Top Features in Autodesk Build: Key Benefits for Construction Projects

In today’s fast-paced construction landscape, project teams need more than just basic planning tools.  New construction projects require a comprehensive platform that streamlines communication, coordination, and documentation from preconstruction to project completion.

Autodesk Build stands out as a powerful solution within the Autodesk Construction Cloud ecosystem, offering a suite of features designed to improve collaboration, enhance visibility, and reduce costly delays.  

This article explores the top features of Autodesk Build and how they translate into tangible benefits for construction professionals looking to optimize their workflows and deliver successful projects on time and within budget. This article will explore the benefits of implementing Autodesk Build to your team’s arsenal of necessary tools.

Overview of Autodesk Build and Key Benefits

Autodesk Build is a cloud-based construction management solution that connects field and office teams through a centralized platform. Built on the Autodesk Construction Cloud, it integrates project management and field collaboration tools to support every stage of the construction lifecycle. From document control and RFIs (requests for information) to progress tracking and cost management, Autodesk Build enables teams to make informed decisions with real-time data and streamlined workflows.

Key Features of Autodesk Build

To expand upon the previous section, let’s go over some of the major features that you can expect from the Autodesk Build Platform.

Project Management Tools

Autodesk Build offers a comprehensive suite of project management capabilities, including streamlined workflows for RFIs, submittals, meeting minutes, and daily reports. These tools ensure that all project stakeholders stay informed and accountable, reducing the communication silos that often lead to unnecessary confusion and costly delays.

Document Management and Collaboration

With Autodesk Build, your teams will benefit from a robust document management system that keeps all project files organized and up to date. Version control and permission settings help prevent confusion over outdated drawings or specifications, while integrated markup tools allow for real-time collaboration and feedback. This can be especially powerful when immediate updates are needed between teams working at different locations.

Jobsite Collaboration

Field teams play a critical role in the success of a project, and Autodesk Build equips them with mobile-first tools that simplify data capture and reporting. Your field teams can create and manage checklists, report issues, and complete forms directly from their devices. This improves accuracy, speeds up resolution timelines, and ensures that field data is immediately available to project managers and stakeholders for faster decision-making.

Scheduling Resources

Autodesk Build supports schedule integration, allowing teams to link daily activities and tasks to the master project schedule. This provides thoughtful insight into how work is progressing and where potential bottlenecks may arise. The cross-functional teams you will deploy can use photos, daily logs, and reports to document site activity, providing a clear visual record of progress.

Cost Management

By connecting cost data with project activities, Autodesk Build allows users to track budgets, manage contracts, and document change orders with full traceability. This feature provides full transparency to a project’s financial targets and helps to facilitate proactive monetary adjustments before small issues become full-blown budget destroyers.

New & Advanced Features of Autodesk Build

Autodesk Build continues to evolve with advanced capabilities that address the growing complexity of construction projects. The platform now offers exciting new features such as deeper integration, smarter automation, and expanded functionality. These help teams stay proactive, informed, and connected across all phases of the build process. Among the most impactful updates are its enhanced data analytics tools and expanded support for BIM (Building Information Modeling).

Data-Driven Insights and Analytics

Autodesk Build now includes powerful reporting and dashboard tools that aggregate data from across the project into visual, actionable insights. Your team members can track KPIs (key performance indicators), monitor field productivity, and identify trends using customizable dashboards. These analytics help project leaders make informed decisions quickly and proactively manage risks.

BIM Integration for Better Design Collaboration

Autodesk Build offers convenient integration with BIM workflows, enabling design and construction teams to collaborate more effectively using coordinated 3D models. Users can view, navigate, and interact with BIM models directly within the platform, from any location.  

Features like model-based issue tracking, clash detection, and the ability to link documents or RFIs to specific model elements enhance communication and reduce unnecessary mistakes.  This enhanced BIM support ensures that the design intent is clearly understood and executed in the field.

How Autodesk Build Enhances Project Efficiency

By bringing data, workflows, and teams together in one place, Autodesk Build enables faster decisions, fewer delays, and more efficient project delivery from conception to completion.  As mentioned previously in this article, Autodesk Build utilizes advanced features such as document management, cost analysis, scheduling resources, and customizable templates.

Real-World Example: CPPI Boosts Efficiency with Autodesk Build

Charles Perry Partners, Inc. (CPPI), a general contractor specializing in institutional and commercial projects, significantly improved project efficiency by implementing Autodesk Build.  CPPI utilized Autodesk Build to centralize cost management activities, integrating it seamlessly with their accounting systems. This integration allowed real-time tracking of subcontractor payments and project costs.

By adopting Autodesk Build, CPPI achieved:

• Threefold Increase in Productivity and Accuracy – Streamlined cost workflows reduced manual data entry errors and enhanced overall efficiency.
• Enhanced Collaboration – Over 4,600 active users and approximately 2,000 partner companies collaborated on Autodesk Build, fostering better communication and coordination.
• Improved Project Delivery – With centralized data and real-time insights, CPPI delivered 97.8% of projects on time and within budget.

Brad Buckles, CPPI’s Director of Technology, noted that Autodesk Build empowered project managers to produce reports independently, eliminating the typical wait for accounting.  This real-time access to financial data reduced risks and provided proactive project management.

Conclusions

Autodesk Build equips construction teams with powerful tools to streamline collaboration, improve visibility, and drive project efficiency.  With integrated workflows, real-time data, and advanced features like BIM support and analytics, it helps teams deliver projects faster, safer, and with greater confidence.

Sources

Microsol Resources. (n.d.-a). Autodesk Build software. https://microsolresources.com/software/autodesk/autodesk-build/

Microsol Resources. (n.d.-b). Top things to know about Autodesk Build. https://microsolresources.com/tech-resources/article/top-things-to-know-about-autodesk-build

Microsol Resources. (n.d.-c). BIM 360 Docs essentials training. https://microsolresources.com/training/autodesk/bim-360-docs-essentials-2

Autodesk Construction Cloud. (n.d.). CPPI increases productivity and accuracy by 3x with streamlined cost workflows. https://construction.autodesk.com/resources/customers/cppi-increases-productivity-and-accuracy-by-3x-with-streamlined-cost-workflows/