Managing drawing revisions and keeping record sets

[Pete (STZ) 0]

Just wanting to get some views on how other offices manage their drawing issues.... and how they keep track of drawings leaving the office...

We currently have three systems happening in our office and need to consolidate into one for QA purposes.

As a basis we generate a pdf file of each sheet as a record set.

In terms of drawing management we are currently looking at three options:

OPTION 1...

1. Create PDF of each drawing revision, and have file name in format [drawing no] [drawing title] [revision].pdf all stored in folder called PDF ARCHIVE...

2. Use drawing transmittal sheet to record issue date and person sent to

Pros: Simple and easy to access previous revisions quickly.

Cons: Have to rename file after creation. Disconnect with rest of project management software for issue of drawings.

OPTION 2...

1. Create PDF of each drawing revision, and have file name in format [drawing no] [drawing title].pdf and store in folders with the date of the revision.

2. Use drawing transmittal sheet to record issue date

Pros: No renaming of files (which often does not get done)..Great for collating milestone issues

Cons: Almost impossible to find old revisions of a file or print a current set from the most recent issues as you have to search through multiple folders.

OPTION 3.

1. Create PDF of each drawing revision, and have file name in format [drawing no] [drawing title].pdf and store in folder called PDF Archive

2. Create shortcut of files to project management software (ARCHETYPE)

3. Update revision no. in Archetype

4. Issue drawings and do document transmittal in Archetype.

Pros: Full record of when drawings were sent and who to - linked to contacts. The current set is always in the 'PDF archive' folder. You can go back and view previously issued sets as these are stored in archetype.

Cons: Have to enter the revision no. twice...(in the drawing and also in Archetype) and when creating new drawings have to import and setup new drawings.

How do others do it?

[Christiaan 503]

We use a drawing register, like so:

http://needleandmortar.com/wiki/Drawing_register

We also have a Data Out folder on our server into which PDF/DWGs are placed within dated folders for each issue. (Sheet Layer names include the revision, and hence our PDF/DWG files do too).

Separately to the Data Out folder we keep a Current Issue (which holds the current issue drawings VWX, PDF and DWG) and a Superseded folder, where we place the superseded VWX, PDF and DWG files.