Plans Vs Project Files

[mikemassey]

Which folder is the preferred folder to use for syncing Revit models when using Design, Plans or Project Files?

[KyleB_Autodesk · Accepted solution]

For now, Project Files.

There are unfortunately limitations in the Plans folder currently that preclude the use of controlled worksharing there -> you cannot copy versions of cloud workshared models to other folders in the Plans folder section, so no ability for one team to control the version of models that other teams are working against (a key part of controlled cloud worksharing).  So for now, Project Files allows the best experience.  We're working to remove the underlying limitation, and allow the full cloud worksharing experience in any data space on next gen BIM 360.

-Kyle

[martyn_messerli]

@mikemassey Thank you for the question.

To take advantage of the "low-trust" approach of Design Collaboration you might want to have a look at this aritcle: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/bim-360-design-collaboration/set-up-teams-and-folders-comfortably-wit...

Before you start sharing you have to setup a project using the Design Collaboration Project Administrator. This will create all the required folders within "/Project Files". At the moment we do not support the "/Plans" folder for file Share and Consume workflow of Design Collaboration.

Here also a link explaining the "low-trust" approach:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/bim-360-design-collaboration/linking-cloud-workshared-models-in-bim-3...

Regards,

Martyn

[JADAstudio]

FYI, Autodesk email support just directed me to create a subfolder within "plans" and use that at the repository for cloud workshared models. Some weirdness occurred. Project Files seems to work much better.

[KyleB_Autodesk]

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@JADAstudio wrote:

FYI, Autodesk email support just directed me to create a subfolder within "plans" and use that at the repository for cloud workshared models. Some weirdness occurred. Project Files seems to work much better.

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Thanks for the heads up.  I'll send you a PM to get the case ID, so we can ensure the right message is being communicated here.

-Kyle

[Anonymous]

Is this still the case? Plans folder or Project files folder is the best currently?

[JADAstudio]

My understanding and experience has been to use the Project Files folder.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply. I am hoping for an Autodesk employee to come in and update us as well.

According to this help link, I would think we would get the most functionality out of having our models in the "plans" folder:

http://help.autodesk.com/view/BIM360D/ENU/?guid=GUID-9B58CB2C-0519-47B0-9199-4535577B594A

Auto Hyperlinking seems like the intelligent thing to want. According to the help link, you only get that when using Project Files" folder as your Revit model location. The only other thing I could think is that maybe the intent was to use the upload from the web feature of your pdf's to get the hyperlinking functionality and not publish any other views except your 3D view to the project files folder.....

[ErikFrandsen]

If "project files" folder is the best place for the cloud sharing model to be saved in how do you typically manage getting the Revit model into the "plans" folder and keeping it updated?  Do we need to "download source file" of the Revit file over in "Project Files" and then upload that Revit model to the "plans" folder on a scheduled routine?  We would like to use the cool stuff that the "plans" folder does with the Revit file by separating it down into the sheets and 3D views.  This allows us to use the "Review workflow" feature as well by "submitting for review" certain sheets of the Revit file.  We would be using the Revit file instead of PDFs for sheet reviews.  Just curious how that workflow is intended to work.

Thanks

[ArthurDuguay]

My "really" main concern with BIM360 is workflow ! I want to know creator's mindset in order to set mine accordingly.. We use project files / Plans, but I discovered Project Collaboration.. Does that mean it flush Plans files since this project collaboration create their own workflow.. From design collaboration, can I send a transmittal ? From those sets created from design collaboration, is there anything that appear in document management to manage those published, shared and consumed model/sheets ? I would really like to see a typical workflow + tree view of folder, for an engineering consultant firm !