Automate your Design Processes with Autodesk Vault

June 21, 2023

5 Powerful Ways to Automate your Design Processes with Autodesk Vault

Design automation is the use of software to automate repetitive tasks in the design process. This can save time and money by freeing up engineers to focus on more creative and strategic work. Autodesk Vault is a product data management (PDM) software that includes a number of features for design automation.

Autodesk Vault is available on-premise or on cloud

Benefits of design automation in Autodesk Vault

Design automation in Autodesk Vault can also provide a number of other benefits, including:

Increased accuracy: By automating repetitive tasks, engineers can reduce the risk of errors.
Improved efficiency: Engineers can spend more time on creative and strategic work, and less time on administrative tasks.
Improved collaboration: Autodesk Vault can help engineers to collaborate more effectively by providing a central repository for design data.
Improved compliance: Autodesk Vault can help organizations to comply with industry regulations by providing a secure and auditable way to store design data.

If you are looking for ways to save time and money in your design process, then design automation in Autodesk Vault is a great option. By automating repetitive tasks, you can free up your engineers to focus on more creative and strategic work. This can lead to increased accuracy, efficiency, collaboration, and compliance.

Copy Design

One of the most common tasks in the design process is copying existing designs. This can be a time-consuming and error-prone process. Automate the copy design process by creating a new design that is a copy of an existing design. This can be done with a single click of a button.

Automatic Numbering Schemes

Another common task in the design process is assigning part numbers to parts. This can also be a time-consuming and error-prone process. Automate the part numbering process by creating a custom numbering scheme. This can ensure that part numbers are assigned consistently and correctly.

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Revision Control

As designs evolve, it is important to track changes. Automate the revision control process by creating a revision history for each design. This can help engineers to track changes and to revert to previous versions of designs if necessary.

Version Control

In addition to revision control, Autodesk Vault can also automate the version control process. This means that multiple versions of a design can be stored in Vault and that changes can be tracked between versions. This can help engineers to collaborate on designs and to track the progress of designs over time.

Job Processor

The Job Processor is a powerful tool that can be used to automate a variety of design tasks. This includes tasks such as generating bills of materials, creating drawings, and submitting designs for manufacturing. The Job Processor can be used to automate repetitive tasks, freeing up engineers to focus on more creative and strategic work.

JP Pro is a power job processor built on Autodesk Vault Professional that allows you to automate publishing of files, email notifications, synchronisation and much more..

ERP Integration

In addition to the 5 ways to automate using Vault, Vault can be integrated with a variety of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. This allows engineers to share data with other departments in the organization, such as manufacturing and sales. This can help to improve communication and collaboration between departments, and to ensure that everyone is working with the latest information.

Ready to Automate?

Design automation is a powerful tool that can save time and money for AutoCAD and Inventor users. Autodesk Vault includes a number of features for design automation, including copy design automation, automatic numbering schemes, revision control, version control, job processor and ERP integration. These features can help engineers to automate repetitive tasks, freeing up time for more creative and strategic work.

Contact us on 1800 490 514, [email protected] or fill out the contact us form below.

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer – Renaming Files

February 18, 2023

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| CDE (Common Data Environment), Data Management, Data Management for AutoCAD, Data Management for Civil and Infrastructure, Data Management for Manufacturing, Vault, Vault

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer - Renaming Files

This Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer post looks at the common workflows in both systems when it comes to renaming a file. Typically when a a file is renamed it is either named differently because their is a variation, or perhaps the design intent has changed and there may be a need to modify the filename or it is copied and the requirement to have a unique filename exists.

File Management

Renaming Files in Windows Explorer

When renaming within a Windows Explorer environment, as long as the file is not opened, you can simply left click or right-click > rename and change the filename as long as the same filename does not exist in the same file path.

There are 3rd party tools to batch rename as well of you need to change a filename in bulk.

Windows Explorer File Renaming Challenges

Using Windows, users experience the following challenges:

Reference management may fail as the filename in the reference file path has changed
Changing multiple files can be time consuming
Updating the part number or other metadata, properties or attributes within the file. While we can rename the file, if we need to also rename the metadata within that file, we need to go into each file that needs to be modified, make the changes, save, exit and repeat for each file that needs a similar metadata change.

Renaming in Vault

With Vault, you can rename files and metadata within the file a couple ways:

Rename Wizard
Edit Properties
Copy Design

Rename Wizard

By selecting a file or files, then right-clicking the mouse button, you can select the rename command to launch the rename wizard.

Autodesk Vault’s Rename Wizard gives you the following options:

Add more files to rename
Add a Prefix and/or Suffix or Increment
Modify the filename
Update the Part Number
Numbering Scheme (for Vault Professional environments)

Edit Properties

Like the Rename Wizard in Autodesk Vault, you can bulk update properties through the Vault Explorer without needing to open files individually.

Opening Files That Have Been Renamed

Windows Explorer

The issue with opening referenced files that have been renamed is matching the file reference. No big deal when it’s one, but if there are hundreds or more, the process can be mind numbing and time consuming.

Autodesk Vault

When files are renamed in Vault and opened in CAD, Vault tracks the change and ensures the reference to any other files are maintained, giving users more time to focus on design rather than file administration.

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows - File Renaming Video

Watch the video below to compare file remaming in Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer.

Learn More about Autodesk Vault

Check out the rest of the Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer Blog Series or click on a button below to learn more about having Vault to manage your data on-prem or in the cloud.

Free 90 Day Vault Trial

If you are interested in trialling Vault or just want to discuss your data management requirements further, feel free to fill out the form below or contact us on 1800 490 514, [email protected], by live chat or fill out the form below.

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer – File Management

January 12, 2023

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| CDE (Common Data Environment), Data Management, Data Management for AutoCAD, Data Management for Civil and Infrastructure, Data Management for Manufacturing, Vault, Vault

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer - File Management

In the first post of the Autodesk Vault vs Windows Explorer Blog Series, we take a look at the differences between Autodesk Vault and Windows Explorer when it comes to file management and how users store, find files, create files and folders.

File Management

Windows Explorer File Management Processes and Techniques

When managing CAD or BIM data using AutoCAD, Inventor or Revit in a Windows Explorer, Network Server or even Cloud Storage environment, users typically:

Store data in folders
Sort data or projects by folder
Descriptive filenames that are complex and long are used to understand what the file is and what it contains
Find files by clicking through folders and sub-folders or searching by file name
Have a centralised library of content center files, xrefs, blocks, templates, etc.
Create multiple ipj files (for Inventor) to manage projects or isolate project specific files
Updating files and the file metadata on a batch scale using 3rd party tools, such as Inventor task scheduler

Windows Explorer File Management Challenges

Using Windows, users experience the following challenges:

Complex folder and sub-folder structures based on agreed upon rules or company standards
Understanding what a filename means to know what the file contains
Having to open the file or multiple files to find the right file/s.
Managing folder and filenames characters when the 255 character folder/filename limitation becomes an issue
Wasting time looking through folder structures to find the ‘correct’ file
Understanding which files reference the file you want to modify.
If there are duplicates, which file is the right file.
Using files across projects. In an Inventor environment, doing this while managing ipj files and reference errors can also become challenging.
Renaming or updating files on a batch scale can be laborious
The time it takes windows to search and find the files is time consuming
Windows finds other files that may not be related
You can’t see the metadata or file properties that are stored within the CAD file
Unless the filename includes the version or revision, it’s difficult to understand if it’s the latest file

Vault File Management

Using a SQL database, Vault managing folder and file entries, queries and file attributes, changing the way files are managed from relying on manual standards, file naming and folder structure procedures to leveraging file metadata and visualisation.

Using Vault, users can still use traditional folder and file naming methods to find files or by using advanced searching criteria, metadata and visualisation, users can the right file.

In the scenario below, we know the file name contains 558, it’s an ipt file and who created it, so by using this criteria, we can filter through the folder structure very quickly to isolate which file/s we are looking for. Search results can also be saved for future use too.

Folder Management

Like Windows, using the Project Explorer interface, users can create folders, sub-folders and (also new files) also use numbering schemes, Vault properties, datasheet, categories, version controls and lifecycles to manage the folder and its contents.

Tools to find the right file in Vault

Now that we have found what files have met the search criteria, amongst other tools in Vault, we can use these tabs to give us more insight into the file:

Search Results – view the results, file category, stage, compliance and any other associated metadata you want to view
Properties – displays all the properties associated with the file
History – provides an thumbnail, it’s version, revision, historical state and other meta data
Where Used – Lets you know which files are referencing the selected file before you start editing it and making changes to the file.
View – without needing to open the file, a user can view a 3D model (pan, rotate & zoom) or 2D drawing, measure, see markups, create cross sections and utilise all the other tools available in the Autodesk Viewer that is used in other Autodesk management tools such as Fusion Teams and Autodesk Construction Cloud.

Autodesk Vault File Management Video

Watch the video below to see how easy it is to find files in Autodesk Vault.

Learn More about Autodesk Vault

Autodesk Vault can be deployed on-premise or cloud. To learn more about Autodesk Vault click one of the buttons below.

Free 90 Day Vault Trial

If you are interested in trialling Vault or just want to discuss your data management requirements further, feel free to fill out the form below or contact us on 1800 490 514, [email protected], by live chat or fill out the form below.

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer

January 11, 2023

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| CDE (Common Data Environment), Data Management, Data Management for AutoCAD, Data Management for Civil and Infrastructure, Data Management for Manufacturing, Vault, Vault

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer

When using CAD software such as Autodesk AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor, the natural choice is to use the Windows Explorer environment and store files and manage projects and data in Windows folders.

User who use Windows folders can experience limitations and need to do more manual operations compared to using Autodesk Vault to manage their data, however, what are the differences between these two ways of working and is the time and money spent on implementing a new system less than the time spent working in Windows folders?

The answer an overwhelming yes from Vault users, and this blog series will demonstrate the differences, so if you are unsure of why you should stop how you are managing your CAD data in Windows, this blog should answer those questions.

What's the Difference?

Here’s the main differences when working in Autodesk Vault and Windows:

File Management – How do you store and find files and metadata
Reference management – How the systems manage file references such as when files like dwg xrefs are linked into a dwg in an AutoCAD project or with Inventor Assemblies, how sub-assemblies, parts and drawings are managed.
Renaming Files – How do you rename a file or a batch of files and how it affects other files that reference the renamed file.
Copying Files – Copying existing files from existing projects and re-using designs.
IPJ file management (Autodesk Inventor) – Inventor uses IPJ project files and the way they are used in both systems differ.
Attributes/Properties – How users modify the attributes/properties of files
Version Control – How versions are managed
Concurrent Design – How do you work on the same project and files
Collaboration – How do you collaborate with other team members

File Management

Windows Explorer File Management Processes and Techniques

When managing CAD or BIM data using AutoCAD, Inventor or Revit in a Windows Explorer, Network Server or even Cloud Storage environment, users typically:

Store data in folders
Sort data or projects by folder
Descriptive filenames that are complex and long are used to understand what the file is and what it contains
Find files by clicking through folders and sub-folders or searching by file name
Have a centralised library of content center files, xrefs, blocks, templates, etc.
Create multiple ipj files (for Inventor) to manage projects or isolate project specific files
Updating files and the file metadata on a batch scale using 3rd party tools, such as Inventor task scheduler

Vault File Management

Using a SQL database, Vault managing folder and file entries, queries and file attributes, changing the way files are managed from relying on manual standards, file naming and folder structure procedures to leveraging file metadata and visualisation.

Using Vault, users can still use traditional folder and file naming methods to find files or by using advanced searching criteria, metadata and visualisation, users can the right file.

In the scenario below, we know the file name contains 558, it’s an ipt file and who created it, so by using this criteria, we can filter through the folder structure very quickly to isolate which file/s we are looking for. Search results can also be saved for future use too.

Autodesk Vault vs Windows Explorer - File Management Blog Post

Click the button below to learn more about how Autodesk Vault manages files compared to using Windows Explorer

Reference Management

Windows Reference Management

When files are referenced within a file such as an xref in AutoCAD and Revit or iam, ipt and idw in an Inventor iam

Windows Vs Vault

Here’s the main differences when working in Autodesk Vault and Windows:

Reference management – How the systems manage file references such as when files like dwg xrefs are linked into a dwg in an AutoCAD project or with Inventor Assemblies, how sub-assemblies, parts and drawings are managed.
Renaming Files – How do you rename a file or a batch of files and how it affects other files that reference the renamed file.
Copying Files – Copying existing files from existing projects and re-using designs.
IPJ file management (Autodesk Inventor) – Inventor uses IPJ project files and the way they are used in both systems differ.
Attributes/Properties – How users modify the attributes/properties of files
Version Control – How versions are managed

Renaming Files

Here’s the main differences when working in Autodesk Vault and Windows:

Reference management – How the systems manage file references such as when files like dwg xrefs are linked into a dwg in an AutoCAD project or with Inventor Assemblies, how sub-assemblies, parts and drawings are managed.
Renaming Files – How do you rename a file or a batch of files and how it affects other files that reference the renamed file.
Copying Files – Copying existing files from existing projects and re-using designs.
IPJ file management (Autodesk Inventor) – Inventor uses IPJ project files and the way they are used in both systems differ.
Attributes/Properties – How users modify the attributes/properties of files
Version Control – How versions are managed

Copying Files

Here’s the main differences when working in Autodesk Vault and Windows:

Reference management – How the systems manage file references such as when files like dwg xrefs are linked into a dwg in an AutoCAD project or with Inventor Assemblies, how sub-assemblies, parts and drawings are managed.
Renaming Files – How do you rename a file or a batch of files and how it affects other files that reference the renamed file.
Copying Files – Copying existing files from existing projects and re-using designs.
IPJ file management (Autodesk Inventor) – Inventor uses IPJ project files and the way they are used in both systems differ.
Attributes/Properties – How users modify the attributes/properties of files
Version Control – How versions are managed

IPJ File Management

Here’s the main differences when working in Autodesk Vault and Windows:

Reference management – How the systems manage file references such as when files like dwg xrefs are linked into a dwg in an AutoCAD project or with Inventor Assemblies, how sub-assemblies, parts and drawings are managed.
Renaming Files – How do you rename a file or a batch of files and how it affects other files that reference the renamed file.
Copying Files – Copying existing files from existing projects and re-using designs.
IPJ file management (Autodesk Inventor) – Inventor uses IPJ project files and the way they are used in both systems differ.
Attributes/Properties – How users modify the attributes/properties of files
Version Control – How versions are managed

Attributes/Properties

Here’s the main differences when working in Autodesk Vault and Windows:

Reference management – How the systems manage file references such as when files like dwg xrefs are linked into a dwg in an AutoCAD project or with Inventor Assemblies, how sub-assemblies, parts and drawings are managed.
Renaming Files – How do you rename a file or a batch of files and how it affects other files that reference the renamed file.
Copying Files – Copying existing files from existing projects and re-using designs.
IPJ file management (Autodesk Inventor) – Inventor uses IPJ project files and the way they are used in both systems differ.
Attributes/Properties – How users modify the attributes/properties of files
Version Control – How versions are managed

Version Control

Here’s the main differences when working in Autodesk Vault and Windows:

Reference management – How the systems manage file references such as when files like dwg xrefs are linked into a dwg in an AutoCAD project or with Inventor Assemblies, how sub-assemblies, parts and drawings are managed.
Renaming Files – How do you rename a file or a batch of files and how it affects other files that reference the renamed file.
Copying Files – Copying existing files from existing projects and re-using designs.
IPJ file management (Autodesk Inventor) – Inventor uses IPJ project files and the way they are used in both systems differ.
Attributes/Properties – How users modify the attributes/properties of files
Version Control – How versions are managed

Get in Touch

DC is an authorised Autodesk Reseller providing products and services for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Infrastructure and Manufacturing Sectors.

Feel free to contact us on 1800 490 514, [email protected], by live chat or fill out the form below.

Save Time and Money with Autodesk Vault for AutoCAD

November 16, 2022

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| Vault, Vault

Save Time and Money with Autodesk Vault for AutoCAD

If you are wondering if Autodesk Vault can help you manage your AutoCAD projects and collaborate with team members, then check out these top reasons for Autodesk Vault for AutoCAD.

Benefits of Using Autodesk Vault

Autodesk Vault comes in two version, Vault Basic and Vault Professional and Design Consulting can deploy these systems on-premise or in the cloud.

Data Centralisation
Versioning
Search
Change Management
Revision Tables
Sheet Set Manager
Copy Design
Rename
View and Markup

Data Centralisation

Whether it’s Vault Basic or Vault Professional, your engineering data and related documents are stored centrally.

Files are stored on the Vault Server and users check them out which creates a local copy on their computer and when they are ready, they can check the file/s back into Vault and the latest version is stored on the Server.

Versioning

Managers can audit and track the revision history of data files from a single location. This helps reduce the chance of design and construction errors by enabling the proactive release and tracking of files throughout the project lifecycle.

Team members access only the correct revision of data. As the project evolves, Autodesk® Vault Professional software captures predefined milestones in the project lifecycle, making it easier for users to revert back to a previous state and keep track of design
changes.

Search

Vault users can use a range of methods, such as saved searches and shortcuts, to find and organize data. A user can search for a file name or search on attributes and custom properties to find the right file/s.

Change Management

Control design data access with revision management. Audit and track the revision history of your data files from a single location. Reduce the chance of design and manufacturing errors by securely releasing and tracking files throughout the design cycle, helping make sure that team members access only the correct revision of data.

Revision Tables

The process of manually updating the revision tables on drawings can be time-consuming, especially for changes that require simple property updates throughout the drawing’s lifecycle. The Vault Revision Table feature enables you to automatically update a drawing’s revision table data. Since multiple revision tables may exist in the same drawing, the Vault Revision Table feature tracks and updates all tables.

Sheet Set Manager

Sets of drawings are the primary deliverable for most design groups. Sets of drawings communicate the overall design intent of a project and provide the documentation and specifications for the project. However, managing sets of drawings manually can be complicated and time-consuming. The Sheet Set Manager integration enables you to store your sheets in a vault. You can also work on vaulted sheet sets online of offline.

Copy Design

Stop manually recreating or duplicating complex models and drawing sets, saving hours of design time. Using Autodesk data management software, you can copy a digital prototype—including all related files and documentation—for use in a new design. It’s easy to configure the files you want to replace, reuse, or copy.

Rename

Drawing files containing external references or links can be renamed and reorganized without breaking links between parent and child documents. Users are able to specify a new name and new numbering scheme based on a configurable set of tables.

View and Markup

Vault enables easy sharing and collaborating. Multisheet drawings are supported in the markup environment, which provides a rich feature set of tools. Once a markup is created, it can be shared and managed by Vault.

Summary

Vault provides a number of benefits for Autodesk AutoCAD users and all features except change management are found in Autodesk Vault Basic. Vault Professional offers revision control, lifecycle management, automatic numbering schemes a job processor to automate publishing of PDF, DWG and other file typ.es plus many other features with support for AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD Mechanical, Electrical, Civil 3D and Factory Design Utilities.

Get in Touch

DC is an authorised Autodesk Reseller providing products and services for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Infrastructure and Manufacturing Sectors.

Feel free to contact us on 1800 490 514, [email protected], by live chat or fill out the form below.

Vault Cloud

Autodesk Vault Cloud

Access Vault in the Cloud for Vault Basic, Vault Professional and Vault Professional with JP Pro Job Processor Editions

Save time and increase productivity with Autodesk Vault's data and file management tools in the cloud.

Design Consulting offers Autodesk Vault on-premise and now in the cloud to give greater flexibility

Benefits of Vault Cloud

Save time and increase productivity with Autodesk Vault's data and file management tools in the cloud.

Design Consulting offers Autodesk Vault on-premise and now in the cloud to give greater flexibility

Benefits of Vault Cloud

No IT costs

Up and running quickly

Access data over the internet

No upfront costs

Pay monthly

Compare Vault Cloud Editions

Choose from Vault Basic, Professional or add-on an advanced job processor to off-load and automate repetivitive tasks for AutoCAD and Inventor projects.

Vault Basic

$299.00

p/mth*

Secure Data Management with:

1TB Storage
Standard Setup, Configuration and Training
Administration, Support and Maintenance
Check in / Check-out
Version Control
Fast Data Searching
AutoCAD and Inventor Integration

Vault Professional

$599.00

p/month*

Everything in Vault Basic plus:

Revision Control
Lifecycle Management
Automatic Numbering Schemes
Duplicate Search
Unlimited Thin Clients

Vault Professional with JP-Pro

$1,349.00

p/month*

Everything in Vault Professional plus:

Dedicated Job Processor Machine
Automate Jobs On-Demand
Automate Jobs on Change-State
Publish IDW/DWG to PDF
Publish DXF Flat Patterns from SM ipt
Publish IDW/DWG to AutoCAD DWG
Publish to STEP, IGES and other 3D Models
CSV/XML BOM Export
Publish PDF for Word and Excel
Email Notifications

Vault Basic
Vault Professional
Vault Professional with JP Pro

	Vault Basic	Vault Professional	Vault Professional with JP Pro
	$$29900 /month*	$$59900 /month*	$$1,34900 /month*
1TB Storage 500/500GB Data/Back-Up
Standard Setup, Configuration and Training
Adminstration, Support and Maintenance
Check In / Check Out
Version Control
Copy Design
Bulk Property Renaming
Concurrent Design
Fast Data Searching
AutoCAD and Inventor Integration
Revision Control
Lifecycle Management
Automatic Numbering Schemes
Duplicate Search
Unlimited Thin Clients Access Vault via web browser to search, print, view and download
Dedicated Job Processor Machine Off-load jobs on-demand or on change-state
Publish IDW/DWG to PDF
Publish DXF flat patterns for Sheet metal from Inventor sm ipt files
Publish Inventor IDW/DWG to AutoCAD DWG
Export to STEP, IGES, STL and other 3D formats
Export to STL
Export CSV/XML from Inventor BOM
Publish PDF for Word and Excel
Email Notifications
	Add to Cart	Add to Cart	Add to Cart

*Pricing is based on 36-month contract. Vault licencing, standard setup, configuration and training, Vault administration, maintenance and support is included. Pricing is higher for additional configuration. Terms and conditions apply. Contact us for more information.

Vault Cloud Options

Vault Basic

Vault Basic Cloud 2025 Additional 500GB
$25.00
- Add to cart
Vault Basic Cloud 2025 Additional User
$49.00
- Add to cart

Vault Professional

Vault Professional with JP-Pro

Get in Touch

Autodesk Vault Migration Best Practices

May 18, 2022

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| Vault, Vault

Autodesk Vault Migration Best Practices

A Vault migration occurs where the Vault environment is being migrated from one release to a later release (e.g. 2022 to 2023).

Migrations need to be planned out and not left too long between releases and from the current release to avoid issues with data and config migrations which ultimately leads an increase in the time and cost to migrate Vault to the designated release.

Planning the Migration

If Vault migrations are left too long between releases or is migrated to a release that is more than 3 releases from the current, issues can arise in a migration where there are errors in configurations and database relationships due to:

Double and triple migrations
Autodesk integrating too many changes between releases and the old configuration not being supported in the new release.
Users may miss issues during testing and handover phase, etc.
Release is end of life and no longer support from Autodesk
Forced to do a double migration
Cyclical problem of too many changes between releases (being too far apart) and errors, can’t go forward until issues are resolved.

What is a Double Migration?

Vault can only be migrated within 3 releases. A Vault environment on 2020 can only be migrated to 2022. If the current release in this scenario is 2023, then another migration is required to go from 2022 to 2023.

A triple migration is basically when the Vault release is far back from the desired release. In one example, Design Consulting migrated Vault from 2015 to 2017, 2017 to 2019 and then 2019 to 2021.

The time taken and steps involved to migrate are virtually replicated, resulting in a duplication in costs every time a migration is required, so planning your Vault migration is important to get the best value for money when migrating and also have users take advantage of the additional productivity features in the new releases of Vault and CAD software.

On one hand IT may want to delay the inevitable for as long as possible to reduce their workload on a 1, 2 or 3 year interval, however, the user base can lose out on new features that makes the business more productive and if there are issues with the migration due to unforseen errors in data and configuration, any time savings in IT may be minimal compared to these aforementioned factors.

Vault Migration Best Practices

While things get busy and there may be budgetary constraints, however, if possible, the best practice for Vault to optimise the migrations are:

To ensure backups are scheduled, not failing and up to date
Vault Server and CAD System Requirements are being met
Try migrating within 3 releases to avoid a double migration (2019 to 2021, 2021 to 2022 double migration costs the same as 2019 to 2021, 2021 to 2023)
Stay 1 release behind the latest or wait for the major service pack release to avoid any unforeseen issues.
Test environment – Have a compatible server, job processor (if required), CAD-level workstation, etc. as a test environment for the migration that users can connect to, before rolling it out the migrated Vault release into production.
For larger environments of 50x users or more, having in place a more formal ITIL framework or similar.

Get in Touch

DC is an authorised Autodesk Reseller providing products and services for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Infrastructure and Manufacturing Sectors.

Feel free to contact us on 1800 490 514, [email protected], by live chat or fill out the form below.

Export Bills of Materials with JP-Pro for Autodesk Vault

November 8, 2021

| No Comments

| Data Management for Manufacturing, JP Pro, Manufacturing, Vault, Vault

Export Bills of Materials with JP-Pro for Autodesk Vault

Using the JP-Pro plug-in for Autodesk Vault Workgroup and Vault Professional, users can automatically export Bills of Materials from Autodesk Inventor assemblies through Vault.

JP-Pro is an advanced Job Processor for Autodesk Vault that automates jobs for Autodesk AutoCAD products and Inventor Professional and Microsoft products and one of the functions of JP-Pro for Autodesk Vault is the ability to export bills of materials from Autodesk Inventor assemblies through Vault Workgroup and Professional by using the Job Processor.

One of the unique features of JP-Pro is the ability to export a bill of materials from an Autodesk Inventor assembly (iam) file to either excel, csv or xml file through Vault so users can then use that data in other systems.

It does that by configuring the Job Processor to initiate a bill of material export on lifecycle change state or by manual trigger.

When the user changes the lifecylce for example to released, JP-Pro will send the instruction to the Vault Job Processor to export the Bill of Materials in the configured format.

Users can also initiate an export on maual trigger by selecting or multi-selecting a range of Autodesk Inventor assembly files (iam), RMB (right mouse button) click and selecting BOM export.

Not only does JP-Pro export bills of materials but also exports many other formats, connects meta data between files and sends user notifications.

Click here to learn more about JP-Pro

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What’s new in Autodesk Vault 2022

April 8, 2021

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| CDE (Common Data Environment), Data Management for Architecture and Construction, Data Management for AutoCAD, Data Management for Civil and Infrastructure, Data Management for Manufacturing, Uncategorized, Vault, Vault

What's New in Autodesk Vault 2022

The Vault team has worked on bringing a more modern, connected and insightful experience in Vault 2022.

With a focus on features per persona and roles within the company, enhancing how users are connected to design data and better integration and better access for participants who need access via the desktop or mobile devices.

Show Details in Dockable Window

Inside of Inventor, Autodesk has added an Integrated data experience to access and organise all design information in a dockable panel.

Inside of this panel, the designer can see where a design is used before making changes.

The designer can assign an Item and derive engineering BOM information within the environment without leaving the application.

In addition, they can access Change Order information related to the design to understand why change has been triggered & the goal of the change request.

Released Date and Approver Properties

Autodesk has added the Latest Approver and Latest Released Date properties which can be exposed in revision tables and title blocks.

Model States

Check In, Open/ Place operations support model state
Assign Item for each model state
Manage BOM variants

Inventor and Revit Interoperability

The Inventor and Revit interoperability provides the option to check-in and archive Revit files referenced within Inventor assemblies.

In Inventor, Revit files can be used by selecting them in the Open from Vault and Place from Vault dialogs. This gives the designer the ability to update Inventor models that references Revit models seamlessly.

Duplicate Reduction

Exclude mirror parts
Identify the exact match
Exclude different materials
Advanced metadata search combined with geometric search

Administrators

Based on our Vault Pro customer analytics, more than 70% of the customers enable Active directory integration with Vault user & group management.

To align with other Autodesk services, you might be leveraging today like Shared Views, Fusion 360, or BIM 360, Vault 2022 supports Autodesk ID Authentication as an additional option along with Vault User and Active Directory support. With multi-authentication support, an administrator can choose the best way for the Vault users to log in and access the data.

Vault 2022 adds the ability to include profile attributes to user and group profiles similar to user-defined properties on files, folders, and items. These attributes can be user locations, departments, divisions, or any other custom attribute you might want to manage.

These profile attributes can be mapped to Active Directory properties for quick access and easy management.

Lastly, administrators can configure friendly display names inside Vault to quickly identify who created or modified objects. The friendly display name can also be mapped to title blocks and other file properties for improved record keeping.

Additional Audit Logs

Track who (user) has accessed What (vault name) and when (date and time)
Track how user authenticate and which client did the user used

Replication

Vault 2022 has a new replication technology, so that the Publisher is the only read\write location in the environment. This change improves usability by eliminating the need for object Ownership and improve replication stability and reliability.

Participants

The Thin Client has been improved for Participants for a more modern experience.

Support desktop as well as tablets
Multiple tab browser support
New View tab to view 2D/3D designs using the Autodesk Viewer
Access Change Order Information
Support folder/ project links
Multi-select to View & Download
Share desktop or web browser links

The Thin Client user has access to Change Order information, folder\project links, the ability to multi-select files for viewing or downloading.

Users can also share desktop or web browser links via email.

Mobile App

The Vault mobile app for Vault Professional allows users to use a tablet or mobile device to:

View 2D/3D designs
Check non-CAD files in and out
Review, approve, and sign documents
Perform QR, barcode, simple, and
extended searches
Create and participate in change orders,
and more.

Design Consulting are the Vault Experts

Design Consulting has considerable experience in deploying Vault on-premise and in the cloud and have our own advanced Job Processor for Vault.

If you are looking at deploying Vault for your business, contact us to learn more.

Contact Us

If you would learn more about Autodesk software, please contact us by calling on 1800 490 514, by filling out the form or clicking the live chat in the bottom right-hand corner.

CDE System Architecture

September 30, 2019

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| CDE (Common Data Environment), BIM 360, Data Management for Architecture and Construction, Data Management for AutoCAD, Data Management for Civil and Infrastructure, IMAGINiT Clarity, Vault

ISO 19650 Common Data Environment

This article on CDE’s for BIM Projects will go through the various types of infrastructures and workflows and how Design Consulting can deploy various types of system architectures to meet your requirements.

CDE System Architecture

System Architecture (or I.T. Infrastructure) for Common Data Environments can be configured a number ways depending on team and stakeholder locations, collaboration and security requirements.

While ISO 19650 compliance is important and having the system and standards in place, what is equally important is having the system architecture to be able to collaborate effectively and securely across networks.

Design Consulting have unique CDE solutions that are ISO 19650 compliant with automation, analytics and user accessibility in mind so stakeholders can focus more on the project rather than compliance and data entry that can also adhere to company security standards.

Three CDE’s (System Architecture) we propose are Local, Public Cloud and Private Cloud. We can also of course have a hybrid approach and have a blend of the above.

The CDE Design Consulting propose consists of:

A centralised secure data management system to access project data for archiving, life-cycle management and reporting
A secure WIP (Work in Progress) environment for architects, designers and engineers
An enterprise system for automating tasks such as deliverables, snapshots and moving files between folders and systems and providing BIM managers with analytics.

Here’s are some diagrams of the three CDE variations:

The main difference between the three is the use of BIM 360 or Revit Server in providing a secure WIP environment.

While Public Cloud is the most open and easiest to configure for WIP Projects, it may not adhere to company security policies. The local and cloud based CDE can also exclusively be run in the cloud as well, with local users accessing the server environment through a private cloud.

Design Consulting can deploy technology at a global or local scale, so if you are looking at implementing a CDE solution from a Technology Service Provider that are experts in BIM and IT, contact us to learn more.

Contact Us

If you would to discuss Athe deployment of a CDE for your project or business, please contact us by calling on 1800 490 514, by filling out the form or clicking the live chat in the bottom right-hand corner.

Autodesk Vault 2020

September 30, 2019

| 2 Comments

| Vault, BIM 360, Data Management for Architecture and Construction, Data Management for AutoCAD, Data Management for Civil and Infrastructure, Fusion Teams, Manufacturing

Autodesk Vault 2020 Vault 2020 features an enhanced user experience, wider administrative controls, and extended project collaboration along with design re-use capabilities and optimised documentation, which helps to focus on value-added work and increased productivity. Below are the details on new features Copy Design Provides consistence & aligned user interface with simplified user experience and powerful usability enhancements and…

5 Powerful Ways to Automate your Design Processes with Autodesk Vault

Benefits of design automation in Autodesk Vault

Copy Design

Automatic Numbering Schemes

Vault Professional 2024 Annual Subscription

Autodesk Vault Basic Cloud 2025

Autodesk Vault Professional Cloud 2025

Autodesk Vault Professional with JP Pro Cloud 2025

Revision Control

Version Control

Job Processor

ERP Integration

Ready to Automate?

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer - Renaming Files

File Management

Renaming Files in Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer File Renaming Challenges

Renaming in Vault

Rename Wizard

Edit Properties

Opening Files That Have Been Renamed

Windows Explorer

Autodesk Vault

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows - File Renaming Video

Learn More about Autodesk Vault

Free 90 Day Vault Trial

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer - File Management

File Management

Windows Explorer File Management Processes and Techniques

Windows Explorer File Management Challenges

Vault File Management

Folder Management

Tools to find the right file in Vault

Autodesk Vault File Management Video

Learn More about Autodesk Vault

Free 90 Day Vault Trial

Autodesk Vault Vs Windows Explorer

What's the Difference?

File Management

Windows Explorer File Management Processes and Techniques

Vault File Management

Autodesk Vault vs Windows Explorer - File Management Blog Post

Reference Management

Windows Reference Management

Windows Vs Vault

Renaming Files

Copying Files

IPJ File Management

Attributes/Properties

Version Control

Get in Touch

Save Time and Money with Autodesk Vault for AutoCAD

Benefits of Using Autodesk Vault

Data Centralisation

Versioning

Search

Change Management

Revision Tables

Sheet Set Manager

Copy Design

Rename

View and Markup

Summary

Get in Touch

Autodesk Vault Cloud

Access Vault in the Cloud for Vault Basic, Vault Professional and Vault Professional with JP Pro Job Processor Editions

Save time and increase productivity with Autodesk Vault's data and file management tools in the cloud.

Design Consulting offers Autodesk Vault on-premise and now in the cloud to give greater flexibility

Benefits of Vault Cloud

Save time and increase productivity with Autodesk Vault's data and file management tools in the cloud.

Design Consulting offers Autodesk Vault on-premise and now in the cloud to give greater flexibility

Benefits of Vault Cloud

No IT costs

No IT costs

Up and running quickly

Up and running quickly

Access data over the internet

Access data over the internet

No upfront costs

No upfront costs