BICSI Publications FAQs

Everything You Need to Know About Your
BICSI Technical Manuals, Specialty Publications, and Standards

Access BICSI Digital Publications with FileOpen

To ensure secure and seamless access to BICSI’s digital publications, you’ll need to install the FileOpen plugin. This easy-to-install tool allows you to view and manage our protected content directly on your device. Follow the simple steps below to get started:

How to Install the FileOpen Plugin:

  1. Download the Plugin
    Visit the FileOpen website and download the appropriate version for your operating system (Windows, Mac OS, etc.).
  2. Install the Plugin
    Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process. If prompted, restart your PDF viewer or computer to finalize the setup.
  3. Open Your BICSI Publication
    Once installed, open the protected BICSI document in your preferred PDF viewer (such as Adobe Reader), and the FileOpen plugin will automatically authenticate your access.

If you need further assistance, click here to contact us for additional information.

Print and Digital Combos

What does a Print and Digital Combo include?

A Print and Digital Combo contains one print copy and one digital copy of a publication and is offered for most of our BICSI publications. Details for each item of a combo can be found below.

Digital Publications

How do I access my digital publication?

All digital publications purchased through BICSI are located on the "My BICSI Digital Publications" page of your BICSI Profile here. Customers who purchased a digital publication also receive an email with a link to the publication.

Once on the "My BICSI Digital Publications," all publications that you have access to are listed.

  • Note: For security, BICSI digital publications use a different username and password than that of the website. These are provided on the My BICSI Digital Publication page.

What format(s) are BICSI digital publications available in?

BICSI digital publications are provided as a PDF file and are provided in two ways:

  • Open PDF in web browser: This will open the PDF in the current browser, Once opened, the PDF may be downloaded/saved to your local device for use in any supported viewer.
  • Download PDF as a .zip file: will provide a “.zip” file which contains the PDF which can be stored on the local device.

For the web browser option, the use of an HTML-5 compatible browser is required (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari), and does not require additional plug-ins or browser extensions.

What programs can I use to view my digital publication?

All HTML 5 compatible browsers may be used to view digital publications.

Digital publications saved on a local device will open on most platforms (e.g., Windows 7 or later, Mac OSX 10.9 or above, iOS, Android, Linux) with an allowed viewer.

For viewing, any current Adobe Acrobat product (e.g., Reader, Pro) is recommended. Additionally, the following programs may be used to view downloaded PDF files offline:

  • Bluebeam™ PDF Revu
  • Foxit™ Reader and Foxit Phantom
  • Kofax™ PDF Converter Pro and Kofax Reader
  • Tracker™ PDF-XChange Editor

Depending on platforms and program variants, a one-time download of a plug-in may be required. In this event, the necessary directions will be displayed.

What functionality does the digital publication have?

In addition to viewing, BICSI provides the following functionality:

  • Annotation (e.g., highlighting, notes)
  • Text-to-voice/Read out load (not available with browser viewing in browser)
  • Saving as a PDF to a local device

The following functions are restricted:

  • Page modification
  • Copying and extraction of pages
  • Printing

How many times can I access the digital publication? How many devices?

BICSI does not limit the number of times a publication may be accessed.

A digital publication is sold as an individual license and includes a total of 3 activations, which can be used on any combination of home or work computers, or other devices which support access. These activations are linked to your specific username and password

What if my computer crashes? Can I recover my publication?

Digital publications can be recovered through the steps listed above. If issues continue, BICSI’s technical support team can assist you with your publications. For assistance, submit a support request or call Customer Care at +1 813.979.1991.

How long will BICSI support a purchased digital publication?

BICSI fully supports all digital publications purchased through BICSI during the public availability of the specific publication, and an additional 5 years after the date of last availability.

Why doesn't “My BICSI Digital Publications” page show all my publications?

On September 1, 2023, BICSI changed its digital rights management (DRM) service to improve functionality and usability. For files purchased before this date which are currently supported, the one-time use of the “migrate” functionality will restore these files. If you believe an omission has occurred, please submit a support request or call Customer Care at +1 813.979.1991 for the specific file in question.

A newer edition of the digital publication I purchased was just released, can I exchange my current publication for the newer edition?

If you purchased a digital publication and there is a new release within 30 days of purchase, you can contact Customer Care at [email protected] and request to be upgraded to the newer edition. You will be responsible for the price difference, if any.

How can I share the digital publication for multiple user access on a network?

Access to a digital publication is limited to the individual end user. Therefore, due to BICSI copyright restrictions, sharing your access information with others is not allowed. However, multiuser and multisite services for all BICSI publications and standards are available through our authorized resellers, which can be found here.

Print Publications

What does a printed copy include?

Customers who purchase a printed copy will receive the publication mailed via FedEx®. Further shipping information can be found here.

Can I make copies of the print publication I purchased?

No part of a BICSI publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying or recorded without the prior written permission of the publisher (BICSI), except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.  To request written permission, send an email to [email protected]. 

I do not see an option to purchase a printed publication only, does this mean that I need to order the Print and Digital Combo to get a printed copy?

For some publications, BICSI does not offer the sale of a printed copy only and may be the only way to purchase a printed copy of the publication.

I ordered the wrong publication or the wrong edition, can I return it or replace it with the correct publication?

A customer who purchased a printed copy of the wrong publication or edition can send it back for a refund or exchange ONLY if BICSI has been contacted within 30 days of the date of purchase and the publication is unopened. The manual must be received within 45 days from the date of purchase. The customer will be responsible for the price difference, if any.

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