Revamp Your Workflow: 7 Steps to Optimize Your Bim 360 Document Management Process

10 August 2023. Authored by William Lewis. Expected time investment required: 9 minutes.

Assess Your Current Document Management Process

Before optimizing your Bim 360 document management process, you should first assess your current process. This will provide a foundation for identifying which areas need improvement or adjustment for a more streamlined workflow. Evaluate how documents are being created, shared, and stored across different departments within your organization. Are there any bottlenecks or inefficiencies that can be mitigated?

Once you’ve assessed your current process, you’ll have a better understanding of your organization’s document management needs and can determine how Bim 360 can be utilized to improve your workflow. This assessment phase is critical to ensuring that the optimization of your document management system is tailored to the specific needs of your organization.

Utilize Bim 360 Features to Streamline Document Management

Bim 360 offers a variety of features that can streamline your document management process. For instance, you can customize access permissions on specific folders or individual documents, which ensures only authorized personnel can access the information they need. You can also create a document control system that allows you to easily track document revisions, making it easier to manage changes to your drawings, specifications, and other important documents.

Bim 360 also allows you to automate document transmittal and distribution, which helps to reduce the time and effort spent on administrative tasks. With Bim 360, you can create workflows and processes that automate repetitive tasks and eliminate the need for manual data entry. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors or data inconsistencies.

If you’re looking to take your document management process to the next level, consider leveraging Bim 360 with other software solutions, such as those outlined in this article on 6 Architecture Trends to Watch in 2021 and Beyond. By integrating Bim 360 with other software solutions, you can ensure seamless workflows between different software platforms, which further streamlines your document management and even boosts your building design process as a whole.

Standardize Naming Conventions & Folder Structure

One of the most significant setbacks when it comes to teamwork is inconsistency. Inconsistent folder structures and naming conventions only create confusion and chaos, especially in a virtual working environment. Standardizing folder structures and naming conventions build organized systems and help locate specific files efficiently. Naming conventions and folder structures should be intuitive and consistent, making it easy to predict how directories will be named and how information will be organized.

Since Bim 360 enables simultaneous access to documents, it’s essential to make sure everyone follows the same folder structure and naming conventions. This way, everyone knows precisely where documents are stored and how to find them. For instance, you can begin by creating individual folders for each phase of the project and create subfolders for specific file types such as proposals, contracts, and invoices. It’s also essential to create a straightforward, understandable naming convention for naming files to ensure everyone is on the same page. Standardizing your folder structure and naming conventions can save your team valuable time and resources in the long run by eliminating unnecessary confusion and increasing productivity.

If you’re interested in more ways to optimize your document management process, check out 6 Benefits of 3D printing for Architects. Incorporating 3D printing technology with Bim 360 can improve efficiency and accuracy in your project planning and execution while significantly reducing costs.

Create a Clear Approval Process

Approval processes can vary within an organization, but the goal is always to reduce the chance of errors and omissions in documents. A straightforward approval process improves submittal turnaround time, provides transparency, and eliminates uncertainty about who is responsible for making the final decision. A clear approval process uses logical and concise routing and prioritizes necessary documents. It is also essential to ensure that stakeholders have sufficient time to review and approve documents for critical submissions, such as change orders and payment applications.

Fortunately, Bim 360 provides you with the tools to establish and streamline clear approval processes. With Bim 360, approval workflows can be created with defined process roles, deadlines, and document-specific review criteria. Automatic status updates are sent across the project team, reducing the chances of the approval request getting lost. Bim 360 enables stakeholders and project managers to track the document’s approval progress and be alerted when a stage is completed, thus increasing accountability and transparency.

If you want to learn more about other ways to optimize project management workflows, check out 6 Architecture Trends to Watch in 2021 and Beyond. Incorporating new software trends like these can help you stay ahead of the curve and improve the efficiency and profitability of your projects.

Train and Communicate with Team Members

Implementing a new document management system, such as Bim 360, requires proper training and communication with all team members. It’s important to ensure that everyone is on the same page and understands how to use the new system effectively. This can be achieved by hosting training sessions, creating user manuals, and providing ongoing support to team members.

Communication is also key when introducing a new document management system. Make sure everyone is aware of their roles and responsibilities within the system, and that they understand how to access and use the system. Consider creating a centralized communication hub where team members can go to ask questions or provide feedback about the system.

By investing time in training and communicating with team members, you’ll not only improve the adoption of the new system but also the overall effectiveness of your document management process.

If you want to learn more about how technology is changing architecture and construction industries, check out 6 Ways Smart Technologies Are Changing the Conversation About Architecture. This article explores innovative applications that are emerging in the architecture field, including how technology has allowed for greater collaboration and communication between team members.

Continuously Evaluate and Adjust the Process for Optimization

Optimizing your document management process using Bim 360 is an ongoing process that requires constant evaluation and adjustment. As your organization grows and evolves, so too should your document management process. It’s important to evaluate the system regularly to ensure that it’s meeting your organization’s needs and making processes more efficient.

One way to evaluate your Bim 360 document management process is by reviewing data and analytics provided by the system. Bim 360 has built-in analytics that can help you identify areas that require improvement or adjustment. Use this data to make informed decisions about how best to optimize your document management process.

Regularly reviewing and adjusting your document management process can help you stay ahead of the curve and improve the overall efficiency of your organization. It’s important to keep track of any changes made, so that you can identify what works and what doesn’t, and how you can improve your process in the future.

William Lewis is a freelance writer from Chicago, IL. He has written for various publications on topics ranging from technology to sports.