Collaboration: How do you use Sheet Sets (SSM)

[SeeMSixty7]

Hello everyone,

I am putting together a blog post for a recent survey I posted online to in regard to index sheets. One of the options was for utilizing Sheet Sets to generate drawing indexes.

I was hoping to get some feedback on how people utilize the sheet sets and some of the functionality they use of Sheet Sets and Sheet Set Manager.

If you use Sheet Sets, please let me know what your general process is and what benefits you get from using them.

Here is the Survey

Thank you and have a great day,

[SeeMSixty7]

Thanks @Anonymous, I was wondering if you would chime in. I know you are a big fan of Page Setups. I thought you would be taking advantage of Sheet Sets too.

Thank you I appreciate the input.

[SeeMSixty7]

@ArchD Thanks again for the response on this. Since you don't force the issue on using  SSM, the index functionality would be inconsistent, wouldn't it, since that data is from SSM, That would mean an attribute that overrode the field value in the drawing would not reflect the value presented in the index generated by SSM, right?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

@SeeMSixty7

Sheet sets don't provide us much benefit that we haven't provided by other means.  Nearly all of the advantages offered by sheet sets (title block control, indexing, transmittal, etc.) are already provided to us by our document management system, which we need anyway for the plethora of documents we produce unrelated to AutoCAD.  And we handle plotting via page setups and saved sets (if desired), so there is little return on investment in sheet sets for us.  

[ArchD]

It is possible to have drawings apart of the Sheet Set dst that do not have any data linked to the title block. In that case you can still create a sheet index while manually handling the title block data. You would still get the option to create sheet views for detail referencing, plotting and other features if you wanted to.

The SSM allows you to get as involved with it as you want, or as little as you want. You may want to pick and choose which features to implement.

[ArchD]

We are looking for a solution for multi-office setup. We are looking into Vault, but would like to hear other setups. Our issue now is that people move files from server to server based on their office. We would like something that can be synced between offices, create metadata that can be linked in the title blocks, similar to the SSM.

Do you mind me asking what your solution is in your office?

[dgorsman]

We don't use sheet sets as they require more work than benefits for us.  Many of our actual title-blocked drawings are model space, so that takes out attribute management.  That's the biggest barrier to adoption here.  As for organizing "drawing sets", the amount of time it takes get everything hooked up isn't significantly different than not doing so.

[john.vellek]

Hi @benboggs2053,

Here is an article on the SheetSet command. It includes links to other articles such as sheet views and callouts.  If you read through these and then want to attach some drawings such as titleblock, callout blocks, and a template file, I can try to help you make a sheetset template that you can work from.

We should likely start a new thread for all of that however so we don't divert from the intent of this one.

[Anonymous]

That is correct although I would say the only way to "lock" them is to put them on a layer and lock the layer. At least someone would need to deliberately unlock the layer to edit them. Keep in mind there are "standard" fields but you can create custom fields. There are "Sheet SET Custom" which applies to the entire set of drawings, example, Submittal Date, Project Name, etc. and there are "Sheet Custom" which applies to the individual sheet, ie, drawn by, designed by, sheet number, etc.



Kelly Stallman
Design Technology Director
KPG|TACOMA * SEATTLE * WENATCHEE
Interdisciplinary Design
3131 Elliott Avenue, Suite 400
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 267-1029 Direct
(206) 353-9851 Cell

[Anonymous]

We don't give people options. Our philosophy is that you do the same thing on every job, no matter how big, so anyone can work on any job if people are gone and you have to step in. Consistancy is key.



Kelly

[Anonymous]

That's fantastic. I would just say if firms don't use any DM and haven't used SSM, it is a great tool to implement. It will save you time and headaches but must be done correctly.



Kelly

[ArchD]

I wish I was given the authority to implement standards with no exception. I was hired just over a year ago here to help move the company forward into using Civil 3D. Unfortunately they were behind on basic AutoCAD, so introducing them to annotative scaled objects, tool palettes, shared templates, plot settings, actions, and support paths is just now taking hold thanks to monthly CAD meetings that were never were. Most of the things are new to the CAD Manager himself, so I'm having to slowly introduce and train him to be able to add changes company wide over 10+ offices.

I am hoping that in the future we can lock it down to one written standard. Unfortunately we're not there yet, but I agree whole-heartedly that there should be a standard in place that everyone follows. So SeeMSixty7, if you have that authority to enforce standards in that way, then yes, lock it down! I would if I could.

[SeeMSixty7]

I don't use Sheet Sets. I am trying to just put together a blog on how they are used to highlight Pros and Cons of using them. Hopefully to promote utilizing single source data points. SSM is used quite a bit, but could be used more.

I use a database system that I developed to do all the stuff in relation to what most of Sheet Set does and other features that are not related to Sheet sets.

One Feature of my Database System Approach is Title Block Data:

The Database system I implement works with the Titleblock attribute data. It can work with a Document Management system as well if one is in place. The Data can be bi-directional or single direction. Bi directional means the database updates the drawing title block data and the Title Block updates the Database. Single direction means the Drawing Title Block updates the database. When the file is saved the, AutoCAD pushes the Title Block Data to the Database so the database reflects what is in the drawing file. The user can update the title block manually or via some other means. The database has a historical data, much like a document management system, but not as extensive, as that is a EDMS's job. The Database information can be used as a source for Drawing Status Reports, Drawing Index creation, Transmittals, Synchronizing data with EDMS and more. 

Project or discipline title block consistency.

The database can also be used to populate attributes automatically much like a ProjectNumber Field. It insures the data is what it is supposed to be per the project specs and or discipline requirements. Drawing location is not a concern as specs are all maintained at the project level.

I will do a much better write up on all this on the blog when I get it completed. Everyone can see some of the pros and cons of theses systems then too.

Thanks again for all the input.

[Anonymous]

I use SSM to populate the title block on the drawing in addition to generating the drawing index. Also, I find SSM the easiest way to publish.

[Anonymous]

You can PUBLISH without sheet sets as long as a page setup has been defined somewhere.  Then you can save and/or append saved lists of drawings.

[Anonymous]

ArchD you need to email me! Where are you located?

Kelly Stallman
kelly@kpg.com
Design Technology Director
KPG|TACOMA * SEATTLE * WENATCHEE
Interdisciplinary Design
3131 Elliott Avenue, Suite 400
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 267-1029 Direct
(206) 353-9851 Cell

[ArchD]

I sent you a private message. 

[MMcCall402]

I've been using the SSM for the past 12 yrs for any project with 3 or more sheets.  Theres a template file for new SSMs and drawing template files are pre-loaded with title blocks with fields. Tabs are pre-named with the intended title for that sheet so they populate the SSM with that name as the initial sheet title. The SSM pushes it back to the title block via the attribute field.  12 of the 13 title block attributes come from the SSM. The 13th is the drawing scale. That one is a field linked to the viewport that came with the drawing template.

Sheet indexes and publishing are done from the SSM.  Once a SSM is in place I open drawings from it as well.

My favorite thing to do is to be working in one drawing, open the SSM from another project, set the publish of a selection of requested sheets in motion, and then return to what I was doing while it publishes drawings from the other set in the back ground.

Attributes are not locked. I left them open for manual needs.

[SeeMSixty7]

@MMcCall402 Thank you for your response. It sounds like you have things well laid out and setup. Can I ask about your environment? Are you part of a production company or an engineering company. The reason I ask is, that typically something so well laid out an structured is the luxury of a production company. I tis not unheard of for an engineering firm, but typically client specs override company standards.

I am really glad to hear that you have a long run of success, and probably know a number of in an outs for Sheet Sets as well.

Again, Thank you!

Clint

[MMcCall402]

We are a Civil Engineering/Survey/Structural/Environmental company, one office with about 70 employees.  Cad department is 3 full time Civil 3D users and one off-site part-timer.  Our plans are geared towards getting development approvals from various state, county & municipal agencies.  How we assemble the CAD end of it is up to us as we only need to submit signed and seal paper prints.  On a few rare occasions we will be a sub-consultant on a project and have plans under under the title block of the main engineering firm. We adapt to their way of assembly and use the SSM just to organize and publish.

[pkolarik]

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@SeeMSixty7 wrote:

@MMcCall402 Thank you for your response. It sounds like you have things well laid out and setup. Can I ask about your environment? Are you part of a production company or an engineering company. The reason I ask is, that typically something so well laid out an structured is the luxury of a production company. I tis not unheard of for an engineering firm, but typically client specs override company standards.

I am really glad to hear that you have a long run of success, and probably know a number of in an outs for Sheet Sets as well.

Again, Thank you!

Clint

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Much like MMcCall402, we've been using SSM here for all autocad-based projects for the past 9 years. We're an engineering firm that does most every discipline and it works very well across our 25 or so users.

There are many times where we're required to use client standards (titleblocks, layers, etc) and I simply create new SSM-compatible material to work with what the client needs.

SSM has helped to eliminate thousands upon thousands of dollars in user errors over the years we've been using it, but as others said "It has to be used correctly", by everyone on the project.