Image source: Gorodenkoff/adobe.stock.com.
Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) continues to expand its feature set, with updates released every two months. This rapid development cycle reflects Autodesk’s strategy of incremental refinement rather than large annual overhauls. In a recent webinar, representatives from IMAGINiT Technologies outlined the most impactful additions from the past year focusing on enhancements that improve visibility, simplify tasks, and tighten integration across the construction lifecycle.
Here’s a breakdown of the key changes.
Bidding and Coordination: New Tools for Early-Stage Project Planning
Updates in preconstruction start with bidder list improvements in BuildingConnected Pro. Users can now filter bid lists based on service area and trade specialties, and tag preferred partners to improve the relevance of bid invites.
Model coordination in BIM Collaborate Pro gains several interface and functionality improvements. Clashes and issues are now linked directly to object tables, allowing for faster identification and isolation of problems. Browser performance has also been optimized, addressing issues with larger models. New tools such as the ability to offset level filters and use spot coordinate measurements offer more granular control in the viewer.
Autodesk Takeoff now aligns with data stored in Docs and Build. Image source Autodesk.
Quantification and Specifications: Consistency Across Modules
Autodesk Takeoff now includes a specification tool that aligns with data stored in Docs and Build. This change improves consistency across modules and reduces the need for duplicate entry or manual reconciliation.
Project specifications also gain more flexibility in Build and Docs. Users can now link specs directly to files, sheets, RFIs, and submittals to improve traceability across documentation.
Project Management: RFIs, Submittals, and Schedules Updated
A new status, “Open for Manager,” adds flexibility to the RFI workflow, allowing RFIs to be routed internally before assigning a manager. Submittals now include a “Download All Attachments” button, streamlining documentation transfer, and a new API supports integration with third-party tools.
Users can now export schedules to Excel, adding new reporting options for teams that work outside the ACC ecosystem.
Handover and Closeout: More Complete Project Packages
Handover documentation in ACC now includes support for issues, adding another layer of project detail to closeout materials. Teams can now include issue logs such as coordination conflicts or field observations as part of the final project package. This gives the team a more complete record of site activity for reference after the project is finished in a single package.
Issues, Forms, and Field Collaboration: Improved Permissions and Data Control
Several updates affect how teams manage issues and forms in the field. Issue permissions can now be embedded in project templates to ensure consistency across multiple projects. Form attachments on mobile devices can be restricted by user role, providing more control over sensitive data collected onsite.
For civil and infrastructure workflows, the model viewer now includes features such as alignment recognition, station labeling, and dynamic snapping to address some long-standing requests from Civil 3D and Plant 3D users.
Cost Management: Expanded Workflows and Integration
Cost Management receives some of the most significant changes in this release cycle. Most notably, eSignature platforms such as DocuSign and Adobe Sign can now be integrated directly into approval workflows. When configured, cost documents can move from draft to signed status entirely within ACC.
Internal budget transfers are also more tightly integrated. When funds are moved between budget items, those changes can now reflect automatically in the contract Schedule of Values (SOV), avoiding duplicate entry.
Compliance indicators for insurance and lien waivers are now visible within contract views, and can be configured to block or allow payment based on status. Additional updates to tax handling and variable management in document templates round out the improvements.
Files and Document Management: OCR and AutoCAD Web Access
Document handling in ACC gains two functional updates. Optical character recognition (OCR) can now extract attributes from PDF title blocks in file folders which can be useful for applying metadata, such as tags, attributes, or naming conventions. This makes it faster to organize large volumes of documents and improves consistency in how they're labeled and categorized.
Additionally, DWG files stored in ACC projects can now be opened directly in AutoCAD Web. This enables in-browser edits and saves a new version of the file within the cloud environment, streamlining small drawing revisions.
AI Assistant and Reporting Tools: Support for Smarter Navigation
ACC’s new Autodesk Assistant, an AI-powered search and interaction tool, allows users to query project data, find RFIs, summarize emails, and more. Still in beta, the Assistant behaves like a chatbot and supports basic natural language queries within the user’s project environment.
Meanwhile, issue reports have been condensed into more compact formats with improved reference linking. Data connector tools now support bridge activity logging and visibility into transmittals, including external recipients.
User Management and Setup: Greater Role-Based Control
Autodesk has also introduced more role-based controls at the account and project levels. Admins can now assign product access based on user roles, helping restrict access to only the relevant parts of ACC. This change reduces clutter for field or specialty users while simplifying license tracking.
New project setup tools allow unused modules to be hidden in project templates, resulting in a cleaner interface for end users.
Managing Multi-Building Sites: A Clarifying Note
When asked about managing projects with multiple buildings, IMAGINiT presenters advised that while ACC can support portfolio-style parent projects, it's generally simpler to use a one-project-per-building structure particularly when using features like cost management or sheets. However, bridging tools in ACC can be used to selectively share files, sheets, and other project data between separate projects allowing teams to maintain distinct project structures while still coordinating on shared elements. This is particularly useful in multi-building developments or campus-wide programs where individual buildings are managed as separate projects but rely on common references or documentation. By using these tools, teams can streamline collaboration without granting full project access or duplicating files manually.
A Strategic Approach
Configuring Autodesk Construction Cloud to support real-world workflows especially across multiple stakeholders and phases requires a degree of planning. Working with a partner like IMAGINiT Technologies can support your organization with configuration advice, template development, and troubleshooting any integration issues. Their role is to align ACC’s tools with the day-to-day demands of construction professionals, not simply to promote software use. For firms navigating complex rollouts or connecting ACC with legacy systems, this type of strategic guidance can be particularly useful.
Looking Ahead
As Autodesk continues its bimonthly release cadence, users can expect ongoing updates aimed at easing coordination, automating workflows, and refining how data is stored and accessed. For teams that are already invested in ACC, understanding these iterative changes is key to getting the most out of the platform.
To explore ACC’s capabilities, watch the full webinar or reach out to an IMAGINiT specialist for more details.
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This article was sponsored by IMAGINiT Technologies.
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