Introduction to Autodesk Collaboration for Civil 3D Best Practices

This topic provides key points and notes to read before getting started with Collaboration for Civil 3D.

• It is desirable that everyone working in the Collaboration for Civil 3D environment deploy the latest updates of Autodesk Civil 3D (2020 - 2024). As a minimum, Civil 3D 2023.2.1 and above with Desktop Connector 16.x will provide an optimal experience.
• Given the frequent releases of Desktop Connector, it is not necessary to install every new release. Consideration should be given to the incremental value of each release and how it applies to your organization prior to installation. Users in your organization can work together on different versions of Desktop Connector. For more information, see the Desktop Connector release notes.
• BIM 360 has been rebranded to Autodesk Docs. The version of Desktop Connector that included this change was 14.8.
• Desktop Connector triggers all the dependency files in the opening/saving workflows, meaning that Desktop Connector has mechanisms to interrogate files and find their references. Depending on the ability to find those references, the expected result will change.
  • When Desktop Connector attempts to transfer files with references (host files), it will also attempt to find all reference files within the host, and upload them to Autodesk Docs to the required target location.
  • If Desktop Connector is not capable of finding a dependency file, that file will not be uploaded to Autodesk Docs. This will result in broken links in the host drawings stored in Autodesk Docs.
  • If Desktop Connector is capable of finding a dependency file but that file is located outside the same folder or the folder above it, Desktop Connector will not be able to replicate the same folder structure in the target location. In those scenarios, Desktop Connector places the files into a Related Data folder inside the host directory and replicates the local path to the reference. The host file uploaded to Autodesk Docs will have a dependency to this reference file that is inside the Related Data folder.
• AutoCAD 2022 and AutoCAD 2023 users working in this environment will experience the same locking behavior as Civil 3D. However, AutoCAD 2020 or 2021 does not support automatic locking natively and project team members who are using AutoCAD 2020 and 2021-based products can install the File Locking for Autodesk® BIM 360® application, which provides automatic locking and unlocking for DWG and DWT files that are stored in Autodesk Docs when they are opened in AutoCAD.
  Note: AutoCAD 2022 and AutoCAD 2023 support file locking, so there's no need to install the app. If you have AutoCAD 2021 and 2020 installed together with AutoCAD 2022 or AutoCAD 2023 on the same machine and want to enable file locking for AutoCAD 2021 or 2020, please make sure to install version 2.2.0 of the app. (Using version 1.0.0 of the file locking app in this case will introduce unexpected locking behaviors on AutoCAD 2022 or AutoCAD 2023).
• Automated locking is not supported for certain file types including Microsoft Word and Excel files. These files should be manually locked and unlocked when you are editing using desktop versions of these products.
• There are tools throughout this environment that you can leverage to better understand the current state of files (for example, the AutoCAD and Civil 3D Start tab, the Desktop Connector home screen, and the Reference Explorer).
• It is very important that projects have valid references when migrating to Autodesk Docs and as the project evolves in this environment. This environment is sensitive to referenced files (for example, DWG files and images) being valid and located within the project structure within Autodesk Docs.
• Maintain drawing integrity throughout the file and project life cycle to improve performance (for example, audit and purge unused block definitions, layers, regapps, and so on).
• There are some capabilities that are not supported or that require workflow modifications for use in a production environment. Examples include AutoCAD Sheet Set Manager, Civil 3D survey databases, and reference templates. For more information, see About External Files and Data that Require Attention.
• Understand user access levels, roles, folder permissions, and project organization in Autodesk Docs.

Note also that this solution is rapidly evolving. We'll continue to update these topics to reflect the latest best practices and new functionality that increases the extended value of this solution.

What you'll need to get started

We recommend that you use the latest versions of both Autodesk Civil 3D and Autodesk Desktop Connector. For information about using Autodesk Desktop Connector 16.x, please see About Autodesk Collaboration for Civil 3D and Desktop Connector Version 16.x.

When working with Autodesk Docs, Civil 3D users should use the following versions as well as installing any supporting updates or hotfixes (including updates and hotfixes for AutoCAD and Map 3D):

• Civil 3D 2020.6
• Civil 3D 2021.3
• Civil 3D 2022.1
• Civil 3D 2023
• Civil 3D 2024

It is also critical that you install updates to Autodesk Desktop Connector. Note that Desktop Connector is updated more frequently (monthly).

Your contract manager will need to add the BIM Collaborate Pro entitlement to your account.

Note: Previously the required entitlement was for BIM 360 Design.