Working on Multiple Projects

[smbrennan]

As a BIM Manager, I often find myself having to work in Revit 2019 & Revit 2020 due to project requirements. With our network license model, I know I'm pulling 2x licenses when I do this. 

How will this be handled with the new subscription model? Will I be able to open 2 different versions of the same software simultaneously? Or will I be forced to close 1 application down to open another just to make a quick change to a family? 

[Mark.Lancaster]

@smbrennan 

This is permitted as long as the application allows for it.  For example Inventor 2019 and Inventor 2020 can't running at the same time due to shared registry entries.

Also At one time there was a business rule (but never enforced) stated only 2 applications could be launched at any given time but that rule is no longer in play.

Update:  This is only based on for subscription and its on the same machine (launch of the 2 applications).     It sounds like you currently not subscribing to a Collection and etc?  If you were, you shouldn't be consuming 2 licenses.

[Anonymous]

Adding to Mark's reply - this is the article that explains that if you have an AEC Collection and want to run Revit 2019 and 2020 simultaneously, it will only take 1 license:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Industry-Collections-Lic...

If you have a regular Revit-only license, then it will take two.

[lena.talkhina]

Hello @smbrennan !

Thank you for your question, I am looking into this and will let you know when receive the answer.

[lena.talkhina]

@smbrennan thank you for the waiting.

As I learned so far, one named user can not use 2 versions at the same time. I am discovering on a question if one named user can own more than one subscription for the same product and will let you know when receive the answer.

If we are talking about previous versions of the product, then yes, you allow to use supported versions of product.

Also, you can install product on 3 different devices by one named user but use only one at the time.

Don't hesitate to provide more information if I went too far from original question.

Thank you!

[smbrennan]

Hi @lena.talkhina ,

Thank you for looking further into this. 

In the first paragraph you state that I can not use 2 versions at the same time. However, in the second you say if they are previous versions, then I am allowed to use those. 

So does that mean that I'm entitled for the current release + 3 prior versions, but I can not have 2 versions open simultaneously?

In a working example, I can have Revit 2020 all the way down to 2017 installed on my machine, but will not be able to open Revit 2020 and Revit 2019 simultaneously. Is that correct? 

Thanks again. 

[Mark.Lancaster]

@lena.talkhina 

Although @smbrennan  beat me for a reply..   Something doesn't seem right here...

Named accounts have always allowed for this.   Like I can use Revit 2019 and 2020 at the same time or Revit 2019 and AutoCAd 2020 at the same time.

[lena.talkhina]

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@smbrennan  написал (-а):

Hi @lena.talkhina ,

Thank you for looking further into this. 

In the first paragraph you state that I can not use 2 versions at the same time. However, in the second you say if they are previous versions, then I am allowed to use those. 

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Oh, I am sorry. I meant 2 different seats. Like if you use multi-user you borrow 2 licenses from 1 server.
For the named users the same you should own 2 seats. But I didn't get the answer about how to add 2 seats of the same product in one named user account.

[lena.talkhina]

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@smbrennan  написал (-а):

So does that mean that I'm entitled for the current release + 3 prior versions, but I can not have 2 versions open simultaneously?

In a working example, I can have Revit 2020 all the way down to 2017 installed on my machine, but will not be able to open Revit 2020 and Revit 2019 simultaneously. Is that correct? 

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I would say yes, this is correct.
But I need double check on this one.

[amanda.k]

Hi @smbrennan ,

I was working with @lena.talkhina at providing an answer to your question.

You stated:

"So does that mean that I'm entitled for the current release + 3 prior versions, but I can not have 2 versions open simultaneously?

In a working example, I can have Revit 2020 all the way down to 2017 installed on my machine, but will not be able to open Revit 2020 and Revit 2019 simultaneously. Is that correct? "

You are correct in your example - no more than one version/copy be active (that is, be "accessed and used") by a named user at a time.  The SLA allows concurrent installation and sequential, not simultaneous, access and use. In your example you would need to sign out of Revit 2020, sign into Revit 2019, make your changes, and then sign out and re-login to Revit 2020 in order to remain in compliance. 

Thank you for the question, and I hope this helped.

[smbrennan]

Thanks @amanda.k . 

I know right now, since we're use BIM 360, I'm signed into Revit, AutoCAD, and Navisworks. I attached an image showing that. I know AutoCAD and depending on the project, Navisworks, is not using any BIM 360 functionality. But for Revit, I currently don't have to sign out and sign in every time I use the software. Is this workflow different when using named accounts? Are there any videos demonstrating this process? 

Sorry for the rudimentary questions, we don't have named users, just a license server - so a lot of these concepts are new to me. I'm just trying to get as much of a handle on this as possible. We are up for renewal in May and I'd like to have some answers before we make the switch so I can properly support/train our staff. 

[Mark.Lancaster]

@amanda.k 

Granted I may have been assuming @smbrennan  was using a Collection but in the terms here https://www.autodesk.com/company/terms-of-use/en/subscription-types

it states that "Likewise, for a Collection, Your Authorized User may install the Software titles in a Collection collectively on up to three (3) Electronic Devices. Your Authorized User may simultaneously use any Software titles in the Collection, provided that any such use is only on one (1) Electronic Device at a time."

So if there's clear statement that you can't do this under different version, can you point to that verbiage?

[amanda.k]

Hi @smbrennan,

Please don’t apologize! That’s why we are here, to answer your questions. We also appreciate you asking to understand the details of the licensing.

You’re correct that right now, unless you specifically take the action to sign out of your software, you stay signed in. If you need to log out to open a new version, or let someone else take over your workstation and they need to log in with their licenses, check out this article – How to Sign Out of Autodesk Software. Please so be aware if you have two factor authentication turned on, when you sign out, you may be prompted to re-authenticate yourself for security purposes. You can read more about the two factor authentication here (how to turn it on and off).

If you don't see the option for signing out of Revit, let me know. I'll download it and make a quick Screencast.

[Anonymous]

I will admit I am confused about Autodesk responses in this thread. 

As far as I am aware, running an Industry Collection (whether as a Named User or as a network license) should only consume one license regardless of how many different products and versions are open. Source: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Industry-Collections-Lic...

I stand by my interpretation. Even the Terms of Use mention:

Single-User

If Your subscription is described as “single-user,” “individual” or “named user,” then You may only assign such subscription to one (1) of Your Authorized Users. The Authorized User must (i) be identified by a unique user identification (“Autodesk ID”) and (ii) be an individual, not a group or associated with a generic login (except as permitted below). The Authorized User must log in using his or her Autodesk ID to install and/or access each Offering, and no one else may access and/or use such Offerings using the same Autodesk ID.

Your Authorized User may install Software on up to three (3) Electronic Devices; however, Your Authorized User may only use the Software on one (1) Electronic Device at a time.

Likewise, for a Collection, Your Authorized User may install the Software titles in a Collection collectively on up to three (3) Electronic Devices. Your Authorized User may simultaneously use any Software titles in the Collection, provided that any such use is only on one (1) Electronic Device at a time.

You may reassign Your single-user subscription from one individual Authorized User to another individual Authorized User if You follow Autodesk’s policy and process for reassignment.

If Your subscription for single-user Offering authorizes a “Generic Login,” then Your generic login and associated rights to the subscription Offering may only be used by one (1) individual Authorized User at a time and may not be shared and/or used by any other individual simultaneously.

Based on the information provided by OP in this thread I believe @smbrennan has a multi-user (network) seat of AEC Collection, so only 1 seat should be consumed when he runs Revit 2019 and Revit 2020. If two are consumed, I believe this issue might be the reason:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/License-Error-4-132-0-or...

[amanda.k]

Hi @Mark.Lancaster  and  @smbrennan,

Thank you so much for your patience while I got a definitive answer to your questions on accessing different versions /products in the collections with named user access.

Whatever Previous versions you(in-policy plus any grandfathered previous versions) for each product in the Collection may be installed concurrently/simultaneously on up to 3 electronic devices.

The use of the product is limited to sequential use, which means you can be actively accessing and using (interacting with) only one version of one product on one device at a time. Of course you can switch between products as you wish – 20 seconds using AutoCAD on your smart phone, switch to Revit for 30 minutes on your laptop, then switch to AutoCAD on the laptop, etc. What would not be allowed is two products or two versions of the same product being accessed and used (interacted with) simultaneously as this would mean different users are using a single user’s account which would be non-compliant.

It's not whether a product or version is “open” on a device but rather whether it is actually being accessed and used (i.e., actively interacted with) by the user. Concurrent active interaction (access and use) to more than one app at once indicates more than one person (user) is using a single entitlement.

Short version: You can have multiple products with the Collection open, including multiple versions of the same product, as long as you are not actively interacting with them at the same time (which would be impossible since you’re only one person).

Again, my apologies about the wait. I hope this clears things up, and I apologize about the confusing verbiage earlier as well!

Sincerely,

Amanda

[Mark.Lancaster]

@amanda.k 

Thanks for the update...

This statement "Short version: You can have multiple products with the Collection open, including multiple versions of the same product, as long as you are not actively interacting with them at the same time (which would be impossible since you’re only one person)."

It is possible..  Meaning someone could be running automated steps in one product version and then switch to another version of that same product and start working there..   In the end it would clarify it is not possible to do so..  😁

[AllenJessup]

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@amanda.k wrote:

Short version: You can have multiple products with the Collection open, including multiple versions of the same product, as long as you are not actively interacting with them at the same time (which would be impossible since you’re only one person).

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Thanks for clearing that up. That sounds much better.

[chriswade]

It depends on how you defining interacting at the same time, for example, I have Project A open in 2019 and Project B open in 2020 and I then copy and paste from Project A into Project B. I would count this as interacting with both versions at the same time, yet I am only one person, on one machine doing this. And it may be that this is from Revit and I have to open the project in each of these different versions.

This is actually a perfectly valid and normal workflow for many people, so can you please confirm this will still be possible?

[lynn_zhang]

Hi @chriswade 

Thank you so much for your patience while we were seeking clarification with our internal team. We hear your feedback and that's a valid point! The answer to your scenario is yes, it will still be possible. As long as you're the same single user and you're using the products in a sequential order, it is fine. The scenario you mentioned is sequential - copying from 2019 (transaction 1) and pasting in 2020 (transaction 2), so it's allowed.

Hope this clarifies. Let us know if there's anything else we can help you with. 🙂

[chriswade]

What if you need to copy from say 2015 to 2020? This is still a common workflow for many.