A design tool for printed circuit boards displays a graphical representation of a printed circuit board layout through a graphical user interface (GUI). Comments for particular components of the printed circuit board layout can be entered through the graphical user interface. The comments are stored in a data file associated with the printed circuit board layout. Comments can be entered and viewed by multiple users in real time. Comments can be displayed through the graphical user interface in proximity to the component associated with the comment, thereby improving the efficiency with which designers can review and implement suggested changes to the PCB layout.