---
title: "Hiding Overlap"
slug: "hiding-overlap"
description: "Manage overlapping datasets with the Hide Overlap feature for clear, accurate representations in NavVis. Optimize your site’s data quality effortlessly."
updated: 2026-08-20T12:18:09Z
published: 2026-08-20T12:18:09Z
canonical: "knowledge.navvis.com/hiding-overlap"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.navvis.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Hiding Overlap

## What is Hide Overlap?

The Hide Overlap feature is used when there are multiple overlapping datasets. It is a cleanup tool that automatically implements the optimum overlap of multiple datasets throughout the entire Site. Applying this feature provides a clear and accurate representation of the reality, significantly reducing unclear and sometimes dense images that can occur with multiple overlapping datasets.

| ![](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/image(17).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-14T07%3A43%3A43Z&se=2026-10-14T08%3A43%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2FnF7q275LkSKorD2u36zUMR1ZNRm0g3ruadIFG7UvJc%3D) | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/image(18).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-14T07%3A43%3A43Z&se=2026-10-14T08%3A43%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2FnF7q275LkSKorD2u36zUMR1ZNRm0g3ruadIFG7UvJc%3D) |
| --- | --- |
| Hide Overlap Removed | Hide overlap Applied |

> [!NOTE]
> Note: The Hide Overlap feature is applied exclusively to NavVis dataset, external 3rd party datasets are excluded when applying this feature.

# Managing Hide Overlap

## Applying or removing Hide Overlap

To apply or remove Hide Overlap perform the following procedure:

1. Go to **Edit Site>Dataset Management**
2. To apply Hide Overlap to the Site, click the **Apply Hide Overlap** button. ![Dataset management interface showing storage usage and options to hide overlap.](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/Screenshot 2026-08-20 at 14.10.46.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-14T07%3A43%3A43Z&se=2026-10-14T08%3A43%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2FnF7q275LkSKorD2u36zUMR1ZNRm0g3ruadIFG7UvJc%3D)
3. The following screen is displayed. Click **Dismiss** and regenerate the maps, navgraph and visual index if appropriate. ![Notification indicating overlapping data has been successfully hidden in the system.](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/data%20hidden.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-14T07%3A43%3A43Z&se=2026-10-14T08%3A43%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2FnF7q275LkSKorD2u36zUMR1ZNRm0g3ruadIFG7UvJc%3D)

1. To remove Hide Overlap from the Site, click the **Remove Hide Overlap** button.

![Dataset management interface showing storage usage and options for managing overlaps.](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/remove hide overlap.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-14T07%3A43%3A43Z&se=2026-10-14T08%3A43%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2FnF7q275LkSKorD2u36zUMR1ZNRm0g3ruadIFG7UvJc%3D)
2. Click the **Remove** button to confirm. ![Popup window explaining the 'Remove Hide Overlap' action with options to cancel or remove.](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/remove%20HO2.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-14T07%3A43%3A43Z&se=2026-10-14T08%3A43%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2FnF7q275LkSKorD2u36zUMR1ZNRm0g3ruadIFG7UvJc%3D)
3. The operation of applying and removing Hide Overlap from the Site may take a while (few minutes up to an hour) to complete. You can see the progress in the Task Manager at the bottom of the screen.

![Task manager interface displaying task groups and process options for management.](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/task%20bar.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-14T07%3A43%3A43Z&se=2026-10-14T08%3A43%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2FnF7q275LkSKorD2u36zUMR1ZNRm0g3ruadIFG7UvJc%3D)
4. Click the [Publish](https://knowledge.navvis.com/docs/publishing-a-draft) button to make the changes available in the Site for everyone.

> [!NOTE]
> Note: Enabling Hide Overlap, however, does not reduce the size of the exported files.

### Updating Hide Overlap

If there is a new NavVis Dataset added to the Site, either as an Alignment Bundle or a Dataset without Bundle, click the Update Hide Overlap button and the new Dataset will be incorporated into the Site.

![updating hide overlap in data management](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/Screenshot 2026-08-20 at 14.17.00.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-14T07%3A43%3A43Z&se=2026-10-14T08%3A43%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2FnF7q275LkSKorD2u36zUMR1ZNRm0g3ruadIFG7UvJc%3D)

### Edit Scanning Session (IVION Professional and IVION Enterprise only)

Within Dataset Management there is an additional option for Professional and Enterprise customers: Edit Scanning Sessions. This feature enables Hide Overlap to effectively integrate rescans into a site.

> [!NOTE]
> Note: A rescan means capturing the same area of a site again, usually because equipment or conditions have changed, or because you want to improve data quality in that area.

With scanning sessions, data managers can group datasets together.

- Within a scanning session, datasets compete only on data quality – the scan time is not relevant.
- Across different sessions, however, datasets compete on both data quality and the most recent scans: newer scans take priority over older ones as long as quality is comparable.
- This gives you finer control over managing overlapping datasets from different points intime and is available exclusively in the Professional and Enterprise tiers.

This ensures that all datasets together reflect a consistent, up-to-date representation of reality. To edit scanning sessions perform the following:

1. Go to **Site Setup>Dataset Management**.
2. Click the **Edit scanning sessions** button. ![Dataset management interface showing instance storage and scanning session options.](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/Screenshot 2026-08-20 at 14.14.46.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-14T07%3A43%3A43Z&se=2026-10-14T08%3A43%3A43Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=%2FnF7q275LkSKorD2u36zUMR1ZNRm0g3ruadIFG7UvJc%3D)
3. The following screen displays a list of NavVis Datasets.
  - The datasets are organized in descending order chronologically (newest at the top).
  - By default datasets with the same import date are placed together in the same session.
  - The datasets in each scanning session are optimized to display the highest quality point cloud without competing with each other.
4. Click the **Move** button and drag the time divider up or down, moving a dataset from one scanning session to another.
5. Click the **+Add scanning session** button to split datasets further into more scanning sessions.
6. Click the **Delete** button to remove a scanning session. [HO](https://player.vimeo.com/video/1122847472?h=128840c02d&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479)
7. Click the **Collapse** button to collapse individual scanning session or click the **Collapse all** to collapse all scanning sessions.
8. Click the **Save & Apply Hide Overlap** button.
9. Click the **Confirm** button.
10. Click the **Publish** button.

> [!NOTE]
> Note: To quickly toggle between Hide Overlap applied and Hide Overlap removed you can go to the View setting and switch between the two. [Refer here](https://knowledge.navvis.com/docs/exploring-a-site-3).

---

### FAQ

#### What is the Hide Overlap feature?

The Hide Overlap feature is a cleanup tool used to manage multiple overlapping datasets, providing a clear and accurate representation of reality by reducing unclear images.

#### Can Hide Overlap be applied to external 3rd party datasets?

No, the Hide Overlap feature is applied exclusively to NavVis datasets.

#### How do I apply Hide Overlap to my Site?

To apply Hide Overlap, go to Site Setup > Dataset Management and click the Apply Hide Overlap button.

#### How long does it take to apply or remove Hide Overlap?

The operation may take a few minutes up to an hour to complete.

#### Is there a way to update Hide Overlap when new datasets are added?

Yes, you can click the Update Hide Overlap button to incorporate new NavVis datasets into the Site.

#### What is the purpose of editing scanning sessions?

Editing scanning sessions allows data managers to group datasets and optimize the display of point clouds without competition among them.

#### Can I quickly toggle between Hide Overlap applied and removed?

Yes, you can toggle between the two by going to the View setting.

#### What happens to datasets within a scanning session?

Within a scanning session, datasets compete only on data quality, while across different sessions, newer scans take priority over older ones.

#### How do I add new scans to an existing site?

To incorporate new scans into an existing site, use the Edit Scanning Sessions procedure in this article, which includes a video walkthrough. After editing your scanning sessions, click **Update Hide Overlap** to apply the changes. If your new scans were processed with Cross-Dataset Alignment (CDA), also see [Aligning Datasets](https://knowledge.navvis.com/docs/en/aligning-datasets-1).