How do I get support?

[Emoke Csikos]

Table of Content

• When should I choose Graphisoft Community?
• What are the benefits of participating in the Graphisoft Community?
• How do I get help on Graphisoft Community?
• When should I request technical support?
• What are the benefits of contacting Technical Support?
• How do I get technical support?
• What does the process of technical support look like?
• What information should I share with my supporter?
• What can I expect after getting in touch?
• What can be the possible result of the investigation?

While working with the products and using the services of Graphisoft, you may encounter a question or an issue you need help with. In general, it is a good idea first to ask the community to see if any other members have experienced the same as you. This is one of the reasons why we have Graphisoft Community – to share knowledge and help each other with everyday questions, issues, and challenges. Community members are experienced and helpful, and they can help in many cases. Another option is asking for professional technical support. You can get help from trained professionals of Graphisoft and its local representatives. How can you decide which way to go?

In this article we share tips and best practices so you can always find a helping hand. We also describe what you can expect in both cases.

When should I choose Graphisoft Community?

There are some scenarios when asking for help in the community is your best option. Do you need help modeling something? Are you looking for other solutions and methods to improve your lengthy documentation and modeling processes? If you want to understand more in-depth how specific software functionalities work and how to use them best, go to the Community and learn from the forum discussions and the knowledge base articles. We have members with various backgrounds and experiences. Everyone can be an expert in a specific area. Go ahead and join a discussion to ask questions or provide answers!

What are the benefits of participating in the Graphisoft Community?

Our Community is a place for fellow architects and engineers like you – while everyone has their journey with Graphisoft products, these members are still facing similar or even the same difficulties as you – they also try to find the best solutions to design great architecture. We have thousands of experienced members with great tips and tricks, people who can share their own experiences and best practices with our software solutions.

By joining the Graphisoft Community, you can expand your professional network, get help from experienced users, and can also get access to a knowledge base that is curated by Graphisoft.

How do I get help on Graphisoft Community?

Anyone with a web-compatible device and a working internet connection can visit the community at https://community.graphisoft.com. Most content is available without registration, though some content and being able to post a question on the forum boards require a one-time registration on the site. To be able to register, you need a valid Graphisoft ID first.

If you are not familiar with Graphisoft ID yet, we suggest you check these articles:

Graphisoft ID - Frequently Asked Questions

Graphisoft ID: One Login. All of the Benefits

Once you have set up your account on Graphisoft Community, you can ask for help from fellow members on the forum. First, search for a conversation about similar questions on the board of the topics closest to yours. You might already find the answer to your question. If you don't see it this way, start a conversation by clicking the Create new topic button. 

When should I request technical support?

If your software behaves differently from what is documented in the product help, it is best to ask for technical support. 

 Archicad Help

 BIMcloud Help

 BIMcloud Software as a Service Help

 BIMx Desktop Help

 BIMx Web Help

 DDScad 18 Help

Find the product help links in the top menu of the Community, too.

What are the benefits of contacting Technical Support?

Technical Support Engineers are Graphisoft-qualified professionals with the knowledge and tools to help you resolve your difficulties using Graphisoft solutions. Contacting your local support gives you the benefit of getting help in your native language, and you get to work with people who know the most about you, your workflows, the standards, and the legal requirements in your region you must fulfill. They can best answer your questions and concerns, especially regarding reporting bugs or difficulties with software or services.

How do I get technical support?

Visit our Support Site for more in-depth troubleshooting resources or submit your request for assistance from Graphisoft or its local representatives on the same website.

Your eligibility for technical support, the extent of it, and the ways it is provided to you mainly depend on your local Graphisoft representative. Contact them to learn your options regarding technical support, learning possibilities, or consultancy, depending on your needs.

What does the process of technical support look like? 

When contacting your local support provider (also called Tier 1 supporters), describe the issue you are facing.

What information should I share with my supporter?

The following information will help your technical support provider greatly to understand, replicate, and help you resolve your issue faster:

• operating system,
• your software version, and the build number (go to the Help menu and check "About Archicad"),
• hardware specifications,
• the steps you had taken (as precisely as possible) before the unexpected phenomenon happened. In what way is this different from what you had expected to happen?
• the steps you have taken to resolve the problem, if any
• optional: If you have already contacted the community for help, but your problem still needs to be fully resolved, please send the link of the conversation on the Community. This way, your local support provider can later post the solution so other members facing the same problem can get help faster.

What can I expect after getting in touch?

After you provide the necessary information about the phenomenon, the technical support engineer might ask further questions or for specific files and will investigate the issue. They might have to contact the Graphisoft Technical Support Team (also called Tier 2 supporters) for further information. Depending on the nature of the problem, your local supporter will develop some recommendations for you.

What can be the possible result of the investigation?

• The issue you reported can be an already known error (also known as bug) in the software. In this case, if there is a known workaround, your local supporter will share it with you. Using the workaround, you'll be able to avoid the problem again. We recommend using it until the bug gets fixed in the software.
• The issue can be an error in the software that hasn't been identified before your report. In this case, the bug will be registered in Graphisoft's database. Your local support provider will try to help you with a workaround.
• (In general, you can always check which errors were fixed in the subsequent software updates, e.g., the list of improvements of Archicad 26 is here.)
• The problem you face might be resolved by using the software differently. Your supporter will help you with the steps of the recommended workflow.
• Your problem might be caused by specific circumstances that can be changed or fixed (e.g., some driver update is needed on your machine). After some investigation of the issue, your supporter can also help you with this type of case.