AXIS Site Designer - User manual

With AXIS Site Designer, you can efficiently plan and design a system that meets your needs. Use the tool to find the right products, place them on a map or floor plan of the site, and visualize their coverage. Based on your selection, the tool estimates power, bandwidth, and storage requirements and suggests a suitable recording and networking solution. Finally, you can create sales quotes, generate a comprehensive bill of materials, and share valuable insights with installers, such as site notes and recommendations.

To discover the tool, go to axis.com/support/tools/axis-site-designer and launch AXIS Site Designer.

Browser support

AXIS Site Designer is a web application, and the tool is compatible with the latest version of most common web browsers. You can access it from both Windows, macOS, as well as most tablet devices. The tool is not supported on mobile phones.

Data storage

The projects you create in AXIS Site Designer are stored locally on your computer or tablet, using your browser's local storage. Keep in mind that each browser has its own storage, so if you're working across multiple browsers, your list of projects can differ.

Sign in to save your work

We recommend that you sign in to My Axis when working with AXIS Site Designer to make sure your projects are saved. Signing in also lets you work with your projects from multiple devices and browsers.

Working offline

You can always work offline in AXIS Site Designer from your web browser. When you're back online, your projects will sync with AXIS Site Designer's servers. If you prefer to work offline only, you can create projects that are only available locally. For more information, see Local projects.

To quickly get started with a project in AXIS Site Designer, we recommend you to follow these steps:

1. Register a My Axis account

2. Create a project

3. Add devices to your project

4. Add recording and networking devices

5. Create reports like sales quotations or bill of materials. For more information, see Manage reports and documentation.

Register a My Axis account at axis.com/my-axis/login.

To make your My Axis account more secure, activate multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA is a security system that adds another layer of verification to ensure the user’s identity.

1. To activate MFA:

2. Go to axis.com/my-axis/login.

3. Log in with your My Axis credentials.

4. Go to and select Account settings.

5. Click Security settings

6. Click Handle your 2-factor authentication.

7. Enter your My Axis credentials.

8. Choose one of the authentication methods Authenticator App (TOTP) or Email and follow the on-screen instructions.

1. In AXIS Site Designer, click Add project.

   To be able to sync and save your project, create it in the My projects page.

2. In Project overview, fill in details like the name of the project, whom it is prepared for, and any notes you might have.

3. Click Location to set a location for your site.

4. Note

   Make sure to select the correct country or region in Country or region where the project will be installed. This field affects the part numbers that are added to the sales quote and bill of materials.

5. Click Settings to set installation height, select your preferred regional units and temperature scale, and select what you want to base your power calculations on.

6. To modify or add new scenarios for your project, see Manage scenarios and schedules.

   The scenario settings help to estimate storage and bandwidth required for the cameras in your project.

7. To add cameras and other devices to your project, you can either go to the Maps page or the Devices page. For more information, see Add devices to your project.

There are two ways to add devices to your project. If you have a floor plan, we recommend that you import it in the tool’s map view and add devices directly to your plan. You can also add all required devices to a list, and add them to the floor plan later.

To add devices in the map view, first upload a floor plan and then add your devices directly to the plan.

1. Add a floor plan:

2. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

3. Go to the Maps page.

4. Click to select and upload a file.

   AXIS Site Designer supports the upload of PNG, JPG, JPEG, and PDF files with a maximum size of 10 MB.

5. Enter a name and click Add floor plan.

6. Set a scale for the floor plan.

7. Add devices to your floor plan:

8. In the device menu on the right side of the map, go to the tab for the device type you wish to add.

   In this instruction, we'll use the camera tab as an example.

9. If you know which camera you want to add, click Camera and select the model from the drop down list.

10. Click on the camera icon and drag it to the map.

    If you prefer to select the camera model later, click to place a generic camera on the map.

11. Click on the camera to add and edit its settings. For example, you can click and drag the camera to move it, click on the anchor points to adjust its field of view and coverage area, or go to the left side menu to add or edit its settings further.

12. Note

    The cameras you add will be assigned a default scenario. To learn more about scenarios, see About scenarios.

13. For more information about available controls in the map view, see Work with maps.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Devices page.

3. Click Add device to go to the device selector.

   If you know the name of the device you wish to add, you can add it directly by clicking on Quick add a device.

4. Select the type of device you wish to add from the top right menu: Cameras, F/FA series, Encoders....

5. Use the filters and settings to define the requirements for your site.

6. Select a model, either from the list of Top recommendations, or from the list of Matching products.

7. Note

   • To review the specifications for a device, click Datasheet to download the device’s datasheet.
   • To include discontinued devices in the list of matching products, toggle Include discontinued.

8. Click Add to add the device to your project.

   If you wish to add the model later, select Pick model later and click Add. The requirements you have specified will be saved.

9. To add more devices, repeat these steps.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to Recording.

3. Under Choose your solution, select the vendor of your choice.

4. If you select Axis or Genetec, you will get a recommended solution for recording, storage, and power based on the estimated requirements for your project. Click on the solution to select it.

5. To design your own solution, select and add devices from the list of servers, terminals, switches, and licenses.

   An overview indicates if the selected devices cover the estimated requirements of the project, or if you need to add additional devices.

The solution or devices you select are added to the project with information about available licenses, server capacity, storage options, and specifications on available ports and PoE.

To save time, you can duplicate an existing project instead of creating a new project from scratch.

1. Go to your list of projects in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Click to open the drop-down menu for the project you wish to duplicate.

3. Click Duplicate.

4. Enter a new name for the duplicated project.

You can export an AXIS Site Designer project, either for backup or sharing, or in order to import your project settings into a VMS.

To make a backup or share a project with someone else, export the project as a file. You can export one project at a time, or many at the same time.

1. Go to your list of projects in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Export one project:

3. Click to open the drop-down menu for the project you wish to export.

4. Click Export project.

5. Download project file.

6. Export one or more projects:

7. Select the projects you wish to export by checking the boxes.

8. Click Export.

9. Your project is exported as a .aspdx project file and is available in the Downloads folder on your computer.

When your project is complete, you can export your project settings from AXIS Site Designer and import them to AXIS Camera Station, or Milestone Xprotect using AXIS Optimizer.

1. Go to your list of projects in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Select the project you want to export.

3. Click to open the drop-down menu for the project you wish to export.

4. Click Export project.

5. If your VMS is connected to the internet, click Generate code to create a snapshot of the settings online. To import the settings, type the code into AXIS Camera Station or AXIS Optimizer.

6. If your VMS operates offline, click Download settings file and import the file to AXIS Camera Station or AXIS Optimizer.

1. In AXIS Site Designer, click Import project

2. Select the project file you wish to import.

3. Note

   The file ending for AXIS Site Designer projects is .asdpx for newer projects, or .asdp for older projects.

4. When the import is done, the project is available in the top of your list.

You can merge two projects into one by importing an existing project into another.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. In the project overview, click Import from project.

3. Note

   Importing a project into another can’t be undone. We recommend that you select the option Back up this project before importing.

4. If you want to import an existing project file, click Select file.

5. If you want to import a project from your current list of projects, click Select project.

6. When the import is done, you can start working on your merged project.

If you have a long list of projects, or many large projects that take time to load, you can archive them. You can archive one project at a time, or many at the same time.

1. Go to your list of projects in AXIS Site Designer.

2. To archive one project:

3. Click to open the drop-down menu for the project you wish to archive.

4. Click Archive.

5. To archive one or more projects:

6. Select the projects you wish to archive by checking the boxes.

7. Click Archive.

8. To show or hide archived projects, toggle Show archived projects.

In the Maps page, you can add devices to maps and floor plans, visualize their coverage, and add filters and blockers to the map.

Use the following controls when you work with maps and floor plans:

For more information about how to add a device to a map, see Add devices in the map view.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Devices or Maps page and select the device you wish to add accessories to.

3. To open the Accessories tab, click .

4. Select the placement of the device.

   To exclude mounts that are recommended for indoor use only, make sure to turn on the Outdoor filter.

5. AXIS Site Designer suggests a compatible primary mount and additional mounting accessories if required. For alternatives, click on the primary mount or mounting accessory.

6. To select additional accessories for your device or mount, click + Accessories.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Devices or Maps page and select the device you wish to add applications to.

3. To open the Applications tab, click .

4. Select one or more compatible analytics applications from the list.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Accessories page.

3. Select a category of accessories, or select All accessories.

   If you know the name of the accessory, you can search for it in the search field.

4. To add an accessory, click Add.

5. Adjust the quantity as required.

You can add accessories from other vendors or any other item needed for the sales quote or bill of materials.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Other page.

3. Enter or select the following details for your item: Name, Vendor, Part number, Category, and Quantity.

4. Click Add my item.

To edit an item, simply select the value you wish to edit. To duplicate or delete a post, click to access a drop-down menu.

Use Scenarios to define the settings needed to estimate storage and bandwidth for the cameras in your project.

When you create a new project in AXIS Site Designer, there are two default scenarios. The scenario marked with a star gets assigned to your devices. You can create new scenarios and edit existing ones, and assign them to the devices according to your needs. To learn more about scenarios, see About scenarios.

Use Schedules to define your recordings settings further. There is one default schedule in AXIS Site Designer, and you can create new ones according to your needs.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. In the Project overview page, click Add scenario.

3. Add a name for the scenario.

4. Adjust the default settings for your scenario, like settings for the scene, recording, Zipstream, and storage.

5. When you’re done, click Close.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. In the Project overview page, click on the scenario you wish to edit.

   You can also click and select Edit scenario from the drop-down menu.

3. Edit the scenario name or settings according to your needs.

4. When you’re done, click Close. Your changes are saved automatically.

The scenario you set as default is assigned to each new camera you add to the project.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. In the Project overview page, go to the scenario you wish to set as default.

3. Click on the star icon.

   You can also click and select Make default from the drop-down menu.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. In the Project overview page, go to the scenario you wish to copy.

3. Click menu, select Duplicate.

4. A new scenario with the same settings is created.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. In the Project overview page, click Add schedule.

3. Click on the name of the schedule to edit it.

4. Adjust the time by moving the anchor points on the time line.

5. Specify the days that the schedule is active.

6. When you’re done, click Close.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. In the Project overview page, click on the schedule you wish to edit.

   You can also click and select Edit schedule from the drop-down menu.

3. Edit the schedule name, time, or days according to your needs.

4. When you’re done, click Close. Your changes are saved automatically.

There are two ways to define Zipstream and storage time settings for your project. You can either define the settings for your entire project, or define them for individual scenarios.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Project overview page.

3. Define project settings:

4. To define the Zipstream settings for all projects, move the anchor point on the slider under Project Zipstream settings.

5. To define the storage time, adjust the number of days under Project storage time.

6. Define scenario-specific settings:

7. Click on the scenario you wish to edit.

8. Go to Zipstream and turn off Use project setting.

9. Select the Zipstream settings you require, like strength, dynamic GOP and minimum fps.

10. Go to Storage and turn off Use project setting.

11. Adjust the number of storage time days.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. In the Project overview page, find the scenario or schedule you wish to delete.

3. Click and select Delete from the drop-down menu.

The sales quote lets you review the bill of materials and edit the quote price before sending the document to the end customer.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Reports page.

3. Note

   You can also access the reports in the project overview. Click next to the project and select View reports.

4. To get a preview of the sales quote, click on the Sales quote tab.

5. Add your quote prices, and details like a logo, header, and valid until date.

6. To see the details as they will appear when sent, click View sales quote.

7. To edit the sales quote, click Edit quotation.

8. When you’re done, click Lock project.

9. To download the quote as an Excel file, click Export to Excel

10. To print a copy of the quote, or to save it as a PDF file, click Print.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Reports page and click on the Bill of materials tab.

3. Note

   You can also access the reports in the project overview. Click next to the project and select View reports.

4. To register your project for project pricing, click Request project pricing and follow the instructions in the dialog.

5. To download the bill of materials as an Excel file, click Export to Excel

6. To print a copy of the bill of material, or to save it as a PDF file, click Print.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Reports page and click on the Power and bandwidth tab.

3. Note

   You can also access the reports in the project overview. Click next to the project and select View reports.

4. To download the power and bandwidth report as an Excel file, click Export to Excel

5. To print a copy of the power and bandwidth report, or to save it as a PDF file, click Print.

The installation report provides the number of devices to install, the estimated storage and bandwidth needed, and an overview of the schedules configured for the site.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Reports page and click on the Installation report tab.

3. Note

   You can also access the reports in the project overview. Click next to the project and select View reports.

4. To add notes to the installer, start typing under Notes.

5. To change how you show devices in the report, toggle One page per device.

6. To change the sort order in the report, click Sort by... and select if you want to sort by the name you have given the device, or by the name of the model

7. To print a copy of the installation report, or to save it as a PDF file, click Print.

The system proposal provides a complete overview of your project, including descriptions of your devices, floor plans, schedules, as well as bandwidth, storage and power requirements.

1. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

2. Go to the Reports page and click on the System proposal tab.

3. Note

   You can also access the reports in the project overview. Click next to the project and select View reports.

4. To print a copy of the system proposal, or to save it as a PDF file, click Print.

You can easily download the datasheets for the devices in your projects. If you’re part of Axis Architecture & Engineering (A&E) program, you can also download additional documentation.

1. Download datasheets:

2. Open your project in AXIS Site Designer.

3. Go to the Documentation page.

4. To download an individual datasheet, click Download.

5. To download datasheets for multiple devices, either select the devices you’re interested in or check Select all, and click Download selected.

1. Download additional documentation (A&E program):

2. Under AXIS Specification Compiler, click Download specification.

3. Log in and go to A&E Media to find all available documentation.

If you only want to work offline in AXIS Site Designer, you can create local projects. Local projects are only available in your browser's local storage and are never synced or saved online. Keep in mind that clearing your browsing data will delete your local projects, and you can’t recover them. To avoid losing your work, make sure to back up your local projects regularly by exporting them. Another thing to keep in mind is that anyone with access to your device and browser can view your project, so make sure not to create local projects on public or shared computers.

To create a local project, open AXIS Site Designer and go to Local projects.

In AXIS Site Designer, use Scenarios to define the relevant settings necessary to estimate storage and bandwidth for a camera. The settings are the following:

• Scene settings

• • Motion estimates in the scene

  • Scene level details

  • Location and light conditions

• Recording settings

• • Resolution, frame rate, compression settings

  • Schedules for motion triggered recording, continuous recording and live view

A camera within a project is always associated with a single scenario that specifies a scene and recording settings. You can define as many scenarios, all with different scene and recording settings, as required or necessary for your projects. Schedules for recordings (that determines when a recording is active) can be the same for many scenarios, but the scene and recording settings are specific to the scenario. You can use the same scenario on several of cameras and make camera specific changes, such as schedule, without changing the scenario.

Example

Indoor scenario

• Motion triggered recording: schedule set to Always

• Continuous recording: schedule set to Off (Never)

Camera 1, 2, and 3 use the Indoor scenario. However, camera 2 is installed in the reception area, and you would like that the continuous recording is on all the time. In Devices, select camera 2 to edit the scenario and adjust the continuous recording setting to Always without affecting the scenario settings.

You want to make changes to the Indoor scenario because the motion-triggered schedule should be set to Office hours. You therefore adjust the scenario in Project overview so that the change applies to all cameras that use the Indoor scenario, in this case; camera 1, 2, and 3. Camera 2 still use the schedule setting Always for continuous recording.