Reviewer includes built-in viewers for all common document types found in eCTD submissions. You can view, navigate, and annotate documents without downloading them or opening external applications.
PDF document viewer with annotation toolbar
Supported File Types #
| File Type | Viewer | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in PDF viewer | Zoom, page navigation, text search, text selection, bookmarks | |
| Word (.docx) | Document viewer | Full rendering with formatting, tables, and images |
| Excel (.xlsx) | Spreadsheet viewer | Multi-sheet navigation, cell rendering, column/row headers |
| XML | XML viewer | Tree view and raw text view with syntax highlighting |
| Images (.png, .jpg, .gif, .svg) | Image viewer | Responsive display, zoom on click |
| SAS Transport (.xpt) | Data table viewer | Column headers, row data, scrollable table |
| Text (.txt, .csv, .log) | Text viewer | Syntax highlighting, line numbers |
| Video (.mp4, .webm) | Video player | HTML5 playback with standard controls |
| Other formats | Download prompt | Files that cannot be rendered are available for download |
Viewing Documents #
Click any document (leaf node) in the TOC tree to load it in the center viewer panel. The document opens in a tab — you can have multiple documents open at once.
Multi-Tab Browsing #
Each document you click opens in a new tab at the top of the viewer. Click between tabs to switch documents. If you have many tabs open, use the scroll arrows at the edges of the tab bar to see more.
PDF Viewer Controls #
PDFs are the most common file type in eCTD submissions. The PDF viewer toolbar includes:
| Control | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Page navigation (arrows + page number) | Jump to a specific page or step forward/back one page |
| Zoom in/out (+/− buttons) | Adjust the document zoom level |
| Fit width / Fit page | Automatically size the document to fit the viewer panel |
| Text search (magnifying glass) | Search for text within the current PDF. Matches are highlighted. |
| Bookmarks panel | If the PDF has bookmarks (table of contents), they appear in a sidebar for quick navigation |
Creating Annotations #
Annotations are how you flag items for your team during a review. You can annotate any document that is open in the viewer.
How to Add an Annotation #
- Open a document in the viewer by clicking it in the TOC tree.
- Select the text you want to annotate, or right-click in the document area.
- An annotation form appears. Fill in:
- Note text — Your comment or observation (e.g., “Stability data does not match Module 2 summary table”)
- Type — Choose the annotation type: Annotation (text note), Highlight, Underline, or Strikethrough
- Assigned To — Select a colleague if you want them to address this item
- Status — Set to Open (default), Pending Review, or Resolved
- Priority — Low, Medium, or High
- Click Save to create the annotation.
Managing Annotations #
Annotation Sidebar #
The right panel shows all annotations for the current submission. Each annotation card shows:
- The annotation type icon
- Creator name and date
- Assigned-to user
- Status badge (color-coded: Open, Pending, Resolved)
- Page number reference
- Preview of the annotation text
Click any annotation in the list to jump directly to that location in the document.
Filtering Annotations #
Three filter dropdowns at the top of the annotation panel let you narrow the list:
| Filter | Options |
|---|---|
| Assigned By | Show only annotations created by a specific user |
| Assigned To | Show only annotations assigned to a specific user |
| Status | Filter by All, Open, Pending Review, or Resolved |
Click Reset All to clear all filters.
Exporting Annotations #
Click the export icon at the top of the annotation panel to download all annotations (or filtered annotations) as a spreadsheet. This is useful for generating review summaries or sharing feedback with colleagues who do not use Reviewer.
Links Panel #
Next to the Annotations tab in the right panel is the Links tab. This shows hyperlink verification tasks — links within PDF documents that need to be checked for correctness. The same filtering and export controls are available.
Keyboard Shortcuts #
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F) | Open text search in the current document |
| Escape | Close the current search or dismiss a dialog |
| Arrow keys | Navigate the TOC tree when it is focused |
| Enter | Expand or collapse a selected tree node |
