Join the Conversation: May Webinar Q&A + Recording

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Thank you to everyone who joined us for the May Autodesk Tandem webinar! We had a great session covering new workflows, AI exploration, and the future of digital twins.

If you missed the session or want to revisit any part of it, you can watch the full webinar recording here: https://intandem.autodesk.com/resource/webinar-2026-may/

As always, there were a lot of thoughtful questions from the audience. We’ve compiled the full Q&A from the session below, organized by topic, so you can easily find the information most relevant to you. If you have any follow-up questions or want to continue the conversation, comment below. We’d love to hear from you

Digital Twin Fundamentals

• Q: What is the difference between a Digital Twin and Autodesk Tandem?
  A: Autodesk Tandem is the platform used to create, manage, and operate digital twins. Tandem is the tool; the digital twin is the outcome.
• Q: Is Tandem intended only for facilities?
  A: Today, Tandem is primarily focused on facilities and building operations.

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BIM, CAD, Reality Capture & Digital Twin Creation

• Q: Can a digital twin still be interactive if I only have 2D CAD and non-BIM information?
  A: Yes. A digital twin built from 2D CAD and non-BIM data can still support asset management and operational workflows. BIM models provide a richer 3D experience and more contextual relationships.
  
  
• Q: Can drone imagery be converted into a point cloud directly within Tandem?
  A: No. Tandem does not perform photogrammetry processing. Drone imagery must first be processed in tools such as Autodesk RReCap Pro.
  
  
• Q: Can drone-captured building exteriors be used to accelerate digital twin creation?
  A: Yes. Reality capture data can help accelerate digital twin development, but Tandem works best with structured BIM or asset data rather than raw point clouds alone.
  
  
• Q: Is ReCap Pro → BIM → Tandem a valid workflow?
  A: Yes. Any scan-to-BIM workflow that results in a Revit, IFC, or supported model format can be used to populate Tandem.
  
  
• Q: Is ReCap Pro the preferred scan-to-BIM workflow?
  A: It is one common approach, but any workflow that produces Revit, IFC, or supported model formats can work effectively.

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Standards, Data Models & Interoperability

• Q: Does Tandem support standards such as IFC?
  A: Yes. Tandem supports industry standards such as IFC, COBie, and other BuildingSMART-aligned data structures.
  
  
• Q: Can Tandem work with third-party ontologies, such as those from the Digital Twin Consortium?
  A: Yes. Tandem can work with data aligned to external ontologies and standards through classifications, custom metadata, APIs, and integrations, although it does not natively implement DTC ontologies.
  
  
• Q: How important is COBie in the Tandem ecosystem?
  A: COBie provides a standardized foundation for asset and facility data at handover. It is often the starting point for a digital twin, which can later be enriched with IoT, analytics, and operational data.

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IoT, Analytics & Operations

• Q: How do we get from IoT integration to predictive analytics?
  A: Tandem provides the operational context, but predictive analytics typically requires an external analytics, AI, or IoT platform. Tandem helps connect sensor data to spaces, assets, and systems.
  
  
• Q: Do sensors need to be certified or approved by Tandem?
  A: Not necessarily. Autodesk maintains a list of verified partners, but other sensors can often be integrated using Tandem Connect and supported integration methods.
  
  
• Q: Can Tandem send email or text alerts when values go out of range?
  A: Yes. Tandem alerts can be exposed through webhooks and integrated with tools such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, CMMS platforms, or other notification systems.

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Asset Management & Enterprise Integration

• Q: Does Tandem integrate with EAM or CMMS systems?
  A: Yes. Tandem can integrate with external systems using APIs and other integration methods. Asset information, work orders, documents, metadata, and links can be synchronized between platforms.
  
  
• Q: Can data be published to a web portal for users without Tandem licenses?
  A: Yes. Data can be exposed through APIs, Tandem Connect, custom applications, or exported datasets.

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Viewer & User Experience

• Q: Are interactive features available in the embedded Tandem Web Viewer?
  A: Yes. Users can navigate models, search assets, view properties, and interact with digital twin data directly within the embedded viewer.
  
  
• Q: Can users create their own saved views?
  A: Yes. Users can create saved views and dashboards based on their permissions. Private user-specific views are not currently on the roadmap.
  
  
• Q: Can asset labels be shown without room or level labels?
  A: Currently, room and level labels must be enabled to display asset labels.

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Civil Infrastructure & Industry Applications

• Q: Can digital twins support site design, grading, drainage, and civil infrastructure?
  A: Yes. Digital twins are increasingly being applied to infrastructure, including grading, drainage, utilities, transportation, and site development projects.
  
  
• Q: Are there plans to expand Tandem into mining?
  A: Autodesk has not announced specific plans, but mining is a natural area for digital twin adoption due to its focus on assets, infrastructure, and operations.
  
  
• Q: How does Tandem support pharmaceutical and regulated environments?
  A: Tandem can be part of a compliant digital ecosystem, but GxP and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance are typically achieved through the broader validated solution architecture rather than Tandem alone.

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BIM Authoring & Project Delivery

• Q: How early should digital twin planning begin?
  A: As early as possible. During site scanning and Revit modeling, focus on consistent asset data, classifications, naming conventions, and owner requirements.
  
  
• Q: Should BIM models be highly data-rich from the start?
  A: It is generally better to be intentional and focus on operationally relevant information rather than collecting excessive data that may never be used.
  
  
• Q: How does a Tandem model compare to a BIM model?
  A: Revit models are optimized for design and construction. Tandem models are optimized for operations and typically contain a curated subset of data, making them lighter and easier to manage.
  
  
• Q: How much setup can be done in Revit before moving to Tandem?
  A: Most of it. Parameters, classifications, naming standards, space relationships, system relationships, and document links can all be established during design and construction.

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Asset Definition & Data Quality

• Q: Can Tandem be used earlier for model validation and data conditioning?
  A: This is a common request. Today, most completeness and validation tools are asset-focused. Expanding these capabilities to design properties before elements become assets would help teams use Tandem earlier in the project lifecycle.
  
  
• Q: Could the definition of an "asset" be expanded in the future?
  A: Many customers have requested greater flexibility around asset definitions and design-stage validation. While there are no announced roadmap commitments, the goal of supporting the digital thread from design through operations aligns with industry demand.

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Administration & Identity

• Q: Can Tandem connect to Active Directory?
  A: Yes. Tandem uses Autodesk Single Sign-On, which can be configured with enterprise identity providers such as Active Directory.

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Learning Resources

• Q: Where can I learn more about Tandem Platform Console and Tandem Connect?
  A: The best resources are Autodesk Tandem Help Documentation, Tandem Connect documentation, in-product Help resources, and Autodesk Platform Services (APS) documentation. These provide guidance on integrations, APIs, workflows, and platform administration.