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
UNIFI Pro Users: Your Clock Is Ticking
UNIFI Pro Users: Your Clock Is Ticking Autodesk is sunsetting UNIFI Pro by July 2026. If you haven’t started planning your content migration, now is the time. At ENGworks Global, we’ve spent 35 years managing BIM content for the AEC industry. We know what transfers cleanly from your UNIFI library, and we know what doesn’t. That expertise is exactly what you need to execute a successful migration of your UNIFI Pro content. We’ll migrate your Revit families, no matter the destination. Whether your destination is Autodesk Content Catalog, AVAIL, SharePoint, Box, Egnyte, Dropbox, or your own managed file structure, ENGworks Global delivers a clean, audit-informed migration that protects your existing content and makes sure your team is productive on the first day after your migration. Here’s what we handle: Full content audit before a single file moves Metadata and tagging preserved (and enhanced) Collections, user groups, and permissions mapped to your new platform Revit system components that can’t be directly exported are managed properly Zero disruption to your active project workflows Don’t let the deadline make the decision for you. Let’s talk. 1-800-356-8933 info@ENGworksGlobal.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin Back to the Blog Related Posts Why AEC Integrations Fail Before They Start • February 16, 2026 Harnessing API Resources for AutoCAD® and Civil 3D® • March 10, 2025 Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices • August 30, 2022
Autodesk University 2020 – Day 1 Recap
Autodesk University 2020 – Day 1 Recap That’s a wrap on the first day of Autodesk University 2020! What a day of keynotes yesterday! To us it was clear that there are several key through lines of thought being presented by Autodesk. The three key pillars that were mentioned during each of the keynotes was, Data | Automation | Insight. A quote from the day that resinated with us about data was, “Data is meaningless without context. Context turns data into information.” Additionally, Common Data Environments (CDEs) were a large focus in all discussions as well, whether that was in reference to Docs, Vault, or even Shotgun for the media and entertainment sector. “Autodesk University always provides a great opportunity for us to engage with customers and partners, and even though AU 2020 will be our first completely digital AU experience, this year is no exception,” said Lisa Campbell, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Business Strategy and Marketing at Autodesk. “This digital shift creates the opportunity to virtually connect and learn from each other in completely new ways. Solving problems and driving innovation across our industries is what our extended community does best and I’m excited to reimagine what’s possible together, no matter where you are in the world.” We have challenged Jisell Howe to create some of her amazing mind maps for AU’s first-day keynotes to share with all of you and is amazing how it turned out. Below we have included AU’s keynotes on-demand videos together with Jisell’s mind maps and some highlights from the day. Read Jisell Howe’s article “Sweet Map O’ Mind: Mind Mapping for Beginners” from AUGIWorld Magazine. General Session: Introducing Autodesk Build: One Platform to Connect the Office and the Field Autodesk Quantify: The New Cornerstone for Preconstruction Workflows in Autodesk Construction Cloud Autodesk Construction Cloud Expands with Powerful New Project Management, Quantification and Design Coordination Products Autodesk Docs Extension for AutoCAD Autodesk has announced the launch of its Certification Program, which will offer certificates for specific products, specific workflows, and industry roles. AEC Keynote: Spacemaker, AI software for urban development is acquired by Autodesk. Read article here! Introducing Autodesk BIM Collaborate: Design Collaboration and Coordination Made Seamless Autodesk Docs Extension for AutoCAD Autodesk Tandem was announced for creating and managing high fidelity digital twins Civil Site feasibility studies with assisted ML Autodesk as a Digital Twin Consortium Founding Member Product Design & Manufacturing Keynote: Inventor to Revit Round Trip that maintains constraints Virtual Reality training Vault moving to a more agile delivery method with Vault Mobile and Vault Connect Forge Keynote: Forge for Manufacturing was announced to assist product manufacturers develop bespoke solutions for their business problems Forge Simplification was discussed as a potential future solution to make Forge more accessible. This possibly hints at a possible low-code or no-code Forge environment There were several companies highlighted during the keynote; however, BAMCORE stood out to us as creating an end to end DFMA ecosystem to produce bambo wall panels and structures Stay tuned for more throughout the week! The ENGworks Global Team Please also connect with us on our social media platforms below to stay up to date with our announcements. 1-800-356-8933 info@ENGworksGlobal.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin Back to the Blog Related Posts Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices • August 30, 2022 Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts • May 26, 2022 Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? • May 10, 2022
Getting Ready for Autodesk University 2020
Getting Ready for Autodesk University 2020 Join us for Autodesk University 2020 Virtual Event! This year, like many other events, Autodesk University has gone virtual. Every year we go to Las Vegas and meet with all our colleagues in the industry to catch up and see what everyone has been working on. This year, we have adapted and have created several ways for us to interact during the AU 2020 virtual event. Check out below our agenda, register to the events and beside the #AU2020 hashtag use our #ENGworksGlobal hashtag to follow the conversation. Something we would like to remind everyone is about their technology setup. While we do not know what platform Autodesk will be hosted on it is always a good idea to do some computer housekeeping (or as much as IT will allow 😊). Agenda: Have you heard? We are hosting a Live Virtual Hangout! Ready for AU 2020 virtual? Join us for our Virtual Happy Hour immediately preceding the first day of Autodesk University 2020. Get ready for some social distancing socializing with your preferred drink. We will be hosting a conversation about the Autodesk keynotes that will be presented on the first day of AU 2020. Would you like to chat directly with us? Check out our Autodesk University 2020 Networking page to schedule a time to chat with us! Content on Demand Are you a manufacturer or user in need of high-quality BIM Content at a reasonable price? We have developed a great solution to facilitate your BIM Content needs at the palm of your hand. Content on Demand, a web-based platform, delivers personalized and dynamically created BIM Content whenever and wherever your users need them. Schedule a demo today! We look forward to seeing you there! The ENGworks Team Please also connect with us on our social media platforms below to stay up to date with our announcements. 1-800-356-8933 info@ENGworksGlobal.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin Back to the Blog Related Posts Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices • August 30, 2022 Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts • May 26, 2022 Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? • May 10, 2022
