From Data to Decisions: Why Autodesk Forma® Data Alone Isn’t Enough

From Data to Decisions: Why Autodesk Forma® Data Alone Isn’t Enough Most AEC firms using Autodesk Forma® are generating more project data than ever before. But more data doesn’t automatically lead to better decisions. Across planning, design, and construction workflows, teams are capturing RFIs, submittals, cost events, issues, and schedule updates in real time. The information exists. The challenge is that most organizations don’t have a clear way to turn that data into something usable. This isn’t a technology problem. It’s a translation problem. The platform changed. The data problem did not. Autodesk Forma represents a shift toward a more connected project environment. Planning, design, construction, and operations data now live within a more unified ecosystem. That’s a meaningful step forward. But even with better platforms, the core issue remains: Having access to data is not the same as using it effectively. Most teams still rely on manual reports, disconnected spreadsheets, or static exports to understand project performance. The data is there, but the connection between information and decision-making is still missing. Out-of-the-box analytics is a myth. There’s a common assumption that once data is available, insights will follow. In reality, exporting data through tools like the Forma Data Connector is only the starting point. Raw data is not a dashboard. It’s not structured for analysis, and it doesn’t answer questions on its own. Turning that data into something useful requires: Understanding how the data is structured Building relationships between datasets Designing visualizations that highlight what matters Most AEC teams are not set up to do this internally. They have project expertise, not data modeling expertise. The connector gets you to data. The real value comes from translating that data into answers. Project dashboards and executive dashboards are not the same.   One of the most common mistakes we see is trying to build a single dashboard that serves everyone. Project teams and executives are not asking the same questions. Project teams need visibility into day-to-day execution, including RFI aging and response times, submittal status and bottlenecks, issue counts by type and location, and cost event pipelines. Executives need a completely different perspective, generally focused on portfolio-wide performance trends, turnaround times across projects, cost variance distribution, and risk indicators at a high level. When one dashboard tries to serve both audiences, it ends up serving neither well. The result is confusion, underutilization, and ultimately, a return to manual reporting. Effective analytics starts with understanding who needs to make decisions, in addition to what decisions they need to make. Inaction costs more than you think.   The gap between available data and usable insights has real consequences. According to industry research, AEC firms with strong data capabilities see significantly better financial performance. One study found a 56 percent profit growth advantage for organizations that effectively leverage data compared to those that do not. The reality is that most firms already have the data they need. It’s just spread across logs, spreadsheets, and systems that don’t communicate clearly with one another. Without a structured way to analyze and compare that information, teams are left reacting instead of proactively managing projects. ENGworks Global builds analytics that support your outcomes. We don’t start with dashboards. We start with decisions. What does your team need to know? What are you trying to improve? Where are delays, risks, or inefficiencies showing up? From there, we work backward to structure the data and build analytics that support those outcomes. Our approach includes: Configuring account settings and data flows to support reporting Building Power BI dashboards aligned to your project structure, naming conventions, and workflows Creating separate views for project teams and executive stakeholders Establishing governance so dashboards remain accurate and consistent over time Analytics, like integration, is not a one-time setup. It’s an ongoing process that requires structure, ownership, and alignment across teams. When done correctly, it gives organizations both a clearer understanding of what’s happening across their projects, and the ability to act on it. Discover a faster path forward. If your firm is running projects in Autodesk Forma, but still relies on manual reporting, there is a more efficient way to turn your data into decisions. We can help you get there. Autodesk Trademark Notice:Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, and Forma are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. This publication is independent of Autodesk, Inc., and is not authorized by, endorsed by, sponsored by, affiliated with, or otherwise approved by Autodesk, Inc.     1-800-356-8933 info@ENGworksGlobal.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin Back to the Blog Related Posts UNIFI Pro Users: Your Clock Is Ticking • March 18, 2026 Why AEC Integrations Fail Before They Start  • February 16, 2026 Harnessing API Resources for AutoCAD® and Civil 3D® • March 10, 2025

BIM 360 Ops - COVID Office Response

BIM 360 Ops - COVID Office Response There can be several strategies of what new office work may look like. For example, higher barriers in open offices, more sanitary stations in offices, perhaps even more flexible work from home arrangements. But how are we able to keep track of all of these new resources and processes? While there are certainly a multitude of solutions available, my focus for this is to leverage Autodesk BIM 360 Ops for the management of space and assets. What is BIM 360 Ops? Autodesk BIM 360 Ops is a virtual record environment (VRE), that allows the storage of assets, the management of scheduled tasks, and much more. As a completely web-based platform Ops provides the agility of a small platform with a large bang for its dollar. For more information about BIM 360 Ops please see the links at the bottom of this article. How do we meet the user’s needs? To best determine what the user’s needs and concerns are about the workplace prior to thinking about any type of solution. Below are example questions to start to understand the complexities of a new working environment. By understanding the concerns of our colleagues we are able to tailor our technology response. Employee Workplace Readiness Survey Sample Questions: How comfortable do you feel about returning to work in the office? Very Comfortable Somewhat Comfortable Neither Comfortable nor Uncomfortable Somewhat Uncomfortable Very Uncomfortable Which of the following are concerns you have about returning to work in the office? Getting exposed to the coronavirus at the office Leaving family members at home who need assistance Organizing childcare Decreased productivity Decreased flexibility to work from home Potentially spreading coronavirus to my coworkers Not being able to return to the office due to health reasons Getting exposed to the coronavirus while commuting to work Other Which of the following would make you feel more comfortable returning to work in the office? Hand sanitizer stations Installing partitions between desks Implementing a “clean desk policy” so desks can be cleaned more easily Government guidance saying it is ok to return to work Availability of a vaccine Availability of antibody testing Limiting outside visitors to the office Requiring employees to install a contact tracing app to notify you if you have been in close contact with a colleague that is diagnosed with coronavirus Limiting the number of employees in the building Boxed lunches instead of buffet-style lunches Staggering hours/shifts Staggering lunchtimes Nightly deeps cleans/sanitation Wearing masks in the office Having secured care/support for children of other family members Closing any communal spaces (ie. gyms, game rooms) Temperature checks before entering the building Nothing would make me feel more comfortable returning to the office Other Do You Need a Model to start using BIM 360 Ops? The short answer is no, there is no need to have a Revit model of a facility to implement BIM 360 Ops. While a model certainly does assist in the visual layer of the facility, it is quite possible to simply create a facility in a portfolio by uploading spreadsheets or manually entering the data. To facilitate the aggregation of this information, I have built an Airtable base template that can be copied for collecting Location and Asset information. Please reach out if there are any questions about how to use the base. BIM 360 Ops Data Aggregation Base Template If a model of your office or facility does exist; however, it is highly recommended to utilize the geometric and data mapping that is available. The Ops team has developed a very lightweight plugin to Revit to assist with the upload of geometry and model data. Please see the Autodesk University links at the end of this article to understand more about how this process can be leveraged. The use cases below leverage the scenario of having and utilizing a model for the most part. Use Case(s) While there are many use cases for the technology provided within BIM 360 Ops, we will take a brief examination of three of these options. Scenario 1: Quick Ticketing Quick tickets can be set up to allow employees and/or managers to notify the facilities management staff that there is an issue. These quick tickets can be fully customized to meet your occupant’s and manager’s needs. As we can see from the image above, we have created a quick ticket to “send the cleaners” to a space that initiates an automated checklist for environmental services. Additionally, a quick ticket could be created to prevent the possible contraction of COVID-19 within a space by noting where a potential exposure has occurred. Another option for quick tickets could be to allow occupants to notify management of low sanitation supplies. Scenario 2: Automated Scheduling and Task Assignment One of the larger concerns with returning to an office environment is that of cleanliness. Ops provides the functionality to schedule a variety of task-based workflows. This provides an easy to use and mobile interface for environmental services departments to share and collaborate on. Scenario 3: Facility Mapping If Revit models of a facility are available leveraging the BIM 360 Ops mapping capability is an expedient way to visualize where priority or in progress tickets have been created. Final Tip To make it easier for occupants to access the application, Barcodes and/or QR codes can be leveraged around the facility to access the occupant dashboard to report or create new tickets. Additionally, barcodes and/or QR codes can be linked to the digital assets that have been created in BIM 360 Ops. The coronavirus pandemic has closed many businesses and restricted most to working from home or other secluded environments. As we are now on the verge of beginning to return to our workplaces, employers are confronted with an array of issues that will test their abilities to keep their employees, clients, and other stakeholders safe as they return. Organizations need to take a thoughtful approach to restarting at their place of work. “Place” is a deliberately broad phrase; a “place” could be

Mercy Hospital Jefferson Case Study

Mercy Hospital Jefferson Case Study ENGworks believes in a whole building perspective to combine sustainable design, data, and technology. Owners are realizing the value of accurate as-built models and information as a project deliverable, not only for a 3D visualization tool but as a means of organizing and connecting the BIM database of information to address any issue over a facility’s lifecycle. The Enhanced Integration process takes technology, sharpens it, and facilitates collaboration that transforms vision into reality. Please fill out the form to read about Why Enhanced Integration Matters to Owners. 1-800-356-8933 info@ENGworksGlobal.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin

Autodesk University 2018

ENGworks and YouBIM will be attending, speaking, exhibiting, and networking! Read more below for how and where to meet up with us. https://mailchi.mp/engworks.com/engworks-at-trimble-dimensions-autodesk-university-1458241

Global Facilities Management Market to Grow by 2023

A new report is out about the Facilities Management Market growth between 2018 and 2023. “North America is expected to have the largest market size, and Middle East and Africa (MEA) is projected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period” https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180405006168/en/Global-59.33-Billion-Facility-Management-Market-2018-2023 Ask us how we are working with many of the names that were reported on.