Webinar Q&A! See what attendees asked during our June 2024 webinar.

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Thank you to everyone who was able to join our June 2024 webinar. Those who missed it can watch the recording here. 

We hope you enjoyed this back-to-basics demo and the product update from the product team. Don’t forget to join our Insider Lounge to see the latest feature the team is working on. The Insider Lounge is the place to test out our beta features and share insights that will help the team continue to improve Tandem and make it a more meaningful product. 

Questions and Answers from the webinar are below, and we’ll see everyone at our next one! 

API/IoT 

• Is there a way you could potentially share these dashboards on a screen in your office without the need to open Tandem? For example, you could publish a dashboard in Power BI for users who don’t use it. 
  We have an API that could be used to extract data and use it with Power BI. You could publish a dashboard in this way. We have an API that could be used to extract data and use it with power BI. 
   
• Can you trigger an update to the Stream data in Tandem?  Or is it just historical stream data? 
  You can certainly trigger updates to stream data in Tandem. It can be updated as frequently as every minute if required. 
   

Asset Data 

• Are their suppliers providing the asset data as drag-and-drop components, so the designer does not have to enter it all? 
  For some suppliers who provide this service, you can just enter the asset ID, and the rest of the parameters are automatically populated based on an external catalog or database. 
   
• Is it possible to back up older data export to DWFX (NWD, NWC…)? Is it possible to export data to Power BI with IFC? How many viewers/guest users can use it? 
  You can export geometry data from Tandem. You can integrate with Power BI and other similar dashboards. The Viewer/guest depends on the license type. 
   
• Once you create view templates/filters, can we export these settings for new projects? 
  Yes! Templates can be shared across multiple facilities. 
   
• Are there plans to integrate digital twins from photographic sources such as those obtained for existing buildings with, say, Matterport cameras? 
  If you have 360 photos from Matterport or navVis, then we can link their URLs to relevant rooms/spaces in Tandem. 
   

Auto-views 

• For auto views, if an element spans multiple levels, how does the level section/room view work? 
  The level section works from the top until it reaches the level containing the asset. In this case, it will stop at the highest level the asset belongs to. 

File Format 

• Does Tandem and Fabrication CADMEP Content work together? 
  Tandem currently supports Revit and IFC file formats. Support for AutoCAD 3D DWG, Navisworks, and Plant3D is available in beta. Tandem is not yet optimized for beta formats, and you may encounter some data quality issues. 
   
• Which file formats does Tandem support? 
  Tandem Currently supports Revit and IFC file formats. Currently, DWG, NWD, and NWC formats are in beta, which you can sign up for here in the Insider Lounge. Note that Tandem is a 3D first experience, so we specifically support 3D data in DWG. 
   
• Can Tandem be used in Civil 3D? 
  Tandem primarily focuses on vertical buildings, but customers use it on bridges, tunnels, and sites as well. At this point, we do not recommend Tandem for long linear infrastructure. Over time, Autodesk Tandem will support other Autodesk formats, open formats, and other authoring solutions. Customer input will drive specific formats and timing. 
  
  If you are familiar with DWG/NWD file formats, we currently have DWG/NWD Importer in beta. You can opt-in to that beta after joining the Insider Lounge here. 

• Is there an intent to bring together Plant3D and Tandem? 
  DWG file formats are currently in beta. We would love for you to discuss Plant3D in more detail. Join the beta here.  
   

• Is it possible to load the model from BIM360/ACC directly? 
  Yes, you can browse your ACC project when adding models to Tandem. 

FM/Owners 

• Is Tandem intended to be for building owners/facilities staff to interact with directly, or is it intended for design/construction entities to interact with and provide an output for the building owner/facilities teams? 
  Tandem is intended for both building owners and design/construction firms. Tandem can be used by construction firms to build and hand over a digital twin to the owner. The owner can then use the digital twin for facility operations/monitoring. 
   
• If it complements CMMS and BMS systems, what's the incentive to get additional software in the workflow? 
  These environments don't work together today. Tandem acts as a unified data layer bringing data together for both visualization and analytics. Owners often have dozens of disparate systems, and Tandem can bring all of that data together to improve decision-making and optimize operations. 
   
• Can ownership of a Tandem project be easily transferred to a new owner? 
  Yes! Our recently released Facility Transfer feature will do this. To learn more, check out this resource. 
  
  
• How can Tandem be used to create work orders, or to update, especially in reference to Eptura? 
  Our relationship with Eptura started with onboarding assets into Eptura. So, as we showed that dashboard and the data that was collected, we want to establish the existence and information for those assets within Eptura as an asset management system. 
  
  Future steps will include bidirectional interaction where that is populating information back in Tandem, but as data is edited on either side, we keep them in sync over time. 
  
  Additionally, a future step will be incorporating a ticket workflow where we can visualize that information against the assets that are contained within Tandem, or potentially launch a new ticket or create a new ticket in the Eptura system from Tandem. 
  
  One other point just to note that on Eptura, we are working on an Archibus connector and Tandem Connect to also support direct integration between Tandem and Archibus through Tandem Connect 

Handover 

• Importing Handover Information - Can you import a COBie spreadsheet and map the attributes to the associated 3d elements in Tandem via it's GUID? 
  Yes! Users can import custom classification systems, create their facility template, and then utilize the classification and parameter mapping to auto-populate attributes with information from the authoring model. 
   
  More info on these workflows can be found on Tandem's Autodesk Knowledge Network site. 
  
  

Models 

• Is this how you would add additional elements to the project? And will it only add the new items? 
  You can add new elements by uploading Revit or IFC files (DWG and NWD in beta). If that model was already in Tandem and has updates with new elements only the new elements will be added. 
   
• Our firm uses a local server to host all our models. Is there (or will there be) a solution for users who use a local server instead of BIM Collaborate Pro? 
  Models can be uploaded to Tandem from local drives/servers and Autodesk Docs. 
   
• Are there limitations in terms of model size, in terms of area or length? For instance, will a 100km long model work fine in Tandem? In terms of graphical and non-graphical display. 
  Tandem is currently focused on vertical assets, mainly buildings. It could be used for short-span tunnels and bridges. As a rule-of-thumb, if you can manage the model in Revit, then you can upload the model in Tandem. However, Tandem currently does not support geographic projections or coordinate systems. 

Relink 

• When will the Relink of models be available, please? 
  Relink of models, Revert changes, and Auto views will all be a part of our upcoming releases in the next few weeks. 
   
• We’d like to see a way to link a physical tag to the digital twin to view properties. Do you see a solution to this? If not, do you see this function in the future? 
  QR codes or physical tags are common feature requests, and we will offer a solution for them in the future. 

Revert Changes 

• Models can be uploaded to Tandem from local drives/servers and from Docs? If so, is there any notification to notify users (e.g. if a Revit file is reverted, pop upon file opening) 
  No Revert does not apply to the source model. It only reverts changes made in Tandem. 

Revit 

• Describe if and how you can push data created in Tandem back into the Revit model. 
  We have a Revit Plugin that allows you to sync changes made to Tandem parameters that are mapped to Revit Parameters. When using the plugin, you can sync changes live back and forth for any mapped parameters. 
   
• Where do I find the Revit Plugin for Tandem? Can you share a link? 
  The Revit plugin can be found here - https://help.autodesk.com/view/TANDEM/ENU/?guid=tandem-revit-add-in 
   
• Currently, Revit spaces' visibility is only available in 2D views. Does Tandem incorporate 3D visualization of spaces? 
  In Tandem, you can view the rooms and spaces in 3D. You can also filter the assets in those rooms/spaces. 
   

Roadmap 

• Are there any plans for an inventory template so that you can set it up and reuse it in many facilities? 
  Yes. It's on our roadmap to make Views, Dashboards, and Systems available across multiple facilities. Inventory tables will be part of Views. 

Tandem Connect 

• When creating streams, is there currently a limited selection of BMS or FM systems that can connect to Tandem Connect? 
  We are not limited to specific BMS or FM systems. Connections are made via HTTP requests with JSON payloads. The Tandem Connect Beta allows for some very simple connectors that help facilitate additional means of creating connections. 
   
• Is it possible to connect with the FM system which has already been linked to sensors? It just doesn't link with the model. 
  Our Tandem Connect Beta would be a great place to start testing this out with an FM system. If that is the system you are using, there is an IBM Maximo Connector. You can join the Tandem Connect beta here. 

Other 

• Can Tandem be used for structures other than buildings/facilities? 
  Yes, if the structures are in a file format that we support. Just keep in mind that Tandem and its functionality primarily focus is on vertical buildings. 
   
• Regarding the 360 photos question above, can you provide documentation on linking NavVis or other 360 photos into the space? I already have the NavVis ACC integration, but showing those photos in Tandem would be excellent. 
  To do this, you create a 'link' parameter for the assets (rooms or spaces) and copy the URL from Matterport or NavVis in the parameter. You can reach out to us through the Tandem feedback portal (https://feedback.autodesk.com/home.html?welcome) or through the normal Autodesk support channel. 
   
• I struggle with defining Digital Twin and identifying the use case of Tandem vs Navisworks.  Is it fair to say that Tandem is Navisworks on steroids, where it additionally provides a means of connecting to physical and digital assets for dynamic update/review? 
  That is just one of the things you can do with Tandem. In addition, you can define or assign your own asset data template, add additional/missing asset information, connect to several IT/OT systems, visualize time series data and heatmaps, visualize assets based on status or condition, create dashboards, create systems, etc... 
   
• I’m guessing ITM content is still in beta? We are detailing in Revit with Fabrication content HVAC & Mechanical Pipe. Do you see customers using Tandem from a systems fabrication contractor? 
  Tandem supports 'systems' such as MEP for checking network connections, directions, etc., and tracing. For example, you can select an FC or VAV and trace different assets connected to it, as well as the spaces or rooms associated with them. 
   
• Can we do cost estimation in the future? 
  Tandem is not a QTO tool, but it has several features for obtaining asset information using the Inventory table. 
   

• If you have multiple buildings on a campus and would like to visualize the data simultaneously, is that possible, or is it on the roadmap? 
  Tandem is currently optimized for single buildings. However, we have customers who have a university campus with multiple buildings. We would recommend loading mass models instead of detailed Revit models for campus-scale facilities from a performance perspective. 
   
• Is Tandem meant to function as an IWMS solution or work alongside one? 
  We see Tandem as a complement to both IWMS and BMS systems. If you think about Tandem Connect, we can ingest data from BMS, from a CMS or IBMS maintenance history, run analytics on that data and then make recommendations. For example, you see a device that might be out of tolerance via Tandem. You can respond to that by creating a work order in your MS or CDROS system of records so that the tech can go out, resolve and investigate that issue. We see it as a complementary solution, not a replacement for it.