Hero image CADD Logo

3 Reasons to Trade-In Legacy Autodesk Licenses for a New Subscription

CADD MicrosystemsMarch 16th, 2018

From now until April 20, 2018, you can save 25% on a new subscription to Autodesk by trading in perpetual licenses from 1998-2018 that aren’t on an active maintenance plan. Choosing this offer, you will, of course, receive access to Autodesk’s latest design tools at a discount, and the continuous updates to those tools that a subscription provides. But what are some of the other considerations that affect your business? Although new software can be fun to play with, there’s more to consider than just the new widgets Autodesk has packed inside your preferred product. New features aside, this post will study some of the technical impacts using legacy Autodesk software can have on your business, and how a new subscription can help.

Windows 10 Compatibility

Windows 10 is now the most widely-used version of Windows, recently overtaking Windows 7 as the perennial favorite. As many have made the switch to Windows 10, our professional services team frequently discusses the compatibility of a client’s Autodesk software with the latest version of Windows.

Although all Autodesk products now support Windows 10, what version was first compatible with it varies. Some, but not all, Autodesk products received updates during the 2016 cycle. Autodesk’s 2017 release was the first to universally support Windows 10 across its entire product portfolio.

Operating system compatibility is an inherently nuanced, not to mention very nerdy, topic. Generally speaking, if you’re running Windows 10, CADD Microsystems recommends you upgrade to the 2017 or newer version of your Autodesk software. You can read about Autodesk’s support for Windows 10 on the Autodesk Knowledge Network.

Anywhere, Anytime Access to your Software

A subscription with single-user access to a tool like AutoCAD, Civil 3D, or Revit (among others) introduces several unique benefits not previously available to individuals with standalone licenses. One of the most important is how Autodesk activates your software with single-user access. Instead of software activations being tied to a machine, access to the software follows the individual.

Though the distinction seems minor, it has a significant impact on what’s involved when you get a new machine or need to reformat your existing one. Since your software activation isn’t tied to the computer itself, but instead the individual, you just sign into your software from whatever computer you happen to be at. There’s no need to worry about deactivating a previous activation of the software or worrying about being over licensed when you forget to uninstall the software from your old machine.

This flexibility also means you can use the software wherever you happen to be. Need to use the software at home? Just download, install, and sign-in to start using the software.

Gain Access to The Right Tool for The Job

Autodesk offers a vast collection of tools for an equally vast coverage of tasks. Choosing an Industry Collection such as the AEC Collection gives you access to a full toolset for your industry. As an architect, you most likely collaborate with civil engineers who use Civil 3D. Even if you have no interest in learning Civil 3D, you can leverage your access to it to establish shared coordinates with the Revit software you do use.

Beyond the new, multi-disciplinary workflows possible with the AEC Collection, your existing workflows are also more accessible with it. As an example, many of our civil engineering clients have found the inclusion of tools such as Autodesk Vehicle Tracking (included with the AEC Collection) have allowed them to save money by eliminating subscriptions to other third-party tools.

For more information and to read additional subscription-related blog posts, visit our Autodesk Subscription Resources Page. This new page is helpful for answering commonly asked questions and provides links to a collection of useful resources from the Autodesk Knowledge Network (AKN).

Interested in learning more? We'd love to chat!

Contact us