Discover how to work together in real time with the Shared Views feature of AutoCAD.

Discover how to work together in real time with the Shared Views feature of AutoCAD.

Take for example the situation in which you are working late on a significant design and you want prompt input from a colleague or client who is located a great distance away, or even on the other side of the planet. What if you could share a live view of your design instantaneously, right from AutoCAD? This would eliminate the need to transmit large files back and forth or worry about different versions of software.

It is precisely in this context that AutoCAD’s Shared Views come into play. You can make your process more streamlined, quicker, and much more collaborative by using this simple but effective tool. I will explain how it works and why it has the potential to revolutionise the way you plan and evaluate projects.

Why The Value of Shared Opinions
The design process has always been a collaborative effort, but providing input in real time has not always been simple. There are occasions when your partners do not have AutoCAD installed at all, and sending DWG files by email might be a cumbersome process altogether. And even when they do, software versions that are not compatible with one another or reference files that are missing might slow things down.

Identical Points of View One way to simplify this process is to allow you to export a lightweight snapshot of your design that is stored in the cloud. This eliminates the need to transfer the whole file or worry about sensitive data. While you continue to work in AutoCAD, your coworkers or customers may review the document, remark on it, and make annotations from inside their web browser.

Quick and easy steps to take when setting up a shared view
The process of generating a Shared View from inside AutoCAD is as simple as clicking a few buttons.

Navigate to the tab labelled “Collaborate” on the ribbon.

Use the Shared Views option.

Simply choose the area of your design that you want to include by clicking the New Shared View button, and then select either the complete drawing or simply chosen views and sheets.

After adding a name, which is optional, click the Share button.

In addition to uploading this view to the cloud, AutoCAD will produce a one-of-a-kind link that you can share with whomever you want, whether they are your colleagues, your bosses, or your customers.

Engage in real-time collaboration and commenting.
The individuals with whom you share the link are not required to install AutoCAD or even establish an account in order to use it. In any contemporary web browser, they are able to access the view and make use of the built-in features to:

• Rotate, zoom, and pan around three-dimensional models.
• Please verify the information or measure the distances.
• Incorporate remarks that are closely connected to certain areas of the drawing.

When feedback is received, it will be shown inside the Shared Views palette of AutoCAD. This will allow you to rapidly examine and respond to the comments, all without having to leave the environment in which you are designing.

Keep your work under control and safeguard it.
The fact that Shared Views ensures the safety of your source DWG files is among the many advantages of using this feature. It is important to note that the shared view is a distinct and lightweight visual representation that does not include all of the detailed data, reference files, or editable geometry.

What’s more, you have control over how long the shared view remains online. It is set to expire after thirty days by default; however, you have the ability to renew it or remove it at any time, ensuring that access is restricted to the individuals you choose for the duration of time you select.

Quicken the pace of your work.
Not only can real-time collaboration save you a few minutes, but it also has the potential to completely transform the way in which your projects progress towards completion. It is possible to evaluate designs in real time, resolve problems on the spot, and ensure that everyone is on the same page. This eliminates the need to wait for someone to install software or email files back and forth.

This immediate communication may help keep momentum continuing, particularly on projects with tight deadlines or teams that are scattered across many locations. It can also help limit the number of misconceptions that often arise when input is delayed.

Outside of Customers: Make Use of Shared Perspectives Within Your Team
In addition to being beneficial for delivering presentations to customers, Shared Views may also be used for doing speedy internal inspections. Would you want a structural engineer to verify a particular detail? Want to discuss potential design ideas with a member of your team? This allows you to rapidly share a view with them and chat over it online, which eliminates the need to call them over to your desk.

Collaboration is made more flexible as a result of this, regardless of whether your team is working from home, in the office, or on location.

These Shared Views in AutoCAD are not intended to take the place of extensive and thorough drawing modifications; rather, they are designed to make communication more streamlined and transparent throughout the whole of the design process. Through the ability to share live views that can be opened, explored, and commented on by anybody, they assist you in obtaining feedback more quickly, therefore ensuring that your projects continue to progress without any unneeded delays.

In spite of the fact that it is a straightforward function, many teams find that it is the missing component that makes the process of cooperation in the digital age seem completely effortless.