AutoCAD Tip – Collaborating with team members - Part 3 – Shared Views

By Dennis Collin

Since the 2019 release, AutoCAD has received a steady flow of additional commands and enhancements to aid in collaborating with fellow stakeholders and being able to share drawings and documents with non-CAD users. A very useful function that impresses many users in conversations is the shared Views command.

A shared view is a command that allows users to share in the cloud a viewable, read only document. The recipient doesn’t need an AutoCAD application, just a system with a current browser application and an internet connection.

The process supports an AutoCAD drafter who needs input from a colleague about a drawing, but they are situated remotely on site or at another office. The drafter, from within AutoCAD runs the Shared View command, chooses which parts of the drawing to share and a secure file gets uploaded to Autodesk Docs. This file is not a DWG but rather a read-only DWF file. Once the file is available a notification appears with the option to view the published file in a browser. The user will also receive an email confirmation that the view is now available to be accessed.

As well as being able to be viewed by the AutoCAD drafter the view can be shared via a link and sent out to colleagues. They can click on the link and access the file via a browser. Once opened in a browser the drawing can be inspected, measured, and commented upon provided the recipient has an Autodesk account. the user doesn’t have an account, they will be prompted to register and set an account up. This needs to be done to track comments and markup annotations, all of which can be done without a license.

Once signed in colleagues can add markups, comments or clouds added indicating comments and where potential changes are to be made.

The AutoCAD drafter can see any comments made via their desktop app, as well as looking at the shared view in the browser. If necessary, the drafter can reply to any comments if further clarification is required. If other markup comments are added in the meantime, they will display when the shared view listing is refreshed. If required, the mark-up notes can be saved from the Shared View and overlaid over the original drawing being edited in the desktop application using the Markup import function (detailed in Part 2). Once the markup has been addressed, the comment can be marked as ‘resolved’ and will be archived. Although at any time that comment can be inspected from the Shared view interface.

The shared view file will initially have a 31-day lifespan from it publish date. However, the drafter can extend the duration of the view or terminate it early should the information be no longer required, or the view becomes superseded.

In summary shared views is a great way to coordinate with the wider team on CAD drawings without having to send multiple PDF files, and deciphering manually scribbled, hard to read notes. It is particularly useful in the current home working environment where critical members of staff may be working remotely and are not present to cast a critical eye over drawings. However, with a good internet connection and a compatible computer device whether it is a PC, Laptop, Phone or Tablet, drawings can be commented on and approved with a reduced risk of error and be achieved in a timelier fashion.

Shared Views functionality is not unique to the AutoCAD platform, it is also available for Autodesk Revit and Inventor platforms as well.