Best practice for Hotlinks and multi-file Teamwork Project

[cs_ryl]

Hi All,

I'm trying to get some understanding of what the best practice is when it comes to a teamwork project that has multiple linked architectural models, and an overall site model, as well as consultant IFC models as hotlinks. 

We have come across issues when people working in the individual file who didn't update the relevant site/IFC hotlinks before working on it on a daily basic, which resulted in issues/clashes due to not seeing the latest from other models. 

What's the best practice to avoid this? Is it to always check the Hotlink Module Manager first thing in the day and hit the update button so that everyone working in the same model can pick up the latest? 

What about if there are changes through out the day which can be picked up through Send & Receive in the same file, but gets annoying when others have to always check and update the Hotlinks to pick up changes, etc. 

Any thoughts/previous experience/successful stories are welcomed! Thank you!

[ryejuan]

Usually it will all be stated in the B.E.P. but of course won't it be nice that if there are changes in each file and will prompt you to update. 

[cs_ryl]

Thanks for your reply @ryejuan. Yes agreed but also it can get really annoying if massive changes are happening in a short period of time - to avoid as best as possible of course. 

What do you mean by B.E.P? Can you elaborate on it? 

[ryejuan]

BIM Execution Plan, it usually consist of a long list of things to do and not to do or how to handle your project that is using a BIM model and other processes that goes in your BIM file like how you're going to update the hotlinks of MEP IFC files etc. Other stake holders of that said project will have to agree and follow it. Thinking of a simpler way... you can treat it like a contract.

[cs_ryl]

that makes sense - thanks for that. I don't work as a BIM manager but gets involved in this part of projects quite often. Good to pick up the terminology 

[schagemann]

The best B.E.P. is useless if...

A. nobody reads it;

B. it is too complicated / extensive;

C. if your team is not Archicad proficient;

D. project architects do not manage / communicate efficiently;

Sounds to me that it might not necessarily be an Archicad related problem you are facing?

Are you using multiple AC files or is it a single file, also how big is the project team?

[ryejuan]

Yes, regardless of software, its more of the process how the whole team will execute it.