Master your ACC Permissions: From View-Only to Full Control
Efficient collaboration hinges on precise data management. Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) provides a powerful framework for this, but its effectiveness is unlocked by a clear understanding and strategic application of its permission settings. Granting the right access from "view only" to "full administrative controls" is crucial for security, workflow efficiency, and empowering your team with clarity and structure.
Understanding ACC’s Core Permission Levels.
ACC's permission system is designed for granular control, allowing project administrators to define exactly what actions each user can perform. This tiered approach fosters a system over chaos environment, preventing unintended modifications and promoting data integrity.
Here are the fundamental permission levels within ACC:
View Only: This is the most restrictive level. Users can view files, add private markups, and create issues. They cannot download, edit, or upload.
View + Download: This expands "View Only" to allow users to download files, which is useful for offline access or local review.
Create: This level includes all "View + Download" permissions, with the added ability to publish markups and upload new files. It also allows for editing existing files.
Edit: Encompassing all "Create" permissions, "Edit" allows for comprehensive interaction with files, including viewing, downloading, publishing markups, uploading, and editing.
Manage (Full Administrative Control): This grants extensive control over a specific folder. Users can perform nearly all tasks a Project Administrator can for that folder, including creating folders, sharing files, and managing permissions for other members within that specific folder. Project Administrators automatically possess "Manage" permissions across all folders.
Strategic Approaches to Setting ACC Permissions
Effectively managing permissions involves choosing the right strategy for your project's scale and complexity. ACC offers three primary methods to streamline this process, aligning with our brand pillar of Process and Integration.
Individual Permission Setting: This method is straightforward. Project administrators add individual users via their email addresses to specific folders and assign their permission levels. It's ideal for smaller projects with a limited number of users where manual management is feasible. However, for larger projects with many collaborators, this can become time-consuming.
Role Control Permission Setting: This approach automates permission assignments based on a user's defined role within the project (e.g., Architect, Engineer, Surveyor). Account Administrators can create and customize these roles and set default access levels. While efficient for large teams, Project Administrators can override these defaults for specific projects as needed.
Company Control Permission Setting: This method grants folder permissions based on a user's company affiliation. It is effective for projects of any size and helps prevent unauthorized access. This approach requires initial manual setup but offers robust security by linking permissions directly to organizational identities.
Step-by-Step: Implementing Folder Permissions
Project Administrators are responsible for establishing and maintaining member and subcontractor privileges. Follow these steps for precise permission setup:
Access Project Admin: From the ACC interface, navigate to "Project Admin."
Manage Members and Roles: In the "Members" tool, you can add new members, assign roles, and grant access to ACC products. Here, you can also modify existing member access and permissions.
Set Folder Permissions:
Go to the "Files" tool from the left navigation.
Navigate to the specific folder (e.g., in "For the Field" or "Project Files").
Hover over the folder, click the "More" menu (three dots), and select "Permissions settings."
Click "Add."
Enter names, email addresses, roles, or companies. You can also select "Everyone."
In the "Permissions" field, choose the desired level (e.g., View, Create, Edit, Manage).
Click "Add."
Remember, subfolders automatically inherit parent folder permissions. However, these can be adjusted, ensuring subfolder permissions are either the same or have a greater access level than their parent.
Key Considerations for Secure & Efficient Collaboration
Project Administrator Role: Granting "Project Administrator" status should be done with caution. This role holds unlimited access to the entire project site. Misunderstanding its scope can lead to data breaches or accidental deletions. Prioritize precision with empathy, assigning this role only to those with a clear grasp of its responsibilities.
Inviting vs. Access: Inviting a member to the Project Hub does not automatically grant them file access. Proper folder-level permission settings are always required.
Customizing Roles: Account Administrators can customize roles, including renaming or removing them, and setting default access levels. Changes to default access levels apply only to new projects where that role is added, not existing ones. Project Administrators retain the ability to override role defaults within a specific project.
Master Your ACC Permissions for Project Success
Mastering ACC permission settings is an act of empowerment through structure. It ensures data security and fosters seamless collaboration across your AEC and Revit projects. By understanding each permission level and applying a clear, consistent process for setup, you empower your team while protecting valuable project data. Embrace this structured approach for integrated, efficient, and successful project delivery.
For more resources on BIM best practices, visit ndr-bim.com.