Family best practice, small firm

[yes_and_no]

Guys,

We are small, and some still work from home, fingers cross. We don't have a bim manager per se.

What we did to update our families is : Everyone start from OTB families (not anymore). Once the need arises, anyone can modify and save the family as same name with version no and initial, like "DR-INT-v6HN", and save to cloud. That allows people either can stay with OTB or latest changes or update to near version. If curious, he/she can ask the person with initial what has been changed and use it with risk, but no blame (ha ha).

It works for us so far, but maybe some other small office may have different approach ? Anyone ?

[mhiserZFHXS]

Are your families not parametric? What types of changes are you talking about to go from one version to the next?

[ToanDN]

So you might have had DR-INT-v5BS and DR-INT-v6HM in the same project which are only slightly different?  Sounds like a recipe for wasting time.

[yes_and_no]

If I have both versions 5 and 6, meaning I m using v6 as latest, and I am
free to delete earlier versions (or not). There maybe only a little bit
different between v5 and v6 but who cares, use it at your own risk. We of
course getting to use the ones with initial of the more Rv experienced
person, but no one feels empowered or getting into argue who s wright or
wrong. This also allows you to delete your own version from the cloud
without fear effecting the office.

[ToanDN]

---

@yes_and_no wrote:
If I have both versions 5 and 6, meaning I m using v6 as latest, and I am
free to delete earlier versions (or not). There maybe only a little bit
different between v5 and v6 but who cares, use it at your own risk. We of
course getting to use the ones with initial of the more Rv experienced
person, but no one feels empowered or getting into argue who s wright or
wrong. This also allows you to delete your own version from the cloud
without fear effecting the office.

---

Maybe I misunderstand your workflow.  But if how do you replace v5 family with v6 family in a project?  

[yes_and_no]

I don't think this Q wd come from you, a Rv master.

[ToanDN]

Then enlighten me see him w much I misunderstood your workflow.

[yes_and_no]

Ok, I select all v5 in entire project and select the v6 from the property
tab, given you have to insert v6 priorely.

[ToanDN]

Yeah that's what I expected you were doing all along. I would refrain from doing that but whatever float your boat.

In the end, I didn't misunderstand you a bit and my statement in the first response stands.

[yes_and_no]

Interesting. Except for tittle family, so far we have no problem
doing that, and didn't hear anyone says anything about such way. I wonder
why.

[RobDraw]

---

@yes_and_no wrote:
There maybe only a little bit different between v5 and v6 but who cares, use it at your own risk. 

---

It's not only the users risk. In an office with loose or zero standards and no one to manage the library, there probably isn't a better way.

[yes_and_no]

We do have people came from hok or som or whatever big firm with big gun
bim manager/office policy that only policing creativity. Nothing to lose
here actually, we always have OTB family to fall back on; did you read my
original post ? I didn't say this is the best either, that s why I created
this post to see other alternatives.

[RobDraw]

Did I read your original post?

I don't know what your looking for. You seem proud of doing cowboy CAD and resistant to what you already know is better. I've got nothing more for you. 

Good luck.

[barthbradley]

I don't understand the whole back and forth going on here. It's crazy confusing.  But I think the gist of your original question is about content management.   I would suggest doing some research into that.  You might even consider third-party content management systems such as HIVE.  

Start your research  here:  

https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/Necessity-Content-Management-and-Project-Analyt...