Construction documents management on a BIM platform
Here are some specific services to create and manage construction documents on a BIM platform from any location (if you are on a construction site or travelling) for enhanced project management
The technology for producing, managing and distributing construction documents has undergone a lot of changes in the past few years and a new generation of tools are being adopted to provide easy access and secure storage for project documents, facilitating BIM data management systems.
BIM (Building Information Modeling) as an integrated process for sharing construction information digitally has significantly advanced construction collaboration by providing a single repository, knowledge resource for project data and, definitely, paperless innovation to construction management processes thanks to the construction management software.
Especially when it comes to BIM document managment, the idea is to provide access, visualization and analytics of data in a single environment integrating processes and professionals that could easily share resources to support the decision-making about a facility anytime and anywhere, such as from their office, on a construction site or when travelling.
This is facilitated by the fact that you do not have to install any additional software for word processing, tables, presentations, but they can easily manage these files directly in the Cloud, without having to download them locally.
usBIM.platform and editable formats
usBIM.platform, ACCA software’s BIM collaboration platform, allows you to upload and share any type of document in the Cloud, either from desktop or mobile platforms (tablets and smartphones).
The advantage of creating, editing and sharing editable files directly through the platform, without having to download and install additional software, is evident.
The platform allows you to review and modify project documents even when you are away from your office, for example on a construction site or travelling abroad.
Through the visualization service usBIM.browser, many document formats (docx, pptx, xlsx) can be viewed on the platform and they can also be associated with new information (for example with links and #TagBIM).
In addition, you have the possibility to create, view and edit some documents directly in usBIM.platform.
Specifically, it is possible to create and manage:
- TEXT document or usBIM.writer MODEL (create a new TEXT document or HTML MODEL in whtml format);
- Word document (create a new document in .docx format);
- PowerPoint presentation (create a new presentation in .pptx format);
- Excel document (make a new document in .xlsx format).
It is important to highlight that in order to create and edit Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents, you must have Microsoft 365, license activated, while you can view these files freely (by clicking directly on the screen icon next to their name).
How to create a new document in usBIM.platform
In order to create a new document, within your project, just select the “New Document” icon and choose the type of document to be created by selecting it from those available.
Create a new editable document with usBIM.platform
At this point, simply rename the file and the title and then click on the “Create” button.
The file name, which also reports the extension of the document, will no longer be editable. While it will always be possible to rename it by changing the text entered in the title field that will correspond to the name of the document on the platform.
Subsequently, the editor of the selected document will be activated, which will be either usBIM.writer, if you edit a WHTML file, or Microsoft 365 if you edit a Word, Excel and PowerPoint file.
In order to use Microsoft 365 and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, you need a company or training account, while viewing the contents is freely accessible.
Edit, save and share a text file directly on the platform: usBIM.writer
Here is an example of a new document created with usBIM.writer that allows you to have all the text documents directly on the platform, without the need of having an additional software, being able to easily and quickly edit, save and share with other users of the platform
usBIM.writer interface
As you can see from the interface, there are the classic commands of a word processing software, including:
- styles and font sizes;
- bulleted and numbered lists;
- uploading images;
- change colors;
- quotes, indexes and symbols;
- alignements;
Open document
Once you have created new editable files, you can store them in your project folders and share them with other users.
In this way you can easily exchange documents, notes, tables and presentations, without needingg to have any software installed on your pc / tablet.
The platform, that can be used also from tablets and smartphones, will allow you easy access to these documents even, for example, when you are on a construction site and you do not have a PC available.
At this point there are three possibilities:
- edit draft version 0.X: this option allows you to enter the editor and continue working on the version 0.X still in draft.
- delete draft version 0.X: this option allows you to permanently delete the draft version of the document.
- consolidate version 0.X: this option allows you to consolidate a new version with the content of the document in draft 0.X. In this way, for example, version 1 is generated. In fact, the number 1 will immediately appear in the VRS column (version) in the document grid.
Edit document
For all documents uploaded on the platform in the formats indicated above, it is possible to edit their current version. Consequently, by clicking on the screen icon, you have two options:
- open Version 1 to open the document in the current version for viewing mode only;
- new Version 1.X to be edited sets the selected document in “Draft” version. This document may be subject to new changes.
