Autodesk combines the best of its BIM 360 and Plangrid applications to launch a unified AEC project and field management solution, Autodesk Build.
Autodesk Build, the US software giant’s new project and field management solution (and now part of the Autodesk Construction Cloud launched in November 2019 – post) is now generally available, following through on its 2020 Autodesk University intention to reshape its Cloud offering (November 2020 post). Autodesk says Build provides construction teams with a single solution for project management, quality, safety, cost and close-out by connecting data, workflows and teams in one highly-configurable environment, unifiying features from BIM 360 and PlanGrid and adding new capabilities.
The mobile-oriented Plangrid was acquired by Autodesk in November 2018 (post), building information modelling (BIM) capabilities via a Plangrid integration with Revit were added six months later (post), and in June 2019 Jim Lynch, today Construction Solutions Senior Vice President and General Manager, confirmed that Plangrid and BIM 360 “will start to merge and will become one sometime in the future“ (post). Less than two years later, that ‘sometime’ appears to be now – though EE understands Autodesk will continue supporting both programs and has no plans to force users to switch to Autodesk Build.
Autodesk US main contractor customer Ted Jennings, senior VDC manager of Barton Malow Holdings, says:
“Our teams need the right technology to achieve outstanding results. By bringing together the best of BIM 360 and PlanGrid and adding even more project management firepower, Autodesk Build is both a simple and robust solution. Connecting our teams and data across projects allows us to supercharge our work with more streamlined document, safety and cost management, and deliver on our quality standards.”
Autodesk Build
A free 30-day trial is available. According to Autodesk, the Autodesk Build product enables architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) teams to:
- Manage projects more efficiently – Teams can configure workflows within Autodesk Build so those who need access to information such as RFIs, submittals, meeting minutes and daily reports can do so at any stage of a project. With the relevant workflow data instantly at their fingertips, project managers can readily analyse activities and make data-driven decisions to keep projects on track. Information from all project workflows is immediately connected in Autodesk Docs, the common data environment (CDE), to simplify overall project management.
- Maximise cross-team collaboration – Autodesk Build facilitates real-time collaboration between the field and office, enabling teams to manage project quality from their desktops, laptops and smart mobile devices, and keep everyone engaged in jobsite safety. The PlanGrid Build app, purpose-built for mobile field collaboration and included in Autodesk Build, empowers the field to stay connected to the latest quality planning, punchlist and issue management, as well as perform quality assurance and quality control tasks. Field and office teams can also manage safety planning, training, observations and inspections from the Autodesk Build platform to keep sites productive and safe.
- Digitise and centralise document management – Autodesk Build consolidates document management and provides a single source of truth to ensure all team members across the construction project lifecycle can access the correct information they need when they need it, regardless of whether they’re in the office or field. Document control, versioning and approval capabilities that support 2D sheets, 3D models and easy-to-share markups help keep everyone on the same page to minimise miscommunications and avoidable mistakes that can lead to rework.
- Streamline cost management – A configurable and connected cost management module in Autodesk Build helps teams keep track of any budget changes from one main location. Teams can manage budget creation and contract administration, change orders, cost forecasts and payment applications alongside a real-time view of project health to make informed decisions and mitigate risks to project costs.
In the Construction Cloud
As part of Autodesk Construction Cloud, a subscription to Autodesk Build costs from £46 per calendar month (based on a small team sharing 550 sheets per month – see pricing). It includes and is reinforced by:
- Autodesk Docs – A centralized document management solution that underpins Autodesk Build’s CDE, providing users with seamless navigation and integrated workflows to create a single source of truth across the project lifecycle.
- Insights – Analytics capabilities that support the ability to collect, interpret and export project data; encompasses Construction IQ artificial intelligence to identify and mitigate risk.
- Administration – Project setup tools including centralized user management and permissioning capabilities, templates and single-sign-on.
Autodesk has also made announcements around its cloud collaboration solutions for architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) design teams: Autodesk Docs is now also included in the AEC Collection, BIM 360 Design is now Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro and Autodesk BIM Collaborate is now available globally.