Document sets in BIMcollab function as a collection of documents and flexible smart folders that allow documents to be grouped and reused across multiple project contexts.
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What are document sets?
Document sets are a collection of documents within BIMcollab Document management. While they can be used as a simple grouping of documents, they have the ability to function as smart folders that dynamically reference documents based on defined criteria.
In many projects, the same document is needed in different contexts. For example, one drawing may need to appear in a submission package, as well as in a set of current documents to be shared internally between disciplines. Teams often manage this by creating duplicate copies of documents or manually organizing the same files in multiple locations.
This can lead to:
Inconsistent versions
Duplicate files
Additional management effort
Reduced traceability
Document sets provide a more flexible approach. Each document version is stored only once within BIMcollab, while Document sets reference those versions without creating duplicates. This allows the same document to belong to multiple Document sets at the same time.
This flexibility gives Document sets two important uses:
As collections of documents that can be shared, reviewed, or downloaded.
As dynamic organizational structures that help manage and group documents across different contexts.
How document sets handle versions
Document sets can be configured in two ways depending on how document versions should be managed.
⚠️ Attention: Version handling is configured per document when the document is added to a Document set. This means the same Document set can contain both documents that always use the latest version and documents that are locked to a specific version.
Latest-version document sets (dynamic version)
These sets always contain the most recent version of each included document. When a new version is uploaded, the set updates automatically.
Use cases:
Active project documentation
Current approved drawings
Accessing the latest information
Version-fixed document sets (locked version)
These sets contain specific document versions selected at a certain point in time. The content of the set does not change automatically when newer versions are uploaded.
Use cases:
Submission packages
Permit documentation
Archived project milestones
💡 Tip: For instructions on creating and managing Document sets, see Working with Document sets.