Many architects, engineers, real-estate professionals, and contractors are realizing the benefits of online project collaboration. These benefits include: improved project communication, shortened project cycles, increased ownership and accountability, improved record keeping, archival of information, and continuous access to key project information in a secure, centralized location.
The Autodesk® Buzzsaw online project collaboration service has DWF at its heart. Buzzsaw integrates with the Autodesk DWF Viewer and Autodesk Design Review. Buzzsaw automatically generates DWF files as part of the markup process. Review comments are stored as DWF files in relationship to original design data. Buzzsaw tracks all file versions. In addition, workflow forms (e.g. RFIs, transmittals) are linked to DWF files. The workflows are summarized via dashboards and reports. Design data is freely exchanged among project team members using DWF.
The latest version of Buzzsaw, Buzzsaw 7, was released to production Saturday, May 20, 2006. This is the first in a series of releases that Autodesk will deliver to customers over the next several months. This is an on-demand (optional) download for Buzzsaw customers.
The new features include:
Upgrade Management (For Site Administrators only):
The Upgrade Management feature provides Site Administrators with better control over the adoption of newer versions of Buzzsaw throughout their organizations and across their extended project teams. As such, site administrators can determine when all site members can benefit from the latest features and performance enhancements developed by Autodesk. The last "required download" for Buzzsaw was version 6.0 in September 2004, and there have been five major updates to the Buzzsaw client software since then. The Upgrade Management feature enables site administrators to set the "minimum required version" to any major release (e.g., 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, or 7.0). Once the site administrator has set this control, any site members that log into the site with previous versions of Buzzsaw client software will be prompted to download the latest version.Folder-Level Notifications (For all users):
The Notification Manager now includes subscription notifications for Folders (in addition to Project Folders and Files), for any changes to Files, Folders, or Projects below the Folder in the Buzzsaw file hierarchy. This allows site members to more easily track changes on projects.
Download ProjectPoint-BZ-EN.exe (8.04 MB).
Autodesk is happy to announce this update to Buzzsaw. DWF provides a foundation for project collaboration. Being part of an electronic collaboration process is yet another way DWF goes beyond the paper.