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Enabling a Connected Design Experience with AutoCAD Web and Mobile Apps

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Description

AutoCAD web and mobile apps redefine the design experience by providing an integrated, connected ecosystem for design and collaboration. The main objective of this session is to demonstrate how AutoCAD web and mobile apps can revolutionize the way we work on DWG files, making the process more efficient and collaborative. In this class, we will explore the collaborative features of AutoCAD web and mobile apps, and demonstrate them through real-world workflows.

Key Learnings

  • Learn about the benefits of AutoCAD on web and mobile apps, and explore how it can enhance collaboration and streamline design workflows.
  • Learn how to implement AutoCAD on web and mobile in your organization to support your design processes.
  • Learn how to share and review designs, track changes, and communicate with team members on the cloud anywhere and anytime.

Speakers

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      Transcript

      SACHIN SINGH: Hello, everyone. Welcome to AU 2024. Today we are here to talk about the connected design experience with AutoCAD Web and mobile apps. Before we start with our presentation, I would like to quickly read out the safe harbor statement.

      The presentation during this event may contain forward looking statements, and these statements reflect our best judgment based on current known factors. Statements regarding planned or future development efforts for our products and services are not intended to be a promise or guarantee of future availability of products, services, or features, but merely reflect our current plans and based on factors currently known to us. Purchasing decisions should not be made based upon reliance on these statements.

      All right, so let's get started. So quickly talking about the agenda for today's presentation. We will introduce ourselves. Then we will look at the AutoCAD ecosystem. And then we'll briefly touch upon the AutoCAD Web and mobile features and its capabilities. And finally, we will demonstrate a workflow case study followed by key takeaways.

      So it's time for intro. And I will go first. My name is Sachin Singh. I am a senior product manager in the AutoCAD Web and mobile team. I have a bachelor's degree in architecture and master's in construction management. And before joining Autodesk as product manager, I have worked as an architect and BIM manager for 8 plus years. Over to Ted.

      TED MARTINEZ: Thank you, Sachin. Hi, everyone. My name is Ted. I'm a product manager in the AutoCAD Web and mobile team with over five years of experience in building tech products for AC and design stakeholders. Excited to be presenting at AU. Over to Wenqian.

      WENQIAN YAN: I'm Wenqian. I'm the user experience designer with AutoCAD web and mobile team, as well. So I have a background in urban design and planning. And I'm happy to advocate for users while we make AutoCAD even more powerful. Back to Sachin.

      SACHIN SINGH: All right, thank you for the introductions. Let's get it started. So to start with, let's get into AutoCAD ecosystem. Over the years, we have expanded AutoCAD to be accessible across desktop, web, and mobile devices. So our users can design on most AutoCAD drawings at home, in the field, or anywhere they are.

      And each one of these apps serve a unique purpose to enable a connected design experience. While desktop is the go to tool for heavy 2D and 3D drafting, AutoCAD on the web is a browser based application that enables your teams to collaborate over a DWG in the cloud. Similarly, AutoCAD on mobile makes it really easy to bring field insights to the drawings. Let's go deeper.

      So for AutoCAD on the web, you can just log into web.autocad.com on any browser to view, edit, share, or mark up a CAD drawing. With AutoCAD on the mobile, you can view, edit, or contribute to a drawing from anywhere you are on your iOS device, on your Android device, or even from tablets. You can also access your files offline or sketch using a smart pen for a seamless on the go experience. Now, over to Ted, who will talk about the key features of AutoCAD Web and mobile.

      TED MARTINEZ: Thank you, Sachin. Let's look at some of the key features in AutoCAD on the web and mobile. AutoCAD web brings core AutoCAD commands that you would typically use for light edit and basic designs. You should be able to use those familiar drafting tools you know so well in a simplified interface.

      Now, you can also view DWGs with 3D and AutoCAD Architecture objects for improved fidelity and to review and mark up on the go. Also available is AutoLISP, which helps you save time and complete designs faster. Now you can customize and automate workflows wherever you are using LISP, whether it's at a job site or on the go.

      Next is Batch Plot to PDF, which allows you to export a drawing file sheet sets as a single multi-page PDF or as a separate PDF for each sheet. These files could be published directly from the File Manager or saved to AutoCAD web storage or cloud storage provider.

      Next is Trace, our marquee cross-platform feature. It gives you a safe space to provide feedback to a drawing without altering the existing drawing content in model space. Think about it as a virtual collaborative tracing paper that is laid over the drawing, allowing your collaborators to add markups and comments on the drawing.

      And finally, Markup Import, another great cross-platform feature that allows you to integrate markups into your DWG. A markup artifact could be a markup using pen and paper or a digitally reviewed PDF markup. Those can be imported as a PDF or JPEG and overlaid on top of the drawing in the trace environment. Over to Wenqian, who will be sharing with us the unique collaboration workflows that we're building on Autodesk Docs.

      WENQIAN YAN: Thank you, Ted. So with AutoCAD on desktop web and mobile, you can work on your CAD drawings from anywhere you are at. So at AutoCAD, we have been actively investing in building collaboration workflows on Docs to enable teams to collaborate seamlessly in the context of a project. So let's look at some of those unique collaborative workflows built on top of Docs.

      The first workload here is for CAD elements. So using Docs, enable CAD elements to have a centralized system for DWG files and CAD standards. So this is especially valuable for large organizations running multiple projects. And recently, we released a shared support file on AutoCAD on the web.

      So CAD Admins with appropriate project control can create a new configuration of support files and repurpose it for multiple projects all at once. So these configurations could include support file such as bounce plot styles, these routines, and more.

      Going deeper in project level collaboration. We know that [INAUDIBLE] is a highly valued tool to manage drawing sets in a project. So in AutoCAD 2023 we launched a web based [INAUDIBLE] so teams can manage drawing sets for projects on Autodesk Docs. So depending on your workflow, you can use the web based [INAUDIBLE] manager in AutoCAD on the web, desktop, or even Civil 3D.

      And last year, we released Activity Insight so that teams can have complete visibility on actions taken on drawing. And now in AutoCAD 2025, we have extended this functionality for DWGs saved on Autodesk Docs and across web mobile. So you know exactly what actions were taken by who and when on your DWG on a docs project.

      And lastly, we recently improved sharing. So you can share a direct link to your DWG inside the Docs project from AutoCAD on the desktop and on web. So this ensures that your collaborators have access to the exact same drawing and can easily review or even edit depending on their Docs permissions. Over to Sachin, who will take us through a detailed case study of how to use AutoCAD Web and mobile in your day to day projects.

      Thank you, Wenqian. Now, let's go over a detailed scenario with recorded demos that walks you through how you can leverage AutoCAD on web and mobile to enable Connected Design experience across a typical real world project.

      So imagine you are working on a new commercial development project for an office building in the heart of San Diego. Our firm's project manager and CAD admin have met together to setup company CAD standards and folder structure on Docs.

      WENQIAN YAN: So hello. I'm the CAD Admin here and I'm ready to connect our Docs project with AutoCAD on the web so that my team can have access to all the standards they need whenever they want to open a file with AutoCAD Web.

      So first, let's go to the left hand side to find the Autodesk Docs project. Let me connect our San Diego project first. And Grace now is connected. All the folders are there. And I see the option to manage the profiles.

      Let's start a new configuration so that we can reuse support from other projects, as well. So I like to use some support file from Scott's project. So let me add this project here. And also would like to keep using support file from our current project. So let me add them, too.

      OK, seems all right. Maybe it's time to create a configuration. Now we just need to wait for the configuration to finish. Might take a while, but I'll be patient. It seems like the configuration is finished. Let's confirm if the configuration is correct.

      OK, it seems looking right. That's all the support files. I want to use for the San Diego project. Looking right. Everything's right. Let me close this dialog and maybe take a look at a drawing and test out the support files acting on the drawing in the folder, in the project.

      Cool, cool, cool. Everything looks right. Let me test plotting a PDF. Well, it seems like the plot styles are there. Those are the ones I would like to use for our project. OK, now the product is ready to keep rolling.

      SACHIN SINGH: Thank you. Now, earlier design on the project has already begun, and the lead architect has put together a base design for the first floor plan. And he is looking to verify some of the site conditions of the project.

      TED MARTINEZ: Hey there. I'm the lead architect on the project. And it feels like a great day to visit the site and annotate my first floor level design with notes to our landscape designer so that he can keep those in mind as we enter the design development process. First, let me open the file on my tablet.

      All right, I don't want to mess with the drawing in the model, so I'm going to create a trace for this. Great. I want this part to be open view. So I'm going to sketch that out with the sketch command using red color here and annotating it.

      Perfect. I also want the landscape designer to keep this in mind for the peripheral areas. So I'm going to annotate those with the green color. Great. It was another place I wanted for him to take a look at. Yeah, back here. I need this to be reserved for public functions, so I am going to sketch that out, as well.

      Great. I don't want him to miss this note. I'm actually going to put an M text written note here. Great. Now let me write the message. This is an interaction space. Extend the view to the public.

      Great. Saved. Now closed out of the trace and save the file.

      SACHIN SINGH: All right, moving forward into our project, the team has reached a critical milestone that is 50% design development review. And this step is highly collaborative with multiple stakeholders providing feedback on the design. Let's take a look at how AutoCAD on web and mobile helps them stay connected in their design process.

      WENQIAN YAN: So hi. I'm the drafter here. I'm ready to begin receiving feedback from my stakeholders on the project. So I'm drafting with the desktop application. Well, we know it's not-- Yeah, I'm drafting with the desktop application. And the thing is ready for DD review. Let me share URL to this drawing. I may need to set it with edit access so that people can comment on it in Trace. I'll paste the link in my email and send it to my MEP consultant and lead architect.

      TED MARTINEZ: Hey there. I'm the MEP consultant. I think I just received an email from my drafter. I'm away from my desk, but I know I have AutoCAD on web, so I can take a look. All right, I'm going to click on this URL.

      Let's wait until it opens. My goal here is to review that there is enough clearance for certain mechanical elements on the first floor. Let me see what the DD feedback is looking like.

      And there's a little part here that looks suspicious. I don't think it's big enough. Let me do a quick measurement. Yeah, it has to be made bigger. Let me add a revision cloud and leave a message here specifying the size.

      Great. So let me put the note here using the mText command. This needs to be bigger shaft. Please change to 2 feet 6 inches by 3 feet. Great. Let me accept. Exit out of the trays and save the file. And it's ready for my drafter to review.

      Hello again. I'm the lead architect. I'm curious how the feedback is coming along from our design stakeholders. I also want to check if there's anything else I need to highlight for our drafter. Let me open the file again on my tablet.

      OK, I see they've created the 50% DD review. And they've added comments. Great. I see something wrong here. This door is in the wrong direction. Let me leave a note for the drafter to reverse the direction.

      OK, I want to make sure he doesn't miss this. I'm actually going to provide him with an Mtext note. Please reverse the door. Great. Let me exit out. And the drawing is ready for my drafter to review.

      SACHIN SINGH: All right, with all the feedbacks consolidated into the drawing, it's time for drafter to incorporate his colleague's design changes.

      WENQIAN YAN: Hello again. I'm the drafter and I'm ready to implement and design changes my team needs. So let's open the DWG on my desktop. Let's see what feedback they have left me. It says design feedbacks are ready for review. Let me open it.

      Perfect. I'm glad that all the feedback are in the same Trace space and I do not have to switch through files. Oops, seems like I put a door wrong. Let me quickly fix it by switching to the drawing mode so that I can make changes while the comments are visible. This is easy. Done.

      Well, it's late now. So let me get to other comments tomorrow.

      TED MARTINEZ: Thank you, Wenqian. That was a great walkthrough. All right, let's review some key takeaways. AutoCAD on web and mobile is enabling a truly connected design experience across your teams, whether you are a DWG author, collaborator, or CAD admin.

      For DWG authors, you can easily make quick adjustments or create new drawings or receive an import feedback with Light Edit, Trace, and Markup Import capabilities. For DWG collaborators, AutoCAD web and mobile allows you to have access to these drawings so that you can review and mark up safely in the cloud, allowing for easy collaboration with trace and share functionality.

      And finally, for CAD admins, you can easily connect support files to your project and automate tasks on web for your team with support, file configuration and LISP support.

      In summary, with AutoCAD on web and mobile, every role in the design process is supported, enabling a connected, efficient, and flexible design experience across any device you choose, keeping your projects on track and your team empowered.

      Thank you so much for joining this session about AutoCAD on web and mobile. We invite you to try this suite of products by visiting web.autocad.com. And if you have any feedback for us, we invite you to join our AutoCAD feedback program. Scan this QR code and sign up. We'd love to hear from you.

      Thank you once more, and until later.