Problem
Forma Design Collaboration is a key module in Autodesk Forma for managing multidisciplinary design workflows through teams, packages, and timelines. However, there is currently no public API to access or manage this data programmatically.
In addition, there is no way to configure or manage Design Collaboration setup (teams, team spaces, permissions, and project structure) via API.
Why this matters
Customers adopting APS are building connected, automated ecosystems across Forma. While APIs exist for Data Management, Model Coordination and other modules, Design Collaboration remains a critical gap, especially since both data access and initial setup must be handled manually.
Without API support, teams cannot:
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Automate project setup (teams, folders, team spaces, permissions)
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Standardize Design Collaboration configurations across projects
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Access or manage packages and timelines programmatically
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Integrate workflows with external systems
This creates friction, inconsistency between projects, and limits scalability.
Proposed capability
Provide a public API for Design Collaboration that covers both setup/configuration and workflow data, including:
1. Setup & Configuration
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Create and manage teams
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Configure team spaces and linked folders
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Manage permissions and access control
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Standardize project templates and configurations
2. Design Collaboration Data & Workflows
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Access packages (list, metadata, versions, status)
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Publish/share/consume packages programmatically
- Retrieve timeline and activity data
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Webhooks/events for package lifecycle actions
Example use cases
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Automatically provision Design Collaboration setup when a new project is created
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Enforce company standards across all projects
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Trigger workflows when packages are shared or consumed
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Build dashboards tracking design progress across disciplines
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Integrate with QA/QC, scheduling, or ERP systems
Impact
This would unlock full lifecycle automation for Design Collaboration, from project setup to design coordination, and align it with the rest of the APS ecosystem.
It would significantly reduce manual effort, improve consistency, and enable scalable integrations for customers and partners.
