Making the Move to Autodesk Software

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry has undergone numerous changes in recent years, as technology advancements have introduced new ways to address project challenges. Tools for design, modeling, and collaboration now enable AEC professionals to work more efficiently and tackle more complex assignments than before.

Image source: chungking/stock.adobe.com.

As part of this journey, many organizations are turning to the Autodesk design platform to leverage new technology and exchange data with project partners. With the right approach, this move can deliver both immediate and long-term benefits, while maintaining productivity on current projects.

For decision makers, consideration of a software migration may create stress and anxiety, due to concerns about lost productivity, schedule impacts, and limited staff bandwidth to handle the migration. With many organizations already short-staffed, the addition of a software shift may seem like more than the organization can currently handle. This might cause some organizations to postpone the migration to another quarter or even to the following year.

With the right guidance, concerns about transitioning to a new software platform can be eased, allowing the migration to proceed smoothly. For many organizations, the potential  benefits of switching to the Autodesk platform outweigh the perceived risks, and productivity can be maintained during the migration process.

Why Organizations are Changing

Ever since Autodesk was introduced in the early 1980s, AEC professionals have been drawn to its intuitive interface, open architecture, and ever-expanding feature set. More recent developments have attracted new users seeking operational benefits, improved collaboration with project partners and Autodesk users, and capabilities to meet evolving client needs.

Operational benefits can be realized by tapping into a broad-based workforce with Autodesk experience. AutoCAD and other Autodesk products are widely incorporated into curricula at colleges, technical schools, and high schools. Autodesk announced in November 2025 that it has provided its software and technology to more than 150 million students and educators around the world, including those focused on science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) education.

“With technology advancing faster than education can keep pace, it’s crucial that industry leaders like Autodesk help equip STEAM students and educators with the right tools at every stage of learning,” said Mary Hope McQuiston, Vice President of Education at Autodesk.

Autodesk estimate more that 150 million students and educators use AutoCAD in class. MDBPIXS/stock.adobe.com.

The AEC workforce also has significant Autodesk experience. With Autodesk holding an estimated 13.5% of total industry revenue in Design, Editing & Rendering Software Publishing, according to IBIS World, new hires often bring Autodesk experience with them. The addition of AutoCAD-savvy professionals can provide big dividends to AEC organizations that have been facing workforce shortages. 

The growing importance of collaboration is also driving many AEC organizations to Autodesk software. For example, numerous surveyors use Autodesk-compatible tools to collect data on the front end of projects, as well as provide construction surveying later in project lifecycles. The open architecture of AutoCAD has enabled numerous Autodesk partners and other developers to build surveying- and construction-related applications that import and export AutoCAD data.

The growth of digital twin technology has increased the importance of collaboration. Image source: Hosna/stock.adobe.com.

For designers, the growth of building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins has led many architects and other design professionals to adopt Autodesk Revit software for 3D design, modeling, and other tasks, particularly when collaborating on complex projects. Autodesk Civil 3D has brought similar capabilities to civil, transportation, and other infrastructure professionals.

In a common workflow for collaborative AEC projects, work progresses from surveying through design, construction, and operations and maintenance. The availability of Autodesk tools through all of these phases reduces friction across disciplines and project phases. For example, when survey and mapping data can be readily shared digitally with designers working in a common platform, the design process is more streamlined, with clear annotation and understanding of survey information.

AutoCAD can import data from a variety of formats. Image source: Autodesk.

As design data is provided digitally to construction teams, a continuous datastream is maintained and can be perpetuated as construction teams update data with as-built information. Ultimately the information becomes available to owners for operations and maintenance, as well as for planning future projects, providing a round-tripping of information.

Another driver of migration to Autodesk software is that owners of both public and private projects often require Autodesk software for their projects. Owners working with multiple consultants often require a common software platform, and for many this means Autodesk Revit for buildings and Civil 3D for infrastructure projects. Already commonly used by many local government agencies, Civil 3D is also gaining users at the federal and state levels, according to Jason Kunkel, Senior Practice Manager for Architecture and Engineering at ARKANCE, an Autodesk partner and provider of technology consulting and training services. He explained, “There is a major uptick in interest in digital project delivery (DPD) for many of these agencies. And as they look at this, they are taking a step back to see if their current tools and software make sense or if another application will better support DPD in the long run… something with a large user base, more available resources, better integration with other software… and in many cases, Civil 3D is what they end up going with.”

The bottom line: Autodesk software is often necessary to compete in today’s AEC environment. In some organizations, it may be among two or more CAD platforms due to other client requirements, but any AEC organization collaborating with other project partners will need Autodesk capabilities to actively participate.

Transitioning to a new platform can be the perfect time for teams to update standards, templates, and libraries. Image source: MDBPIXS/stock.adobe.com.

Common Concerns and Fears

While many organizations may be interested in switching to the Autodesk platform, some may have concerns about changing software, including lost productivity, data integrity, or expenses related to training and other migration activities. With the right guidance, these concerns can be addressed and organizations can begin to experience benefits without disrupting ongoing work.

Concerns with productivity often stem from new workflows, toolsets, and terminology. Staff familiar with a different design platform may initially need time to locate with equivalent tool, understand new command structures, and adapt to revised processes. Impacts to productivity occur most likely when workflows are undefined, standards are inconsistent, or training is disconnected from active projects.

Data integrity concerns typically focus on how legacy files will be imported, how object intelligence is preserved, and how migrated data will be used in downstream workflows. AutoCAD is compatible with a wide variety of file formats, providing interoperability across numerous CAD platforms. Project data from other software platforms can readily be imported into AutoCAD, Revit, and other Autodesk products. While file compatibility addresses many technical concerns, successful data migration also depends on validating how information will be used downstream — particularly when data supports ongoing design, construction, or operations workflows.

For new projects, some effort is needed to set up standards, templates, and libraries for consistent use on all projects. Much of this is good practice in general, and sometimes a shift to a new software platform provides organizations an opportunity to improve standardization and consistency. Again, an experienced partner can help identify issues to address in data migration and development of standards.

For many organizations, this step becomes one of the most valuable aspects of the transition. Revisiting standards and templates can help eliminate inconsistencies that have accumulated over time, making it easier for teams to collaborate and maintain quality across projects — regardless of the software platform used.

Training concerns often center on timing, relevance, and cost. Organizations worry about pulling staff away from active projects, investing time in training that may not align with day-to-day workflows, or overwhelming users with information before they are able to apply it. Without a clear structure, training can feel like an added burden rather than a support mechanism of transition.

The transition to a new CAD platform is often less daunting than some imagine, noted Kunkel. “At the end of the day, you use a mouse to create things on the screen, design projects, and produce some kind of output,” he said. However, the transition can be difficult for organizations that try to handle the journey without ongoing support. “We’ve seen many firms that come in and get minimal training from us and proceed on their own, and then three years later, they’re still struggling,” added Kunkel.

Autodesk has tools to assist with importing data from other platforms and ARKANCE can supplement with a variety of custom tools. Image source: anika/stock.adobe.com.

A Successful Migration

What does a successful migration look like? It extends far beyond purchasing and installing new software. It depends on process, people, and an ongoing partnership with technology resources. Successful migration results in well-planned workflows, thoroughly trained staff, and continuous learning and improvement as the software is implemented on new projects.

To get started with migration, many organizations choose to work with a partner. A technology consultant such as ARKANCE can help your organization transition efficiently with Autodesk software while remaining productive during the transition. With consultants experienced in the AEC industry and the Autodesk platform, ARKANCE helps organizations assess existing resources and workflows to build a migration plan aligned with project demands.

For data migration, Autodesk offers numerous tools for importing data from other software platforms, and ARKANCE can supplement this with custom tools to handle specific situations. In many cases, built-in tools such as the Import command in AutoCAD can handle key data migration tasks. In other cases, specific expertise is required to make sure data is migrated correctly.

The most important part of any migration, is planning so you can stay productive during the process. InfiniteFlow/stock.adobe.com.

ARKANCE has developed a proven framework for successful migration. The framework can be modified to support multiple software platforms, scale for individual organizations, and adjust to timeframe needs.

Standards analysis and recommendations: ARKANCE reviews the organization’s current projects and assets with team representatives and engages in data collection workshops to develop a comprehensive list of assets that need to be created. This upfront analysis helps reduce rework and inconsistency across projects, allowing teams to adopt new software while remaining productive.

Template and standards development: Based on the agreed-upon recommendations, ARKANCE experts craft the templates and required files to support the organization’s standards and project types. Well-defined templates shorten ramp-up time for new projects and help provide consistent deliverables across teams
and disciplines.

Library and assets creation: Custom content is identified and developed, focusing on specific disciplines and project needs, such as graphics and data. This reduces the need for ad hoc content creation and helps teams work more efficiently using project-ready assets.

Custom training: Both baseline and specific workflow training are developed and delivered to the right subsets of teams, to get users up to speed as fast as possible. Targeted training minimizes downtime by focusing on the tasks users perform most often, rather than abstract or hypothetical exercises.

Continued assistance: ARKANCE experts are available to support the organization through a pilot project, and ongoing as needed to create new unexpected assets, develop new workflows, and educate staff through the transition. Ongoing support helps organizations address unexpected challenges as they arise, preventing small issues from becoming long-term productivity obstacles.

ARKANCE seeks to build an ongoing partnership with organizations and tailor support to the needs of end users. In some cases, in-person training may be the preferred option based on a company’s current projects. In other cases, remote or virtual training is more effective. At times, a combination of training methods is effective. This flexible approach allows organizations to adjust support as needs evolve, rather than treating migration as a fixed, short-term engagement.

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is the state agency responsible for planning, designing, constructing, and maintaining nearly 25,000 lane miles of highways, roads, and bridges across Montana. As part of a broader initiative to modernize workflows and support model-based project delivery, MDT undertook a transition to Autodesk infrastructure design solutions.

Working with ARKANCE, MDT focused on a phased deployment and structured implementation that aligned new tools with existing standards, data, and active projects. Rather than treating the transition as a one-time software change, ARKANCE worked with MDT to support planning, training, and ongoing support to help staff adapt while maintaining productivity across projects. The effort demonstrates how large organizations can manage migration without disrupting delivery.

When migrating, organizations should keep a measured approach and focus on preparation. alphaspirit/stock.adobe.com.

Managing Change Without Disruption

For many organizations, software migration may seem like an unwanted disruption to be endured, not a process they can manage methodically. In reality, most negative outcomes associated with migration stem from poor timing, insufficient planning, or lack of support, not from the tools themselves. When organizations take a measured approach and focus on preparation, training, and continuity, migration becomes a controlled transition rather than a productivity setback.

In that sense, the most successful organizations are not those that rush change or avoid it entirely, but those that approach it with clarity and structure. With the right process and guidance in place, firms can move forward without panic — maintaining momentum on current projects while positioning themselves for future demands.

Whether your organization is seeking to add more tools to its toolbox or planning a broader shift to the Autodesk platform, ARKANCE offers an effective approach and years of experience in rolling out new software while maintaining existing standards and deliverable requirements. This approach can help organizations get up and running quickly and stay productive during the transition period.

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This article was sponsored by  ARKANCE.

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