Annotating PDF Documents

Boardwise includes a built-in PDF viewer with annotation tools that let you mark up documents, add notes, and keep track of important information as you review board materials.

Opening the PDF Viewer

When you click on any PDF document in Boardwise, it opens in the full-screen PDF viewer. The viewer includes:

• Page navigation controls (previous/next, page number input)
• Zoom controls (zoom in/out, fit to page, fit to width)
• A thumbnail sidebar for quick navigation
• Annotation tools in the toolbar

Types of Annotations

Boardwise supports several annotation types to suit different review needs:

Highlights

Select text and apply a colored highlight to mark important passages. Highlights are useful for:

• Marking key figures or dates
• Flagging sections for discussion
• Tracking changes from previous versions

Underlines

Similar to highlights, underlines draw attention to text without obscuring it. Use underlines when you want a subtler emphasis.

Notes

Add sticky note-style comments anywhere on a page. Notes are ideal for:

• Recording your thoughts or questions
• Adding context for future reference
• Noting items to raise during the meeting

Freehand Drawing

Use the draw tool to circle items, draw arrows, or make freehand marks directly on the document.

Adding Annotations

Highlighting or Underlining Text

1. Click the Highlight or Underline tool in the toolbar
2. Select the text you want to annotate by clicking and dragging
3. The annotation is saved automatically
4. Optionally, add a comment to explain your highlight

Adding a Note

1. Click the Add Note tool in the toolbar
2. Click anywhere on the page where you want to place the note
3. Type your comment in the note popup
4. Click outside the note or press Enter to save

Changing Colors

Use the color picker in the toolbar to select a different color before creating an annotation. This helps you categorize annotations (for example, yellow for general notes, red for concerns, green for approvals).

Drawing on Documents

1. Click the Draw tool in the toolbar
2. Click and drag on the document to draw
3. Release to complete the stroke
4. The drawing is saved automatically

Viewing Your Annotations

In the PDF Viewer

Click the annotations sidebar button (list icon on the right side of the toolbar) to see all your annotations for the current document. Click any annotation in the list to jump to that location in the document.

In My Notes

Access all your annotations across all documents:

1. Click your profile menu
2. Select My Notes
3. Filter by time range or specific document
4. Click any annotation to open it in the PDF viewer

The My Notes view groups annotations by organization and document, making it easy to review your notes before a meeting.

When a Document's File Is Replaced

Your annotations stay with the version of the file you made them on. A highlight marks particular words on a particular page, so it is never carried over to a different file where it would mark the wrong words.

When a secretary replaces a document's file with a new version:

• The new version opens without your earlier annotations, ready for you to mark up
• Notes on earlier versions, at the top of the document, shows how many notes you have on earlier versions. Select it, then a version (for example "Version 2 · 3 notes"), to read that version with your notes in place
• An earlier version is for reading. You cannot add or change annotations on it, though you can still remove one of your own
• In My Notes, a note on an earlier version is marked "Written on version 2, an earlier version of this document", and View opens that version

If the file is replaced while you have the document open, anything you go on to mark is kept with the version you were reading.

A note made before version history was introduced, on a file that was later replaced, cannot be shown on any version because that file was not kept. It is still listed in My Notes. See Document Versions for more.

Privacy of Annotations

Your annotations are private by default. Only you can see the highlights, notes, and drawings you create. Other board members cannot view your personal annotations.

This privacy lets you freely mark up documents with questions, concerns, or personal reminders without worrying about others seeing your notes.

Organization administrators can view annotations for compliance and audit purposes, but regular members only see their own work.

Replying to Annotations

When reviewing your own annotations, you can add replies to create threaded discussions with yourself:

1. Open a document and navigate to an existing annotation
2. Click the annotation to open it
3. Add a reply to record follow-up thoughts or meeting outcomes

This is useful for tracking how your questions were resolved or documenting decisions made during the meeting.

Downloading and Printing

Downloading a PDF

When your organization allows downloads, the download button at the top of a document saves a copy of the file. Like every download from Boardwise, the copy is marked with your name and the download is recorded (see Activity and Audit).

Downloading with Your Notes

When you have highlights, notes or drawings on a document, Download with notes appears beside the download button. It saves the same named, recorded copy with your notes added:

• Your highlights, underlines, drawings and notes appear on the pages where you made them, along with any that colleagues have shared with you
• They are real PDF notes, so Preview, Adobe Acrobat and most other PDF apps list them in their notes or comments panel, with who wrote each one, when, what it says, and the comments on it
• Only notes on the version you are reading are included. Notes on an earlier version are in that version's copy

Notes cannot be added to a password-protected PDF. Use the plain download for those files.

The plain download leaves your notes out. Either way, your notes stay with the document in Boardwise, where you can read them on the document or in My Notes.

Printing

When you print a document from the PDF viewer, your annotations are included on the printed pages. Highlights appear as colored backgrounds, and notes display their content.

Tips for Effective Annotation

• Use consistent colors to categorize your annotations (questions in yellow, action items in red, etc.)
• Add context in notes rather than just highlighting, so you remember why something was important
• Review My Notes before meetings to prepare your discussion points
• Keep annotations concise since they are meant for personal reference

Related Topics

• Working with Documents
• Document Versions
• Managing Meetings