Introduction
Overview
Autodesk Build supports Project Management workflows on the jobsite and in the office. These workflows help to reduce rework by getting critical information into the hands of those in the field by combining mobile technology on the jobsite with cloud-based collaboration and reporting. Essential project management workflows such as RFIs and Submittals are supported with defined approval workflows between contractors, subcontractors and designers.
The following guide introduces the Autodesk Build suggested Project Management workflows and gives context to the different capabilities built into the product, including step-by-step starter guides.
Project Management with Autodesk Construction Cloud
Built on a unified platform and common data environment, Autodesk Construction Cloud is a powerful and complete portfolio of construction management products that empowers general contractors, specialty trades, designers, and owners to drive better business outcomes. Autodesk Construction Cloud combines advanced technology, a unique builder’s network and predictive insights to connect teams, workflows, and data across the entire building lifecycle.
Suggested Workflows
RFI Workflow
Simplify the RFI process by creating a standardized workflow that maintains transparency for the entire team.
The graphic below outlines the suggested RFI workflow using Autodesk Build.
Why follow this workflow?
- Track and review project RFIs
- Configure workflows with multiple assigned reviewers
- Control visibility and permissions
- Allow team members to create RFIs both on a mobile device from the field or from a desktop
Autodesk Build capabilities used
- RFI Management
Submittal Workflow
Create submittal items, packages, track the flow of approval processes, and manage all information in a single submittal log. The graphic below outlines the suggested submittal workflow using Autodesk Build.
The graphic below outlines the suggested submittal workflow using Autodesk Build.
Why follow this workflow?
- Full flexibility to package items as desired
- Easily track & review the status of submittal items
- Assign & control user privileges
Autodesk Build capabilities used:
- Submittal Management
Meetings Workflow
Make every meeting productive with clear visibility into the commitments made and an organized history of all meeting records. Link Documents, Sheets, Issues, RFI’s, Submittals, Forms, Assets and Costs to directly Meeting Items to ensure your team has the right information to prepare and take action.
The graphic below outlines the meeting minutes workflow using Autodesk Build.
Why follow this workflow?
- Easily create agendas and add meeting invitees
- Capture decisions made and assign individuals to specific action items
- Automatically generate follow-up meetings
- Centralize and organize all meeting records
Autodesk Construction Cloud capabilities used
- Meetings
Schedule Management Workflow
Gain real-time visibility into project schedules by centralizing schedules and work plans in the cloud using the Schedule tool in Autodesk Build. Collaborate, connect, and interface with the most up-to-date schedule information to keep projects on track. The graphics below outlines the suggested schedule management and work planning workflows using Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Why follow this workflow?
- Real-time access to latest schedule
- Improved collaboration and communication around master schedule
- Stay up-to-date on schedule activities in the field and in the office.
Autodesk Build capabilities used:
- Schedule Management
Why follow this workflow?
- Real-time access to latest schedule and work plans
- Improved connection to the master schedule
- Stay up-to-date on planned activities and address schedule discrepancies quickly
Autodesk Build capabilities used:
- Schedule Management
Why follow this workflow?
- Real-time access to latest work plans
- It avoids manual planning processes such as sticky notes and multiple spreadsheets
- Improved management of handoffs and roadblocks
Autodesk Build capabilities used:
- Schedule Management
Project Management Capabilities
RFI Management
Enhance your RFI workflow by designating responsibilities for each step of the RFI process, creating clear accountability, and efficiently moving RFIs through the review process. From any device, teams can quickly draft a question and initiate the RFI as soon as a discrepancy is found.
Watch the Tutorial on the Autodesk Construction Cloud Learning Center
1. Set Up RFIs: Roles and Permissions
Workflow Roles
The actions a user can take on an RFI is determined by the role they are assigned in the RFI workflow.
User Permissions
Project Admins can assign permissions to individual users, by role and by company at the Project level.
- In the RFI list view, select “Settings” in the top right.
- To configure permissions and to set the workflow roles for project members, click “Permissions”.
- For RFIs, default workflow roles are based on roles within the project. Use the drop-downs to edit the permissions.
- To assign a specific user, role or company, and new workflow role, use the drop-downs at the top of the screen and select “Add”.
Note: Users can be assigned more than one workflow role.
2. Set Up RFIs: Workflows, Default and Custom Fields
Custom Fields
Project Admins can specify what information is collected upon RFI creation by utilizing Custom fields.
Admins can customize the Custom Field Title which specifies what information is to be collected, as well as the Type, which specifies whether the user will select from a list of values or input their own value Custom fields appear upon RFI creation and within the RFI item page and can be edited both during and after RFI creation.
- Under RFI Settings, select “Custom fields” and then “Create custom field.”
- Input the Custom field title, select the Custom field type from the drop-down menu and provide a Description for the field.
- After hitting “Create,” the Custom Field will appear as an option when creating an RFI.
Custom Fields can be edited, Inactivated or Deleted by clicking on the Custom Field and editing in the righthand popout bar.
Custom Workflows with RFI Types
- To create an RFI Type, click “RFI types” then “Create RFI type”.
- Enter the RFI Type title and select the Workflow type.
- There are two different review workflows to choose from. The type of review workflow designates which parties are involved:
-
- RFI default Workflow: The Default Workflow is a workflow with a manager and one or multiple reviewers and watchers.
- RFI Workflow with an RFI Coordinator: The Workflow with an RFI Coordinator is the default workflow, with the addition of a review coordinator.
- After choosing a Workflow Type, Admins can designate default values for the supporting fields in the RFI Type. When a user creates an RFI with this RFI type or sends an RFI with this Type for review, these default fields will automatically populate.
-
- Assign default Reviewer(s), Manager, Watcher(s), and Coordinator.
- Designate a default due date in calendar days, cost impact, schedule impact, and more supporting fields.
- Select “Create.”
PRO TIP: The flexibility to customize workflows at an RFI level is useful for projects that require different RFI types for different stakeholders. Project managers can specify the default coordinator and reviewers for each of the RFI Types. For example, a project manager could create an RFI type “Electrical Contractors,” and have the pre-set assigned Coordinator and Reviewer(s) for that approval workflow to members on their electrical subcontractor’s team.
Advanced Settings
To set additional RFIs permissions based on status, click on “Advanced settings”.
- Reopen closed RFIs
- If toggle is On, RFI managers and project administrators can reopen closed RFIs.
- If toggle is Off, no one can reopen closed RFIs.
- Closed RFI visibility
- If toggle is On, everyone can view closed RFIs.
- If toggle is Off, viewing is limited to Project Administrators and the Manager, Coordinator, Reviewers, or Watchers involved in the RFI.
- Open RFI visibility
- If toggle is On, all Reviewers can view open RFIs.
- If toggle is Off, viewing is limited to Project Administrators and the Manager, Coordinator, Reviewers, or Watchers involved in the RFI.
- Edit official response
- If toggle is On, Project Admins and RFI Managers can edit the official response when closing the RFI.
- If toggle is Off, Project Admins and RFI Managers are not permitted to edit the official response. They can either select the official response from the responses submitted by Reviewers, or submit the official response that was compiled by the Coordinator, depending on the workflow type.
3. Create an RFI
RFI Creators and RFI Managers can create an RFI.
Create a RFI on Web
To create an RFI from within the RFI tool, click the blue “Create RFI” button in the top left corner of the RFI tool.
- Select RFI Status from the drop-down menu
-
- Open status creates the RFI and sends it to the Ball-in-Court upon creation.
- Draft status creates an RFI but does not submit it for review.
- Select the RFI type created from the drop-down menu. Depending on the RFI type selected, default fields may auto populate.
To speed up the response time, add a suggested answer and provide context by linking references.
- To link references, select “Add references” and select item type or upload files.
- After selecting which item type to reference, an “Add reference” window will appear. Use the search field to quickly find the item to reference.
- Select the item and click “Add” to connect it to the RFI.
This creates a bidirectional relationship between the RFI and the referenced item, linking the referenced item from the RFI and vice versa.
Create an RFI on Web via Markups
RFI Creators and Managers can also create an RFI directly on a sheet or file from the markup tool.
- Within the sheet or file, create a markup. Once created, select the markup and select “Edit”. In the panel on the right select “References”.
- Click “Add references” and select RFIs.
- To link an existing RFI, search for the RFI using the search bar.
- To create and link a new RFI, select “Create new” and fill in the critical information before selecting “Create RFI”.
- To create and link a new RFI, select “Create new” and fill in the critical information before selecting “Create RFI”.
An RFI is then created and automatically linked to the markup. This creates a bidirectional relationship between the two. Users will be able to jump to the markup when looking at the RFI item.
Create an RFI on Mobile
RFI Creators and Managers on Android and iOS can create RFIs from their mobile device.
- To go to the RFI tool on mobile, users click on the “More” icon at the bottom on the right and select the RFI Icon.
- On the RFI list page, press “Create RFI” and fill in the necessary information.
- Press “Create”, and a second edit page will open where you can assign an RFI Type and add additional information. The RFI is in draft mode until you select “Submit for review.”
Note: Only Photos and Videos can be added when creating an RFI on mobile. Additional project references can be added on mobile after the RFI is created.
4. Connecting Workflows: Issues to RFIs
RFI Creators and Managers can create an RFI directly from an Issue or link existing RFIs to Issues across the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform. This means Issues in BIM Collaborate can be elevated to an RFI in Build, streamlining the RFI workflow and connecting the plan and build phases of construction.
Creating an RFI from an Issue
- Select the Issues tab from the Build navigation bar.
- Select an Issue record. In the Details tab on the right, scroll to References section, select “Add reference,” then “RFI.”
- A popup box will appear with a list of existing RFIs. Select “Create new.” When prompted, add in all RFI details, and click “Create” when done. This information can be altered later in the RFI record.
- All issue information is automatically copied to the RFI, including references and markups.
- Once the RFI is created, a bi-directional relationship between the RFI and Issue is established. Activity is captured in the Issue activity log.
Linking RFIs to Issues
- To link RFIs to Issues, follow the same steps as above. However, when the pop RFI reference box appears, select the RFI(s) you wish to link from the list and click “Add”.
- To unlink an RFI, select the “X” and “Unlink”.
Accessing Linked RFIs
- From the Issue record, only Admins and RFI Managers can access/view the linked RFI details.
- From the RFI record, only users with the following Issue permission levels can access/view the linked Issue details:
- View All
- View and Create
- Full Control
5. Connecting Workflows: Potential Change Orders to RFIs
Teams with a Cost project set up in Autodesk Build can create a Potential Change Order from an RFI. Autodesk Build Project admins and RFI Managers with full budget permission control can create a Potential Change Order (PCO) from an RFI or link existing RFIs to PCOs.
Creating a PCO from an RFI
- In the Project Management module, open the RFI record. Within the Details tab, scroll to linked references and select “Add reference”.
- A linked PCO box will appear. Select the “Create new” button.
- A form will open. Fill in the PCO name and description, then select “Create PCO”. This information will copy over from the RFI to the PCO, but it can be altered directly in the PCO record.
- Once the PCO is created, a bi-directional relationship between the RFI and PCO is established, and the activity is captured in the RFI activity log.
Linking RFIs to PCOs
- To link an RFI to a PCO, follow the same steps as above. However, when the linked PCO box appears, select the PCO from the list and click “Add”.
- To unlink a PCO, select the “X” and “Unlink”.
Accessing Linked RFIs and PCOs from the list views
- Only Admins and RFI Managers can view linked PCOs.
- Within the RFI list view in the linked references column, select the PCO number to open the PCO in Cost.
- In the Cost Management Module within the PCO details flyout panel, select the RFI to be directed to the RFI to the RFI in Build.
6. View & edit RFIs
Project Admins, RFI Creators and RFI Manager workflow roles can edit RFIs.
- Draft RFIs can be viewed and edited only by the user that created them.
- Open and Submitted RFIs can be edited by Admins and Managers.
- Closed RFIs can be edited by Project Admins.
- Note: RFI Creators and Managers are able to add references, watchers, and comments to closed RFIs.
Web
- To edit an RFI, hover your cursor over the field you wish to edit. If the field is editable, a blue pencil icon will appear on hover.
- Click the icon to edit.
Mobile
- In the Autodesk Construction Cloud mobile app, tap “More” on the bottom right, then “RFI”.
- From the RFI list, tap the desired RFI to open the RFI details.
- All fields, except the RFI ID and Type, are editable including the Title, Ball-in-Court, Due Date, Question, Suggested Answer, etc.
7. Submit to Reviewer or Coordinator
Only RFI Managers in the workflow can review submitted RFIs and forward to the Reviewer or Coordinator for a response. The review workflow can include one or multiple reviewers, with or without a coordinator, depending on the selected RFI Type.
Once an RFI is created, the RFI Manager immediately receives an email notification. They can review the in-email data or access the RFI directly in Autodesk Build by selecting “View RFI” at the bottom of the email. The Manager is responsible for reviewing and editing the RFI details and referenced files to ensure they are compliant before submitting them to the Reviewer or the Coordinator.
Submit to Reviewer or Coordinator – Web
Once the RFI is reviewed by the Manager and ready to be submitted to the next ball in court, there will be two paths depending on the RFI Type.
If the RFI type with only a reviewer is selected, the manager will click “Submit to reviewer” in the Workflow Bar.
- A popup will appear where the manager can then customize the RFI number, assign the Reviewer(s) and Co-Reviewer(s), and select the due date.
- Press “Submit” and the RFI status will update to Open, and an email notification will be sent to the Reviewer(s).
If the RFI type with a Coordinator is selected, the Manager will click “Submit to coordinator” in the Workflow Bar.
- A popup will appear where the manager can then customize the RFI number, assign the Coordinator and Co-Reviewers, and select the due date. The Coordinator will assign the Reviewer(s).
- Press “Submit” and the RFI status will update to Open and an email notification will be sent to the Coordinator.
- The Coordinator will then review the RFI, make edits or add attach supporting documents within the Reference section of the RFI, and forward it to the Reviewer(s).
- To send to Reviewer(s), the Coordinator will select “Forward to Reviewers” in the RFI Workflow Bar.
- The Coordinator can then select up to 10 Reviewers. Default Reviewers may auto populate depending on the RFI Type.
Submit to Reviewer or Coordinator – Mobile
- In the Mobile app, tap “More” on the bottom right then “RFI”.
- From the RFI list, tap the desired RFI to open the RFI details.
- In the RFI details screen, you can edit the Title, Ball-in-Court, and Due Date, as well as add references and fill in other additional information.
- After selecting “Submit for review,” a second edit screen will appear. Here you can select Type, Coordinator (if applicable), Reviewer, Co-reviewers, Due-Date and Watchers. Note, some fields may auto populate based on RFI type selected.
- Select “Submit” and the RFI status will update to Open.
8. Reviewing and Submitting Responses
Once the RFI Manager or Coordinator submits the RFI to the Reviewer(s), any assigned Reviewers and Co-Reviewers will receive an email notifying them of the RFI. Co-reviewers can contribute information to the response through comments but cannot submit a response.
- Once the RFI is submitted to Reviewers(s), they can access the RFI through either the RFI list in Build or through the email notification.
-
- External reviewers can submit RFI responses directly from the email by replying to the notification.
- In the RFI, the Reviewers, Coordinator, and Co-Reviewers can review the RFI details and collaborate with others via @mentions within the Activity section.
-
- @mentions tracks communication and notifies individuals via email to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
- The Reviewer(s) can attach supporting documents within the Reference section of the RFI.
-
- To add a local file, select “Add References,” then “Files.”
- To add a document from within Autodesk Build, select “Upload new” and drag and drop in local files.
- Once the response is ready to be submitted back to the Manager or Coordinator, the Reviewer selects Submit response from the workflow bar.
9. Submitting, closing, and distributing the official response
Only RFI Managers and Coordinators can submit the official RFI response, while only RFI Managers can close and distribute the official RFI response. The RFI Type selected will determine who submits the official RFI response.
Submit, Close and Distribute Official Response – Default Workflow
If the Default RFI type with a Manager and Reviewer(s) is selected, The RFI Manager will submit the official response and close and distribute the official response. The Manager will be notified when a response is submitted for their review. The Manager reviews the response(s) submitted from the Reviewers.
- If the answer is not suitable, the Manager can click “Return to Reviewer” to return the RFI to the previous party.
- Once ready to submit, the Manager will select Close and distribute from the workflow bar.
- If there is an issue with the RFI, the Manager can reject it by selecting “Rejected” in the official response type dropdown menu.
- To submit the official response, select “Answered” from the official response type drop-down menu. Managers can then either add an official response or select the official response out of the responses submitted by the Reviewer, depending on permissions set up by the Admin.
- After adding or choosing the official response, click “Close RFI.”
Submit Official Response – Workflow with a Coordinator
If the RFI type with a Coordinator is selected, the Coordinator submits the official response and the Manager closes and distributes the official response. The Coordinator will be notified when a response is submitted for their review. The Coordinator reviews the response(s) submitted from the Reviewers.
- If the answer is not suitable, the Coordinator can click “Return to Reviewer.”
- Once ready to submit, select “Submit official response” in the workflow bar.
- If there is an issue with the RFI, the Coordinator can reject it by selecting “Rejected” in the official response type dropdown menu.
- To submit the official response, select “Answered” from the official response type drop-down menu.
- The Coordinator then adds the official response, and clicks “Done” to submit the official response to the Manager.
Close and Distribute Response – Workflow with a Coordinator
The Manager will be notified when the official response is submitted by the Coordinator and reviews the official response.
- If the answer is not suitable, the Manager can click “Return to Coordinator.”
- Once ready to submit, the Manager will select “Close and distribute” from the workflow bar.
- Depending on RFI settings established, Managers will be able edit the official response or add comments.
- After adding or choosing the official response, click “Close RFI.”
10. Reply to an RFI by Email
External users and project members can reply and add attachments to RFIs by email. Responses are collected and recorded in Build.
- When adding “Ball in court”, “Co-reviewers”, and “Watchers”, the manager can click on “Assign to email” to add their email into Build and then send them the RFI by email.
- External collaborators or project members can answer this RFI by replying directly to the email and can include attachments.
- If the ball is in their court, their reply will be added as a response on the RFI; if not, it will be added as a comment on the RFI.
- All attachments will be displayed as references to the RFIs on Autodesk Build.
11. Re-opening a Closed RFI
- Project Admins and RFI Managers can re-open closed and distributed RFIs by selecting “Reopen RFI” in the workflow bar.
- In the comments field, include the reason for re-opening the RFI. To create a revision, select the checkbox next to “Create revision”. When done, select “Reopen”.
- The RFI will revert to the previous state, and, if a comment was included, it will appear in the activity log.
ProTip: Under “Advanced settings”, Project Admins have the option to change Reopening RFI settings. On each project, Project Admins can configure settings to either allow or disallow the reopening of closed RFIs on the Project.
12. Filter, Sort, and Search RFIs
Web
While in the RFI list view,
- To search, enter an RFI Title in ID in the right-hand search bar.
- To access filter options, select the funnel icon next to the search bar.
- To sort columns, click the column headers.
- To configure the column view, select the control gear icon on the top left of the list view and select the columns to display.
PRO TIP: Users can configure the RFI view and “hide” columns that are not necessary by using the “Settings” gear icon at the right of the list.
Mobile
- Within the mobile app, click on the “More” icon on the bottom left and select RFIs.
- There is a search bar at the top of the RFI list view. Users can search by RFI title or ID.
13. Creating and Exporting reports
Types of Reports
Users can create and export 2 types of RFI reports in Autodesk Build—a Detail Report and a Summary Report. A Detail Report can be created with information from an individual RFI or multiple RFIs.
An RFI Detail Report includes all RFI information for either one or across multiple RFIs and is created as a PDF. Choose to include any References (either attached or embedded), the Activity Log, and Comments.
An RFI Detail Report can be created in two locations,
- The RFI Tool – Create a detailed report for an individual RFI out of the RFI Tool.
- The Reports Tool – Create a detail report for a single or multiple RFIs out of the Reports Tool.
Note: Based on the size of the RFI detail report, the report is limited to 50 RFIs per request.
An RFI Summary Report can be created from the RFI Tool and the Reports Tool, as either a PDF or an Excel file.
- The PDF report includes the RFI Status, ID, Title, Created by, Ball in court, Due Date and Question and Question and Official Response.
- The Excel report include Title, Ball in court, Question, Suggested answer, Location, Location details, Status, Official response, Due date, Cost impact, Schedule impact, Priority, Discipline, Category, External ID, Created by, Created on, and Affected trades.
RFI Detail Report in the RFI Tool
- In the Web version of Autodesk Build, select the RFI tool and open the desired RFI. Click the “Export” icon in the top right corner.
- Edit the title and choose whether to include Photos, References, the Activity Log, and Comments in the report.
- Select “Run Report”. Once done, the report can be downloaded or made shareable with a link. If the export panel is closed before the report is generated, the report will be emailed once done.
RFI Summary Report in the RFI Tool
- In the Web version of Autodesk Build, select the RFI tool.
- Click the “Export” icon.
- Edit the title and choose the file format and customize the report to either include or not the cover page and the table of contents (PDF only).
- Select “Run Report”. Once done, the report can be downloaded or made shareable with a link. If the export panel is closed before the report is generated, the report will be emailed once done.
RFI Reports in the Reports Tool
- Select the Reports tool from the left toolbar in Autodesk Build and press “Create report”. Select “RFI summary” or “RFI Detail” to open the Create report screen.
- Edit the title of the report, if desired.
- Use the filter to select which RFIs are included in the report. Filter by Status, Ball in court, Due date, Cost impact, Schedule impact, Priority, Discipline, Category, Closed at, Created by, or Created on. Multiple filters can be applied to ensure only the necessary information is included in the report.
- Choose the file format, designate how the report will be sorted, and customize the report to either include or not the cover page and the table of contents.
- For RFI Detail Reports, users can also choose to include any References, the Activity Log, and Comments. References can be attached or embedded.
- Once the report is customized, press “Run report”, and select if it is a one-time report or if it should be saved as a template. Saved templates can be run again later or scheduled.
- Press “Run report” again to create the report. The report will be automatically emailed to the users email upon creation. If the export panel is closed before the report is generated, the report will be emailed once done.
Export the report after creation in the Reports Log
Select the 3 dots on the right hand side of the report within the Reports log.
- Select “Download report” to save the report to your computer
- Select “Copy link” to create and copy a shareable link to download the report.
- Select “Share report” to email it to project members and external collaborators.
Submittal Management
Submittals are an essential part of any construction project and effective submittal management is crucial to project success. With the Autodesk Build Submittals workflow, teams can efficiently create, coordinate, and manage all submittals in a single software, as well as initiate requests, manage reviews and approvals, and sync critical information to mobile devices for offline use.
Watch the Tutorial on the Autodesk Construction Cloud Learning Center
1. Admin Settings
Submittal Settings
- Navigate to the Submittals tool project toolbar and click the “Settings” dropdown at the top right.
- Assign users as a Submittal Manager under the “Permissions” tab.
- Set default values for the Submittal Manager, review time, and watchers list under the “Default value” tab.
- Customize Submittal response options under the “Responses” tab.
- Create different Submittals types under the “Types” tab.
Create Custom Submittal Review Workflow Templates
Project admins and Submittal Managers can customize the review workflow by adding multiple review steps and multiple reviewers per step. They can then save custom review workflows as templates and edit them as needed.
- In the “Settings” dropdown, select “Review Templates”.
- After selecting “Add template”, Submittal managers or Project Admins can add the template name, multiple review steps, multiple required and optional reviewers, and review time in days.
PRO TIP: Use these templates when creating a new submittal item or later in the process by selecting “Choose Template” at the bottom of the Submittals workflow table.
Change Submittal numbering method
- In the “Settings” dropdown, select “Advanced Settings.”
- Here, you can choose from two numbering methods,
-
- Global numbering: By default, items are labeled with subsequent numbers only, without reference to any spec section.
- Spec section numbering: Each item number includes its spec section reference number.
Note: Once you select Spec Section numbering on the project level, you cannot undo this selection.
Advanced Submittal settings
- In the “Settings” dropdown, select “Advanced Settings.”
- Set permissions on closed submittal visibility,
- Turn the toggle ON to allow all project members to view closed submittals
- Turn the toggle OFF to limit closed submittal visibility to only team members involved with that submittal.
Note: Submittal managers and project admins’ permissions remain unchanged regardless of the toggle configuration.
2. Setting up Project Submittals – Submittal Items, Packages, and Spec Sections
Creating Submittal Items
There are two options to create Submittal items: manually or by importing a list.
- To manually create a submittal item, select “Create item” in the top left corner of the Submittals tool.
- Enter all necessary information including spec section, submittal number, title, type, submitter due dates, and select a responsible contractor or a manager.
- To ensure information is imported correctly, the file should be formatted as shown in the sample file. Select “Download sample” to download the sample template.
- Once formatted to the template, drag and drop files into the popup box or select “choose file” to upload from your computer.
PRO TIP: If a user needs to create multiple items, check the “Create another” checkbox to avoid clicking the “Create item” button each time.
Submittal Custom Numbering
The Submittal tool supports custom Submittal numbering, allowing users to apply and edit custom numbers to new or existing Submittals.
- Apply custom numbering upon Submittal creation by editing the Submittal number directly within the “Create item” popup screen.
- Apply custom numbering after Submittal creation in two ways,
- While in the Submittal view, click the Submittal number and edit the number.
-
- When sending the Submittal for review, edit the Submittal number before submitting within the Submit for review screen.
- To apply custom numbering in bulk,
- In the list view page of the Submittals tool, select the desired Submittals by checking the check box to the left of each Submittal item.
-
- Select “Bulk actions” and click “Apply numbering.”
- Item numbering will begin with the lowest ID submittal, assigned the last number used in the project plus one.
- Numbers continue sequentially, skipping those already assigned.
Submittal Item Statuses
- When a Submittal Manager creates an item, the status is “Required” and will be assigned to the responsible contractor.
- When any other project member creates a submittal item, it will be assigned to the Submittal Manager and the status will be “Open.”
- Once a submittal is approved, the status will be “Closed.’”
Creating Submittal Packages
Submittal Packages are a group of Submittal Items.
- Project Admins and Submittal Managers can create and delete packages in the “Packages” tab.
- To create a package, select “Create package” in the top left corner.
- Select the spec section and provide a package title, then select “Create.”
Adding Submittal Items to a Package
Adding items to packages is optional and can be done at any point within the workflow. There are two ways to add items to packages:
- From the Packages tab,
- In the “Packages” tab, open the desired package.
- Select the blue “Add items” button.
- In the pop-up box, use the search field or scroll to find the item(s) to be added. Check the box next to the item(s) to be added.
- Select “Done” to add the item(s) to the package.
- At the Item level,
- In the Items list view, go to the Submittal Item row. Select the three dots located under the settings gear in the right hand side.
- If the item is not in a package, select “Add to package.” In the pop-up box, use the search field or scroll to find the package, or select “Create new” to create a new package.
-
- If the item is in a package, users will have the option to “Move to package” or “Remove from package.”
Creating Spec Sections
Project Admins and Submittal Managers can create a spec section when entering a new submittal item. There are multiple places to create a new Spec Section.
- From the Submittals tool,
- Select the “Spec Section” tab
- Click the blue “Create spec section” button in the top left corner.
- Enter the spec number and title, then click “Create”.
- When creating a new submittal item or package,
- Select “Create new” above the “Spec section” drop down list.
- Enter the spec number and title, then click “Create”.
- When adding a submittal item to a package,
- Select “Create new” next to the “Find a package” search bar.
- Enter the spec number and title, then click “Create”.
3. Submitting and Reviewing Submittal Items
Submitting Documents
When the Submittal Manager assigns the Responsible Contractor to a Submittal Item, they will be notified of the submittal item via email. The Responsible Contractor submits supporting files such as documents, photos, and drawings for the Submittal Item.
- To attach and submit files, open the item, review the details, and select “Submit” in the workflow bar.
- A popup will appear, where you can drag and drop files or upload files from your computer, or attach files from Project Files.
- Once attached, select “Done”.
Prepare Submittal Item for Review
The Submittal Manager will review the documentation provided by the Responsible Contractor, create a review workflow or apply a review template previously created, and then submit it for review.
- To submit items for review, open the item and review the attachments.
- If changes need to be made, select “Step Back” to return the item to the Responsible Contractor.
- If no changes are needed, either add a review workflow or choose a review template by selecting “Add review workflow” or “Choose template” at the bottom left of the workflow table.
- Note: To create a template, refer to 1. Configure Submittals Settings.
PRO TIP: To ensure that the Reviewer has all necessary project context, add in project references such as Files, Sheets, Assets, Issues, PCOs, Photos, RFIs, and Forms to the submittal item
Submitting an Item for Review
- Select “Submit for review” in the top workflow bar.
- Edit the due date, submittal number, select watchers and add notes, if needed.
- Review the previously attached documents in the pop-up screen. Submittal managers can copy or upload new attachments, apply a cover page, table of contents, and bookmarks, and add annotations and stamps to the attachments.
- To submit for review, select “Done”.
Reviewing the Submittal Item
Reviewers will be notified of the submittal item via email.
- If changes need to be made, select “Step Back” to return the item to the Submittal manager or the previous reviewer. This will depend on which step of the workflow the reviewer is at.
- If no changes are needed, proceed by selecting “Review” in the workflow bar.
- In the pop-up screen, review the previously attached documents and upload new attachments, if needed.
- Click on an attachment to open it in the PDF viewer. In the viewer, copy or create annotations, add a cover page and table of contents, create bookmarks, and apply custom stamps to both the previously uploaded attachments and new attachments.
- Back in the pop-up screen, select a review response from the “Response” dropdown list, and add necessary comments.
- Click “Done” to submit the review.
PRO TIP: Users can add in comments or mention team members with “@” within the activity log. This increases collaboration.
PRO TIP: Project Admins and Submittal Manager have permission to act on behalf of Reviewers, providing teams with the flexibility of process while allowing the correct Reviewer to be displayed in the Reviewer field and reports. The activity log will show the Project Admin logged the response.
4. Distributing an Official Item
Once the item is approved by the Reviewers, the Submittal Manager needs to close it and distribute it.
- Open the item and select “Close and distribute” in the workflow bar.
- In the pop-up screen, review all previous responses and their attached documents, and add any final response attachments. Click on an attachment to open it in the PDF viewer
- In the viewer, copy or create annotations, add a cover page and table of contents, create bookmarks, and apply custom stamps to both the previously uploaded attachments and new attachments.
- Select a final response from the “Final response” dropdown menu and add necessary comments.
- Select “Next” and review the Submittal number, Responsible Contractor, and Watchers in the next pop-up screen.
- In the Watchers section, identify team members who should be aware of the approved Submittal Item via email.
- Check “Save closed submittal item report to a folder in Files.” if desired. The Submittal item report will be saved with final attachments.
- Select “Done” to close and distribute the Submittal item. Once the item is closed, it be visible to either all project members or only team members involved in the workflow. This is determined by if the submittals visibility toggle in the Submittals settings.
PRO TIP: Admins and Submittal Managers can re-open closed items. With the closed item, select “Workflow action” button in the top right corner, then select “Reopen”. The item will be re-opened to its latest state. Managers and Admins can send it reviewers or close and distribute it.
5. Submittal Revisions
Creating a Revision
Project admins or Submittal Managers can create a new revision at any step in the workflow, except for “Draft/Voided” items.
- Sselect the “Workflow action” button in the top right corner of a Submittal item, and then select “Create new revision” from the dropdown.
- In the pop-up screen, include the Responsible Contractor Due Date. Include Watchers and a note if desired.
- Select “Done” to send the item back to the Responsible Contractor.
Responding to a Revision
The Responsible Contractor will be notified of the revision request via email.
- The Responsible Contractor will open the item and select “Submit” to create the response and include revised attachments, if needed.
- Once the revision has been submitted, a new tab will be created to display the revised workflow. The revision number will depend on how many revisions were made.
- Submittal Managers select the blue “Submit for review” button to review and attach any information, and then click “Done” to send the revised item(s) to the Reviewers
7. Filter/Sort/Search Submittals
Within the Submittals Tool, select either the “Items” or “Packages” tab.
- In the Items Tab,
- To search, enter a Title, Spec, Ball in Court, or Package in the right-hand search bar.
- To sort columns, click the column headers.
- To access filter options, select the funnel icon next to the search bar.
- To customize which columns are shown, select the control gear icon on the top left of the list view and select the columns to display.
In the Packages Tab,
- To search, enter a Title, Spec section in the right-hand search bar.
- To sort columns, click the column headers.
- To filer by Spec section, select the funnel icon next to the search bar.
8. Submittals on Mobile
- Within the mobile app, team members can access Submittals by selecting “More”, then “Submittals”.
- All approved Submittal Items are accessible to either the entire project team or the team members involved in the workflow only, depending on settings established by the Project Admin.
- Submittal Items in progress are available only to those involved in the submittal process.
- In the list view, by default, Submittal Items will be grouped by Submittal Spec sections.
- Note: Users can choose not to group, or group by specs or package.
- Tap to open an item and reference the details
- Use the top search bar to search by submittal number, ID, title, or spec section.
- Select the funnel icon to filter, sort, and group Submittals.
- Group by package or spec section.
9. Creating and Exporting Reports
Reports via the Submittals Tool
Users can create two Submittal Reports using directly out of the tool in Autodesk Build – a Submittal item summary report and a Submittal item detail report.
- Submittal Item Summary Report via the Submittal Tool
- This Submittal item summary report includes the status, spec, item number, type, title, responsible contractor, ball in court, due date, package and review response of the selected Submittal.
- In the Web version of Autodesk Build, select the Submittal tool.
- To export a PDF report or Excel export of all items or filtered items, select the “Items” tab, then click the “Export All” button.
- Download a Submittal item summary, a Submittal item detail (PDF only), or a Submittal item status summary.
- Under the “Options” section, choose to include a Cover page and Table of contents if desired.
- Select “Run report.” There will be an option to download report to your computer and the system will generate a download link that can be shared with others to download the report. The report will also be available in the Reports Log.
- Submittal Item Detail Report via Submittal Tool
- This Submittal detail report includes all information that is within the selected Submittal.
- To export a detailed report of a Submittal Item, open the item. Click the “Export” icon in the top right corner.
- Users will have the option include Photos, References, and to export the PDF with or without attachments embedded.
- If you select “Export with attachments”, you can select which attachments to include in the report. Up to 30 attachments can be embedded, and attachments are limited to 60 MB each. If there are more than 30 attachments, no attachments are embedded and the report will have a list of all attachments with links to them.
Reports via the Reports Tool
Users can create three Submittal Reports using the Reports tool in Autodesk Build – a Submittal Item detail, a Submittal item status summary, or Submittal item summary.
- Select “Reports” from the left toolbar in Autodesk Build and press “Create Report”.
- Select either “Submittal item detail”, a “Submittal item status summary”, or “Submittal item summary”
- This Submittal item detail report includes all information that is within individual Submittal Items across all the selected items.
- A Submittal item status summary includes the number of Submittal items that are in each status and for each company.
- A Submittal item summary report includes the status, spec, item number, type, title, responsible contractor, ball in court, due date, package and review response for all selected Submittals.
- Once the format type is selected, users can customize the report by renaming the report title, selecting the file format, applying filters, and choosing how the report will be sorted and which option to include.
- Users can filter by status, spec section, ball-court, due date, priority, package, type, response, or created at.
- Multiple filters can be applied to ensure only the necessary information is included in the report.
- Once the report is customized, press “Create report”, and select if this is a onetime report or should be saved as a template that can be run again later or scheduled.
- To export the report, select the 3 dots on the right-hand side of the report within the Reports log.
- Select “Download report” to save the report to your computer
- Select “Copy link” to create and copy a link to download the report.
- Select “Share report” to email it to project members and external collaborators.
Meetings
No more hunting for lost meeting minutes, questioning accountability, or running the risk of unanswerable claims! With the Meetings tool in Autodesk Build, teams improve collaboration and drive action with centralized meetings.
1. Accessing Meetings
In the toolbar on the left, select Meetings.
- In the Meetings tab, you can create a meeting, filter existing meetings by date and status, and create follow up meetings.
- In the Items tab, filter Meeting Items by Due date, Status, Assignee, and Flagged items, and one’s own outstanding action items. Sort meetings by Status, Meeting, title, and Due date.
- Editing and viewing permissions are based upon the User’s role on the project,
-
- Project Admins can view all agendas and minutes.
- Meeting Organizers can only view and edit agendas and minutes they’ve created.
- Meeting Invitees can only view agendas and minutes they have been invited to.
Select Create meeting in the top left.
- The create the agenda, enter the meeting title, date and time, location, and description. All changes are saved automatically.
- To add a description, click the light grey text Add meeting description.
- To add a meeting topic, click the dark grey text Type meeting topic.
- To add numbered meeting items underneath a meeting topic, click the light gray text Type meeting item.
- To delete a topic, hover over the topic and select the x on the right-hand side. If a topic is deleted, all items under the topic will be removed from the meeting.
- To add assignees, due dates, attachments, or references to a meeting item, hover to the left of the item name and select the three-dot icon to open the drop-down list.
- To change the item’s status, select the drop-down list on the right of the item and choose between Open, Ongoing, and Closed options.
- To flag an item, select the flag icon displayed on the right of the Status field.
Add Invitees and Organizers
- In the Invitees panel, select Add invitees. Use the search field to search by name, email, or company. Click Create non-member to add an external user.
- Meeting Organizers can track Invitees attendance and Invitees can access the agenda and official minutes for meetings they are invited to.
Virtual Meetings
- With Zoom and Microsoft Teams integration with Meeting Minutes, add Microsoft Teams and Zoom links directly to the meeting.
- Join Teams or Zoom meetings from the browser, Teams or Zoom app, or by downloading the app to their PC.
- To do so, select Add link on the top left and click Microsoft Teams or Zoom.
Note: You not able to add the Microsoft Teams or Zoom link from their mobile device but can view the link previously generated on the web.
Share the Meeting
Share the meeting agenda by exporting a PDF or emailing it to attendees.
- To email the agenda to invitees, select Share with invitees from the same three-dot icon. If selected, an email will automatically be sent to invitees. Linked references are hyperlinks, making it easy for invitees to access the referenced information.
- To export the agenda to PDF, select Export to PDF. Linked references are hyperlinks.
- Users can also integrate the meeting into their calendar by selecting Download meeting and uploading the .ics file into their calendar. All information that is included with the meeting (e.g., title, location, virtual meeting link) will come with the download.
- Note: This is a static download link. If meeting details were to change, users would have to redownload the file and upload it to their calendar.
- To add references to specific meeting items, press the three dots next to the meeting icon and then select References.
- Select from Files, Sheets, RFIs, Issues, Photos, Assets, Forms, Schedule, and Cost.
- An Add reference window will appear. Search and add references.
- Select the item and click Add to connect it to the meeting item.
- For RFIs, Issues, Photos and PCOs, this process creates a bi-directional relationship. This means that in the referenced item, the linked meeting item/record is visible.
- Note: Issue, RFI, and Meeting visibility is based on permissions. If users do not have permission to view the link, it will not appear in the Add link window or the Issue/RFI record.
PRO TIP: Users can upload photos directly to the meeting instance.
PRO TIP: Users can create an Issue directly from an item. Simply select, “Add reference” then “Issue”. In the pop-up window, users will have the option to select existing Issues to reference or to create a new one.
4. Capturing Minutes
The Meeting Organizer has full control of the meeting and can define the meeting details, edit the content, flag items, remove items and topics, capture meeting minutes, add/remove invitees, mark attendance, assign items, add due dates.
- To mark an invitee’s attendance, check the box next to the users name in the right Invitee panel.
- Like creating the agenda, new topics and items can be added/edited during the meeting.
- To access the assignee and due date options, hover to the left of the item name and select the three-dot icon that appears. An item can include one or more assignees, but the list of assignees is limited to the list of meeting invitees.
- Update the item status from Open to Closed using the drop-down list on the left side of the item.
PRO TIP: Use the status “Open” when the goal for the item being discussed is to eventually close the meeting. Leverage “Ongoing” for meeting items that need to be discussed but may have no near-term plans for closing.
- To finalize and share the meeting with attendees, select Minutes in the top left. This locks the meeting and converts it from agenda to minutes; if a change is required, unlock the minutes by selecting Minutes again.
- To export the agenda to PDF, select Export to PDF from the three dots to the right of the References icon. Linked references are hyperlinks, making it easy for invitees (who are Autodesk Build and BIM Collaborate project members) to access the referenced information.
- To email the agenda to invitees, select Share with invitees from the same three-dot icon. If selected, an email will automatically be sent to invitees. Again, linked references are hyperlinks, making it easy for invitees (who are Autodesk Build project members) to access the referenced information.
PRO TIP: The Meeting Organizer or Project Admin can delete a meeting record. To do so, it must be in the agenda state. Users can only delete a stand-alone record or the last record in a series.
5. Create a Follow-up Meeting
- In the Meeting list, select Follow-up on the right of a specific meeting item.
- In an individual meeting instance, select Create follow-up from the three dots to the right of the References icon.
- The follow-up meeting will copy the existing meeting description, non-closed agenda items, invitees, and location.
- Choose the date for the follow-up meeting and hit Confirm.
- A follow-up meeting will automatically be created. The meeting number will be automatically assigned as the next number in the meeting sequence.
- Meeting items with the status of Open and Ongoing will automatically transfer over to the follow-up meeting.
- Make any necessary updates to the meeting time, location, and description, and add any additional topics and items.
7. Meetings on Mobile
Android and iOS users can view Meeting minutes on mobile.
- In the Autodesk Build mobile app, select More on the bottom right and then select the Meetings tool to open the Meetings List.
- Search by meeting title and filter the meetings by Status and Date.
- Select the Meeting you wish to view. You can view the agenda or minutes’ discussion and information, check invitees or attendance
In addition to viewing, iOS users can create and edit Meetings, as well as view and add references to Meetings and Meeting Items.
- Select Create meeting on the bottom right of the Meetings tool.
- Add meeting topics and items in the Discussion column.
- Edit meeting details in the Information column.
Daily Reports
There’s so much work that happens on a jobsite every single day. Daily reports are essential in capturing all that progress in Autodesk Build and provide a clear track record for the whole project team. Daily reports record the exact work completed each day, the equipment and materials used, the working hours, the weather conditions, and can also include photos to provide further context.
1. Creating Daily Reports
- In the Forms Tool, go to Templates, and select “Create template”. Here, either upload an existing daily report template or create a new template.
- When creating a new template, Autodesk Build offers a pre-built template that captures all crucial components: work log, materials and equipment used, signature, and the option to add notes. Weather information is also available.
- After the components are saved, choose the collaboration mode that’s best for the team’s needs: single contributor, multiple contributors in sequence, or multiple contributors in parallel. Then select who will be the contributors and the reviewers of this daily report template.
- If the project requires several daily reports (for example, to capture the work done by every subcontractor separately), create as many daily report templates as needed.
2. Editing Daily Reports
- Click on “Create form” within the Forms tool and select the appropriate daily report template.
- On the left, users can adjust the date, add a description and reference photos, issues, files or other forms. On the right, all details can be captured by clicking on “Add work/material/equipment”.
- While the daily report is being edited, the changes are automatically saved as a draft version. Once all the information is there, just hit “Submit”.
Specifications
No more wasting time manually sectioning text-heavy specification documents. With the Specifications tool in Autodesk Build and Docs, teams can upload, section, and manage their project specifications throughout the project lifecycle.
1. Upload and Section
Upload specification documents
- Click on Add specifications to upload a PDF specification document.
- Upload the PDF file(s) from the computer or from the Files tool.
- Create a new version set, including name and issuance date, or choose an existing version set.
- Select the correct spec format and project location. Supported spec formats can be found here.
- Once the above steps are complete, click Review to start auto-sectioning.
Section specification documents
- Once automations are complete, the PDF document is ready for final review.
- In the Specification section panel on the left, any unassigned pages will be visible with yellow markers under the group titled Unassigned pages. To edit these pages, click on the marker.
- In this publishing workflow, users can add, edit, remove, and delete all specification sections. For more organizing, specification groups can be created.
Review and Organize Specifications
2. Search and Filter
Web
- Click Search and filter in the upper right corner of the Specifications list. This opens the Search and Filters panel.
- Enter search terms and hit Enter or click Search. Search results are highlighted in blue in the Specifications list.
- Note: The most recent 5 searches are displayed when typing in the search box.
- Click Show detailed content view below the search box to scan the content of specifications for search terms.
- For Filters, select one or more of the following filters: Code, Version set, or Issuance date.
- Click Search.
PRO TIP: To search within an individual specification, open the specification and click the search icon at the top-right of the page.
Mobile
- Open the Autodesk Construction Cloud mobile app and enter the desired project.
- Tap the Specifications icon. If viewing on a vertical screen, click on Menu to find the Specifications tool.
- Search for keywords in the Specification list or within an individual specification.
3. Specifications on Mobile
View and Navigate
- While viewing a specification, tap the Outline icon in the top right of the page to navigate between specification sections.
- Navigate to the desired section. Tap the section to view it in the full screen mode.
- Tip: Use the section thumbnails at the bottom to navigate between sections.
PRO TIP: Use the section thumbnails at the bottom to navigate between sections.
Prediction and Analytics Capabilities
Insight
Everyday construction projects have thousands of open issues, hundreds of RFIs, and countless change orders. Tracking and understanding all of these pieces of data is nearly impossible. Furthermore, nearly 95% of this project data goes unused.
The Insight capabilities built into the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform gives teams a deeper understanding of project performance, prioritized daily activities, and instant visibility into project risk. This allows them to more easily leverage their project data to, ultimately, avoid costly mistakes and minimize risk.
1. Project Dashboards
- Select the product picker drop down and select “Insight”.
- From within the Insight tool, users will see a list of preset dashboards for Risk, Design, Project Controls, Quality and Safety.
- Select the “Customize” button on the top right to rearrange, remove, or add new cards to each dashboard view.
- Create a custom dashboard by selecting the blue “+” icon on top of the left navigation panel.
- Custom dashboards can also be shared by user, company, or role.
2. My Home
- In addition to project dashboards in Insight, all Autodesk Construction Cloud users have a personalized user-centric dashboard, My Home, that highlights a detailed cross0-project view of all their Autodesk Construction Cloud data.
- My Home appears right when users enter into their Autodesk Construction Cloud account on web.
- In the My Home dashboard, users can track action items from specific workflows like RFIs and Submittals, easily dive back into recent items, and choose from over 100+ branded partner integrations to add onto their view.
3. Project Home
- In addition to project dashboards in Insight, any Autodesk Build user will have a preset home screen called “Project Home”.
- Click on the “Project Home” tool from within Autodesk Build.
- From this screen, users can track progress by setting key milestones, access any quick links, view a list of recent activity, see updates on both a user’s assigned work status and project overall work status, and get the weather, as well as see how many users from the project are using updated mobile syncing.
- Similar to project dashboards, users will see a list of pre-set executive level dashboards that show a summary of cross-project data:
- Risk – Overview of high-risk projects and sort by project type or business unit.
- Cost – A roll-up summary view of cost information for each project. NOTE: Executives with permissions to view project costs can drill down to see details
-
- Design – Overview of design issues and approval reviews by project as well as a design risk heatmap flagging projects that may be at higher risk for early design issues.
- Quality – Overview of quality checklist activity per project.
- Safety – Overview of safety checklist activity and safety checklist conformance per project.
5. Card Library and Partner Cards
- Both project level and executive overview dashboards can be customized by adding or removing cards from the “Card Library”.
- Click on the “Customize” icon on the top left to see a view of the Card Library.
- Filter, view, and select cards to be added to a dashboard:
- Filter by Partner Cards to add data from any of the selected integration partners.
- Filter by Construction IQ-specific cards.
6. Construction IQ
- Construction IQ is a built-in machine learning and AI functionality that leverages data across the entire Autodesk Construction Cloud platform.
- Construction IQ sifts through millions of data points from your construction documents, issues, checklists, related meta-data and historical data, and analyzes it to identify and prioritize risks.
- Construction IQ automatically classifies items and flag issues as “High Risk”.
- “High Risk” issues are items that, if left open, will likely lead to bigger more costly issues down the road.
- For example: If flashing was marked as missing on a window, the Issue would be flagged as “High Risk” to avoid bigger water-leaking Issues.
- View Construction IQ data through the “Risk” tab within the Insight module as well as by selecting cards tagged as “Construction IQ” in the Card Library.
7. Reports
- Navigate to the “Reports” tool on the left side panel.
- Click the blue “Create report” button and select a report template to start with.
- Modify the report template as needed by selecting the file format, filtering, and sorting options.
- Once you run the report, it will show up in the “Reports log” tab.
- Users can choose to download the report, share the report via link or by user, role, or company, or save the report as a template.
- In the “Templates” tab, users will see a list of reports that were saved as templates.
- From here, users can choose to run a report, edit the template, or schedule a recurring report.
8. Data Connector
- Users with the right permissions can extract data using Data Connector at either an individual project level or across all projects.
- From within Insight, navigate to the “Data Connector” option on the bottom of the left side panel.
- Users can extract data in different ways:
- Click the blue “Run extraction” button to manually extract data.
- Click the “Schedule” button to schedule recurring extractions.
- Users can set up direct connections to Power BI using the Microsoft certified Power BI Connector to automate data syncing / extracts.
- Users can select any Power BI templates from the gallery view.
Project Management Insights
Teams often struggle with prioritizing which RFIs to focus on, often leading to additional rework, schedule delays, and cost overruns. Furthermore, design and construction information are often disconnected, increasing the total number of RFIs in general. With the data visualizations through Insight, teams can easily prioritize the right RFIs to address, see status and details of submittals, and ultimately minimize high-risk cost impacts.
1. RFI Risk Factor
- The RFI Risk Factor card is powered by Construction IQ.
- Users can add this card to any dashboard through the card library.
- Five factors are visualized through this card:
- High-Risk RFIs – Visualize the RFIs that pose the greatest risks to costs or schedule based on analysis of the content and root cause.
- Design Coordination – Identify RFIs related to design coordination earlier, helping to avoid high costs down the road.
- MEP and Structural RFIs – Prioritize RFIs related to MEP or structural work that need to be addressed promptly to avoid downstream rework.
- Documentation Errors – Surface RFIs concerning documentation errors sooner to improve quality and reduce potential rework.
- Code Compliance – Catch RFIs related to code compliance, helping to reduce safety issues and permit hurdles down the road.
2. Project Controls Dashboard
- Within project level Insight dashboards is a preset dashboard for Project Controls.
- This dashboard houses cards such as “Project Submittals” or “Project RFIs” that help teams quickly see which RFIs are due soon and which open submittals are overdue, so that teams can take immediate action to resolve. All cards can be moved around or removed, and users can also add new cards.
Schedule Management Capabilities
Schedule Permissions and Settings
Ensuring project teams have access to the latest schedule is critical to delivering projects on time and within budget. The Schedule tool within Autodesk Build is highly collaborative and customizable, following robust permission controls to make distributing schedule updates easy and in real time.
Schedule Managers can ensure the right information stays in the right hands by setting permission levels and hiding attributes for each schedule within the tool. With the proper permission and access, all key stakeholders can access the most up-to-date schedule in the office or the field.
1. Access Level and Detailed Permissions
- For each schedule, manage who can view, update, and contribute data that connects to the schedule.
- By default, a schedule is created with access by all project members. This can be restricted to prevent project members from viewing the schedule.
- To assign permissions, click Schedule from the left navigation bar to open the schedule tool.
- Once in the Schedule tool, click the More menu on the schedule to configure and choose Settings > Permissions.
- Click Manage Access. By default, Project Administrators are automatically granted access to all schedules and given “Manage” permissions along with any assigned schedule managers.
- Click the Restricted radio button to limit viewing and commenting on the schedule activities to added members. Note: This setting only applies to the selected schedule.
- Once the access has been restricted, click “Add Members” to include the specific team members to collaborate and interact with the selected schedule. Select either specific users, roles, or companies before choosing the appropriate permission level.
- There are four different permission levels to choose from when adding members:
- View – Can view and comment on schedule activities
- Contribute – Can view, comment, add references and suggest edits to schedule activities
- Update – Allows for view and contribute access as well as the ability to update the schedule file
- Manage – Highest permission level; includes the ability to respond to suggestions, deleting, and managing access to the schedule
PRO TIP: Members with Update permission or higher can update a schedule using Desktop Connector.
2. Schedule Attributes
- Attribute settings help control who has access to sensitive information by choosing which schedule attributes are available to all members viewing the schedule and which are available only for members with adequate permissions.
- To configure attributes, click Schedule from the left navigation bar to open the schedule tool.
- Once in the Schedule tool, click the More menu on the schedule to configure and choose Settings > Attributes.
- Turn on or off the attributes that are available to project members. Available attributes include:
- Free float
- Total float
- Dependencies
- Imported activity codes/outline codes
Note: Attributes are populated from the imported schedule file.
3. Adding Schedule Managers
- Once in the Schedule tool, click “Add Roles” by going to settings in the upper right corner.
- Select individual members, roles, or companies to add as schedule managers. By default, Project Administrators are automatically added to this list.
- This is a great opportunity to add schedulers or project managers who will interact closely with project schedules.
- Schedule Managers can import, update, and manage access to project schedules within this project.
4. Updating Member Permissions
- Once in the Schedule tool, click the More menu on the schedule to configure and choose Settings > Permissions.
- Locate the member from the list and select a new permission level. If the member is a project administrator, you can’t change their Schedule tool permissions.
PRO TIP: When already viewing a schedule, click the Schedule settings menu in the upper right corner and choose Permissions or Attributes to quickly configure the settings without the need to exit the schedule.
PRO TIP: When already viewing a schedule, you can also manage schedule access level by clicking on the icon at the top and then opening a quick dialog box to change access level.
Schedule Tool Settings
Autodesk Build’s integrated long-term and short-term schedule management capabilities help prevent delays, reduce project waste, and enable accountability to keep projects on track. The Schedule tool is highly customizable to ensure teams properly organize project information for on-time delivery.
1. Workdays Management
The Schedule tool in Autodesk Build allows teams to customize their workweeks to better align with the operations of their business and job sites when working with work plans. Go to Settings in the upper right corner when in the Schedule tool and select Work days from the dropdown to:
- Set the start of the workweek by choosing the first day of the week from the dropdown.
- Select your active days for the week
- Add non-working days
- Note: These settings apply to work plans only
PRO TIP: When adding non-working days, you can add single days or date ranges by checking the Range selection checkbox.
2. Work Breakdown Structure
Work breakdown structure (WBS) helps organize the tasks to break down work into smaller, more manageable components efficiently. To set your WBS for work plans:
- When in settings, click on the Work Breakdown Structure tab and click on Add to add the first level of classification.
- Repeat the previous step to finish entering all first-level classifications.
- To add sub-classification, click the Additional options menu on the far right and click Add sub-classifications. Repeat until all sub-classification levels are created.
PRO TIP: Users can import a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) using the provided downloadable template. Any information imported from this template will overwrite existing data within the Schedule tool.
3. Locations
Locations are managed at the project level and are consistent across all the tools within Autodesk Build.
- Tasks within work plans can be assigned to locations in a project in Autodesk Build.
- Locations provide a way to organize a project hierarchically.
- A project administrator must set up locations for the project in the Project Admin module.
4. Roles
Users can be designated as either Managers or Creators. While the Manager role retains its traditional functionalities, the Creator role introduces enhanced capabilities. Specifically, a Creator can import schedules and establish a standalone plan. To set up tool-level permissions:
- Click Settings.
- Inside the Settings menu, click Add Roles.
- In Add Roles, input a Member, Company, or Role, then assign the relevant permission to each.
Importing and Updating a Schedule
Construction schedules are made up of thousands of activities and, as a result, sifting through printouts on a job site is a tedious, labor-intensive task. With a digitized schedule at their fingertips, both office and field teams can quickly search and filter through thousands of activities to locate desired items, from desktop or mobile devices.
With the Schedule tool in Autodesk Build, project teams can improve collaboration and increase transparency by centralizing all schedule information on a single cloud-based platform. This allows teams to leverage the schedule data more easily—ultimately, making sound decisions based on the most accurate schedule information.
1. Importing a New Schedule
When teams rely heavily on paper printouts and static PDFs, miscommunication and misalignment around schedules often results. Autodesk Build enables Schedule Managers to upload schedules from traditional CPM software, delivering real-time access to master schedule data in the office and field to ensure that everyone is on the same page at the same time.
- The Schedule tool allows importing schedules from the following 3rd-party tools for easy viewing, sharing, and collaboration. Supported formats include:
- Primavera® P6 (.xer and .xml)
- Microsoft® Project (.mpp, .xml)
- Asta® Powerproject (.pp)
- To import a schedule, click Schedule from the left navigation bar to open the schedule tool and then click on Import.
- Drag a schedule file onto the screen or browse for a file to import.
- The imported schedule is displayed in the Schedule tool. The imported file is copied to the dedicated folder in the Files area for documentation purposes. The Schedule tool files folder is created within the Project Files folder. The Folder name is based on the name of the imported file.
- The Schedule tool supports multiple schedules per project. Schedule Managers can upload different schedules pertaining to different parts of the project or for different stakeholders of the project.
- Note: Deleting the Schedule tool files folder will delete all schedules.
- To rename a schedule, click the More menu on the schedule in the schedule grid view and click on Rename. Schedule can also be deleted from the same menu.
PRO TIP: The schedule folders can be renamed and relocated within Files to match any custom folder structure.
2. Updating a Schedule
From milestones, dependencies, and activities, keeping teams up- to- date is crucial to avoid potential delays and costly rework. Give teams real-time access to the latest project schedule with the Schedule tool in Autodesk Build.
- Schedules can be updated from multiple locations within the Schedule tool or through the desktop connector.
- From Schedule Thumbnail – Click on the More menu on the schedule thumbnail and choose Update schedule.
- From Gantt or List View – Click on Update Schedule.
- From the Files Tool – Click Files from the left navigation to open the Files tool. Navigate to the folder containing your schedule (Project Files > Schedule tool files > <Name of schedule>), and then click Upload files.
- The updated schedule will show in the Schedule tool.
PRO TIP: When updating a schedule, all comments and references added to activities move over to the updated schedule, and a new schedule version is created.
3. Using Desktop Connector for Schedule Imports and Updates
- Desktop Connector for Autodesk Docs connects local files on the computer and Autodesk Docs. This makes the Schedule folder located in Autodesk Docs available in the desktop folder and file structure for easy file management.
- Working with the Desktop Connector, users can update schedules in a more automated manner when working with Asta® Powerproject and Microsoft® Project schedules.
- To use Desktop Connector for Autodesk Docs to update a schedule:
- Open Desktop Connector for Autodesk Docs.
- Navigate to the folder containing the schedule.
- Open the schedule with the authoring tool.
- In the authoring tool, update the schedule and save changes. Saved changes are reflected as a new schedule version in the Files tool. This updated version shows in the Schedule tool.
View, Search and Filter a Schedule
When teams rely heavily on paper printouts and static PDFs, accessing critical information in a timely manner becomes extremely difficult. With the Schedule tool in Autodesk Build, project stakeholders can see the latest schedule in real-time and quickly search and filter through thousands of activities with just a few clicks to make data-driven decisions.
1. Viewing Schedule on Web
The Schedule tool in Autodesk Build is highly customizable, offering an easy way to consume and interact with a multitude of schedule activities. The schedule may be viewed in both Gantt and List view, based on personal preference.
- Schedule can be narrowed down by different date ranges for easier consumption in a variety of ways. When in the Schedule tool:
- Click on the binoculars icon, which will prompt for two options to create a date range in terms of weeks, up to six weeks previous or future.
- Click a preset view to display a specific time range on the schedule including the following:
- Today
- Day
- Week
- Month
- Quarter
- Year
- Click the Filter option, and enter a customized data range.
- Gantt views show a classic Gantt chart view of the schedule. Different colors and shapes represent specific activities or milestones:
- Blue shapes = Non-critical activities
- Red shapes = Critical activities
- Narrow black bars = Text summary activities
- Light gray bars = Baseline
- Diamond shapes = Milestones
- Dotted vertical line = Today
- Solid vertical blue line = Data date / Status date
- Additional views can be configured for the Gantt chart by clicking on Configure option and then clicking the selection box next to the schedule properties to be displayed in the Gantt view.
- In Gantt view, hover mouse cursor over an activity bar to show a preview of the activity. The preview includes:
- Start date
- Finish date
- % complete
- Labor resources
- The List view shows the schedule in a line-item style view without a graphical visualization.
- To customize the List view, simply click on the cogwheel icon and select the columns of data to be displayed in the list.
- Click any activity to open the details panel and see all the data relating to that activity, such as dependencies, labor resources, start/finish dates, and additional information pulled from the original schedule authoring tool. This panel also includes comments and any references added to the activity through Autodesk Build.
2. Search and Filter a Schedule on Web
Schedule tool in Autodesk Build offers robust search and filtering options to quickly surface the schedule info needed.
- Click Schedule from the left navigation bar to open the schedule tool, and then click the desired schedule.
- Enter a term in the search box. Results will show as you type. Searching works on the activity names and IDs.
- To filter a schedule, click on the Filter icon and filter results by the following:
- Milestones
- Critical activities
- Date range
- Labor resources
- Status
- References
- Imported activity codes / outline codes
- Use the quick look filter to easily see a few weeks back or forward to visualize your weekly lookahead schedule . All activities within this range are displayed and a visual indication of this time span is shown on the schedule.
- Group activities by any attribute to better visualize the schedule based on different parameters.
PRO TIP: Once schedule is configured to reflect the information needed, you can share this view by clicking on the share button in the top right corner. From here, either copy the link to share or select email recipients and add a message. The recipients receive an email with the link directly to the filtered view.
3. View, Search and Filter a Schedule on Mobile
Schedule tool in Autodesk Build enables teams to instantly share the digital schedule with field teams for real-time updates instead of clunky PDFs that become outdated. With a digitized schedule at their fingertips, field teams can quickly search and filter through thousands of activities to locate desired items, all from the ease of their mobile device.
- To view schedule in Autodesk Build on a mobile device, first download the Autodesk Construction Cloud mobile app for iOS or Android and log in.
- To view a schedule, select the project, and then click the More menu to choose the Schedule tool.
- Tap on the specific schedule to view it.
- Activity list is arranged by time frames showing all activities happening in any given period, whether that’s today, tomorrow, this week, next week, this month, next month, and so on. Use the tabs and arrows to move easily between time frames to keep focus on the range that matters most.
- Use the search bar to search the schedule for a specific activity and tap on the activity to view detailed information. To better understand dependencies, simply tap on either the activity predecessor or successor.
- View comments or attached references added to the schedule activity to gain further insight.
- Leverage the filter option to view the activities by milestones, critical status, or activity codes.
- Sort the Schedule by Start Date using the filter option in ascending or descending order.
- You can also add references to schedule activities such as photos, files, sheets, issues and more to provide necessary context for what can impact the schedule.
- Additionally, you can see schedule suggestions made on an activity on the web for improved communication and transparency around elements that can impact a schedule. Schedule managers can see all suggestions made and others can only see suggestions submitted by them.
Comment and Create References in Schedule
When teams have access to the latest schedule in a digital format, communication and collaboration within the project team is drastically improved. No longer having to rely on outdated schedule printouts, spreadsheets, emails and phone calls, stakeholders can directly interact with the schedule, adding relevant referenceable content to better understand the schedule and circumstances that can have an impact.
1. Adding and Viewing Comments
The Schedule tool in Autodesk Build quickly connects the field team with the office, allowing teams to comment on specific schedule activities so issues can be addressed in real time with robust audit trail.
Web
- Click Schedule from the left navigation bar to open the schedule tool and then click the desired schedule.
- Click on the schedule activity to open the details panel for the activity.
- Scroll to the bottom to add comments.
- Use @ to mention a project member. The mentioned member will receive an email notification.
- To view a comment previously added, simply click on the schedule activity to open the details panel and scroll to the bottom to view the comment.
Mobile
- Comments added on the web are also accessible to the field team in the mobile iOS and Android app, helping close the communication loop between the office and the field team.
- Field teams can also add comments to schedule activities in the mobile app. However, you can’t mention members using the mobile app yet.
- To add or view a comment, simply click on the schedule activity in the mobile app and choose the comment option in the upper right corner.
PRO TIP: Comments are preserved if the schedule is updated.
2. Adding and Viewing References
No more hunting for emails or voicemails to track down why something happened or didn’t happen on schedule. Avoid the risk of schedule delays by leveraging the digitized schedule in the same solution that handles project management, issue management and cost management workflows. The Schedule tool in Autodesk Build helps teams clearly communicate and reference critical data to avoid potential problems in the future.
Web
- Click Schedule from the left navigation bar to open the schedule tool and then click the desired schedule.
- Click on the schedule activity to open the details panel for the activity.
- With the details panel still open, switch to the References tab.
- Click the Add references menu and choose a reference type from:
- Files
- Photos
- Issues
- Sheets
- Assets
- Forms
- Submittals
- RFIs
- Cost items
- Select the specific reference to add and click Add.
- References associated with each activity are visible in the References tab of the panel. Simply click on any reference to open it.
Note: As you update the schedule, references are preserved. The ability to open a reference is determined by the permissions associated with the reference object.
Mobile
- References added on the web are also accessible to the field team in the mobile app, helping break down data silos and keeping teams in the loop about elements that can impact their work.
- To view a reference on mobile, simply click on the schedule activity in the mobile app and scroll to the bottom to view photos, files, issues, forms, assets and other referenceable items attached to the activity.
- To add a reference to a schedule activity on mobile, click on the schedule activity in the mobile app and scroll to the bottom to see the list of referenceable items that can be added. Click on the “+ Add” option next to references and select the items to add.
Note: The ability to open a reference is determined by the permissions associated with the reference object.
Suggesting Schedule Updates
Project delays and ongoing schedule updates in construction happen quite frequently. Many factors can contribute to delays, including poor planning. With communications between the office and field around schedule not always being connected, simple or transparent, project teams can struggle to stay on top of schedule activities and the changes needed. Data exists in silos, resulting in lack of transparency as well as accountability, and this introduces additional project risks.
By creating a centralized location for all schedule suggestions in Autodesk Build, teams can improve communication, ensuring any required schedule adjustments can be made quickly to keep projects on track. There’s no need to manually mark up and annotate PDFs to send back and forth between schedulers and project team—this added transparency and collaboration can help identify and address schedule impacts faster without the need to wait days or weeks to discuss them in emails or meetings.
1. Adding Schedule Suggestions – Web
The Schedule tool in Autodesk Build helps improve collaboration and conversations around the master schedule. Suggesting schedule updates facilitates collaboration on important updates to the project schedule, serving as a dedicated communication channel for schedules to help manage projects effectively and identify risks before they impact the project. Note: Schedule suggestions in the Schedule tool help facilitate conversations around the updates needed. To make updates visible in a schedule, update the schedule in an external schedule authoring tool and then import the updated version.
- Project members with permission levels set as “Contribute” or above can submit update suggestions on a schedule activity.
- Click Schedule from the left navigation bar to open the schedule tool, and then click the desired schedule.
- To enter and submit suggestions:
- Click the Viewing drop-down list in the Activities tab and select “Suggesting”.
- The Suggesting mode allows suggesting updates to the Start date, Finish date, Duration, Remaining duration, and % Complete.
-
- Use the Impact column to inform the reviewer of Delay and Cost impact this update can have.
- Use the add detail button to add Root Cause and update suggestion details. This button is visible only with a mouse pointer over the individual activity.
- Once suggestions are made, submit them for review to the schedule managers. Click on the number next to the Suggesting mode drop-down. This will prompt a modal that will show all unsubmitted suggestions for review.
- Click on “Submit to Manager”. Reviewers will not see suggestions until they are submitted.
- Submitted suggestions can be tracked within the Suggestions log.
PRO TIP: The Root Cause drop-down list is based on a project’s root cause list from the Issues tool. If it needs to be updated, simply click on “Manage list” In the bottom right corner to be routed to the Issues settings to add to that list.
2. Reviewing Submitted Schedule Update Suggestions – Web
In Autodesk Build, the review and approval process for the schedule managers is streamlined, so they can easily stay on top of all suggestions in one location. This ensures things do not fall through the cracks and therefore helps maintain a robust audit trail.
- Schedule managers receive three types of notifications for suggested updates:
- Icon in the Schedule homepage
- Gantt chart notification
- These notifications serve as shortcuts to access the Suggestions log.
- To navigate to the Suggestions log within the tool, click on the project schedule where schedule suggestions exist that need to be reviewed. Click on the Suggestion log’s menu next to Activities.
- In the Suggestions log are two lists: Open and Resolved. The Open list will show all suggestions that are pending manager review. Scroll the table horizontally to view all columns.
- If you are a schedule manager, you will see all schedule suggestions that are open or resolved. If you are not listed as a schedule manager, you will only see suggestions submitted by you.
- Once the suggestion has been reviewed, the status can be updated to one of the following:
- In review – for suggestions that are still being reviewed
- Mitigated – for suggestions that are not necessary
- Allowed – for suggestions that passed review and will be applied to the schedule
- Managers can leave a response note that will be displayed in the Response Note column.
- Once a suggested update review is complete and the status is set to Mitigated or Allowed, click Save response. This will move the suggested update from the Open list to the Resolved list. This will also notify the team member who suggested the individual update. Marking the updated checkbox is a great way to keep track of suggestions that have been updated in the authoring tool.
- Note: Checking the “Mark as updated” box will not automatically update the schedule. The Schedule file must be updated in the authoring tool, such as Microsoft® Project, Asta® Powerproject, or Oracle Primavera® P6, and then published to the schedule tool.
- To reopen a Resolved update suggestion, click on the More menu next to the suggestion and click Reopen. Add a note, if necessary, followed by clicking Reopen Suggestion.
PRO TIP: Remember, Activity updated checkbox in the Status column does not update the schedule. It is used to track updates that are already introduced to the schedule in an external tool. For updates to be visible in the schedule, it’s necessary to update a schedule after introducing accepted updates to the file in the schedule authoring tool.
3. Schedule Suggestions – Mobile
Schedule suggestions are also available in the mobile experience to improve communications around elements that can impact a schedule.
- Mobile users can see schedule suggestions made on an activity on the web.
- Schedule managers can see all suggestions made, and others can only see suggestions submitted by them.
- Mobile users with the right permissions can submit change suggestions on a schedule activity, helping improve communication between stakeholders. Note: The schedule managers must review, approve, or reject the suggestions through the web. The master schedule must be updated in the schedule authoring tool to ensure the latest schedule is imported into Autodesk Build.
Schedule Version Management and Comparison
Scheduling is not an easy task, but it is especially difficult when you consider the complexity of managing all the changes that occur as the project progresses. Milestones are pushed out, activities start, and end dates are shifted, and more deliverables are added to the schedule to successfully meet project milestones. As schedules are updated to account for issues that impact milestones, dependencies, and tasks, a newer version of the schedule is generated. The process of communicating updated versions can be cumbersome and lack transparency. This means the updated schedule is sometimes communicated via PDF exports shared through emails or printouts distributed on-site.
By creating a centralized location to keep track of all schedule versions in Autodesk Build, teams can successfully navigate through versions and stay on top of changes.
1. Version Management
Typically, schedule data exists in CPM software such as Primavera P6, Asta PowerProjects, or Microsoft Project. As the schedules are updated, schedule managers are tasked with not only capturing key insights and changes for owners but also creating an easy-to-consume summary of key changes to keep all stakeholders aligned. The Schedule tool in Autodesk Build helps streamline the version control process and improves communication channels to help teams stay on top of updated construction schedules.
- The Schedule tool allows you to view and manage multiple versions of a particular schedule.
- All previous versions of a schedule are stored and can be displayed at any given time. Each version has a summary (narrative) that explains changes in the schedule.
- Note: The summary is created by the user during upload or when editing from the Version history pane. Adding a narrative is a great way to add significant details you want people to be aware of in the updated schedule.
- There are multiple ways to access Version history:
- Schedule thumbnail:
- Open the Schedule tool in Autodesk® Build
- Click More menu and select Version history
- Inside the schedule
-
- Open the Schedule tool in Autodesk® Build
- Click Version history icon on top
-
- Schedule thumbnail:
- The Version history panel allows you to select the schedule’s version to view or compare different versions of the schedule.
- You can Edit the version’s name, summary or download the attached files.
- Every time a new version of the schedule is added, you can Distribute it to send a one-time notification with the new version’s details to the selected list of members. Simply choose a distribution list so specific people are notified about newer versions accompanied by the narrative to better consume the updated schedule.
- You can distribute a new version while updating the schedule or from the version history pane at any moment.
- Note: Only members with Update and Manage permissions can edit version names, summary or distribute new versions of a schedule.
- Using Desktop Connector for Autodesk Docs: When updating the schedule using the Desktop Connector, small edits are grouped as records under a single version to avoid clutter in the Version history pane. A new version is cut off:
- Every day (intraday changes are grouped)
- When a version is edited or distributed in the Schedule tool
- When a new schedule file is manually uploaded
PRO TIP: Access version history within the activity panel to see how a specific activity changed between different versions to gain additional insight to easily identify trends and consume historical data.
2. Version Comparison
It’s no simple task to stay on top of all the different versions of a schedule and quickly identify the changes between them. The project team is often left with the tedious task of manually comparing the schedules line by line to see what exactly changed. Manual methods of downloading and consuming schedule changes are time-consuming and prone to errors that can impact project timelines and profitability. The whole process is impractical when dealing with schedules involving thousands of activities. With the Schedule tool in Autodesk Build, users can experience the benefits of digitizing and automating version comparison workflows to understand changes better so they can react accordingly. To compare the schedule’s versions:
- Click the Compare button in the Version history pane.
- Select versions to compare
- Note: You can select up to 5 versions to compare.
- Differences between schedule versions are color-coded and visible in List and Gantt views. Filtering, searching and grouping, as well as Configurable Gantt view elements like dependencies, critical path or resources are displayed only for the selected version.
- While in comparison mode, users can apply existing filter options or use the newly created preset filters that become available when in comparison mode.
- The default comparison filter is set to All changes. You can use compare filters in different combinations according to your needs.
- Preset filters in comparison mode include:
- Delayed start – shows activities whose Start date was postponed.
- Delayed finish – shows activities whose Finish date was postponed.
- Advanced start – shows activities whose Start date moved earlier.
- Advanced finish – shows activities whose Finish date moved earlier.
- In/out critical path – shows activities that were added to or removed from the critical path.
- New – shows new activities that were not present in previous versions.
- Name change – shows activities whose name was changed.
- Removed – shows deleted activities that were present in previous versions.
PRO TIP: Small color-coded arrows show differences between previous versions to allow tracking of changes when comparing more than 2 versions.
PRO TIP: You can apply filters during the comparison mode and share the view.
Work Plan Settings
The work planning capabilities within the Schedule tool in Autodesk Build allow teams to collaboratively build detailed work plans, manage handoffs and constraints, and view progress in the context of the long-term schedule.
The Plan settings allow administrators and managers to configure default settings for all plans and specific settings per plan.
1. Settings per plan
Within each Plan, both Plan Managers and Administrators can:
- Control Member Access: Determine who can view, edit, or create tasks within the plan.
- Manage Access: Grant specific permission levels to all project members.
- Schedule Members: This option is pertinent only for connected plans and allows permission assignment to all schedule members.
Creating a Work Plan
Creating Work Plans
Collaboratively build detailed work plans in the Schedule tool in Autodesk Build to ensure your team is ready to execute the on-site work. Stop relying on endless phone calls, emails, post-it notes, and complex spreadsheets to stay ahead of your production schedule. Digitize your work planning workflows to avoid project delays and schedule slippage, and start delivering your projects on time, following lean construction principles.
Plans can be created as standalone or connected to a schedule. Project teams can create multiple plans within the tool. The planning capabilities are highly flexible, allowing teams to create both independent or connected work plans – in the cloud – so teams can finally say goodbye to creating and managing plans in silos.
1. Creating Standalone Plans
Standalone plans are ideal for managing one-off projects, events, or processes without disturbing the regular schedule. They provide a framework for emergency or contingency plans, ready to be activated when necessary. Furthermore, standalone plans offer much-needed flexibility for work that doesn’t follow a predictable pattern. To create a standalone plan:
- Go to the Schedule tool homepage
- Click Create New Plan
2. Creating Connected Plans
Connected plans are a great way to connect your short-term and long-term schedules. To create a connected plan, simply choose the milestones and activities you want from the schedule and add them to a new or existing plan.
There are several ways to create connected plans. Here are a couple of the most common ways:
- Open the desired schedule, and click New empty plan
- To select activities on the timeline, check the boxes next to them, then click New Plan or add them to the existing plan.
- To finalize creation:
- Enter a name for the plan.
- Modify plan settings, such as access and permissions.
- Click Create plan.
PRO TIP: Any modifications to the linked schedule activities will be updated in the plan tasks.
Work Plan Configuration
Work plans within the Schedule tool in Autodesk Build are highly configurable, making it easier for users to interact with and consume the information within the plans.
To access the plan configurations, click the Settings icon while viewing your plan.
1. Configuring Handoff Management
- Auto-forward – When enabled, moving a task causes other tasks to be rescheduled automatically to avoid overlaps. Auto-forward is only available for users with Create or Manage permissions to the Plan.
- Manual – Task dates never shift automatically, even if they overlap.
PRO TIP: Plan configurations are specific to each user and each plan.
2. Configuring Schedule Awareness
- Show Summary Tasks – When enabled, all summary tasks are visible. When disabled, all summary tasks are filtered out, and all subtasks are spread out in the relevant swimlane.
- Compare to Schedule – When enabled, tasks connected to schedules are monitored for misalignment.
3. Configuring Density, Swimlane, and Task Appearances
- Density settings allow users to change the row size. You can set the row height for the swimlane and list views.
- In the Swimlane Appearance section, you can choose which swimlane elements to display:
- Empty Lanes
- Handoffs
- Non-working Days
- Today Line
- Milestone Lines
- In the Task Appearance section, you can choose which task card elements to display:
- Status
- Assignee
- Progress
- Crew Size
- Work Type
Viewing a Work Plan
Digital work plans can be instrumental in clarifying what needs to be done and when on the jobsite to avoid project delays and improve accountability.
It is of utmost importance for stakeholders to access the most up-to-date work plans to easily view their tasks, look-aheads, and handoffs in an easy-to-consume manner.
The Schedule tool in Autodesk Build makes it easy to view the plans in Swimlane or List View. Additionally, it offers robust filtering and search capabilities.
1. Swimlane View
- The swimlane view displays tasks visually across a timeline.
- The swimlane has rows representing tasks grouped by attributes like company or location and columns representing the timeline.
- The swimlane view also has a scrollable and zoomable canvas to focus on different date ranges.
- Tasks can be grouped in rows by attributes, including company, location, assignee, WBS, or role.
- Tasks are represented as cards with shapes, colors, and details based on attributes like status, role, alerts, etc.
- Milestones are represented as diamond shapes.
- Colors on the left side of the task card represent status
- The progress bar at the top of the task card represents the % compete of the task
- The color matches the company’s randomly assigned color
PRO TIP: Once a task has been completed, the task card will change to full color, serving as a straightforward and intuitive way to monitor the progress of your activities at a glance.
2. List View
- The list view displays tasks in a tabular format, each representing a row.
- The columns can show task attributes like name, dates, assignee, status, etc.
- The list view allows you to see tasks in a simple table layout, as opposed to the visual timeline layout of the swimlane view.
- Parent-child relationships are represented using hierarchy and indentation in the list view.
- Users can interact with tasks directly in the list view by editing cell values inline.
3. Search, Filter, and Group a Plan
- The extensive data generated in construction projects can be efficiently navigated using robust search, filtering, and grouping capabilities.
- Users can quickly locate specific information by keywords or phrases, eliminating tedious manual browsing.
- Precise filtering results in greater control over refining extensive lists to the most relevant items based on status, dates, assignments, priorities, and custom attributes.
- Users can use grouping to consume the most relevant information needed for analysis quickly.
Task Management
Multiple tasks must be accomplished to meet milestones and deadlines to keep a project on track. With collaborative digital weekly work planning, teams can ensure project stakeholders have clear insight into tasks that must be completed and when. They need real-time access to the latest work plans to accurately sequence tasks and align all stakeholders to manage handoffs better.
The Schedule tool in Autodesk Build makes it easier for teams to create and manage tasks within work plans.
1. Creating Tasks and Subtasks
- To create tasks, access your work plan and follow the steps below:
- Swimlane view – Double-click on the swimlane or use the quick create button to create your tasks.
- List View – Use the Create Task button at the top of the list view.
- To create subtasks
- Swimlane – Right-click on the parent task and select Add Subtask.
- List View – Click the quick action menu on the right of the parent task and select Add Subtask
2. Viewing and Editing Tasks
To view or edit a task, double-click the task in the Swimlane view or click the task title or ID in the List view. Here is a list of fields that can viewed or edited:
- Start/End Dates—Edit the date range. The dates will be adjusted based on task handoffs and restrictions. The red color indicates overdue dates.
- Duration – View and edit the task duration.
- % Complete – Indicate what percentage of the task is complete.
- Type – Choose Task or Milestone
- Work Type – Such as work, delivery, inspection, roadblock, safety, or downtime
- Title – Edit the task title
- Description—Add text to summarize or provide information about the task. It supports rich text formatting, such as bold, italics, checklists, etc.
- Status – Select the task status. Each status has an associated color indicator. Status options include In progress, Work done, Complete, Incomplete, Backlog, and Blocked.
- Assignment:
- Company – Assign the task to a company.
- Assignee – Assign the task to a person.
- Role – Assign the task to a role.
- WBS – Assign the task to a Work Breakdown Structure category.
- Location – Assign the task to a location.
- Priority – Set the priority – Low, Normal, High.
- Crew Size – Specify the number of people needed for the task.
- Previous Handoffs – Tasks that preceded the current task.
- Future Handoffs – Tasks that depend on current tasks.
PROTIP: For additional time savings, select multiple tasks and batch edit their attributes simultaneously, such as changing the status or assignee for various tasks together.
3. Task Handoffs
- Link tasks to show handoffs and enable cascading date changes.
- Users can add both Previous and future handoffs.
- Users can also remove handoffs if needed.
Plans Connected to Schedules
With the Schedule tool in Autodesk Build, you can create reliable work plans using Lean Construction principles in the context of the master schedule to reduce costly delays and rework while improving project quality with a single source of truth for all schedule information.
Simply choose milestones and activities from the schedule and pull them into your plans. Break down the tasks into multiple subtasks to add the details needed to complete the sequence of work. Stop managing your production plans in silos and use the integrated and connected process within Autodesk Build to keep your projects on track.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when working with connected work plans:
1. Connected Task Attributes
A task created by connecting to a schedule activity will receive:
- The activity name, which cannot be modified.
- The activity dates are based on active workdays
2. Twinned Tasks as Summary Tasks
Tasks connected to scheduled activities can have multiple subtasks. All standard actions can be performed on these subtasks such as creating, moving, adding handoffs, etc. Subtasks under a twinned summary task appear as:
- In List view – indented under their parent twinned summary task.
- In Swimlane view – grouped under their twinned parent summary task
3. Date Misalignment
Dates in the plan can become misaligned with the schedule. This misalignment is usually a result of:
- A change in the task date within the plan.
- A change in the activity date when the schedule is updated with a newer version.
- A difference in non-working days in the imported schedule and the plan.
Date misalignments are indicated when a connected task has dates that differ from the linked schedule activity and fall outside the parent task’s boundary. The mismatch alert appears in both the plan and the schedule. You can easily spot the misalignment alert in the swimlane view and click on it for additional details to quickly identify and address issues before they become problematic.
Work Plans on Mobile
Work plans are heavily utilized in the field where the work takes place. They provide the crew with visibility into upcoming job sequences tied to a specific plan.
1. Viewing Plans on Mobile
The main view displays a list of all plans you have permission to view in the system. For each plan, you can see key details such as the plan name, creation date, last updated date, and the user who created or last updated the plan. The Plans page also indicates whether a plan is connected to the project schedule.
- Search Tasks – Filter the list of tasks using free text search to show only tasks with full or partial name matches.
- Filter Tasks – Tasks can also be filtered and sorted by multiple attributes using AND/OR logic.
- Timeframes Picker – The timeframes picker allows for filtering down tasks within a particular day, week, or month. Only tasks starting, ending, or in progress during that timeframe will be shown.
2. Edit Task Details on Mobile
Editing task details in the mobile app empowers field teams to update tasks seamlessly without delays. From the detailed view, you can edit the following attributes:
- Status
- Percent Complete
- Quick Complete (marks task as complete)
NOTE: The task editing functionality on mobile is currently only available for Android users.
Additional Capabilities
Account Admin & Standardization
Setting up account-level features and standards is critical to ensuring teams are being set up for success. Whether it is creating project templates or ensuring the right team members have the right access to different features, the account admin functions help everyone get up and running quickly. Taking that a step further, by setting up standards that are used across the organization, teams are able to maximize the data being collected and better leverage information downstream to improve decision-making.
1. Setting Up Templates
- Users with Account Admin settings can navigate to Account Admin using the product picker or by selecting “All Projects” under the project picker and clicking “Account Administration” on the top left.
- Select “Templates” from the left side panel.
- From here, users can see a list of all active or archived templates.
- Click on an active template to edit any details, or click the blue “Create project template” button to see two options to create a new template:
- Create a new template – This allows users to start a template from scratch.
- Create a template from an existing project – This allows users to copy over certain aspects of a project into a template.
- Once a template has been created, users can add, edit, or remove members from the template and assign permissions or product access
PRO TIP: Check out the help site to view which aspects of a product can be carried over into a template.
2. Creating a Project
- Users with “Account Admin” settings can navigate to the Account Admin tool and select “Projects” from the left side panel.
- From here, select the blue “Create project” button.
- Enter all the relevant details, including project name, project number, address, start and end dates, as well as the option to use a project template.
- Here, admins can add members and assign them access levels, associate roles or companies, as well as manage their individual member subscriptions.
PRO TIP: Account Admins will see how many subscription licensees are available.
4. Library
- The Account Admin Library serves as a centralized library of objects or “components.” From the library, users can configure a component, and simultaneously add them to multiple existing projects.
- Click on the ‘Forms’ tab to create a new form template
- Choose to build a new form or upload an existing PDF form
- Once saved, the new form template can then be added to new or existing projects
- Account Administrators can also edit any template and all updates will be pushed to any projects in which this template was added to
Project Admin
Ensuring all aspects are running smoothly is a key component of making sure projects stay on time and on budget. When technology is set up in a way that simplifies daily activity, teams can collaborate and get things done more efficiently. With the project admin features in the Autodesk Construction Cloud unified platform, admins can easily create new projects, add and manage project members, and ensure all settings or project locations are being used correctly.
- Enter in all the relevant details, including project name, project number, address, start and end dates, as well as the option to use a project template.
- NOTE: If a template was used to create the project, the members associated with the template will be prepopulated here. However, admins can also remove any members through their member settings panel.
- Additionally, users can add locations or sublocations of a project (including levels or rooms), which can be referenced in other workflows throughout the product.
PRO TIP: Users can download an Excel template to populate different locations and then re-import for quicker entry.
4. As Built Export
- From the left navigation in Autodesk Build, select Settings to navigate to the Settings tool.
- On the Settings page, click the As-built Export tab.
- From here users can download previously generated as-builts or create a new one.
- To create a new as-built, click the blue ‘Create as-built’ button and configure which Sheets, RFI’s, and Submittals to include.
- Once created, the user will receive an email notification which will direct back to the as-built export log page from where you can download the zipped file for all documents.
5. Bridge
- Using Bridge users can share sheets or files across projects or accounts.
- To share a sheet or file simply select the items and click the “Share” button on the top of the screen.
- From here select to share with “another project” or with “anyone with the link”.
- The receiver will either see the sheets automatically added to their project or if shared via link, can select which project they would like to add the sheets to.
- Users can also select to automatically send newer versions to ensure the receiving team always has the most up to date information.
- To view a list of all shared or received sheets or files navigate to Bridge from the left side panel.
- From here you will see a tab for Incoming or Outgoing shares, a list of sheets that have automations set up, as well as a “Bridged Projects” tab where you can directly link one project to another to make sharing even easier.
Mobile Access
Autodesk Build, Autodesk Docs, and Autodesk BIM Collaborate/Pro teams can complete tasks from anywhere on the jobsite with seamless access to Autodesk Construction Cloud data, regardless of role, permission level, or training.
With the Autodesk Construction Cloud mobile app, teams can get access to project data (even when they’re offline) and all the project management tools they need in the field, including accessing project files and models, creating sheet markups, editing quality and safety checklists, viewing RFIs, creating and resolving issues, capturing progress photos, and more.
1. Download the Autodesk Construction Cloud Mobile App
Go to the App Store or Google Play Store on your mobile device to download the Autodesk Construction Cloud mobile app.
PRO TIP: Once users get started on mobile, they can access their account on web to create a new project.
2. Access Data Online and Offline
- Teams are able to work on-site without internet access.
- They can have access to project data and complete essential tasks when working offline. Once back online, all changes will be synced back to the cloud.
3. Complete Tasks on the Jobsite
In addition to having access to all crucial project data, teams can complete all essential tasks without having to leave the jobsite.
Most common mobile workflows include:
- Viewing sheets
- Creating markups
- Tracking issues and RFIs
- Editing checklists and daily reports
- Capturing photos
PRO TIP: After creating a project on web, users can perform field workflows on the Autodesk Construction Cloud mobile app.