Recording Change with Vault 2012

by Kim Hyde

The subject of recording change often comes up when speaking to clients when discussing Autodesk Vault products.  When I ask the question“how to you record and document your design changes?”, I often get a whole variety of answers ranging from providing a `paper chase’ to “… we don’t keep any records … typically, someone knocks on my office door and asked me to do it!”

In a world where record keeping, ISO accreditations and audits are common place, neither of the above replies are adequate.  However for those already using one of Autodesk’s Data Management products they answer for this maybe literally right in front of them!

These simple steps can be followed to achieve this (totally electronically):

1. Contemplate creating a simple electronic document (e.g. a Word or Excel document) to record the change.
2. Save the document in Vault and control their updates and approval.
3. Use the existing DWF files (accompanying existing CAD drawings in the Vault) to circulate for the review and mark-up process.

 
Note for no.3, refer to the following:

Turn on `Show hidden files’ to display existing dwf files. (Note you don’t have to do this for dwg and other document types.  See notes below about Design Review supported file-types)

Use Design Review to `red-line’ and mark-up copies of dwf data, then Vault marked-up change requests (Note that Autodesk Design review is free to download and use, it opens a whole host of different formats including .dwg, .dxf and .pdf).