal according to the above instructions.

! Final Plans
An embossed seal and wet signature are required only on the printed, released plans that will reside on
the work site and that are needed for permits to be issued.
IMPORTANT: For state building projects, it is not necessary to submit printed plans to the NJ
Department of Community Affairs.

File Naming Standards Building Plans

! Filenames
The file name of any uploaded drawing must match the drawing name/number.

File Type Standards

Only DWG, DWF, DGN, DXF or vector PDF files will be accepted for drawings. PDF is the preferred file
type, and it is recommended that drawings created in AutoCAD be converted to Vector PDF by using the
Autodesk Vector Graphic Converter DWG to PDF.pc3 plotter driver.
If drawings are electrical, mechanical, plumbing/gas, etc., ensure that only the trade lines are dark by
changing the background to grayscale prior to saving as a vector PDF file.
Supporting files may be in the following formats: PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT, PPS, PPTX, TIF, TIFF,
JPG, PNG, IMG, or BMP.
Please submit searchable PDF files for calculations, reports and other supporting documentation (non-
drawing files).

Folder Structure
The Project folder structure is separated into three main folders: Drawings & Specifications,
Documents, and Released.
The Drawings & Specifications and Documents folders each contain subcode folders. Plus (+) and minus
(-) signs to the left of the folder icons allow you to expand or contract the list of subcode folders.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 7 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Drawing & Specifications Folder

! Drawings
Each drawing must be uploaded as a separate file to the appropriate subcode folder within the
Drawings & Specifications folder for the Project.
The index of the drawing files is uploaded into the Index sub-folder.
Corrected files are uploaded into the SAME folders as the original files with
the SAME FILE NAMES as the original files. The ePlans system will assign
versions to each file.

! Specifications
Specifications must be saved as one full and complete document.
Individual copies of this document must be uploaded into each of the
appropriate subcode folders within the Drawings & Specifications
folder for the Project.
The associated subcode must be incorporated into each file name. This
will allow each copy of the specifications to be stamped by the
appropriate reviewer.
NOTE: The Elevator Layouts folder should only contain elevator layout
drawings and elevator subcode technical sections.

Documents Folder
Each document (for example, truss calculations, geotechnical reports,
etc.) is uploaded as a separate file into the appropriate sub-folder
within the Documents folder for the Project.

Released Folder
When all corrections are complete and the plans are released by NJDCA,
they will be located in the Released folder. Released plans may be downloaded and printed.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 8 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 DOs and DONTs
DO accept a Task (by clicking on the name of the Task) before you upload
new plans or files.

DO click the appropriate button to complete a task when you have finished
it, like Upload Complete. If the Task is not completed, DCA will be unable to
move forward with the review.

DO circle your changes, comments, or modifications in RED, to make it easier

for reviewers to find them.

DO upload a narrative into the proper subcode folder whenever files are
submitted for that particular subcode. For example: if you are submitting (or
re-submitting) files for electrical and plumbing subcodes, include a narrative
for those two subcodes and save them in the corresponding documents
folders.

DONT upload files to a specific subcode review unless you have a Task for
that subcode.
For example, if you recently re-submitted your Electrical drawings for
subcode review; do not upload any additional Electrical drawings until a Task
has been assigned to you for Electrical. Files may be uploaded for other
subcodes (like Plumbing, Mechanical, etc.), as long as a Task has been
assigned for the subcode. If additional drawings or files are uploaded to a sub
code that is currently with DCA for review it causes confusion and may delay
DCAs ability to complete a review.

DONT leave Applicant Response fields blank when returning corrections. Use
the Applicant Response boxes to address each changemark individually. If
you have no response or if no response appears necessary please enter
something like no response, acknowledged, or N/A so the reviewer knows
that you saw the comment.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 9 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Logging into DCAs ePlans System
How to get to the login screen
Go to http://dcaplanreview.nj.gov the Welcome screen will be displayed
or

At the DCA Website Home Page http://www.nj.gov/dca

Click on Electronic Plan Review System.
At the Electronic Plan Review page
Scroll down and click on ePlans Login Page.

If you are an existing ePlan user, skip to step 3.

If you are new to ePlan, create an ePlan
account by clicking the Create an Account
button and following the instructions on the
screen.
a. Fill in all the required fields.
b. Click the Create My Account button.
c. Enter the Verification Code (that was
automatically sent to the email address
you entered when you click the Create My
Account button).
Login using your Email address and Password.

Navigating the Home Screen/Dashboard

At the Home screen, you may
a. Start a new application.
b. Continue working on an existing
application.
c. Manage existing projects using the c
ACTION Icons
a
Edit
b
Copy
Delete

Starting a new application

Select a Request Type from the drop down
list.
Provide a descriptive Request Name.
Click the Start My Application Request
button.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 10 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Agree to the Terms And Conditions.
Scroll down to the bottom of the Terms
And Conditions page.
Click the I have read check box.
Click on the Accept & Start My
Application button.
This will take you to the application form.

Go through each Step in the application,

completing all the required items.
Be sure to enter the appropriate values in all
the green shaded boxes in Step 6 Fee
Summary.
The System will automatically calculate the totals.

In Step 7 Sign Application and Pay Fees

OPTIONAL: Enter Notes and Other
Requests to add clarification to the
application.
Click the Signature Checkbox.
Then click the Submit Request button.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 11 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 At the Billing Information screen
Update the billing information, if necessary.
Select your preferred method of payment
from the Payment Options.
eCheck*
Credit Card**
Interstate Agency Wire Transfer
(OPTIONAL for state owned
properties only)***

*If you selected eCheck, the eCheck Payment

Information page will be displayed. You will be
required to enter the bank account and routing
number for the checking account you are using.
NOTE: If you have a paper check, you will find this
information at the bottom of your check.
See example

**If you selected Credit Card, you will be redirected to the NIC USA Payment Service Screen, where you
will enter your credit card information.

***If you selected Interstate Agency Wire Transfer Payment (UAT), you will be brought to the
Interstate Agency Wire Transfer Payment Info screen, where you will enter the appropriate UA
Number.

The Interstate Agency Wire Transfer Payment process may be used to pay application
fees when an architectural/engineering firm is submitting an ePlan application for a
state-owned property. It is not required. The ePlan applicant may prefer to use either
the eCheck or Credit Card payment option.
If wire transfer is used, the funds will be automatically transferred from the property
owner DIRECTLY to the Department of Community Affairs through the NJ Treasury
system.
To use the wire transfer option, the architectural/engineering firm needs to work with
the property owner to obtain a UA Number. To process the wire transfer, the applicant
enters this UA Number in the Interstate Agency Wire Transfer Payment Info screen.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 12 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Click the Pay or Pay Now button to submit your payment.
After submitting the payment, a short delay may occur while the system processes the payment.

After the system brings you back to the Home page

Click on Manage My Existing Projects button
Start the Initial Plan Submission

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 13 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Initial Plan Submission
Uploading Files
When you have successfully logged into ePlans, a screen with a listing of your assigned Projects will
display.

Click the Task List (PD Flow) button.

This will bring up your task list.
Click on the Applicant Upload task.

Click OK to accept the task.

When you click OK, the eForm will be displayed.

Click the Continue Later button.

The eForm will close and youll be back at
the previous screen.

Click on the Project Name, which will

take you to the associated Project
screen.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 14 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Click on the Workflow
Portals button.

This will bring up the tasks

for this particular Project.
The list of folders on the
left side of the screen is
where you will be
uploading files.

You will be uploading drawings into the appropriate Drawings

and Specifications subcode folder, including the index of all the
drawings. Upload narratives for each corresponding subcode
into the appropriate Documents subcode folder.
You will be uploading supporting Project documents into the
appropriate Documents subcode folder.
To begin uploading a drawing, click the plus sign [+] next to
the Drawings folder. This will expand to display a list of
subcode folders.
Click on a subcode folder to display the upload function.

The upload screen will display two buttons, View Folders and
Upload Files.
Click on the Upload Files button.

The Select files to upload box will display.

Click the Browse button.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 15 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Navigate to the file location on your computer
and select or highlight the files you want to
upload. Select multiple files by using the Shift
or Ctrl keys while clicking with your mouse.
Click the Open button and the files selected
will be copied to the upload window.

At this point, you can either Upload the files you have selected
or Add more files. (If you want to add more files to the upload
window, click Add more files.)
To upload the files, click the Upload button.

A confirmation screen will appear, stating Your

files have been uploaded with a list of those files.
Close the confirmation screen by clicking the
Close button.

You will be back at Project screen.

Click the Workflow Portals
button, which will bring up
your task list.

Click on the Applicant Upload

task, which will reopen the
eForm.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 16 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Click the Upload Process
Complete button.

A popup box will ask, Completing this task will finish your
participation in this step and cannot be undone. Continue?
Click OK.
You have successfully finished the Initial Plan Submission step of
submitting your plans electronically.

Logout after your session is complete.

A notification will have been sent to the NJDCA Bureau of Construction Project Review (BCPR) to start
the prescreening process to determine if the submittal requirements have been met.

NOTE: If you want to review your uploaded files, click on

the desired subcode folder to reveal thumbnails of each
drawing.
Next to each thumbnail, the file name, author, date
uploaded, file size, and History icon are shown.
Click on a thumbnail to display the full drawing.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 17 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Prescreen Review
Prescreening is a cursory review by BCPR of your uploaded documents in preparation for formal review.
Allow a minimum of three (3) working days after you have uploaded your documents for the
Prescreening process to begin.

Prescreen Correction Request

If BCPR has questions or determines that items are missing from your submittal, you will receive a
Prescreening Corrections Request email with instructions on the changes requested and how to
resubmit.

Click the Online Plan Review System link in

the Prescreen Correction Request email to
access the ePlans site.
Login into ePlans.

Click on the Workflow Portals

button.
This will display your task list.

Click the CorrectionsComplete task.

Click OK to accept the task.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 18 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 The eForm is displayed.
Read the information in the text
field.
Click on the View Intake Checklist
link.

The Intake Checklist will display only

the items that need attention.
Read the comments carefully to
identify which requirements were
noted as missing or needing
modifications.
Click the Save & Close button.

Back at the eForm, click Save &

Close.

The main Project screen will

be displayed when you Save
& Close the eForm.

After you have made the checklist corrections, log back into ePlans and upload the corrected files.
Remember that corrected files must have the SAME NAMES as the original files.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 19 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 You will be uploading drawings into the appropriate subcode folder.
You will be uploading supporting Project documents into the
appropriate subcode folder under the Documents folder.
Click the plus sign [+] next to the Drawings folder. This will
expand to display a list of subcode folders.
Click on a subcode folder to display the upload function.

When you open the folder, you will see two buttons, View Folders
and Upload Files.
Click the Upload Files button.

The Select files to upload box will display.

Click the Browse button.

Navigate to the file location on your computer

and select or highlight files you want to
upload. Select multiple files by using the Shift
or Ctrl keys while clicking with your mouse.
Click the Open button and the files selected
will then be copied to the upload window.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 20 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 At this point, you can either Upload the files you have selected
or Add more files. (If you want to add more files to the upload
window, click Add more files.)
To upload the files, click the Upload button.

A confirmation screen will appear, stating Your

files have been uploaded with a list of those files.
Close the confirmation screen by clicking the
Close button.

You will be back at Project screen.

Click on the Corrections
Complete task.
This will reopen the eForm.

When the eForm opens, place a checkmark in the I have uploaded the corrected and the
Corrections Complete button will display.
Click the Corrections Complete button.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 21 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Click OK at the confirmation box.

NJDCA will be notified that the files have been completed or corrected and the Prescreen Review
process will continue.
Once the Prescreen Review process is complete, the Plan Review process will begin.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 22 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Plan Review

Applicant Resubmit
If corrections are required following the formal
review cycle(s) of your drawings, you will receive an
email notification from BCPR requesting revised
drawings and/or documents.
To login into ePlans, click the Online Plan
Review System link in the email.
Login to the ePlans system.

Click on the Workflow Portals

button.

Your Tasks will be displayed.

Click on the ApplicantResubmit task.

Click OK at the Do you want to accept this task box.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 23 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 The eForm is displayed and should list changemarks.
NOTE: If changemarks are not displayed, click on the Click Here to Load Changemarks link.
Read the text in the Review Comments field at the bottom of the screen.
Review the changemarks.
If you click a link in the Markup column, the full drawing with changemarks will display.
The Details column displays only the changemarks.
Please enter explanatory text in the Applicant Response box.
If no response is necessary, enter N/A. This helps expedite the review process.
If you make any comments, make sure to Save.
Click the Save & Close button.

NOTE: Make the necessary changes to the drawings in whatever software application was used to
create them, for example, AutoCAD. Please circle your changes, comments, or modifications in RED, to
make it easier for reviewers to find them.

Once the drawings have been modified/corrected, upload them into the ePlans system.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 24 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 At the Main Project screen, click the plus sign [+] next to the
Drawings folder. This will expand to display a list of subcode
folders.
You will be uploading drawings into the appropriate
subcode folder.
If necessary, you may upload an updated Index.
You will be uploading supporting Project documents into
the appropriate subcode folder under the Documents
folder.
Click on a subcode folder to display the upload function.

When you open the folder, you will see two buttons,
View Folders and Upload Files.
Click on the Upload Files button.

The Select files to upload box will display.

Click the Browse button.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 25 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Navigate to the file location on your computer
and select or highlight files you want to
upload. Select multiple files by using the Shift
or Ctrl keys while clicking with your mouse.
Click the Open button and the files selected
will then be copied to the upload window.

At this point, you can either Upload or Add more

files. (If you want to add more files to the upload
window, click Add more files.)
To upload the files, click the Upload button.

A confirmation screen will appear,

stating Your files have been
uploaded with a list of those files.
Close the confirmation screen by
clicking the Close button.

You will be back at the Main

Project screen.
Click on the Applicant
Resubmit task.
This will reopen the eForm.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 26 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 When the eForm opens, place a checkmark in each of the three check boxes at the bottom of the
screen.
Click the Complete button.
NOTE: the Complete button will not display until all three checkboxes have been checked.

Once the Complete button has been clicked, the Project has been sent back to NJDCA to continue the
Plan Review process.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 27 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Review Cycles
The review process will continue until all corrections/modifications have been made and accepted by
NJDCA.

Each time corrections/modifications are

sent back to you, a new Review Cycle starts.
When corrections/modifications are
required, you will receive an email
informing you that you have been assigned
a task in ePlans.
At this point, repeat the Applicant Resubmit
process that starts on page 23.
The Review Cycle dropdown will allow you
to examine any Review Cycle information.

Reviewing Changemarks (Markups)

At the Main Project screen, click the plus sign
[+] next to the Drawings folder. This will
expand to display a list of subcode folders.
Click on a subcode folder to display thumbnails
of drawings.

To view a plan markup, click on the

changemark icon next to the drawing, as
shown.

Select the Markup file and click the ViewEdit

button.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 28 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 All changemarks will display in the right hand pane.
As you review, click on each changemark and you will
zoom directly into the red line from the reviewer.

File Versions
The file will display the must current version number of
the file, for example, the drawing to the right is version 2
(i.e., V2). Versions can only be managed when corrections
are uploaded with the SAME FILE NAME as the original
file name.
To see previous versions of the file, click the magnifying
glass icon.

Printing Changemarks
Option One (Pasting into a Word document)
Select the Copy Changemarks button.

Check all boxes and change Image Size for larger thumbnails of markups.
Click OK.
Create a new Word document and paste the changemarks into the
document.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 29 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Option Two (Creating a PDF file)
Click Publish to create a PDF of the changemarks overlaid on the drawing.
Select Publish to PDF.
Select OK.
In the Publish option screen
Check Burn in Changemarks.
Check Append Changemarks Notes.
Click Publish.
Then choose Save to File.
Click OK.
Select the location to save the file on your computer and click Save.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 30 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
Plan Release
When plans are released by NJDCA, you will be notified by email. All released plans will be located in the
Released folder.

Print Released Plans

After a release has been issued, the plans will be electronically stamped by the State. You will then
receive an email indicating that your application is ready. The email will include instructions on how to
download and print your files. You will be required to print, sign, and seal two copies of the released
plans and deliver them to the agency* that will issue the required permits.
IMPORTANT: For State-owned building projects, do not submit printed plans to the NJ Department of
Community Affairs. The plans you have submitted in ePlans are sufficient.
*In most cases permits are issued by local municipalities, except for State Buildings projects. In that case
the permits are issued by the State Buildings unit within the BCPR.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 31 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
Amendments
STOP! Amendments are only applicable if either a Partial Release for a specific subcode or Final
Release for the entire project has already been issued. If you are providing new files for subcodes that
have not been released, please follow the Adding New Files process below.

Amending Final Releases

When you need to submit an Amendment to a project with a Final Release, follow the following
process
Complete Project Review Application.
d. Enter the Associated DCA Project Number in the appropriate space.
e. Fill out Section #1.
f. Check the Amendment box in Section #2.
g. Check appropriate Release Types in Section #4.
Email application to [email protected].
Wait to receive a Task in ePlans so that you can upload files within the workflow.
Upload files.
a. A new workflow will be started.
b. You will be assigned the Task of Applicant Upload.
If fees are applicable, you will be notified and have to pay before plans can be released.

Amending Partial Releases

When you need to submit an Amendment to a project with a Parial Release, follow the following
process
Complete Project Review Application.
c. Enter the Associated DCA Project Number in the appropriate space.
d. Fill out Section #1.
e. Check the Amendment box in Section #2.
f. Check appropriate Release Types in Section #4.
Email application to [email protected].
Upload files.
If fees are applicable, you will be notified and have to pay before plans can be released.

Questions or Problems
Call Plan Review at 609-633-0800 or email [email protected].
NOTE: Currently, submitting Amendments is still a manual process. In the near future, submitting
Amendments will be automated like other tasks in the Plan Review process.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 32 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
Adding New* Files
If new files (that were not part of the original submission) are being submitted for review, please notify
the Team Supervisor and the Reviewer by using the Notes button. This will help to avoid delays in the
review process and avoid confusion.

After clicking on Notes, select Add Topic at the View Topics screen.

Then click on the Send and Prepare Email button and select the appropriate recipients.

New files are any files that have to be released and were not part of the original project submission.
This does not include revised/modified plans that are being resubmitted as a result of comments
and corrections made by a reviewer.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 33 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Reports
ePlan has two levels of reports:

Site Wide Reports

provide information about all projects in the
DCA ePlan System.
Menu

To run a report
Click on the icon next to the desired
report

List of Reports

Project Reports
display data for specific projects.
Menu

Currently, the available Project Reports are

All emails Sent
Lists every email, either system generated
or manually sent through ePlan using the
email function, including recipient, date
sent, and full email content.
All Uploaded Files with Sheet Sizes
Lists every single file that has been
uploaded, including folder name, file name,
sheet size, number of pages, version,
submitter, and date uploaded. Most of the report columns can be sorted by
Markups Listing clicking the column heading.
Lists each individual change mark made by a All reports can be exported as CSV, PDF, Excel,
reviewer, including file name, change mark Word, etc.
text, date created, and reviewers name.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 34 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 Intake Checklist Report
Lists all Intake comments met/not met for Prescreen Review.
Routing Slip Report
Shows the detailed history of individual subcode reviews, including the task name, status, date
created, date updated, users (reviewer and applicant), review cycle, time to complete each.
Review Information
Summarizes the Routing Slip Report, including subcode, start date, cycle & status, reviewers
summary comments, reviewers email, and Intake Prescreen Comments.
Project Status Report
Illustrates the most recent activity for each subcode review, including subcode name, start date,
task name, task status, review status, date assigned, date updated, group name, user name, date
completed.
Schedule of Released Drawings
Lists every released drawing associated with a project organized by subcode.

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 35 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
Vista and Windows 7 Install Instruction
Sometimes users will encounter errors or issues as a result of incomplete installation of the client
components. This is often caused by permissions issues. The instructions below have proved useful in
resolving the security/permissions issues and getting a successful installation. (The account executing
these steps will need administrative privileges on the computer).

Uninstall-reinstall DCA Electronic Plan Review components

If the operating system is Vista or Windows 7, the user will need to turn OFF User Account Control (UAC)
first.
Additionally, if using IE 8, you will need to turn off protected mode. Turning of UAC in Windows 7 also
disables protected mode for IE8.

Turning Off UAC in Windows Vista and Windows 7

The following link explains how to control UAC in Windows Vista and in Windows 7. Youll only need the
first few directions and screen shots, the rest is blog.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/disable-user-account-control-uac-the-easy-way-on-
windows-vista/

Turning off Protected mode in IE8

The next link explains turning off protected mode in IE8 (apparently turning off UAC in Windows 7 also
disables protected mode for IE8)
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/63141-internet-explorer-protected-mode-turn-off.html
Then follow these steps:
Remove ALL ProjectDox components on the client:
1. Check for presence of program, and remove if found, using either a. or b. depending on version
of operating system you are using:
a. VISTA, Windows 7 - Using Control Panel (in classic view) -> Program Features, if
ProjectDox Components is listed then REMOVE
b. XP Using Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs, if ProjectDox Components is listed
then REMOVE
2. In Internet Explorer (Internet Options->Browser History->Settings->View Objects - remove
anything Brava, ProjectDox, or Xupload).
3. After the above is completed, delete these directories and their contents: IGC (in Windows Vista
or 7, do a search for the filename IGC to locate, then delete)
a. In XP Documents and Settings->User Account->IGC
b. In XP Program Files->Avolve->Components).

Applicant Users Guide Electronic Review 36 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs