Collaboration between Docs user and ABC Pro Revit user

Issue:
Collaboration between Forma Data Management users and Autodesk Forma Collaborate users can be confusing for those who are new to cloud collaboration workflows.

Causes:

• Lack of understanding of the workflow between these two different subscription types.
• Different mechanisms for viewing and sharing files based on subscriptions.

Solution:
The following context will guide users on how to work with the tools based on subscriptions in different scenarios.

Scenario 1:

• User A is a spec writer who doesn’t work with Revit but needs to be able to see the model and drawings.
• User B is the lead architect who is designing and coordinating the building in Revit.
• The project is in the Autodesk Forma Unified Project.

Subscription Setup:

• User A will be assigned a Forma Data Management subscription that comes with the AEC Collections.
  • User A doesn’t need an Autodesk Forma Collaboration subscription since they don’t need Revit.
• User B will be assigned an Autodesk Forma Collaborate subscription.
  • User B needs an Autodesk Forma Collaboration subscription since the main authoring tool for the project is Revit, and the project will be hosted on Autodesk Forma.

Best Workflow:

There are two main workflows for this scenario:

Option 1: Publishing the model with sheets.

• Pros: Easy to Set up.
• Cons: Having too many sheets in the set can delay the publishing time.

Steps:

1. Under Publish Settings, the Revit author can set up the publishing configuration. If sheets are included in the setting, these sheets will be available on Data Management after publishing the model.                                                                             
2. After selecting the set for publishing, sync the model. This will lock the settings for publishing.
3. The Revit author can publish the model from the Revit Home screen by checking the checkbox and clicking the Publish button.
4. Once the Revit file is published, the spec writer can view the file on the Data Management website.                                                                                                  
5. User A can simply click the file on the Data Management project site to open it in a web browser without impacting the working Revit file.
6. The spec writer can easily review the sheets and work on specifications.

Option 2: PDF Prints

• Pros: Won’t stress the publishing process.
• Cons: PDFs need to be manually uploaded to the Forma Data Management page.

Steps:

1. The Revit model author can export the entire PDF for the spec writer and upload it to Data Management.
2. The spec writer can access the Data Management project site to open the PDF and see the drawings.

Scenario 2:

User A is an MEP engineer who doesn’t have an Autodesk Forma Collaboration subscription and prefers not to participate in cloud collaboration. They want to work locally and share files as needed. User A only has access to the Forma Data Management subscription.

User B is a structural engineer who is designing and coordinating the building in Revit and has an Autodesk Forma Collaboration subscription.

User C is an architect who is using both Revit and AutoCAD to design the building and also has an Autodesk Forma Collaboration subscription.

Best workflow:

1. User B and User C will collaborate in Autodesk Forma, while User A will only upload and download files through the Autodesk Forma Data Management project website.
2.  User B and User C will need to periodically publish their files so that User A can download the updated background files from the Forma Data Management page.
3.  User A will periodically upload their file to the Forma Data Management page.
4. User B and User C will link User A's model through Autodesk Desktop Connector.

About the Author

Sr Technical Support Specialist<br><br> Skilled in AutoCAD, Mixed-use, Renovation, Revit, and Sustainable Design. Strong arts and design professional with a BA in Urban design focused in Architecture from University of Washington.

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