CATEGORY: BIM

For design and construction firms, project delivery has become more complex in a COVID-changed world. As companies like yours gear up to accelerate the pace of digital transformation, you’re reworking your approach to data management and project collaboration across teams, projects, construction phases, and beyond.

What is happening and when?

On June 2, in addition to announcing new workflows to help customers comply with ISO 19650 standards and the ability to primarily store project data in Europe for various Autodesk Construction Cloud products,

Autodesk announced that there will be a standalone purchase option for Autodesk Docs available soon. Autodesk Docs’ Common Data Environment (CDE) enables powerful, yet simplified collaboration and data management, creating a single source of truth across the project lifecycle.

Previously, Autodesk Docs was included with any subscription for Autodesk Construction Cloud and the AEC Collection. On July 7, 2021, customers will have the choice of subscribing to Autodesk Docs as a standalone, through the AEC Collection, or along with Autodesk Construction Cloud products.

In addition, on July 7th, the “BIM 360 Docs” offering will be rebranded to “Autodesk Docs”. This change reflects access to the new Autodesk Construction Cloud platform through Autodesk Docs being added to the BIM 360 Docs offering at no additional cost.

Why is Autodesk making these changes?

Over the last year, we’ve seen cloud collaboration shift from a nice-to-have to a must-have. Autodesk Docs’ Common Data Environment (CDE) enables powerful, yet simplified collaboration and data management, creating a single source of truth across the project lifecycle. By adding a standalone purchase option for Autodesk Docs, customers now have more options to better connect data and teams across all project phases.

What is included in each offering?

Each of the new subscription offerings contains entitlements to a set of products and tools.

What is Autodesk Docs?

Autodesk Docs, a common data environment, is a centralized document management solution that acts as a single source of truth across the project lifecycle for all teams. With Autodesk Docs, AEC teams can simplify collaboration and data management across design to construction and streamline document review and approval workflows.

It is included with subscriptions to Autodesk BIM Collaborate and Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro, Autodesk Takeoff and Autodesk Build, in the AEC Collection, as well as standalone.

What is the difference between Autodesk Docs and BIM 360 Docs?

While each offering contains many of the same common data environment features today, Autodesk Docs supports document management for projects on the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform, while BIM 360 Docs supports document management for projects on the BIM 360 platform. With Autodesk Docs, subscribers can access projects on the Autodesk Construction Cloud or BIM 360 platforms.

Does Autodesk Docs include access to projects on BIM 360?

Yes, if you have access to Autodesk Docs through a standalone subscription, the AEC Collection, Autodesk BIM Collaborate, Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro, then you can access projects on both the Autodesk Construction Cloud and the BIM 360 platforms.

How I refer to projects on the various platforms?

There are two types of projects, depending on where it is hosted. There are BIM 360 projects and Autodesk Construction Cloud projects.

“BIM 360 project(s)”, “project(s) on/in BIM 360”, and “project(s) on the BIM 360 platform” are all appropriate ways to refer to projects in BIM 360.

The same applies to Autodesk Construction Cloud projects where “Autodesk Construction Cloud project(s)” and “project(s) on the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform” are the preferred nomenclature.

Is there a difference between BIM 360 Docs and Autodesk Docs?

Yes, while functionality is similar at this time, Autodesk Docs has its own development roadmaps, separate from BIM 360 Docs. This means that new features and functionality added to Autodesk Docs on the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform are not guaranteed to be added to BIM 360 Document Management.

What are the differences between Autodesk Insight and Insight for Autodesk Construction Cloud products?

Autodesk Insight empowers architects and engineers to design more energy-efficient buildings with advanced simulation engines and building performance analysis data integrated in Revit.

Insight for Autodesk Construction Cloud is an ecosystem that delivers Autodesk Construction Cloud project-level data, analytics, and predictive insights. It can help get you up to speed with what’s going on in a project, assess trends and patterns in project data, identify any gaps and problems, and use predictive risk data to improve project efficiency.

The Insight module in BIM 360 offers similar functionality to Insight for Autodesk Construction Cloud.

What is happening to BIM 360?

There are no plans to discontinue the BIM 360 platform, and Autodesk will continue to provide customers with the access and support they need for existing projects at this time.

What is the future of BIM 360 Docs offering?

With the launch of the Autodesk Docs’ standalone purchase offering, the BIM 360 Docs offering will no longer be available for purchase.

All customers that previously purchased BIM 360 Docs will now show that their purchase has been rebranded to Autodesk Docs and now includes access to Autodesk Construction Cloud. There are no price changes for customers.

As with all parts of BIM 360, there are no plans to discontinue the BIM 360 platform.

How will customers be notified of these changes?

A direct operational email notifying customers of the changes will be sent to contract managers of BIM 360 Docs prior to the change on July 7, 2021.

How do I manage my team’s licenses and entitlements once I’ve set up access to Autodesk Construction Cloud?

Once Contract Managers have set up access to the Autodesk Construction Cloud, they can invite users to the account and project and provide access to the included modules.

In Autodesk Account, contract managers should ensure they have assigned entitlements to Autodesk Docs as applicable.

The functionality of the Account Admin modules in Autodesk Construction Cloud mirrors that of the Autodesk Account portal, which means Account Administrators can assign subscriptions for Autodesk Docs, Autodesk BIM Collaborate, Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro, Autodesk Takeoff and Autodesk Build to users in Account Admin.  This will make administration easier on new projects in Autodesk Construction Cloud going forward.

Users who were already Account Administrators should follow these steps to enable access to Autodesk Docs and to invite project members:

1. Go to acc.autodesk.com.
2. Click Account Administration.
3. Click on Members in the left panel.
4. Assign self a subscription for Autodesk Docs. Also assign to any team members that should be account members.
5. Go back to acc.autodesk.com.
6. Create a project.
7. Turn on the Docs & Insight products for self.
8. Invite other project members to Docs and Insight for this specific project.
9. Repeat as needed for additional projects.

What is the difference between a “license”, “seat”, “entitling” and “subscription”?

“License”, “seat”, and “subscription” essentially indicate the provision of access to an Autodesk offering, product, or service.

• A license or seat is what is needed to join a project on BIM 360 or the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform. The license or seat is provided to the user on acceptance of an invite to any project in the account.
• Entitling is the act of granting access to a product or service (e.g. Docs, Build, BIM Collaborate Pro, etc.) in Autodesk Accounts.
• A subscription is a packaged offering that is purchased like Autodesk Build or AEC Collection from a partner reseller or the Autodesk e-store.

BIM 360 or Autodesk Construction Cloud users in Revit, Civil 3D, and Plant 3D will need a license in Autodesk Accounts as well as an invite to a project.

Users who are only working in BIM 360 document management on the web or mobile-only need an invite to the project.

Can project data be primarily stored in Europe when using Autodesk Docs?

Yes.

Does Autodesk Docs support ISO 19650 workflows?

Yes, support for ISO 19650 workflows is available in both Autodesk Docs and BIM 360 Document Management, helping customers’ compliance with ISO 19650 standards.

Does Autodesk Docs have unlimited cloud storage like BIM 360?

Yes, Autodesk Docs subscribers will have unlimited storage on the Autodesk Construction Cloud.

Does the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform have the same APIs as BIM 360?

APIs will be available, but there may not be 1:1 parity between the APIs available in the Autodesk Construction Cloud and those in BIM 360. For more detailed information about specific APIs please reach out to the Autodesk Developer Network.

How do I see projects if I have them on both platforms?

You can log into acc.autodesk.com and access both Autodesk Construction Cloud and BIM 360 projects from the Projects home view. The icon next to the project name identifies the type of project.

How will I know which platform my project is on?

In the UI of the authoring tools (Revit, Civil 3D, Plant 3D, and Desktop Connector), there is currently no indication whether it is a BIM 360 or Autodesk Construction Cloud project.

In the web UI, the BIM 360 environment will have a dark banner, while the Autodesk Construction Cloud will have a light banner.

How does Bring Your Own Subscription (BYOS) work?

BYOS continues to work in a similar way. For more information, please refer to this page.

Can I provide licenses to my consultants?

Yes, you can still provide licenses to your consultants.

However, be aware that their consultant could use that license to access any project to which they’ve been invited.

At this time, there is not a way to prevent the consultant from accessing other projects with the license.

For BIM 360 document management only users, they can simply be invited to a project.

For users in Autodesk Construction Cloud projects, they’ll need to be entitled to those services in Autodesk Accounts as well as invited to a project.

How do I give file access to a consultant who does not have a subscription to Autodesk Docs?

If you know the user you want to provide access to does not have a subscription, there is a public share link that can be generated to allow that external user to collaborate on that document.

If a user without a subscription is given file access or invited to a project, their experience will depend on which platform the project is hosted.

For BIM 360 projects, they’ll be added to the project, but for Autodesk Construction Cloud projects, users without a subscription will have the option to start a trial or purchase Autodesk Docs.

Is the user limit going to be enforced on the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform?

Yes, all users of the Autodesk Construction Cloud must have a license for the functionality they are using to contribute to their project(s).  In Autodesk Construction Cloud, an account can only provide access based on the number of licenses they have purchased. Alternatively, a user can be invited to a project and be asked to purchase her or his own license to contribute.

Users are responsible for having enough licenses to cover everyone in their account as Autodesk reserves the right to audit usage and potentially force users to purchase enough subscriptions to cover all users in their account(s).

Is a user counted twice if they are invited to a project on BIM 360 and a project on the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform?

No, users will only be counted once even if they have access to both BIM 360 and Autodesk Construction Cloud projects.

How do I see project analytics data for my projects in Autodesk Construction Cloud & BIM 360?

Project analytics can be viewed in the Insight module in the platform where the project is hosted. There is no combined analytics at this time.

Can I have two Autodesk Construction Cloud accounts? One for different regions or business units?

Yes, but you will need a contract with a different contract manager for each account. The additional contracts need at least 1 seat of BIM Collaborate or BIM Collaborate Pro, Autodesk Build, or Autodesk Docs to set up the account, and then anyone in your company can access those accounts/tenants as covered under BYOS.

What happens to current subscriptions of BIM 360 Docs?

Existing BIM 360 Docs subscriptions will be upgraded to Autodesk Docs automatically at a 1:1 rate.

As an Enterprise Business Agreement (EBA) customer, will I get access to Autodesk Docs?

EBA customers will get Autodesk Docs.

As an EBA customer, do my token rates change?

Token rates will be the same for modules on both platforms. Please contact your Customer Success Manager or Account Manager for details.

How will tokens for Docs services be charged?

Customers who have a daily token rate for BIM 360 Docs will only be charged the token rate once per day per user—even if the user uses both BIM 360 Docs and Autodesk Docs.

Customers who have unlimited access to BIM 360 Docs, will have unlimited access to BIM 360 Docs and Autodesk Docs, for the same token rate, when they gain access to Autodesk Docs.

Does Autodesk have a plan to migrate BIM 360 Docs project data to Autodesk Docs?

Autodesk is working on a migration tool. Availability TBD.

Can I migrate my existing projects on BIM 360 to Autodesk Construction Cloud projects?

Until the tool is available, we recommend that existing projects would remain on BIM 360, while new projects can be created on the Autodesk Construction Cloud or BIM 360 platforms.

Users can also download and reupload data manually if so desired.

Do you have additional questions?

You can learn more about Autodesk Docs and its features by visiting our Autodesk 360 landing page which includes product overview videos and a Frequently Asked Questions section.

As always, our support team is here to help and can be reached at support@microsolresources.com.

Autodesk is currently in its 3rd Generation Cloud platform for BIM collaboration tools in the cloud, but the 1st and 2nd generation platforms are still active. This post will guide you to the correct site, depending on which platform is used in your project or organization.

For each platform, access is controlled via Named User Subscription Licensing, which is tied back to a user’s  Autodesk Account. An account consists of an Autodesk ID, email, and password. After a user has been assigned a license and is added as a member to a Project, they can access the necessary BIM Sites simply by logging in. When using Revit, cloud-worksharing can be accessed via the Collaborate tab. In the web browser, the URLs listed below will take you to the main page or the last Project that was accessed.

1st Generation

First came BIM 360 Teams, combined with Collaboration For Revit (C4R), allows team members to collaborate on a central cloud model from anywhere in the world.

Versions of Revit: 2015-2018

Additional Installation: Collaboration for Revit (C4R)

URL: teams.autodesk360.com

2nd Generation

Next came BIM 360, which added better collaboration and project management tools, in addition to cloud clash detection, reporting and analytics, and cost management. C4R was improved and repackaged as BIM 360 Design.

Versions of Revit: 2018.3 – 2022

Additional Installation: Autodesk Cloud Models for Revit

URL: docs.b360.autodesk.com

3rd Generation

With the 3rd Generation platform, the Autodesk Construction Cloud, there is a common data environment from pre-design, design, and construction, all the way to operations and facility management. This allows team members to collaborate and share data through the entire life-cycle of the building.

Versions of Revit: 2021 – 2022

URL: acc.autodesk.com

Questions? Customers of Microsol Resources can contact our Technical Support Department for help with access by emailing support@microsolresources.com. If you are interested in hearing more about the different features of BIM 360 Teams, BIM 360, or the Autodesk Construction Cloud, please reach out to info@microsolresources.com.

No aspect of construction happens in isolation. To avoid the risk of data siloing and miscommunication, project teams must collaborate with common access to critical project documentation and data.

As complexity increases in construction, two technology shifts are connecting teams in critical ways: collaboration in the cloud and the use of big data.

A New Way to Build

Collaboration in the Cloud

Construction teams are complex, frequently spanning multiple organizations and geographies. Collaboration between project teams and stakeholders continues to be a challenge—one that introduces cost, delay, rework, and risk to projects.

Traditionally, collaboration in construction has been predominantly an asymmetric process; that is, multiple parties in the supply chain each work on their own part of a project, which is coordinated by aggregating those individual models.

Better Insights from Big Data

Today, in construction, large amounts of highly structured data are generated through BIM and other project technology. That’s opening the door to a new discipline—construction intelligence— and the ability to predict the future by mining that data for insights.

Need to speak to a specialist?

Learn how construction can be positioned to significantly reduce costs, improve speed, and produce better outcomes with Autodesk Construction Cloud.

Contact Us