Need to save data in the cloud? – Which Autodesk platform should I use?

by Dennis Collin

When talking to customers there is sometimes confusion about the differences between Autodesk Cloud Products and which platform to use when storing and sharing data and possibly collaborating with other disciplines.

Both platforms now basically do the same thing and look very similar, although in the early days of development Autodesk Docs had limitations. Now however with the addition of new products both platforms essentially perform the same tasks. This then presents the question which version of Docs should I be using?

I have compiled a simple table that lists tasks that users frequently require and as a result which DOCs platform should be utilised to store and manage data.

Autodesk Docs – Bim 360 Docs Comparison Matrix

As stated before, in terms of functionality the two technologies are very similar, but BIM 360 Docs cannot be used for ACC (Autodesk Construction Cloud) projects and cannot be used to create and share customised dashboards with other team members. For data export to other BI tools, for the purposes of risk prevention and to control design, quality, safety and project components, users will need the BIM 360 Build Platform.

Autodesk Docs can be used on both BIM 360 and ACC projects and together with Build can extract Sheet Sets from Revit and AutoCAD files. Also, Title Block information can be OCR’d and used for the naming and the assigning of attribute data from PDF files. To integrate with Navisworks and Revit Issues extensions, requires the BIM Collaborate product.

When performing such tasks within the Docs environment icons and buttons and functionality look very similar.

In summary, Autodesk Docs should be considered the successor to BIM360 Docs and therefore should be the preferred platform for any new projects. The BIM360 Docs platform is still available for legacy projects and will perform all the tasks required if licenses for certain products are enabled.

For further information on Docs, the ACC and software collections contact one of the team on 0330 551 9420 or email info.uk@arkance.world.