Use callouts to graphically identify (call out) items that appear in a figure or an inset. A callout has a label with one or more leader lines. The leader lines point to items in the figure or inset. You can choose to create a numbered label, or a label that can be edited once it is placed in the figure. The corresponding item name and number appears in the item list for the figure. Depending on the type of callout you choose, you may not be able to edit the label text in a callout in the figure view. If you renumber items in the item list, their callouts in the figure are also renumbered.

The callout library contains a number of pre-defined callouts that can be added to an illustration. You can also create custom callout templates using the Creo Illustrate Options dialog box. For more information on creating custom callout templates, see To Create and Manage Callout Templates.

Create callouts manually by selecting one or more items and then selecting a callout to apply to the items. Each callout you add creates a new row in the item list. You can also create callouts automatically when you generate an item list.

All callouts in the active figure appear in the Figure Content pane in the upper data panel. The prefix Callout: distinguishes them from other types of annotations in the Figure Content pane.

When you move parts or insets in the figure, their linked annotations move as well, maintaining their positions relative to the parts. You can align and distribute the annotation labels relative to each other in the figure window. You can also combine multiple callouts into a single one, have a single callout for the same items and control callout visibility when the referenced part is hidden behind another part.

Callouts also move with the camera. The labels on callouts always face front. They retain their size when the camera zooms in or out. When you select a callout and then click Zoom Selected, the available window area fills with both the part instance and the callout.