Overview
What is Autodesk Build?
Autodesk Build, based on the former PlanGrid, is construction productivity software. It includes tools to collaborate, collect, and manage project information throughout the project’s construction and operations lifespan. It enables document centralization and tracking.
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Nothing for Something
Plangrid is so easy to use and learn
The easiest project documentation tool for ALL users.
Choose Plangrid and your users will love you.
PlanGrid!
PlanGrid is great
PlanGrid is a great solution for document management in the fast paced construction industry.
PlanGrid for Plan Management
Expanding Use of PlanGrid Features
PlanGrid for the future
Plangrid is a move towards the future
Plangrid
Best Plan Management Software I've Used So Far!
Easy to Use Document Distribution
Awards
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Popular Features
- Document sharing (56)8.080%
- Plan distribution & viewing (57)7.070%
- Plan markups & sharing (57)6.060%
- Mobile app (55)3.030%
Reviewer Pros & Cons
Pricing
Nailgun
$39
Dozer
$59
Crane
$139
Entry-level set up fee?
- No setup fee
Offerings
- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Product Demos
Runding's PlanGrid to Kahua File Manager Sync Demo
3 BIM construction cloud product demo plangrid build mobile
PlanGrid Demo
PlanGrid - Report Collaboration and Approval
Software Demo Video for Plan Grid
ACC Connect Demo: Google Drive Files To PlanGrid
Features
Construction Project & Field Management
Features related to collaboration between construction management and project execution (e.g. the office and the job site, general contractors and subcontractors)
- 7Plan distribution & viewing(57) Ratings
Users can compare different versions of plans, and view live updates/revisions to plans (usually from a mobile device in the field).
- 6Plan markups & sharing(57) Ratings
Users can annotate plans from the field and easily share plans/markups with other project stakeholders.
- 5Issue tracking & punchlists(52) Ratings
Users can track issues from the field, and create punchlists upon substantial completion.
- 9Photo documentation(49) Ratings
Users can document construction progress and/or issues by uploading photos from the field.
- 9Jobsite reports(37) Ratings
Users can create and share reports on jobsite safety, daily progress, etc.
- 8Document sharing(56) Ratings
Users can share/attach other documents related to construction projects, such as specifications, contracts, drawings, etc.
- 5RFI tools(39) Ratings
Users can create, send, receive, and archive Requests for Information (RFIs), to record exchanges with subcontractors, vendors, and other suppliers.
- 8Collaboration & approvals(43) Ratings
Users can comment, send messages, and/or approve documents.
- 5As-built drawings(43) Ratings
Users can generate as-built drawings upon project completion, to reflect the exact dimensions and materials of the final work, including any changes made to the initial plans during the construction process.
- 3Mobile app(55) Ratings
Users can easily access the system from the field on mobile devices such as phones and tablets.
Product Details
- About
- Integrations
- Competitors
- Tech Details
- FAQs
What is Autodesk Build?
Autodesk Build (based on the former PlanGrid) is construction productivity software used on more than 500,000 projects around the world. The company provides contractors and owners in all construction verticals the tools to collaborate effectively and collect and manage project information throughout the project’s construction and operations lifespan.
Autodesk Build aims to increase team productivity by: streamlining document management and control, providing collaborators with easy access to all project information from any device, and enabling seamless collaboration. This leads to building the most comprehensive record set for the entire construction and operations lifecycle and consistently delivering on time and on budget.
Autodesk Build Features
Construction Project & Field Management Features
- Supported: Plan distribution & viewing
- Supported: Plan markups & sharing
- Supported: Document sharing
- Supported: Issue tracking & punchlists
- Supported: Photo documentation
- Supported: Jobsite reports
- Supported: RFI tools
- Supported: Collaboration & approvals
- Supported: As-built drawings
- Supported: Mobile app
Autodesk Build Screenshots
Autodesk Build Integrations
- Box
- CMiC Construction Platform
- Dropbox
- Egnyte
- eSUB Construction Software
- Google Drive
- EarthCam
- Kahua
- Pavia Systems
- RedTeam Software
- Drononomy
Autodesk Build Competitors
Autodesk Build Technical Details
Deployment Types | Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based |
---|---|
Operating Systems | Unspecified |
Mobile Application | Apple iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Mobile Web |
Supported Languages | English, Spanish, French, Finnish, Hungarian, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Polish, Swedish |
Frequently Asked Questions
Comparisons
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Reviews and Ratings
(148)Community Insights
- Business Problems Solved
- Pros
- Cons
Autodesk Build has become an essential tool for a variety of use cases in the construction industry. Users have found the software to be particularly effective in streamlining project management processes and enhancing communication within their organizations and with stakeholders. With Autodesk Build, users can create punch lists, track their completion, and easily share updates with team members. This has significantly improved efficiency and reduced errors in the field.
Another major benefit of Autodesk Build is its ability to facilitate collaboration among different departments and subcontractors. Users appreciate how the software allows them to upload and update project drawings, ensuring that everyone is working with the most up-to-date information. The overlay feature in Autodesk Build has been widely utilized to locate and resolve issues by overlaying different plans, saving time and improving problem-solving capabilities.
Moreover, Autodesk Build offers various tools that enhance job efficiency across multiple departments. It provides easy access to project documents on mobile devices, making it convenient for note-taking during meetings or site observations. Users have also praised its ability to connect the office with field teams, enabling real-time communication and immediate access to project drawings. By centralizing document management activities, Autodesk Build simplifies construction project management and helps maintain accurate project records.
Overall, Autodesk Build has proven to be an invaluable asset in commercial construction, addressing critical needs such as efficient plan navigation, improved communication, collaboration among team members, and accurate documentation throughout the construction process. Whether it's generating estimates, reviewing drawings, managing punch lists, or distributing project documents, this software has become a go-to solution for professionals looking to enhance productivity and streamline their workflows in the construction industry.
Efficient Collaboration: Users highly praised PlanGrid's mobile apps for their ability to easily share and collaborate on construction project documentation, with multiple reviewers highlighting this feature as extremely valuable. This aspect of the software facilitates communication and collaboration among team members, both on-site and off-site, throughout various phases of construction projects.
Responsive Technical Support: The promptness and helpfulness of PlanGrid's email-based technical support team were greatly appreciated by users. Several reviewers mentioned that they received prompt assistance in addressing any technical issues or inquiries. This level of support contributes to a positive user experience.
Intuitive Interface: Reviewers commended PlanGrid's website layout for being easy to use and understand, allowing new users to quickly jump in and perform basic to moderate tasks without extensive training. The intuitive and user-friendly interface was highly praised, enabling users to navigate the software effortlessly.
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Limited Document Management: Some users have expressed frustration with the document management capabilities of PlanGrid, stating that it is difficult to find and organize attachments within the software. This lack of effective organization and search capabilities hinders productivity for these users.
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Pricing Constraints: Several reviewers have mentioned that the pricing of PlanGrid can be a significant drawback, especially for smaller companies or projects with limited budgets. The current pricing structure is considered expensive by some users, who suggest offering more tiers of cost to accommodate different sizes of companies.
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Lack of Customization Options: Users have highlighted the limited customization options in PlanGrid as a con. They desire the ability to personalize and customize the interface and layout to better suit their specific needs. The current interface is perceived as inflexible, making it challenging for users to adapt the software according to their preferences.
Attribute Ratings
Reviews
(1-25 of 70)Autodesk Build Review
- File management
- Collaboration
- Time saving
- Files, making the files system easier to navigate and find files.
- More ability to alter meeting templates to be used in multiple ways.
- The sheets tool - has a hard time loading large sheet packages, and scrolling between sheets or files is not possible making review online harder then downloading a pdf.
Nothing for Something
- [In my opinion] sell their product.
- [In my experience] invoice for a product you don't use
- Make product more user friendly.
- Get rid of shady billing practices.
Plangrid is so easy to use and learn
- PlanGrid is great for updating drawings. In the fast-paced world we live in, and with drawings constantly changing, it is nice how the sheets are automatically updated and slip sheeted in.
- It is very helpful at writing RFI's and tracking them. The ease of writing them and allowing others to see an answer is very helpful.
- The picture log is great how all pictures taken to PlanGrid are stored even if they are deleted from a tablet.
- The field reports need to be improved greatly. It is a very basic idea right now. Collaboration on the same report by other usernames would be great.
- The fact that I can access my photo library when writing RFIs is very frustrating. You have to add pictures to PlanGrid and then add them to the RFI. Should be allowed access to photo library and add them while writing. The current process requires a lot of upfront work to be able to write and RFI.
The easiest project documentation tool for ALL users.
- The user interface is extremely easy to use for both the advanced and not-so-advanced computer users. This is huge in an industry that has a high diversity of computer skills among end-users of technology.
- Rendering speed of documents is extremely quick on every device/platform.
- The application can be used on every platform from Windows/iOS/Andriod (mobile or desktop) as well as the web, without diluting platform features.
- The ability to import 3D models and maintain accompanying metadata is extremely beneficial.
- It would be ideal to see a free viewer license that would allow some users (subcontractors) the ability to view the documents and be notified of updates. These users, of course, would be limited only to "viewing" permissions.
- It would also be beneficial to be able to customize daily job log fields.
Choose Plangrid and your users will love you.
- Plangrid is the best SaaS I have seen for ease of uploading construction plans and automated organization of those plans.
- For companies that are not using other products for mobile access, the Plangrid mobile apps are perfect to allow people on and off site to share and collaborate in many phases of construction project documentation.
- Plangrid has a very responsive technical support team (although it is pretty much email only).
- Plangrid's website layout is easy to use and understand and allows new users to jump right in and do basic to moderate tasks without little training.
- Plangrid is in the process of adding enhanced construction documentation such as better Submittal, RFI, and Field Reporting modules, but the ones in place right now will not be up to par for some people used to more full-featured applications such as Sage or Procore.
- Like other SaaS Construction applications, Plangrid is very expensive. Too expensive in my opinion. They should find ways to offer more tiers of cost so smaller companies can use the application is a limited manner and not have to pay the same cost as the larger companies which may get more use out of advanced features.
- On the same theme of cost, many of Plangrids collaboration features require all collaborators to have a license. Try telling all 30 subs on your project that they have to run out and pay an extra $50-$100/MO per employee to collaborate with you. Does not always go over well.
- Plangrids Field Report, Submittal and RFI modules are still a bit of a work in progress.
PlanGrid!
- Ease of use
- Mobile app
- Management of users
- License Management
PlanGrid is great
- One of the things that we like about Plan Grid is when we receive an updated plan sheet we can upload it and have a record of the changes that have been made along the way.
- Information can be shared in real time.
- Our field team has all of the information that they need at their fingertips.
- Uploading revised plans is a little cumbersome. It would be nice if you didn't have to add a new version every time you updated a sheet.
- Sometimes the sheet number and name recognition does not work properly when adding a new job or updating sheets. There is a workaround but it would be nice if it was more consistent.
- The cost seems a little high. It would be nice if they increased the plan limit for each pricing tier.
- They got rid of their free version, 50 sheet limit. We used to have our estimators use this option, but now we have to pay for a subscription for a service that is only used once in a while.
PlanGrid is a great solution for document management in the fast paced construction industry.
- Keeping an up to date set of documents and sharing it instantly with front line workers.
- Keeping a history set of drawings, documents, etc. for use in change or schedule management.
- Integration of other software such as BlueBeam or Asta Scheduling Software.
- Response times on the web based application.
PlanGrid for Plan Management
- Plan management
- Ease of use
- Punchlist implementation and tracking for items through to completion
- Document storage
- Unlicensed client access for issue corrections
- Mark up tools. Need symbols that relate to construction industry (outlet, fire alarm, light switch, drain etc.) that can be selected from a list to update better on redline drawings
- Issue symbols should not be limited to 2 characters. I have run into several scenarios that I need a 3rd character to identify the issue symbol with
Expanding Use of PlanGrid Features
- Reliability
- Progress Photos
- IssuesLog
- Sharing access with non-users
- Best suited for construction progress and documentation of existing field issues.
- Not as well suited for design and sharing with non-paying users. Sometimes it's helpful to share the project site with the project's owner. They often are not in the construction industry and would only be accessing the site during this project with our firm. It would be good to create guest access.
PlanGrid for the future
- Drawing markups: The ability to annotate drawings with pictures and their exact locations helps eliminate guesswork and production slowdowns related to design questions
- Issue tracking: The ability to note issues and communicate them and their resolution between the field and office help limit miscommunication.
- Linking drawings: PlanGrid makes it simple to link drawings to one another, as well as, linking purchase orders, specifications, and listing drawings.
- The lack of auto reports requires users to check in on projects daily and creates extra work should we want to push issues out to our clients.
Plangrid is a move towards the future
- Works well on computers, phones, tablets. Great for a large team on many different platforms.
- Ease of use. Very user-friendly on all devices.
- Can be used for complicated tasks as well as simple tasks. Good tool for taking photos of equipment and assigning to a plan, or for more detailed drawing changes and tracking.
- Pricey for small team users. Would be nice to have team pricing or at least lesser than a nailgun account for users that use under 50 pages.
- Some UI improvements are still needed, such as reviewing images that have been uploaded; there is no way to scroll to the next image.
Plangrid
- Incorporating multiple collaborators.
- Being able to perform constructability reviews.
- Identify what changed from previous drawing sets.
- PDF viewing quality.
Best Plan Management Software I've Used So Far!
- Great at updating and consolidating plan sets!
- The filter option on plans is particularly helpful when you want to vie wa specific plan set, like electrical drawings only or fire protection and plumbing only.
- Great with incorporating and managing RFI's, ASI's and punchlist items.
- I wish there were an option to git rid of a notification once you've seen it, e.g. "you're viewing an old plan sheet - do you want to continue?" There should be an option on this pop-up to say "Noted - do not show this message again".
- Better markup options, similar to BlueBeam. I feel like the options available are limited.
- Better able to view linked sheets. Some sheets do not link automatically to the detail they are referenced in.
Easy to Use Document Distribution
- Very easy to use, and training takes less than a few hours for field staff.
- Connects office to field quickly and efficiently.
- Uploading , naming, and tagging sheet is the best in the business.
- Sheet and document manager always display most current information and also gives you the ability to look back at previous versions for changes.
- Their sheet system by user could use some revisions. Their plans only allow a certain number of sheets per user.
- Pricing
- Customer service and local sales reps could be more responsive.
PlanGrid is simple and efficient; the best value for the money if its features do what you want.
- PlanGrid syncs drawing sets across users and devices. This is a strength because everyone on PlanGrid has the most up-to-date drawings without any effort, other than uploading. For subs, it is easy to distribute the latest drawing uploads.
- PlanGrid is quite easy to use. Unlike other CM software, PlanGrid only has a few features but it uses all of them well.
- PlanGrid has a great iPhone and Android app, so users on site can have the entire document and RFI log on their phone, with full access to all features.
- The photo attachment process is a bit complicated. In Procore (another similar software I've used), you can upload photos directly into RFIs for your reference, or into e-mails. For PlanGrid, you have to first upload the photo into the documents tab, then link them into the RFI. It's not intuitive and can add confusion to the documents tab.
- Photos can't be directly uploaded. Between different devices and colleagues, it's possible you'll get an important photo outside of the PlanGrid photo capture feature within its app. Again, it's complicated for users to use.
- In their new drawings viewer, the icons for actions do not have icons available. I had to use them all in order to understand what they meant, and I'm fairly tech savvy. I'm not sure if a new person to PlanGrid will pick up on each icon's abilities very easily.
- There's no all-in-one solution in CM, but PlanGrid is fairly barebones, and I don't believe it has any ability to connect to other software. There's no ability to take meeting munites; you can hack the field reports feature to accomplish this, but it's clear that was not the intent of the designers.
PlanGrid as a Project Management/Documentation Control Program
- Measurement Calibration
- Drawing Overlay
- Facilitates collaboration
- System updates are slow
- Can only have one measurement calibration per page
- Slow to download PDFs
PlanGrid Review
- User-Friendly
- Easy to share information
- Automatically creates review documents from your markups
- Easy to use in the field
- A better way to implement User-Friendly to control who can view specific items
- Create a takeoff application
PlanGrid has been awesome
- PlanGrid is ideal with the submission of RFI’s directly to the design team
- PlanGrid makes real time Punch List creation and tracking easy
- PlanGrid is much easier with an Ipad to perform job walks than carrying a full set of construction drawings
- Revisions and changes are a breeze and update quickly
- I would like to see PlanGrid assist in supporting photos from the user device not taken within PlanGrid
- I would like to be able to manipulate documents loaded to PlanGrid similar to sheet markups
- Adding a few more document templates for daily reports would be nice
Drawing Storage & Mobile Solution Review
- Their upload process is fast.
- The takeoff and markup tools work very well.
- The mobile application works very well.
- The price point for sharing between employees is missing a level I feel...between the free and the next level version.
- More integrations with other project management platforms would be great.
Great Tool. Time Saver!
- It gives us the fingertip access we need in the field. For example, an inspector questioned a product we were using. We opened the submittal in the field and showed him the designer's stamp approving the product. This eliminated the concern making his report, which would have required emails and paperwork to resolve.
- I have spent time naming drawings, because there is trouble recognizing the name.
- I have also noticed at times the auto hyperlink is incorrectly linked.
A PM's take on PlanGrid
- Compile punch list items from multiple team members.
- Create reports on the current status.
- Visual documentation of the issues.
- Easily group like issues in order to distribute to sub-contractors.
- Filtering
- Moving items to different sheets after the fact
- Options to condense reports
- When there is a team working on a project.
- The ability to have 5 people add items at 5 different times, and still be able to create a report without having to collate 5 different reports is great.
More bang for the buck
- Real-time, cloud based project data - keeps everyone on the same page
- Photo history allowing issues, concerns and documentation of conditions for owner
- Easy to navigate site, able to be used on multiple platforms from mobile (IOS or Android), desktop or web based
- RFI format
- Adding a pricing request log
- More detail on punch list
Solid Product, Wouldn't Manage a job Without it
- Plan sheet organization, renderings speed and image quality in the field are all great.
- UI is simple, attractive and easy for users of most experience levels.
- Slipsheeting, updating or changing drawings is easy and effective.
- Photo quality in printed reports is low. If markups or dimensions are made on an image within the system it's oftentimes difficult to see once printed.
- Clouding and markups sometimes obstruct you from seeing the actual drawing. Clouds for instance, grow and shrink when zooming. This makes sense, but sometimes on sheets with a large number of markups, when you zoom out it's just a mess of illegible bulky clouds/bubbles.
PlanGrid makes my day.
- Everyone is looking at the same set of plans.
- PlanGrid makes it easy to highlight and note issues to involve any one person or the whole team on working on resolutions.
- Easy access to addendums, bulletins, SK's and even previous versions of plan pages.
- I always seem to struggle when printing an individual page or detail.
- It would be nice to be able to view more than one page at a time.