Saurabh GangwarJune 4th, 2018
Autodesk announced the Next GenBIM 360platform at Autodesk University last November and on April 9, 2018, the changes came into effect. What does this mean to the existing subscribers of C4R/BIM 360 Team? Let’s dive deeper!
BIM 360 is Autodesk’s cloud platform for AEC project delivery and construction management that supports informed decision-making throughout the project lifecycle, helping to lead to more predictable and profitable outcomes. It does this by centralizing all project data in a common data platform and connecting project stakeholders and workflows – from design to construction to operations, from the field to the office and back in a single solution.
Earlier, Autodesk offered a set of individual (classic) cloud products that were built to digitize and support specific project delivery phases and processes. There was only limited integration between these services –BIM 360Team,BIM 360Docs,BIM 360Glue,BIM 360Field,BIM 360Plan,BIM 360Ops and Collaboration for Revit.
The next-generation of theBIM 360platform brings core value from most of these point solutions into a common data platform, which connects data, processes, and workflows throughout the lifecycle of a project.
TheBIM 360platform is now packaged into four core products that include access to a specific set of modules accessed by users through a single user interface. These products areBIM 360Docs,BIM 360Design,BIM 360Glue andBIM 360Build.
The following are the modules included in each product:
BIM 360 Docs
- Document Management
- Insight
- Project Administration
- Account Administration
BIM 360 Design
- Document Management
- Design Collaboration
- Insight
- Project Administration
- Account Administration
BIM 360 Glue
- Document Management
- Model Coordination
- Insight
- Project Administration
- Account Administration
BIM 360 Build
- Document Management
- Project Management
- Field Management
- Insight
- Project Administration
- Account Administration
*BIM 360 Ops andBIM 360Plan remain as individual products and are not integrated with theBIM 360platform.
The following table describes the access to modules and functionality for current subscribers ofBIM 360Team, Collaboration for Revit,BIM 360Docs,BIM 360Glue andBIM 360Field.
BIM 360 Team is no longer offered for sale to new customers. However, existingBIM 360Team subscribers can continue to renew and will retain access toBIM 360Team projects and data and will also be provided access to the newBIM 360Platform.
Customers cannot add new seats toBIM 360Team for ongoing projects. Additional subscriptions can be added by purchasingBIM 360Docs. BIM360 Docs is the entry point and the underlying data platform for BIM360 Design instead of Team - this now gives greater permissions control than what Team did.
Collaboration for Revit customers that maintain active subscriptions toBIM 360Design will retain access to their projects and data inBIM 360Team and will also have access to theBIM 360platform with new and improved features and workflows including greater file and folder based access controls, unlimited storage, facilitated model exchange, and change visualization.
Collaboration for Revit customers that wish to add users to their subscription must purchaseBIM 360Design subscription packs or individual subscriptions. The Design Collaboration module in BIM360 Design is a new module and in addition to cloud worksharing (C4R) – this provides customers a lot more value such as allowing them to save WIP models and then share to the project workspace when they choose, giving them greater control over the design before sharing with the project team. The new Design Collaboration module in BIM360 Design also provides an aggregated view of all project data/models and gives a visual timeline representation of the collaboration. It also offers a change visualization where they can visually see the changes made between revisions.
It is important to understand the functionality of C4R with different Revit versions:
- With Revit 2015 to Revit 2018.2, you can continue to use cloud worksharing withBIM 360Team (as you have been doing in Collaboration for Revit).
- With Revit 2018.3, you can use cloud worksharing withBIM 360Team (as you have been doing in Collaboration for Revit), while also having the option of cloud worksharing with next generationBIM 360(using the Document Management and Design Collaboration modules).
- With Revit 2019, you can use cloud worksharing only with next-generationBIM 360(using the Document Management and Design Collaboration modules).
The Communicator chat tool is not supported with Revit Cloud Worksharing on the next generationBIM 360platform. As part of yourBIM 360Design subscription, you may continue to use Communicator with Revit 2018.3 and earlier releases in conjunction withBIM 360Team. We understand that Communicator addressed certain needs when working in cloud workshared project, such as sync-with-central status, and Autodesk is looking at ways in which we may satisfy these workflow needs in the future.
IfBIM 360Team or Collaboration for Revit customers decide to NOT renew, upon the end of a subscription, all project files can be downloaded. Project data will be maintained in customer accounts after the end of the subscription for 30 days.
BIM 360 Team and Collaboration for Revit Contract Managers will be able to turn on access to the newBIM 360Platform and related services from their Autodesk Account via a link in theBIM 360Design description (only Contract Managers can perform this action).
If you have multiple contracts of Collaboration for Revit /BIM 360Design, you only need to activate access once for your account. Users from different existing contracts or new purchases can be added to the sameBIM 360account from within the product without the need to activate again. However, everyBIM 360Design user needs to provided entitlement access within Autodesk Accounts to have access to Revit Cloud Worksharing.
Ah! On the surface it seems to be a lot of changes. But so is the world of technology that is exploding exponentially. Autodesk is at the forefront of this evolution in AEC technology. And CADD Microsystems, as a Platinum Autodesk Partner, is here to help our customers be successful in adapting to these changes.