--- title: Adding Panels in Solo Studio description: This article covers the process of adding panels to a design in Solo Studio, both manually and automatically. --- [Skip to content](https://help.gosolo.io/adding-panels-in-solo-studio#main-content) [![Solo Black-1](https://help.gosolo.io/hubfs/Solo%20Black-1.svg)](https://help.gosolo.io/?hsLang=en) - [Solo Help Center](https://help.gosolo.io/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Solo Help Center](https://help.gosolo.io/) - [Go to Solo](https://phx.gosolo.io/) [Go to Solo](https://phx.gosolo.io/) How can we help? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Solo Help Center](https://help.gosolo.io/?hsLang=en) 2. [Solo Studio](https://help.gosolo.io/solo-studio?hsLang=en) April 24, 2026 # Adding Panels in Solo Studio When building a design in Solo Studio, adding panels will the second to last step before running production. There are multiple ways to add panels in Solo Studio:  - [Manually Adding Panels](https://help.gosolo.io/adding-panels-in-solo-studio#manual) - [Automatically Add Panels](https://help.gosolo.io/adding-panels-in-solo-studio#automatic) Click the links above to jump to the relevant section. Additionally, Solo Studio includes a few tools to help you choose the best location for panel placement, to design the most optimal system layout. Click the link below to learn what tools are available:  - [Tools For Optimal Panel Placement](https://help.gosolo.io/adding-panels-in-solo-studio#tools-for-optimal)   --- ### Manually Adding Panels 1. Click on the '**Panels**' step in the Design Checklist OR click on the '**Panels**' tool on the bottom toolbar. 1. You can also use the keyboard shortcut by clicking '**9**' to jump to the tool. ![Panels\_ToolSelection](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_ToolSelection.png?width=619&height=440&name=Panels_ToolSelection.png) 2. Select the equipment you'd like to use, as well as your preferred panel spacing.  ![Panels\_SelectEquipmentandSpacing\_GIF](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_SelectEquipmentandSpacing_GIF.gif?width=670&height=436&name=Panels_SelectEquipmentandSpacing_GIF.gif) 3. Under '**Placement**' select '**Place Panels Manually**'.  ![Panels\_PlacePanelsManually](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_PlacePanelsManually.png?width=670&height=449&name=Panels_PlacePanelsManually.png) 4. Select your panel orientation  1. Make sure to check your company's design preferences to review the azimuth priority set by your company! ![Panels\_PanelOrientation](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_PanelOrientation.png?width=670&height=445&name=Panels_PanelOrientation.png) 5. Click to place panels. 1. Panels will auto lock into place next to each other, use the '**Shift**' key to freely place modules. ![Panels\_DrawPanels\_GIF](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_DrawPanels_GIF.gif?width=670&height=440&name=Panels_DrawPanels_GIF.gif) 6. Once all the panels are placed in the desired layout, you'll need to select equipment and run production before completing.  ![Panels\_AddEquipmentRunProd\_GIF](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_AddEquipmentRunProd_GIF.gif?width=670&height=481&name=Panels_AddEquipmentRunProd_GIF.gif) 7. Once production is done running, click 'Complete' in the bottom left to finish your design and generate a proposal! ![CompleteButton](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/CompleteButton.png?width=670&height=500&name=CompleteButton.png) **Quick Tip**: Use the '**Selection Tool**' to select and move already placed panels.  - Holding '**Shift**' while selecting will allow you to select multiple panels at once. - Click and drag to draw a selection box around the panels you'd like to select. - You can also double click one panel to auto-select all panels on the roof plane.   --- ### Automatically Placing Panels Our panel automation will quickly and accurately place panels on the roof, filling as much space as possible, avoiding obstructions, and avoiding fire setbacks.  1. Click on the '**Panels**' step in the Design Checklist OR click on the '**Panels**' tool on the bottom toolbar. 1. You can also use the keyboard shortcut by clicking '**9**' to jump to the tool. ![Panels\_ToolSelection](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_ToolSelection.png?width=670&height=476&name=Panels_ToolSelection.png) 2. Select the equipment you'd like to use, as well as your preferred panel spacing.  ![Panels\_SelectEquipmentandSpacing\_GIF](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_SelectEquipmentandSpacing_GIF.gif?width=670&height=436&name=Panels_SelectEquipmentandSpacing_GIF.gif) 3. Under '**Placement**' select '**Automatic Placement**.  ![Panels\_PlaceAutomatically](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_PlaceAutomatically.png?width=670&height=469&name=Panels_PlaceAutomatically.png) 4. Select your panel orientation  1. Make sure to check your company's design preferences to review the azimuth priority set by your company! ![Panels\_PanelOrientation\_Automatic](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_PanelOrientation_Automatic.png?width=670&height=472&name=Panels_PanelOrientation_Automatic.png) 5. Select how you'd like to auto-apply panels:  1. **Single Plane**: only auto place panels on a single plane. 2. **All Planes**: auto place panels on all roof planes (that panels can fit on). ![Panels\_SelectSingleorAllPlanes](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_SelectSingleorAllPlanes.png?width=602&height=538&name=Panels_SelectSingleorAllPlanes.png) 6. Click '**Begin Automated Placement'** or '**Place Panels on All Planes**'. 1. If you chose single plane, first select which roof plane you'd like to add panels to. ![Panels\_SinglePlaneAutoAdd\_GIF](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_SinglePlaneAutoAdd_GIF.gif?width=670&height=494&name=Panels_SinglePlaneAutoAdd_GIF.gif) 7. Once all the panels are placed in the desired layout, you'll need to select equipment and run production before completing.  ![Panels\_AddEquipmentRunProd\_GIF](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_AddEquipmentRunProd_GIF.gif?width=670&height=481&name=Panels_AddEquipmentRunProd_GIF.gif) 8. Once production is done running, click 'Complete' in the bottom left to finish your design and generate a proposal! ![CompleteButton](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/CompleteButton.png?width=670&height=500&name=CompleteButton.png) **Quick Tip**: Use the '**Selection Tool**' to select and move already placed panels.  - Holding '**Shift**' while selecting will allow you to select multiple panels at once. - Click and drag to draw a selection box around the panels you'd like to select. - You can also double click one panel to auto-select all panels on the roof plane.   --- ### Tools for Choosing Optimal Panel Placement Solo Studio features several tools that can help you choose where to place your panels for the most efficient and quality design. This includes:    💡**Roof Suitability Overlay** This tool will guide you to which roof planes are more suitable for panel placement, based on their direction orientation (N, S, E, W). Each roof plane will be highlighted in a color corresponding with the suitability, using these three classifications: - Optimal (South, Southeast, and Southwest roof planes) - Moderate (East, West) - Poor (North, Northeast, Northwest) This can be turned off in the inspector tool to the right, if needed.  ![Panels\_RoofSuitabilityOverlay](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_RoofSuitabilityOverlay.png?width=670&height=449&name=Panels_RoofSuitabilityOverlay.png)   **🌤️ SunPixel™ Irradiance Map** SunPixel™ will show you which areas of the roof will have access to more sunlight versus low sunlight. SunPixel™ is generated during the Shade Analysis, so it includes data from both the trees you've modeled and the 3D point-cloud data Solo has for that location.  You can toggle on the SunPixel™ Irradiance Map using the top toolbar:  ![Panels\_SunPixelButton](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_SunPixelButton.png?width=670&height=217&name=Panels_SunPixelButton.png) ![Panels\_ToggleSunPixel\_GIF](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_ToggleSunPixel_GIF.gif?width=670&height=451&name=Panels_ToggleSunPixel_GIF.gif) SunPixel™ irradiance can only be viewed once the shade analysis has been run.    📈 **Production Center** The Production Center provides a full analysis of the solar access of the home and a breakdown of each solar metric related to the system you've designed. While this does require you to place your panels first, this can help you understand which of the panels/arrays that you've placed are going to be the most energy efficient.  After you've designed your panel layout and after you've run production, you can access the Production Center in the sidebar. Under the 'Arrays' tab, you can see the solar access data for each panel that you've placed. Just hover over each line to see the highlighted, corresponding panel on the design.  ![Panels\_ProductionCenterViewPanelData\_GIF](https://help.gosolo.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Help%20Center%20Images/Panels_ProductionCenterViewPanelData_GIF.gif?width=670&height=498&name=Panels_ProductionCenterViewPanelData_GIF.gif) **Quick Tip**: The higher the TSRF, the better sunlight access the panel/array will get.  To learn more about viewing your design's production and the production values included in the analysis, see the articles below:  - [Reviewing Your Design's Production in Solo Studio](https://help.gosolo.io/reviewing-your-designs-production-in-solo-studio?hsLang=en) - [What is TSRF?](https://help.gosolo.io/what-is-tsrf?hsLang=en)   📷 **Reference Imagery** This will allow you to view other imagery from other sources while building your design. Imaging from various sources can provide different lighting, shadowing, resolution, seasonality, and capture angle, which can make some elements easier to see. 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