Every organization faces challenges in streamlining operations—whether that’s keeping production lines moving, optimizing warehouse flow, or balancing workloads between people and machines. Autodesk® FlexSim helps tackle these challenges through discrete event simulation, a modeling approach that visualizes how systems behave over time and identifies opportunities for improvement.

At its core, discrete event simulation breaks down complex operations into individual actions or “events.” FlexSim allows users to represent each step of a process, such as material handling, inspection, or assembly, and understand how these interactions affect timing, resources, and overall performance. By experimenting in a digital environment, teams can uncover bottlenecks, test process changes, and make informed decisions without disrupting real-world production.

FlexSim’s strength lies in its ability to combine 3D modeling, process flow, and scenario testing. Users can build virtual facilities using CAD layouts, simulate motion paths with navigation tools, and add layers of detail to evaluate worker movement, equipment usage, and queue times. The built-in Experimenter tool makes it easy to run multiple “what-if” analyses, helping identify which adjustments deliver the most meaningful results in terms of throughput, cost, or efficiency.

The outcome? Smarter planning, reduced risk, and a clearer understanding of how your system will perform before changes are made.

👉 Watch the full recording:

If you’ve ever noticed Navisworks® Manage included in your Autodesk® Collection and wondered what it actually does—this session is for you. 

Navisworks is the powerful project review tool that brings together models from every trade—architecture, structure, MEP, and civil—into a single, coordinated 3D environment. It’s the go-to platform for detecting clashes, visualizing construction timelines, and ensuring everyone on your project team is working from the same reality. 

Bringing It All Together 

At its core, Navisworks Manage is a model aggregation and coordination tool. You can combine files from Revit®, AutoCAD Civil 3D®, Inventor®, and even non-Autodesk sources into one comprehensive model. This “one-model” approach helps project teams detect interferences before they reach the field, reducing costly rework and schedule delays. 

Hagerman’s webcast demonstration showcased how these integrated models can be explored through walk-throughs, flyovers, and real-time collaboration—helping teams visualize every aspect of a project before it’s built. 

Key Features in Action 

1. Clash Detection:
   Automatically identify conflicts between trades—HVAC ducts meeting beams, electrical running through structure, and more. Navisworks Manage makes coordination proactive rather than reactive.
2. Review and Markup Tools:
   Tag, comment, and annotate your models to streamline design review and issue tracking. Saved viewpoints and redlines make team communication seamless.
3. Animation and Timeliner:
   Use Animator and Timeliner to simulate construction sequences or show how equipment and assemblies move in the real world. These visualizations make it easier to explain complex designs to clients and stakeholders.
4. Hyperlinks and Data Access:
   Link model elements directly to PDFs, specifications, or maintenance logs—powerful for facility management teams who need fast access to critical information.

Why It Matters 

From design coordination to construction simulation, Navisworks Manage helps teams save time, improve communication, and reduce errors across the entire project lifecycle. Whether you’re a designer, BIM coordinator, or project manager, this tool gives you a unified view of your project that goes far beyond geometry. It connects people, data, and decisions. 

🎥 Watch the Recording 

See Navisworks Manage in action and learn how to leverage its most powerful features. 

In today’s manufacturing environment, managing complex product information is a balancing act between efficiency, visibility, and control. Many engineering teams already rely on Autodesk Vault™ Professional to organize and secure design data, but what happens when that information needs to flow beyond engineering?

That’s where Vault PLM comes in. In this on-demand webcast, Hagerman & Company walks through how Autodesk’s integrated solution, Vault Professional + Fusion Manage, bridges the gap between product data and enterprise-wide collaboration.

Understanding PLM and Its Value

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is the framework that manages a product’s journey—from initial idea through design, manufacturing, support, and eventual retirement. By centralizing information, automating workflows, and connecting teams, PLM helps companies make better, data-driven decisions and bring products to market faster.

How Vault PLM Works

Vault PLM combines the data-management power of Vault Professional with the process-management flexibility of Fusion Manage.

• Vault Professional handles file-based engineering data, like CAD models, drawings, and BOMs.
• Fusion Manage manages processes such as change requests, approvals, and supplier collaboration.
  Together, they create a connected environment where teams can securely manage both design files and the business processes tied to them.

Common Use Cases

Vault PLM addresses many real-world manufacturing challenges:

• Enterprise BOM Management: Move bills of material out of CAD files into a centralized, shareable workspace.
• Change Management: Eliminate bottlenecks by automating change requests and approvals.
• New Product Introduction: Coordinate project tasks and milestones digitally for faster launches.
• Quality and Supplier Collaboration: Link quality records, supplier data, and part information for full traceability.

A Look Inside the Demo

The webcast features a live demonstration of the new Vault 2026.1 “Fusion Manage Sync Status” feature. This built-in connector automatically synchronizes item master and BOM data from Vault to Fusion Manage—keeping engineering and enterprise teams aligned without manual data transfers.

Why It Matters

With Vault PLM, companies gain visibility across departments, reduce rework, and maintain control over their product data. Engineers stay productive in Vault, while managers, quality, and operations teams access the insights they need through Fusion Manage—all part of a single, connected workflow.

Watch the full webcast

Before you start designing in Autodesk Fusion, it’s worth taking a few minutes to tailor your preferences. These settings help you work more efficiently, keep your workflow consistent, and make the software feel familiar—especially if you're coming from Inventor, AutoCAD, or another CAD platform.

You’ll find your preferences by clicking your Autodesk account icon in the upper-right corner of the interface.

From there, choose Preferences to open the settings window. The options are organized into several categories, starting with General.

Work Offline with Cached Projects

If you’re going to be without internet access—for example, traveling or working onsite—Fusion lets you cache your work for up to 15 days so you can stay productive without a connection.

Set Your Default Workspace

Fusion typically launches into the Design workspace. But if you work primarily in electronics, you can set your startup mode to the Circuit Board design tool instead.

Automatic Recovery

Under General settings, make sure Automatic Recovery is turned on. Many users set this to save a recovery file every 5 minutes—a lifesaver during power loss or crashes.

Choose Your Default Modeling Orientation

You can choose to work Z-up or Y-up. Many Inventor users switch to Z-up, which makes the XZ plane the front view. You can always change this later, but setting a default keeps navigation consistent.

Navigation & Zoom Behavior

Two small settings can make a big difference:

• Constrained Orbit provides controlled model rotation.
• Swap Zoom Direction is optional but helpful depending on what software you're used to.

Fusion’s default zoom direction matches Inventor and is the opposite of AutoCAD and Google tools.

Sketch Behavior

When creating new sketches, Fusion offers customization to match workflows from other platforms. Adjust these to match your habits and reduce clicks.

Set Your Default Material

Out of the box, Fusion uses steel as the default. You can change this to anything—like brass, which some users prefer for both appearance and physical accuracy.

Default Units

• Default Units define how new designs interpret numbers.

Many manufacturing users in the U.S. stick with inches as the default length unit, but you can switch to metric or mix units whenever entering values (e.g., typing “10 mm” in an inch file).

Simulation environments can also use their own units—like pound mass, watts, or kilograms—depending on your workflow.

Explore Preview Features

Fusion’s Preview Features tab gives you access to early tools not yet in production. You can enable these to test and use upcoming functionality.

Changing Units Per File

Even if you set a global default, you can change units on a per-file basis in the Document Settings section of the Browser.

You can:

• Switch from inches to millimeters (or vice versa)
• Decide how Fusion interprets typed values
• Push the updated units back to your global preferences if desired

This is especially helpful when working with mixed teams or vendors.

Spend Time in Preferences Early

Your preferences don’t lock in your workflow—they just create a better starting point. Settings like modeling orientation, default units, materials, autosave, and navigation can save time and make Fusion feel more intuitive from day one.

Whether you're new to Fusion or tailoring it to match your previous CAD experience, it’s worth exploring the full list of options.

Get More Tips from the Experts

If you're looking to get even more out of Autodesk Fusion, Hagerman & Company is here to help you streamline your setup and speed up your design process through training, guidance, and live learning opportunities.

Watch the Webcast: Getting Started with Fusion – 12 Tips to Design Faster and Smarter →

If you’re working with Autodesk® Docs, one of the most important tools to understand is the Desktop Connector. It quietly bridges the gap between your desktop and the cloud—making it possible to work with files stored in Autodesk Docs directly through Windows File Explorer, AutoCAD®, or any desktop application.

This post walks through the essentials of using Desktop Connector, what it actually does behind the scenes, and a few quick tips to help you get the most from it.

What Is the Autodesk Desktop Connector?

At its simplest, the Desktop Connector is that small, gray cube icon with the letter “D” in your Windows system tray.

It might look unassuming, but it’s your gateway to connect Autodesk Docs with the local file environment you use every day. The connector lets you browse and access your Docs-based CAD files just like you would in any other folder on your computer without leaving AutoCAD, Revit®, or Civil 3D®.

Accessing Your Projects

Once you’ve opened Desktop Connector, you’ll see a list of your Autodesk accounts and projects. For example, in this demo we’re using the Synergis Training Projects account.

Each project you want to view locally simply needs to be checked from your project list. When you toggle on a project (like the sample 3D Plan project in this case), the connector syncs its folder structure locally—without downloading all the files right away.

[For screenshots used, we may need to blur certain areas as the projects were specific to companies and in some cases were actual project data used for their training. I can mark up the images separately if you think its necessary. I realize these images were in the original webinar.]

It’s important to note that this first sync doesn’t actually bring the files down from the cloud—it just creates the structure locally so you can navigate, browse, or later download only what you need.

Managing Projects and Limits

If you’re juggling multiple projects, Autodesk recently expanded the limit of how many can be synced at once. Originally capped at 40, then 60, Desktop Connector now supports up to 80 projects at a time.

From your list of “All Projects,” you can quickly check or uncheck which ones are active on your system. Unchecking a project removes it locally, freeing up room for others while keeping your Autodesk Docs environment clean and manageable.

This flexibility helps keep your desktop environment organized, especially for users who manage dozens of concurrent projects.

Keeping Versions Up to Date

Desktop Connector updates regularly—typically every other month. Regarding CAD compatibility of Autodesk 2024 or newer products, make sure you’re on version 16 or newer. For 2023 users, version 15 will still work but lacks performance and stability that exists in version 16 and up.

While you don’t need to be on the exact same version as your teammates (for example, 16.8 vs 16.6), everyone should be on at least the same major release to avoid compatibility issues.

Key Takeaways

• Desktop Connector links your Autodesk Docs cloud environment directly to Windows File Explorer and your CAD applications.
• Initial synchronization only creates folder structures, not full file downloads—helping you work efficiently without taking up local storage.
• You can manage up to 80 synced projects, easily toggling which are active.
• Keep your Desktop Connector updated to version 16 or newer for optimum CAD compatibility.

Need Help Getting the Most from Autodesk Docs?

Setting up and maintaining Autodesk Docs and Desktop Connector correctly is key to smooth collaboration and reliable file management.

Hagerman & Company helps teams integrate these tools effectively—through consulting, training, and real-world expertise built from decades of Autodesk experience.

🎥 Want to see it in action?
Watch our on-demand webcast 👉
 Make Autodesk Docs Your Own, Part 2: Docs for CAD Users

Not every file starts its life in Autodesk® Docs—and sometimes you just need to push something up quickly without doing a formal Save As into a Docs folder. Whether it's a CAD file, a supporting document, or an entire project, there are a few easy ways to upload files and handle references correctly.

Here’s a breakdown of the most reliable methods, including when drag-and-drop is perfectly fine and when you need a smarter approach.

Method 1: Drag and Drop Directly into the Browser

If you have a file saved locally, you can upload it straight into Autodesk Docs by dragging it into the browser window.

Once dropped, the file begins uploading immediately, just like you’d expect. This works with CAD files, PowerPoints, PDFs, and more.

Method 2: Drag and Drop Through File Explorer (Desktop Connector)

You can also upload files through File Explorer using Desktop Connector. Just drag the file into the appropriate Autodesk Docs project folder.

Once added, you'll see the file begin to sync. This method behaves the same as dragging into the browser. This method gives you the benefit of adding folders as well even if they are empty!

Method 3: When to Use the Drawing Migration Tool

If you’re working with drawings that include xrefs, images, spreadsheets, or other dependencies—or if you're uploading a full project—there’s a better option: the Autodesk Drawing Migration Tool.

This utility checks file references, adjusts paths, and ensures everything uploads as a connected set.

It was originally created for Civil 3D®, but it works with any AutoCAD-based workflow. It can migrate CAD files, spreadsheets, images, and more, and even handles Civil 3D data references.

A Few Notes…

Handling Xrefs and Attached Files

If the CAD file you're uploading has any referenced files (like xrefs), Autodesk Docs will try to bring them along automatically. If the paths aren't relative, Docs may create what's called a “Related Files” folder to store them. This can happen if you have content like company logos or standard details that are normally located in a non-project folder or drive.

A Note on Revit and Civil 3D Collaborative Models

Creating Revit® central models or managing Civil 3D data references in Autodesk Docs requires an additional license: Autodesk Collaborate Pro.

Without that license, you can still:

• Upload Revit cloud models
• Upload AutoCAD® or Civil 3D files via drag-and-drop
• Use the migration tool for referenced files

But shortcuts and central model functionality won’t be available until that license is in place.

Wrap-Up

For simple, standalone files, dragging and dropping into the browser or File Explorer is quick and effective. But if you’re working with xrefs or moving entire projects, the Drawing Migration Tool ensures that everything—paths, references, and attachments—uploads correctly the first time.

Want to Learn More?

Hagerman & Company helps teams streamline Autodesk Docs adoption with real-world workflows, training, and support. If you’d like help choosing the right upload method—or getting the Drawing Migration Tool set up, we’re here when you’re ready.

Today’s Civil 3D® update is brought to you by Surface Tables in XREFs. Yes, you read that correctly—surface tables have an issue. While this is more of an exception than the rule, it’s worth noting. We first encountered the problem back in Civil 3D 2022. After searching the forums, we found other users experiencing the same issue, and we now have a solution to share.

To set the stage, most people in the Civil world are familiar with external references (XREFs) and how they're used as ways to display specific content on a given sheet. For example, an environmental plan might show a surface analysis with a table. Here’s a typical workflow that demonstrates the issue:

• Create a surface named EG in a 3d file we will call 3D-EG.dwg.
• Setup a Civil 3D Project and create a data shortcut for the EG surface.
• Data reference EG into our base file, call it R-Enviro.dwg.
• Apply an analysis to that surface and then use a surface style and table to show that analysis. Save R-Enviro.dwg.
• XREF R-Enviro.dwg into model space of a sheet file, called F-Enviro.dwg which has layouts already configured for our typical sheets.
• Create a viewport of our surface and table on a layout
• Do a quick plot preview before printing. Everything looks right except the color swatches are missing?!?

Not sure what to think, you exit the plot preview only to see that the swatches are visible on your layout.

What in the Civil 3D world is happening? It turns out to be a layer issue—but not one related to the layers defined in your table style. Inspecting the table style shows that layers were chosen for each component, and all those layers are thawed and turned on. The plot preview itself is the indicator of the issue. Since the preview hides the swatches, we need to identify which layer is set not to plot.

Odd, the non-plotting layer in this drawing is a layer used for drafting notes, etc. When the XREF was initially attached, that layer happened to be current. The user later realized the mistake and re-layered the XREF to the appropriate layer, 0-XREF in our workflow. However, the plot preview still failed to display the color swatches.

It wasn’t until we detached and re-attached the XREF —this time with a plotting layer set current—that the swatches appeared in the plot preview. For reasons unknown, the technical detail here is that the color swatches of a table within an XREF are placed on the current layer of the destination file. This behavior is similar to how objects on layer zero within a block adopt the block’s layer properties. Since the swatches are assigned to the current layer at the time of attachment, moving the XREF to a new layer does not reset that assignment.

The takeaway? Always make sure the appropriate layer is current before attaching an XREF. Who knows what other components in object, label, or table styles might be affected?   

We’ve confirmed this issue in Civil 3D versions 2022–2026. We haven’t tested earlier versions—but honestly, who’s still running anything older than 2022?

At Hagerman & Company, we help solve tricky Civil 3D challenges like this every day. Whether it’s troubleshooting unexpected issues, optimizing your workflows, or providing training and support, our experts can help you get the most out of your Autodesk software.

Learn more about our Civil 3D training here.

With the release of Autodesk Vault Professional 2026.1, customers can now take advantage of the Vault Connector – a new out-of-the-box (OOTB) integration that natively connects Autodesk Vault Professional with Fusion Manage. This powerful link between product data management (PDM) and product lifecycle management (PLM) tools streamlines workflows and improves data accuracy across organizations.

Key Benefits and Features of Vault Connector

• Seamless data synchronization: Feel confident that all information is up to date, accurate, and consistent across Vault and Fusion Manage – including Items, BOMs, and design representations.
• Improved collaboration and visibility: Give design and downstream teams access to the same accurate, real-time data – ensuring everyone has visibility into the full product lifecycle.
• Streamlined processes: Reduce duplicate data entry and minimize errors with no extra steps.
• Easy setup: Vault Connector provides support for initial data loading to help minimize setup time and complexity when bringing Vault data into Fusion Manage.

Enabling the Vault Connector

To start using Vault Connector, customers will first need to review their current settings and update tools within their ADMS console first and then on Vault Client.

Step One: Enable on ADMS Console

• Navigate to Tools > Administration in the ADMS console.
• In the global settings dialog box, select the “Network Settings” tab and click “Configure” under “Vault Connector Settings.”
• In the Vault Connector Setting dialog box, check “Enable Vault Connector with Fusion Manage” and enter the service account credentials. Sign in, then agree to the Autodesk Privacy Statement.
• Click “Apply” to save the settings and “OK” to exit.

Step Two: Review the Target Fusion Manage Workspace Configuration

The Vault Connector requires specific fields to be configured in the target Fusion Manage workspace for basic connectivity. Newer Fusion Manage tenants may have the default “Items” workspace that is preconfigured for compatibility with the Vault Connector. Older tenants may require some additional configuration.

Should you need to configure an older tenant to work with the Vault Connector, the table below outlines which fields are required:

Note that these fields have been tested as of the date of this article, are the only properties that are fundamentally required for the connection to be established, and for the most part are only used by the Vault Connector. See this help page for a list of Vault and Fusion Manage properties that are included in the default configuration (e.g. Title, Description, Units, etc.).

Step Three: Enable on Vault Client

• Log in to Autodesk Vault Client with administrator credentials and go to Tools > Administration > Vault Settings.
• In the Vault Settings window, select the “Collaborate” tab and click “Configure” under Vault Connector Management.
• If you are not already signed in, log in using your Autodesk ID.
  • Note: Only roles with the “Vault Option Set/Get” permission in Vault and “Read/Write Permissions” in the Fusion Manage Workspace can configure these mappings.
• In the Vault Connector Mapping dialog box, enter the URL for your Fusion Manage tenant and begin mapping property fields between Vault and Fusion Manage.
• You may use the “Use Default” option for out-of-the-box property mapping or customize the mappings to meet your requirements.

Start Using Vault Connector Today

The Vault Connector represents a significant step forward for teams using Autodesk Vault and Fusion Manage. By connecting data and process management in a native, cost-free integration, it eliminates barriers between PDM and PLM – helping organizations work more efficiently and with greater accuracy.

If you’re ready to explore how the Vault Connector can fit into your workflows, contact our team at Hagerman & Company. We offer complete Vault and Fusion Manage implementation and integration services to ensure your teams are set up for seamless collaboration. Additionally, we can offer user training and technical support to help you get the most out of your connected PDM and PLM environment.