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Which AEC collaboration solution is right for you?

By Microsol Resources | BIM, CAD, Data Management

Firms like yours are looking for smarter ways to manage data and streamline collaboration across your projects, no matter what design tool you use.

With rising project complexity and competitive markets, you need a solution that is flexible, connects your teams, data, and workflows, and delivers powerful insights. You need a solution that simply helps you deliver better projects, faster, and with greater profitability.

Most of all, you need a solution that’s built for architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry – not an office cloud app that can’t process complex 3D files or a server solution that requires VPN. That’s only going to slow you down.

 

But with BIM Collaborate Pro, you can take advantage of:

 

Anytime, anywhere collaboration in leading design tools Revit, Civil 3D, and AutoCAD Plant 3D. BIM Collaborate Pro lets you collaborate with internal teams and other companies, with easy web viewing, project timeline to track progress, and issue capture so you can ensure change requests are made.

 

Extensive file support, covering over 50 file types, including MS Office 365, RVT, C3D, DWG, IFC, and other Autodesk file types. Improved efficiency because your workflows are powered in the cloud. This means faster sync times, easy remote collaboration, and regular improvements and upgrades — all of which deliver cost savings directly to your business.

 

Robust security. With eighteen levels of access permissions, you can ensure the right people are in the right document at the right time and avoid version conflict. Also, the cloud is proven as a safe place to store and access data — and the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform is designed using best-in-class practices. We take the responsibility of keeping your data security seriously.

 

Bluebeam collaboration-iconEnhanced resiliency. The integrity and availability of your data are vital to your business. At Autodesk, we’re committed to providing a stable network and sharing upcoming maintenance schedules to ensure you can access what you need whenever you need it.

 

It’s time to eliminate costly delays, maximize your talent pool, extend your reach, and reduce friction from disparate solutions.

Only BIM Collaborate Pro is built for anytime, anywhere collaboration in Revit, Civil 3D, and Plant 3D.

 

 

Feature comparison: How BIM Collaborate Pro stacks up against other AEC worksharing solutions

 

BIM Collaborate Pro Everyday Office Apps
Anytime, anywhere collaboration
Full Functionality
No Functionality
• [Revit Cloud Worksharing] Co-author Revit models in the cloud at the same time, with anyone from anywhere, outside the company firewall
[Collaboration for Civil 3D] Collaborate on Civil 3D design files, data shortcuts, and XRefs with automated file locking with anyone, from anywhere outside the company firewall
[Collaboration for Plant 3D] Securely share Plant 3D files and references across teams or company firewalls. Manage permissions, maintain compliance requirements, and keep teams aligned in a common data environment.
Basic file storage & sharing
Full Functionality
Full Functionality
• Share active design documents with read and write access and set user permissions on a folder and project level.
Version control
Full Functionality
Partial Functionality
Access previous design file versions at any time.
Common data environment
Full Functionality
No Functionality
Store and manage all project data, whether generated in Revit, Civil 3D, or AutoCAD Plant 3D, in one location to improve efficiency during handover
Design Review on-the-go
Full Functionality
No Functionality
• View and compare iterations of sheet layouts side-by-side or combined views of the project model in 3D view. No exports, translations, or uploads required.
• Share & markup over 50 2D & 3D design file-formats including Revit (RVT), Navisworks(NWD, NWF), AutoCAD (DWG, XREF, DREF), industry formats like IFC, and office file types.
Manage design data exchange & submittals
Full Functionality
No Functionality
• Track and share design packages against deadlines on a project timeline.
• Facilitate simultaneous design work among multidiscipline teams with advanced
permissions in folder settings, keeping other teams out of work-in-progress files.
Automated clash detection
Full Functionality
No Functionality
• Upload models to automatically detect clashes. View results in an intuitive matrix, identifying clashes and grouping them to prioritize work.
• Explore design options by running clash analysis against shared models in sandboxed folders called “coordination spaces”, separating design trials from live ongoing work
Centralized Issue Management
Full Functionality
No Functionality
Create and track issues on design data, assigning a due date, responsible party, and root cause to ensure closure. View and resolve issues assigned to you from the cloud directly in Revit or Navisworks for closed-loop workflows (currently available for BIM 360 only).

 

So how does BIM Collaborate Pro compare on cost?

In the short run, it may seem convenient to use an FTP site or cheaper to store project design files on a local server you may already be using. Or you might invest in expensive server applications, hoping to recoup the cost over time.

The more time you’re not using the latest connected, flexible, and powerful cloud workflows, the more opportunities lost.

Disconnected workflows cause friction when data needs to be moved, which all racks up hours of lost productivity.

 

BIM Collaborate Pro is the only Civil 3D, Revit, and Plant 3D cloud collaboration solution on the market that offers multidiscipline design coordination capabilities with multiple companies.

With change visualization, issue and comment management, and mobile markups, BIM Collaborate Pro is a comprehensive solution for your teams, while also helping your client leverage design data across the project lifecycle.

BIM Collaborate Pro Cost Image

 

Use Revit Server?

Cundall compared the cost of using BIM Collaborate Pro with Revit Server. The results are undeniable: “BIM Collaborate Pro pays for itself in under 6 months,” says Cundall.

 

Use Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)?

Corgan compared the cost of BIM Collaborate Pro with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) in both, spin and flash storage types, and found it was one-fifth the cost of VDI flash.

 

Ready for more connected workflows?

We’re here to help.

Contact us or email us to speak with a Microsol Resources Account Executive to address your questions and find the right solution for you.

 

INDUSTRIES: Architecture, Buildings, Civil Engineering, Civil Infrastructure, Construction, MEP Engineering, Structural Engineering

Published on May 27, 2021 in BIM, CAD, Data Management.

About the Author

Microsol Resources delivers integrated solutions that help customers design, simulate and analyze their ideas, increase operational efficiencies, and maximize their return on investment in their technology solutions. As a team, we are passionate about helping customers improve their productivity and overall business processes. How can we help? Just reach out.

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