Working on a Shared Model
GRAPHISOFT’s Teamwork technology allows the team of architects to work simultaneously on BIM models without conflicts or limitations.
The Teamwork Palette
The principles of reservation are simple:
•Any user can create new elements or data; no reservation is needed to create something new. New elements created by you will be reserved by you automatically.
•To modify or delete an element, attribute, or other data type from the shared project, it must first be reserved. When you start to edit an available element, ARCHICAD will reserve it for you automatically.
•Typically, you will reserve the elements as you need them, and then release them when you are done working on them. Thus, elements that are not currently being worked on will be always available to other users for reservation.
•Feedback on the reservation status of any item in the project is always up-to-date, as long as you are online.
•In case you need an element reserved by somebody else, you can ask for it with the request command. The element’s owner will automatically receive a message with your request.
Quick Workspace Reservation from the Teamwork Palette
•You can assign your currently owned elements to other users with the Assign command.
In Teamwork, both model elements and other project data (such as attributes or project views) can be reserved using an identical logic and user interface.
When you start to edit an available element, ARCHICAD will reserve it for you automatically – no need to reserve it explicitly.
When necessary, project elements can be reserved either by simple selection, or by criteria.
This is the most straightforward way to reserve elements that are visible and easily selectable in the current project view. All selection methods of ARCHICAD can be used.
Current Reservations can be easily Highlighted
Reservation by selection is available in all 3D and 2D project views, including floor plans, sections, elevations, and details.
With the Reserve All command, you can reserve not only all elements in the entire model, but also all project data: all attributes and Navigator items.
The Reserve All function is useful if you expect to be the only user on a project for a time. For example, if you are the only designer in a small office; or if you are the BIM Manager doing a model review of the Teamwork project.
To reserve a logical group of elements that cannot be selected easily with manual selection, you can use the Reserve elements dialog. This allows you to select multiple elements in different views based on predefined or custom selection criteria. This method is very useful in the following cases:
•Elements are located in different project views (e.g. columns placed on different stories)
•Elements are all of the same type (e.g. 2D elements in sections)
•Elements share the same attributes (e.g. walls placed on a particular layer)
•Elements share the same non-visual information (e.g. doors having the same ID)
Criteria-Based Element Reservation
Reservation criteria sets can be stored and shared among project users, allowing for a smooth sharing workflow even in large and complex projects.
Non-element model data, such as attributes, views or layouts, can also be reserved very flexibly. There is no need for exclusive sign-in or other extra effort to modify them, so users can reserve and release them on the fly. The Teamwork status of the project data elements are displayed by control lights (red, green and blue) at the bottom of the corresponding settings dialogs.
Teamwork Status of Project Data
Releasing Elements and Project Data
Elements that you currently own can be released with just one click using the Release command from the Teamwork menu or in the Teamwork Palette. If you wish, you can release only the selected elements, or if nothing is selected, then all your reservations will be released with the Release All command. It is highly recommended that you release those elements and data that you are not using, so other team members can access them.
In larger companies, it is good practice to establish a company policy that all users must do a Release All at the end of each working day.
Requesting Elements and Project Data
Use Request if the element or data type you wish to reserve is currently owned by another user. Requesting is backed-up with an intelligent message that is automatically sent to the element’s owner. You don’t even have to check who the owner is; the message will always be sent to the right person. The request message contains a built-in “Grant” button with which the element can be granted to the requester, and an automatically generated preview of the requested elements. The message will stay on the current owner’s task list until the element is granted or denied to the requester.
Requesting Elements
You can assign any of your own elements to another user, even if that user has not requested them. To do this, select the element(s), then the “Assign Element(s)” command from the context menu or the Teamwork menu. This function allows the project leaders (e.g. the Lead Architect) to organize the work of the team even if they are located in different offices.
For better control over user workspaces, it is very important to be able to instantly check the current element assignments of the users. Teamwork offers several solutions for this:
•The Colored Workspaces function, in the Teamwork Palette, provides visual feedback on the status of model elements. This function works in the 3D and 2D windows alike. With Colored Workspaces, team members can visually identify their currently owned elements and the current workspaces of their teammates.
Color-Coded Workspaces
•The Info tag also displays the name of the selected element’s current owner.
Reservation Information in the Info Tag
•For non-element project data, such as attributes or views, the owner’s name is displayed under Teamwork Status, at the bottom of their settings dialog box or the Navigator. Reserved elements are marked with a red lamp; your own elements are indicated by a green lamp. A blue lamp means that the element is free for reservation.
Task-Oriented Instant Team Communication
In any architectural design workflow, effective communication increases productivity and reduces the risk of design problems. ARCHICAD’s Teamwork introduces an efficient and easy way for users to instantly communicate and to manage workspaces. Teamwork Messaging is integrated with the ARCHICAD project: its functions are tied to elements and actions within the project, so that many messaging functions are automated, reducing the amount of user-initiated communications needed. Furthermore, you can communicate with users who are not online at the moment: they will receive their messages the next time they are online. All messaging functions can be managed from the Messaging panel of the Teamwork Palette.
There are several types of messages available in Teamwork. These can be used in different communication scenarios, described here:
Standard text messages can be sent to individual users or to the entire team within ARCHICAD. The messages will automatically pop up on the recipients’ screen.
Teamwork Message
A key feature of this messaging system is that text messages can be attached to model elements. Element-based messages are sent with every Request and Assign operation. The message includes a view of the requested elements. The recipient can click “Apply View” to navigate to the view where the requested/transferred elements are, and apply the view settings. (Then return to the original view using “Restore View.”) The recipient can also find and select the model elements with “Show Element(s)”. This can be extremely useful if you are working on a project view where the transferred or requested elements are not visible.
Element-Based Messaging
The organized workflow of large offices requires a solution for assigning tasks to team members. Teamwork messages can integrate the following tasks:
•Send Changes
•Receive Changes
•Release All
•Leave Project
•Review Selected Elements
The message includes a command button that implements the requested operation. For example, if you receive a message instructing you to “Send Changes,” the “Send Changes” command button is included in the message; click the button to Send in all your changes to the BIM Server. Messages remain on your To Do list until you respond to them. Completed messages disappear from the To Do list and are automatically moved to the Completed list. Requests which you sent to other users, and which are waiting for a response, are listed in the Pending Requests tab of the Messaging panel.
Teamwork Messaging Interface