Collaboration: The New BIM 360 Design
Some of you may have heard that Autodesk® Collaboration for Revit® (C4R) has been discontinued. This is NOT a rumor. It has changed to the new BIM 360® Design. BIM 360 covers all aspects of a construction project, enabling project managers, subcontractors, designers, architects, and other construction management professionals to have total control over the processes and phases of their project.
BIM 360 Design is a cloud-based worksharing environment that runs on the Autodesk Forge platform. This is basically a “rebranding” of C4R, with many more features. Setting up BIM 360 Design is a bit different. Collaboration for Revit needed BIM 360 Team. With BIM 360 Design, you need BIM 360 Docs.
This article will explain what you get with BIM 360 Design, basic functionality, and hopefully answer questions you may have.
What’s Under the Hood?
BIM 360 Design is one platform hosting multiple applications. Within this new platform, you will get design, pre-construction, field execution, and handovers and operations. Autodesk states, “With BIM 360 Design you can co-author multi-discipline Revit models, access data management, collaboration functionality like 2D & 3D viewers, and a markup tool accessible via web, phone, and tablet.”
New features included in BIM 360 Design that C4R did not have include access controls by user, role, or company, and file- and folder-based permissions, issue management, tracking and deliverable coordination, change visualization, and unlimited storage.
If you are using Collaboration for Revit to co-author multi-discipline Revit models, and are storing your project data in BIM 360 Team, you may continue to use both for ongoing projects with uninterrupted access for as long as you renew. However, BIM 360 Team does not connect to the new BIM 360 platform. For the full experience, start your new projects in BIM 360 Design, along with Revit 2018.3 and later versions.
Key Capabilities
With a single library to upload all models, aggregate model viewing, version history, and automatic clash detection, users can design, build, and operate in this single, unified environment.
Figure 1
Collaboration, integration, and profitability can help with business values from within this environment. Design intent with transparency will help to mitigate issues downstream. AEC data that once needed all individually installed platforms can now be opened in one location.
Following is a list of some key capabilities and what they can do.
Quality Control Programs
- Create and assign issues
- Track work with checklists
- Communicate project status
Jobsite Safety Management
- Inspection templates
- Pre-configured checklists
- Safety metrics reporting
Commissioning & Handover
- Track equipment and assets
- Update asset information on iPad
- Attach documentation to equipment
Daily Reporting
- Dashboards and custom reports
- Export data to Excel for analysis
- View cross-project trends
Collaboration
- Access to project data online or offline
- Schedule work for team members
- Automate report distribution
Access & Permissions
- Permissions by user, role, or company
- Control subcontractor access
Not only can you do the aforementioned, you also have the capability to connect your own applications through the open API on the Forge platform.
Figure 2
Q & A
Below is a list of questions and answers documented by Autodesk.
What is happening to my Autodesk® Collaboration for Revit® subscription?
As of April 9, 2018, Collaboration for Revit will be repackaged and rebranded as BIM 360® Design. As a current subscriber, you can continue to use your Collaboration for Revit and BIM 360 Team subscription—and enjoy uninterrupted access to your services and projects—for as long as you renew.
How do I activate access to the new BIM 360 platform?
You should now see that Collaboration for Revit is rebranded in your Autodesk Account. You will have uninterrupted access to Collaboration for Revit and BIM 360 Team on your projects.
I have multiple contracts of Collaboration for Revit / BIM 360 Design. Should I activate access for all contracts?
No, you only need to activate access once for your account. Users from different existing contracts or new purchases can be added to the same BIM 360 account from within the product without the need to activate again. However, every BIM 360 Design user needs to provided entitlement access within Autodesk Accounts to have access to Revit Cloud Worksharing.
My data is stored in BIM 360 Team. Is my data being migrated, or do I have to migrate my projects?
You can continue to use BIM 360 Team as you do today, retaining access to your projects and data. Data in BIM 360 Team will remain separate from the new BIM 360 platform. Projects and data created in one will not be visible in the other. Autodesk does not plan on migrating any data at this time.
I have a monthly, annual, 2-year subscription. How is my subscription affected?
Regardless of how you purchased Collaboration for Revit, you can continue to renew and use as you currently do for as long as you have a valid contract. This also applies to customers who have subscribed via user packs.
I have a token flex agreement for my company. How is my subscription affected?
Regardless of how you purchased Collaboration for Revit, you can continue to use as you currently do for as long as you have a valid contract.
Can I add more members to an existing project in BIM 360 Team?
As a Collaboration for Revit customer, if you wish to add users to your subscription, you can purchase BIM 360 Design subscription packs or individual subscriptions. Each new subscription will give you an additional Collaboration for Revit and BIM 360 Team entitlement.
Which Revit versions can I use with BIM 360 Design?
BIM 360 Design can be used with Revit 2018.3 and later versions.
- With Revit 2015 to Revit 2018.2, you can continue to use cloud worksharing with BIM 360 Team (as you have been doing in Collaboration for Revit). To set up a new BIM 360 Team hub or assign your new contract to an existing Team hub, go to the contract assignment page.
- With Revit 2018.3, you can use cloud worksharing with BIM 360 Team (as you have been doing in Collaboration for Revit), while also having the option of cloud worksharing with next-generation BIM 360 (using the Document Management and Design Collaboration modules).
Note: projects and data in BIM 360 Team will remain separate from the new BIM 360 platform. Projects and data created in one will not be visible in the other.
- With Revit 2019, you can use cloud worksharing only with next-generation BIM 360 (using the Document Management and Design Collaboration modules).
Can I use the Communicator with BIM 360 Design and Docs?
The Communicator chat tool is not supported with Revit Cloud Worksharing on the next generation BIM 360 platform. As part of your BIM 360 Design subscription, you may continue to use Communicator with Revit 2018.3 and earlier releases in conjunction with BIM 360 Team. Autodesk understands that Communicator addressed certain needs when working in a cloud workshared project, such as sync-with-central status, and they are looking at ways in which they may satisfy these workflow needs in the future.
Is there a price change for BIM 360 Design?
To reflect additional features and functionality, the SRP for BIM 360 Design is now USD $900/user/year. For exact pricing details, contact your local sales representative or reseller partner.
Will I see an entitlement to BIM 360 Docs in my Autodesk Account?
No, your current subscription to BIM 360 Design now comes with access to Document Management functionality on the new BIM 360 Platform. This is similar functionality that comes with BIM 360 Docs, but you will not see BIM 360 Docs in your Autodesk Account.
Conclusion
The world we live in today is connected through numerous devices and platforms. BIM 360 Design makes it easier to deliver an AEC project by connecting design and construction across the project lifecycle.
