BIM 360 Docs Public Link

BIM 360 Docs is designed to streamline document management processes by enabling sharing, viewing, and markups of drawings, documents and models. And now, the highly anticipated public link feature to BIM 360 Docs is live!

Previously in this module, users were unable to share links of project documentation to users who were not “members” or part of the project. The process to share files with users outside a BIM 360 project involved manually downloading the files and then sending them via email or, if the file size was too large, using a general cloud solution such as Dropbox and sending a link through it. This manual process resulted in wasted time for project teams. By using the public link feature, BIM 360 Docs users can now have a more efficient workflow for sharing files.

There are now two ways that BIM 360 users can share folders/files from the Project Files folder:

1. Via email from directly within BIM 360.
2. Copying/pasting a link to the folders/files into an email, Zoom chat, Teams, or other.

Directly from BIM 360, by simply typing in the email addresses and clicking “send,” users can email multiple people the link to files/folders they want to share. When copying/pasting a link, BIM 360 automatically generates a live link for you to copy and paste into your own email or into a group chat. Both options take recipients to a web browser where they are prompted to download the files and folders. There are also different ways to customize the links that are shared. You have the option to set the date when the link expires. You also have the option to share a link that either:

• is fixed on the current version of the document when the link is shared, or 
• always takes you to the latest version of the document, no matter the version, when shared.

If you decide that you don’t want the link to be live prior to the expiration date you set, you can delete the link at any time. There is a column for each file that displays its sharing status; through this, you have an easy visual of what selected non-project members currently have access to.

The linked video shows this workflow in action, as well as what your recipients would see when you share files/folders with them. To generate a shareable link, the files or folders must be under the Project Files parent folder, and your Project Admin must turn on this feature in BIM 360 Docs.

If your company isn’t using BIM 360 collaborative workflows yet, or if the overlapping functionality of products is a little confusing, contact Applied Software today to request a demo. The Applied experts can help you design the right collaborative workflow for your company’s individualized needs.