I’ve resisted using custom color schemes for a long time—not because they aren’t helpful, but because when I’m teaching, I want my user interface to match what my customers see. Eventually, though, I decided it was time to tailor the environment to something that works better for me day-to-day.

Why Use a Custom Color Scheme?

Autodesk® Inventor®’s default color schemes are perfectly functional, but depending on your workflow, lighting, or visual preferences, customizing your environment can make a surprising difference in clarity and comfort, especially when sketching or presenting.

My Preferred Settings

Here are the options I typically use:

• UI Theme: Light
• Amber Option: On
  • (Available only for the Light UI Theme. I prefer it because it helps Ribbon buttons pop visually.)
• In-Canvas Color Scheme: Presentation
• Background: Gradient

This setup works well with my office environment—lighter walls, plenty of lighting—and keeps the interface easy on my eyes. While the Amber highlight doesn’t carry over into palettes, that’s a trade-off I can live with.

Addressing Sketch Visibility Issues

In the Sketch environment, some of Inventor’s stock color schemes make it difficult to distinguish between constrained and under-constrained geometry. Horizontal and vertical constraint trace lines can also be tough to see when teaching or presenting.

To fix that, I created a copy of the Presentation color scheme and made a series of adjustments:

1. Enhanced Constrained Geometry Color

I slightly enriched the blue used for constrained geometry, making it more visible and easier to teach from.

2. Increased Line Thickness

Both Thin and Thick line weights were increased for better trace visibility, especially important when demonstrating constraint behavior.

3. Adjusted the Background Tone

I shifted the overall background toward a slightly “bluer” appearance to improve contrast and visibility without creating eye strain.

Before and After

The result is an interface that’s cleaner, easier to read, and far more effective for demonstrating Sketch workflows in Inventor. The improvements are subtle but meaningful, especially when working long hours or presenting to a classroom.

Before:    

After:

Customizing your Inventor color scheme is a simple change that can dramatically improve visibility, teaching clarity, and overall user comfort. Small adjustments—like modifying line thickness, enriching constraint colors, or choosing a background that reduces eye strain—can make your daily design experience noticeably better.

If you're looking for help optimizing your Inventor environment or want expert guidance on improving your workflows, Hagerman & Company is here to help.

 Contact us to learn more or schedule time with our technical experts.

Autodesk is simplifying its Fusion portfolio to make collaboration and product lifecycle management (PLM) more straightforward. Beginning November 7, 2025, two important updates will take effect: 

• Fusion Team and Fusion Manage Participant will become Fusion Contributor 

• Fusion Manage Extension will be included in the core Fusion Manage product 

These updates are part of Autodesk’s continued effort to streamline product offerings and simplify the purchasing experience. 

Understanding Autodesk Fusion 

Fusion is Autodesk’s connected platform that integrates CAD, CAM, CAE, and PLM in a single environment. It helps teams design, make, and manage products collaboratively—whether you’re an engineer, manufacturer, or project stakeholder. 

What's Changing: Two Major Consolidations 

Fusion Contributor: A Unified Collaboration Experience 

Fusion Team and Fusion Manage Participant will merge into a single offering called Fusion Contributor, providing the combined capabilities of both products at an annual subscription price of $250 USD SRP. 

What Fusion Contributor Offers: 

• Comprehensive collaboration tools: Share, review, and markup design projects from any device  

• PLM visibility: View project data, track workflows, and generate reports without needing full authoring capabilities  

• Unified access: One license provides both file storage/sharing capabilities and participant-level PLM functionality 

This consolidation particularly benefits teams that need stakeholders to have visibility into both design collaboration and PLM processes without requiring full authoring licenses. 

Fusion Manage: All-in-One PLM Capabilities 

With this update, Fusion Manage now includes the features previously found in Fusion Manage Extension—bringing everything into one streamlined PLM solution, which includes features like: 

• Integrated change & release management: Formal ECO/ECR workflows with full traceability 

• Bill of Materials (BOM) control: Real-time, structured BOM management with revision tracking 

• Quality & compliance processes: Built-in workflows for NCR, CAPA, and supplier quality management 

• New product introduction (NPI): Configurable phase-gate processes to manage product launches 

This change essentially removes the barriers between Fusion CAD data and comprehensive PLM capabilities. Previously, Fusion CAD data required the limited Fusion Manage Extension for change management. Now, the full-featured Fusion Manage product can directly access and manage Fusion CAD data, providing significantly expanded functionality for growing organizations. 

It’s important to note that Fusion Manage will remain natively integrated with Vault and is available as Named User subscriptions, Flex, or TokenFlex (EBA). 

What’s the Timeline for this Transition? 

Fusion Manage Extension Timeline: 

• November 6, 2025: Last day to purchase new Fusion Manage Extension subscriptions 

• November 6, 2025: Last day to renew 3-year Fusion Manage Extension subscriptions 

• November 6, 2028: Last day to renew 1-year Fusion Manage Extension subscriptions 

Existing Fusion Manage Extension customers can continue annual renewals until November 6, 2028, after which they'll need to purchase new Fusion Manage subscriptions. Note that Fusion hubs have already been enhanced with new PLM administration tools and process template libraries. 

Fusion Team & Fusion Manage Participant Timeline: 

• November 6, 2025: Last day to purchase Fusion Manage Participant subscriptions 

• November 7, 2025: Fusion Team automatically rebrands to Fusion Contributor upon contract renewal 

• November 7, 2025: Fusion Manage Participant customers must purchase new Fusion Contributor subscriptions at time of their contract renewal 

What Does the New Fusion Manage and Fusion Contributor Mean for Your Organization? 

These changes represent Autodesk's commitment to simplifying the Fusion ecosystem while expanding capabilities: 

1. For Fusion Manage users: You're getting an upgrade—the full Fusion Manage product now offers more features, including comprehensive PLM capabilities that can scale with your work. 

1. For Fusion Manage Participant users: When transitioning to Fusion Contributor, you'll need to reassign user licenses. While this requires some administrative work, you'll gain additional collaboration features at a lower price point. 
2. For Fusion Team users: Your transition is seamless—subscriptions will automatically renew as Fusion Contributor with added PLM participant capabilities. 

Partner with Hagerman & Company for a Smooth Transition 

Changes to software subscriptions and consolidations can raise questions about timing, user management, and maximizing your investment. That's where we come in. 

As a family-owned Autodesk partner trusted for over 40 years, Hagerman & Company has guided countless manufacturers through technology transitions. We understand the intricacies of these changes and can help you: 

• Navigate subscription timelines and renewal options 

• Plan user license assignments and transitions 

• Maximize the value of your Fusion investment 

• Implement best practices for PLM deployment 

Our experienced team is ready to answer your questions and ensure your organization transitions smoothly to these enhanced Fusion offerings. 

Ready to discuss your Fusion subscription strategy? Contact our trusted sales team today for personalized guidance on these updates and how they benefit your organization. 

Give your Autodesk® Inventor® workspace a visual upgrade with this quick tip from Jim Swain, Solutions Engineer at Hagerman & Company. In this short video, Jim walks through how to duplicate and customize an existing color scheme—including backgrounds, environments, and individual appearance settings—to create a personalized visual style that improves clarity while you model.

Autodesk recently enhanced the Account Portal, giving administrators two flexible options for assigning product access. You can now choose to assign users from a team-wide product pool or link them directly to a specific Subscription ID. 

This new option makes license management more adaptable—whether you want seamless flexibility or precise subscription tracking. 

Here are the Two Assignment Options Explained 

1. Pool Assignment (Default & Recommended for Most Teams)
   When assigning by Pool, Autodesk automatically draws from any available seat of that product across all subscriptions within your team.

   • Best for:
     Ongoing users who need uninterrupted access

   • Benefits:
     Automatic handling of renewals and replacements—no action needed when subscriptions change

2. Subscription ID Assignment (Targeted Control)
   Assigning by Subscription ID links a user directly to a specific subscription. When that subscription expires, access ends automatically.

• • Best for: Temporary projects, trials, or when tracking usage by subscription is important 
  •  Note: Admins must monitor expiry dates carefully to avoid unplanned access interruptions 

⚙️ How to Assign by Subscription ID 

1. Sign in to your Autodesk Account at manage.autodesk.com 
2. Go to User Management → By Product (or By User) 
3. Select the desired product 
4. Choose “Assign Seat From” instead of “Pool” 
5. Select the Subscription ID 
6. Confirm and save your changes 
   
   

💡 Pro Tip:If you’re using bulk CSV import, leaving the Subscription ID column blank defaults to Pool mode; filling it in assigns directly to that specific subscription.

Best Practices for Administrators 

• Use Pool mode for most users—it's simpler and minimizes maintenance. 

• Reserve Subscription ID mode for special circumstances, such as pilot teams, expiring contracts, or departmental tracking. 

• Review Subscription ID assignments monthly to ensure that users tied to expiring subscriptions are reassigned in time. 
• Remember: Group assignments can only use Pool mode; Subscription ID linking must be done per user. 

In Summary

This update gives you more control over how Autodesk licenses are allocated—whether you prefer flexibility or precision.

Use Pool mode for seamless management and Subscription ID mode for detailed control where needed. With thoughtful planning, this feature can streamline your license tracking and make renewals a breeze.

Hagerman & Company helps teams manage Autodesk software, subscriptions, and users every day—through training, consulting, and real-world expertise.

Connect with Us to Learn More →

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 →