Autodesk 360, Part 4: Synchronization With Autodesk 360

In Part 3 of this series, I showed you some of the collaboration functionality of Autodesk 360. We are now going to look at how we can synchronize our documents and drawings using Autodesk 360, using a fixed location (PC on a network) and a mobile location (iPad on a remote site with Wi-Fi), like in Part 3.

Your Documents Are Ready To Go, What Happens Now?

In Part 3 of this series, I mentioned that your documents were already synced. The synchronization tools you get with Autodesk 360, either in your fixed location or your mobile location, give you great flexibility. Especially if you are mobile on a tablet such as an iPad. Any changes you make using AutoCAD WS (for example) can be synced up to Autodesk 360. Be aware, though, that you can store ANY kind of document on Autodesk 360. We are talking MS Word or Excel docs, not just drawings and models.

So like in Part 3, you’re logged in with your Autodesk ID and you have synced your existing documents from your fixed location (PC on the network) to the cloud (Autodesk 360).

Autodesk 360, logged in, with MS Word docs highlighted.

Making And Syncing Changes In A Fixed Location

I have selected one of the Word docs I have uploaded, which are the three previous parts of this series. The selected document is “Intro to Autodesk 360.” You will notice I have control over comments (right-hand side) and I have commented “This document needs to be archived.” Currently, this document is NOT set to be shared. Public sharing is switched OFF (bottom). If sharing was on, the comments function is a great way to add “unofficial” comments on any document, drawing or otherwise, almost like you would talk to each other on social media, a bit like Windows Live Messenger, for example. It is a superb way of working in a fixed location and letting the staff on a site know what needs to be done, aiding productivity. There is also the facility to download the document, which I will discuss in a moment.

Screenshot showing download, comment and sharing functions.

So, if I clicked on DOWNLOAD now, Internet Explorer (IE9 in this case) prompts me to Open or Save the document.

MS Word document waiting to be downloaded from Autodesk 360.

I am going to OPEN the document and as I have MS Office on my laptop at my fixed location, Windows will open the file for me and I can then get on working, regardless of where that document came from, which could have been a remote site on the other side of the world, again aiding productivity.

If I go back to my overall list of Autodesk 360 documents (just click on Documents at the top of the Autodesk 360 screen), and I hover over the document, you will see small icons highlighting that I have made a comment on the document.

When I click on the Actions icon (arrowed) and click on Versions on the sub-menu, Autodesk 360 give me a chronological order of the versions of the same document, allowing tracking of the document and its various versions.

Actions sub-menu showing Versions function.

The versions of the document are displayed on the browser screen as shown below:

Screenshot showing document versions.

I can upload a new version of the document, or if I click on the small clock icon, I can revert to a PREVIOUS version if required. Autodesk 360 prompts you about this if you decide to do it.

The option to revert to a PREVIOUS version of the document.

Making And Syncing Changes In A Mobile Location

So let’s look now at our mobile location. I am running Autodesk 360 and AutoCAD WS on my iPad, and I am going to change a drawing using AutoCAD WS.

Upon logging in to Autodesk 360 on my iPad, I see the recent history of the MS Word document. So, my changes have already been synced live in the cloud in Autodesk 360. This speeds up collaboration time, especially when working together as a team on project drawings where the masters are stored on Autodesk 360.

iPad screen showing live updates already synced in Autodesk 360.

Using the same process as above to find a drawing this time, but using the iPad remotely on a Wi-Fi connection, I have downloaded the drawing A3 Training.dwg in to AutoCAD WS for the iPad.

A3 Training.dwg open in AutoCAD WS on the iPad.

If some changes are made to the drawing on AutoCAD WS REMOTELY, these changes will be synced to Autodesk 360 immediately when the drawing is saved. I have added two red circles to the drawing, as shown below.

A3 Training.dwg showing the two red circles added.

After selecting Done in AutoCAD WS, the drawing is saved. I then need to select Sync in the drawing list and the new revisions to the drawing (the red circles) are then saved to that version of the drawing in Autodesk 360 as well.

Drawing list in AutoCAD WS showing drawing used and Sync button on iPad.

Once the remote sync is complete (on AutoCAD WS), the fixed location can then check the changes on their Autodesk 360 back at the office.

By clicking on the Actions icon like we did before, and selecting Document Activity, you can see that the drawing was synced in Autodesk 360 only minutes before.

Autodesk 360 at the fixed location showing where to find Document Activity on the Actions sub-menu.

The Document Activity list for A3 Training.dwg with the recent sync highlighted.

If you refer back to Part 2 of this series, I showed you how to use Autodesk 360 to work with updated drawings and how you can collaborate with your stored documents in Autodesk 360. With the addition of AutoCAD WS on a mobile device (in this case, the iPad), you now have the ability not only to collaborate, but design on the fly, using a mobile device and show the document changes in Autodesk 360 as you go.  I stated that this leads to faster implementation of your design on site or on the factory shop floor.

Faster implementation and, as you now see, easy remote syncing of both drawings and regular documents makes for a much slicker workflow. The remote location using Wi-Fi and any kind of enabled tablet (not just an iPad, it could be an Android device, even a Kindle Fire) allows any organization to work GLOBALLY and almost anywhere.

The cloud is here and it is being used in many ways already. Autodesk are providing some superb tools that can be used with some of the cutting edge devices that are out there, such as the iPad, the Motorola Xoom (amongst many others). This technology WILL (and already is) revolutionizing  the way we work with not only CAD, but with all the documents used in the design process such as specifications, OEM manuals and the like. A typical example was the MS Word document in this part of the series.

As I said in Parts 2 and 3, it will allow us to embrace the mobile device movement and start to mobilise the CAD office/function in ways we never thought possible.

This is Part 4 of 4 for this series, so I bid you farewell for now but keep an eye for further blogs about tablet devices and mobile workflows!

Author: Shaun Bryant

Autodesk 360, Part 3: Collaboration Between Fixed and Mobile Locations

In Part 2 of this series, I showed you some of the functionality of Autodesk 360. We are now going to look at how we collaborate using Autodesk 360, using a fixed location (PC on a network) and a mobile location (iPad on a remote site with Wi-Fi).

Your Documents Are Synced, What Happens Now?

You’re logged in with your Autodesk ID and you have synced your documents from your fixed location (PC on the network) to the cloud (Autodesk 360).

Logged into Autodesk 360.

Using AutoCAD 2013 In A Fixed Location

As mentioned in Part 2 of the series, all of the Autodesk 2013 product range now include an Autodesk 360 tab on the ribbon interface. We will be using this in a fixed location when you are already logged in. Click on the Online tab on the AutoCAD 2013 ribbon interface.

The Online ribbon tab, after log in.

So, right now, you will have your Autodesk 360 browser window open (it works best in Microsoft IE9) and your AutoCAD 2013 is done and uploaded to Autodesk 360 ready to go. That is your fixed location all set.

Using Autodesk 360 In A Mobile Location

So now we need to think about the mobile location. I am running Autodesk 360 and AutoCAD WS on my iPad, so let’s check this out.

I first use my browser on my iPad (normally Safari by default) to logon to Autodesk 360. Once I am logged in, I can browse my documents in my Autodesk 360 folders. In this case, it is the AEC Plan Elev Sample Drawing, already loaded in Autodesk 360. I know this is a default sample drawing, but for speed’s sake, use this as the drawing you have just loaded up from AutoCAD 2013 to Autodesk 360, using the Online tab in AutoCAD.

Autodesk 360 (logged in) with sub-menu highlighted.

I can click on the button shown and on the sub-menu, I can open up the drawing from Autodesk 360 using AutoCAD WS on my iPad.

Upon clicking on the Edit in AutoCAD WS option, I am prompted to install AutoCAD WS on my iPad from the App Store, if I haven’t done so already.

If AutoCAD WS is already there on the iPad, you just load up AutoCAD WS and the new drawing will be there in your drawing list, as shown below (drawing is at the bottom of the list).

AutoCAD WS, with the loaded drawing highlighted in the list.

You can now open the drawing in your mobile (remote) location on your iPad and edit the drawing accordingly based on whatever data you have at that location. You can now see the value of AutoCAD WS on a mobile device, as per my first series of articles about AutoCAD WS.

AutoCAD WS, with the loaded drawing ready for editing.

If you refer back to Part 2 of this series, I show you how to use Autodesk 360 to work with updated drawings and how you can collaborate with your stored documents in Autodesk 360. With the addition of AutoCAD WS on a mobile device (in this case, the iPad), you now have the ability not only to collaborate, but design on the fly, using a mobile device and show the document changes in Autodesk 360 as you go. This leads to faster implementation of your design on site or on the factory shop floor.

The cloud is here and it is now. Autodesk are moving forward fast with this technology and it WILL revolutionize the way we work with not only CAD, but all the documents used in the design process such as specifications, OEM manuals and the like.

As I said in Part 2 of this series, it will allow us to embrace the mobile CAD movement and start to mobilise the CAD office/function in ways we never thought possible.

Stay tuned for Part 4 of this series, where I will show you how changes in documents and drawings are synchronised using Autodesk 360.

Author: Shaun Bryant

Autodesk 360, Part 2: What Can You Do With It?

In Part 1 of this series, I introduced you to the new cloud-based collaboration tool from Autodesk, called Autodesk 360. In Part 2, I am going to show some of the functionality of Autodesk 360.

Once You’re Logged In, What’s Next?

Once you’re set up with your Autodesk ID and you’re logged in, what exactly can you do? What services are available? Well, if I went in to detail, I could write blogs about a mile long that would take you a week to read, so let’s go with something simple.

Autodesk 2013 Product Range

All of the Autodesk 2013 product range now include an Autodesk 360 tab on the ribbon interface. To keep it simple, I will work with AutoCAD 2013 on a PC workstation or laptop to show you how this all works.

Click on the Online tab on the AutoCAD 2013 ribbon interface.

The AutoCAD 360 Online ribbon tab.

You will see a group of ribbon panels that are grouped and incorporate relevant icons to work with Autodesk 360 from the AutoCAD 2013 application. The benefit here is that you can collaborate from AutoCAD straight to the cloud to other AutoCAD users and, more importantly, other Autodesk cloud users, who may be using other Autodesk products.

A typical example of this goes back to my previous blog series about AutoCAD WS, which features heavily in Autodesk 360 right now. As long as you are logged in to Autodesk 360 (click on the Autodesk 360 icon to do this), using the Share Document icon allows you to share the document (our drawing) in either Autodesk 360 or AutoCAD WS.

The Online tab panels and icons, with Share Document highlighted.

Autodesk 360 now updates in your browser, prompting you to Refresh List.

Refresh List

Once refreshed, Autodesk 360 updates your document list, and you can see the new document. In this case, it is an imperial drawing called Autodesk 360.dwg. Autodesk 360 shows you all 5 layout tabs available in the drawing.

Autodesk 360 with the refreshed document list.

So, if I now select one of the layout tabs in the refreshed document (drawing), I can start the collaboration process. As you can see from the screenshot below, I have plenty of tools to work with in Autodesk 360. I can toggle between layout views, I have a thumbnail view and I have zoom and text tools as well.

An Autodesk DWG layout open in Autodesk 360 with various tools highlighted.

Now, the tools shown are purely for use in Autodesk 360 but if I select the Actions pulldown menu, I can then start collaborating via AutoCAD WS as well. Clicking on Edit Online in AutoCAD WS opens up another browser tab with AutoCAD WS and providing you are logged in, you can start to work on the drawing using AutoCAD WS.

Actions pulldown showing Edit Online in AutoCAD WS.

AutoCAD WS can be used on a number of platforms, as per my previous blog series — PC, Mac, tablet and smartphone to name a few. This is where Autodesk 360 starts to really prove that the cloud will totally change how we work with Autodesk products.

AutoCAD WS with the drawing from Autodesk 360 ready for editing.

As I have said before, Autodesk will revolutionize the way we work with Autodesk 360. It will allow us to embrace the mobile CAD movement and start to mobilize the CAD office/function in ways we never thought possible.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of this series, where I will start to show you have to synchronize your local/network locations to Autodesk 360.

Author: Shaun Bryant

Autodesk 360, Part 1: What Is It and How Does It Work?

I was fortunate to attend the Autodesk Media Summit in March this year and discover the company’s new cloud initiative, Autodesk 360.

What Is Autodesk 360?

Autodesk 360 is the customer-centric cloud computing solution with a difference. Not only does it act as a cloud storage solution, but also provides CAD software and services based in the cloud to free up your hardware’s processing power. It also allows you to run mobile apps on your enterprise mobile kit, such as tablets and netbooks, even smartphones.

So How Does It All Work?

Getting on to Autodesk 360 is very easy. Go to the URL 360.autodesk.com and all you need to do is get yourself an Autodesk User ID (the usual username and password thing). Once you have an Autodesk ID, you can log on to Autodesk 360 for your FREE 3GB of storage space. Using your Autodesk ID, you can also log on to any other Autodesk ID controlled webpage as well.

The Autodesk 360 front page.

Once logged in, you can utilize the Autodesk 360 services whatever mobile device you are using: laptop, tablet, phone. Notice the link to AutoCAD WS (the topic of my previous blog series here on CADspeed). Also, as an Autodesk Subscription customer, you gain access to even more 360 services using a credit system, where you buy cloud time on a pay-as-you-go basis. Plus, you get 3GB of storage space, just for signing up.

The Autodesk 360 front page once logged in.

The major benefit of Autodesk 360 is that you can access it anywhere you have a connection. So any device with that capability can be used.

I can see Autodesk 360 being a great hit with CAD and project managers who want to “manage” their CAD function. They can see all their drawings and documents in one place and, better still, they can collaborate (using the likes of AutoCAD WS and Design Review) and distribute project documents and drawings (to other Autodesk 360 users). This can be done on something as compact as a tablet like the iPad, or an Android device like the Motorola Xoom.

For the mobile CAD user, laptops are getting smaller and more compact, so full CAD apps can be used in conjunction with Autodesk 360 and with the provision of “heavy” services in the cloud, such as rendering and analysis, it could bring the requirement of a “brick” like laptop to an end!

Autodesk have revolutionized the way we work with Autodesk 360. It will allow us to embrace the mobile CAD movement and let us concentrate on our design and management processes while the cloud does all the heavy lifting for us.

In Part 2, I am going to show some of the functionality of Autodesk 360.

Author: Shaun Bryant

AutoCAD WS for Facilities Management – Part 4: Managing Your Move to AutoCAD WS

Welcome to the fourth part of the series of AutoCAD WS for Facilities Management (FM).

In Part 1, 2 and 3, we talked about operational methods for easily managing our space in our building from the cloud, using a tablet device and AutoCAD WS. Let’s now look at AutoCAD WS from a management level, rather than an operational level.

Managing Your “Move”

FM is always associated with office moves so, pardon the pun, we now need to look at managing our “move” to AutoCAD WS, as compared to traditional methods, such as issuing FM drawings via regular email.

AutoCAD WS is available on PC (as the AutoCAD plug-in) and Mac (as the AutoCAD for Mac plug-in) and as a full cloud application via your web browser. It is also available as an app on the iPad and iPhone and all appropriate Android devices (both phones and tablets) using the App Store and Android Market respectively. The major benefit here is there is no capital software cost involved as AutoCAD WS is free to download.

The full range of AutoCAD WS applications. (Image courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.)

The choice of software obviously depends on the platform being used, PC or Mac, but fundamentally they are the same and the workflow does not change.

Deployment

AutoCAD WS on the web requires an account to be set up for each user on the FM team. This is the foundation of AutoCAD WS. It is a cloud application. Each user needs an account with a user name and a password.

Then, depending on how the user will use AutoCAD WS, they install the appropriate app or plug-in.

On an organizational level, this would have to be rolled out either by the IT team or possibly the CAD management team.

The basic deployment structure would be as follows:

1. AutoCAD WS web account — all FM CAD personnel.
2. AutoCAD WS plug-in for AutoCAD (Windows) — all Windows-based AutoCAD users.
3. AutoCAD WS plug-in for AutoCAD (Mac) — all Mac-based AutoCAD users.
4. AutoCAD WS for iPad/tablet — all site-based personnel who collaborate with office-based AutoCAD users.

Workflow

Using the basic deployment above, the office-based AutoCAD users can share FM drawings with the site-based AutoCAD WS users and vice versa. This allows for collaboration of the FM drawing function and, in turn, uses the cloud. Also, bear in mind that the use of AutoCAD WS incurs no extra software cost!

Training

AutoCAD WS is not difficult to use and any training can be done in a minimal time frame of hours, not days.

Taking all of the above in to account, it should be reasonably painless to set up an AutoCAD WS function within any FM CAD team, again, proving that AutoCAD WS can provide a 24/7 timeline and allows drawing management and revisions to be shared to the cloud within the FM CAD team, using both office-based and site-based hardware.

Author: Shaun Bryant

AutoCAD WS for Facilities Management – Part 3: Managing Your Room Changes from the Cloud

Welcome to the third part of the series of AutoCAD WS for Facilities Management (FM).

In Part 2, we talked about how easy it is to manage our space in our building from the cloud, using a tablet device and AutoCAD WS. This time, we are sharing from FULL AutoCAD using the AutoCAD WS plug-in.

Managing Your Room Tables from the Cloud

Quite often, the FM manager needs to get revised FM CAD information to a remote facilities site within minutes to make sure that the work is done with as little time lapse as possible, in different time zones, for example.

An FM drawing in FULL AutoCAD with a room areas table. (Click for larger image. Image courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.)

Now, the issue is the facilities manager in London wants to convert RM-0012 and RM-0013 into the one room, RM-0012. He needs to get the changes over to the facilities technician in Abu Dhabi working on the new hotel design, who is running AutoCAD WS on a tablet device (an iPad, maybe).

Step 1

Using full AutoCAD, the manager in London has already shared revision 2 (Rev2) of the drawing that shows the TWO rooms. The manager makes the necessary changes to make RM-0012 one LARGER room by erasing RM-0013.

Rev3 of the FM drawing showing changes that need to be made. (Click for larger image. Image courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.)

Once the drawing is saved, the FM manager UPLOADS the drawing to the cloud with the AutoCAD WS plug-in and then SHARES the drawing with the FM technician on-site in Abu Dhabi.

Sharing the FM drawing using the AutoCAD WS plug-in. (Click for larger image. Image courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.)

Step 2

The FM technician in Abu Dhabi receives an email from the FM manager in London on his tablet device.

Email received by FM technician on tablet device. (Click for larger image. Image courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.)

Step 3

The FM technician chooses to view the drawing in AutoCAD WS online (as shown in figure above).

So, this time, the AutoCAD WS plug-in for full AutoCAD provides the 24/7 timeline and allows drawing management and revisions to be shared to the cloud, on a tablet device.

Author: Shaun Bryant

AutoCAD WS for Facilities Management – Part 2: Managing Your Space from the Cloud

Welcome to the second part of the series of AutoCAD WS for Facilities Management (or FM as we call it).

In Part 1, we talked about how easy it is to work with our FM drawings in the cloud using AutoCAD WS and a mobile device, such as a tablet. So, this time we are going to go in to a bit more detail.

Managing Your Space from the Cloud

Space management is a must in FM and rooms need to be “tagged” with an identifier, such as a room number (see Fig.1) below.

An FM drawing with room numbers shown.

As you can see, the rooms are classed as RM-0012 and RM-0013. So, based on Part 1 of this series, what happens if those rooms are re-numbered on site in Abu Dhabi and we need to let the facilities manager in London know?

Step 1

That’s where the wonder of AutoCAD WS kicks in. Using the uploaded drawing in AutoCAD WS on a mobile device, our FM technician in Abu Dhabi can update the room numbers on the fly, saving the drawing as he/she goes.

Room number revised in AutoCAD WS on mobile device.

Step 2

The facilities technician then shares the saved drawing from AutoCAD WS using the Share button which sends an email back to London.

The AutoCAD WS Share dialog box. Click photo to see larger version.

Step 3

The facilities manager in London receives an email with the share invite and can open the drawing in AutoCAD WS or just download the revised drawing in full AutoCAD with the changes already in place.

Email received from AutoCAD WS with option to download revised drawing from the cloud. Click photo to see larger version.

So, again, AutoCAD WS on a mobile device provides that 24/7 timeline and allows space management from the cloud.

Author: Shaun Bryant

AutoCAD WS for Facilities Management – Part 1: Collaboration in the Cloud

I was one of those CAD geeks who did the loop around my small office when AutoCAD WS was released. It is a sophisticated mobility tool that Autodesk was savvy enough to release for free. Now available on the App Store for Apple devices and native Macs as well as the Android Market for Android devices, it gives a massive scope to CAD users and facilities managers alike.

AutoCAD WS and Facility Management

So here’s an FM scenario that is all too familiar. The facility management company is based in London. The facility being managed is in Abu Dhabi. Communication is hindered by the time difference, and paper drawings or emailed drawings just don’t cut it.

The solution is AutoCAD WS on a mobile device. An iPad, a Dell Streak or Motorola Xoom, perhaps, allowing the man on the Abu Dhabi facility site to implement immediate changes to the AutoCAD drawing. The process would be as follows:

Step 1

The drawing originator in London uses the AutoCAD WS plug-in for full AutoCAD to upload the FM drawing to the AutoCAD WS “cloud” from their PC or Mac.

Using the AutoCAD WS plug-in in full AutoCAD to upload to the cloud. Click for larger image. Image courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.

The originator will be prompted that saved changes will be updated online.

AutoCAD WS prompts about saved changes. Click for larger image. Image courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.

Step 2

The drawing originator then shares the drawing by sending an AutoCAD WS email to the facility manager in Abu Dhabi, with the appropriate permissions.

Sharing the drawing from AutoCAD WS. Click for larger image. Image courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.

Step 3

Upon receipt of that email, the facility manager clicks on the link in the email and open ups the drawing in AutoCAD WS on their mobile tablet. The device shown is a Motorola Xoom with Android running AutoCAD WS.

Using a mobile device on-site to make live room changes. Click for larger image. Image courtesy of Autodesk, Inc.

We can use mobile devices to enhance our productivity by bringing drawings in to the real world. It is environmentally sustainable (no paper – more rain forests), and it speeds up the communication process. As soon as the drawing originator uploads that drawing to AutoCAD WS, the facility manager can work on it. They can make changes on their mobile device that the originator will see on the main drawing and make sure the original drawing is fully up to date.

More importantly, the timeline is 24 hours. Everyone has access to the drawing in the cloud 24/7 providing they have AutoCAD WS permissions. They can view and edit the “cloud” drawing anytime using their mobile device or using their PC or Mac.

Next we’ll talk about AutoCAD WS and space management.

Mobility is here. Period.

Author: Shaun Bryant