BIMcollab's CDE functionality organizes project files using a structured approach that facilitates easier navigation. Project information in BIMcollab is managed through three key structures:
Spatial Structure - managed in the Admin environment
Project Structure - created in the Project environment (with phases managed in the Admin environment)
User Structure - managed in the Admin environment
Together, these structures ensure that documents, models, and responsibilities are logically organized and aligned with both the real-world building and the project’s lifecycle.
The illustration below shows how the Spatial Structure, Project Structure and User Structure interact. In the following paragraphs, we will discuss each structure in detail.
1. Spatial Structure
The spatial structure provides the digital representation of the physical built environment. It is created by administrators in the Admin environment and includes the following hierarchical elements:
Locations
Locations are the primary category for document management because they define the spatial structure of an account. The Location is the top-level container, which can contain lower-level elements like plots, buildings, building parts, or storeys. As such, a Location is a grouping of a contiguous plots and buildings. For example, a Location can be a University Campus where all the plots and various buildings are grouped under.
Documents and models can added at the location level.
Locations can also be grouped (e.g., cities grouped into a country). These location groups are optional but useful for complex accounts that manage multiple regions or asset portfolios.
📝 Note: You can read more about how to set up locations and location groups in this article: Locations and Location groups
Plots
Subsequent to Locations is the Plot category. A plot is a piece of land on which a building or multiple buildings are placed. A plot is physical item that may be already registered in the land registry. Multiple plots can be added under one Location, but a minimum of one plot is required to create a new spatial structure.
Buildings
A building is a physical structure located on the plot. It has a physical address that is assigned to the structure. Multiple buildings can be placed under one plot.
Parts
If required by your project, buildings can be further split into parts. This is an optional feature, but a useful one for complex buildings where different parts might have different storeys or need to be managed separately (e.g. a hospital with many departments and wings).
Storeys
Storeys are levels in the building with, typically, a floor assigned to it. In the spatial structure, storeys are defined by names and heights. Storeys can be added to the building it self or to each building part individually.
⚠️ Attention: The spatial structure is not required for projects. A project can exist in the Project environment without being linked to any spatial structure. However, when linked, it provides valuable context.
2. Project Structure
Projects
Projects represent the work to be carried out on areas of the spatial structure (e.g., new construction, renovation, maintenance). Unlike the spatial structure, projects are created in the Project environment, but these are available in an overview list in the Admin environment.
Projects may be linked to Locations, and subsequently linked to Plots, Buildings, Parts or Storeys (through their phases).
Multiple projects can exist within the same location or even on the same building.
Documents and models can added at the project level.
Consider the example image below: the Location "Krone Campus" (a), a university campus with two plots which host some buildings in need of renovation. On the campus, there are two plots (c), one plot for offices, and another for study halls. Two projects (b) have been created in this location for the designated renovation of two buildings (Building A & Building 6A) which rest atop the aforementioned plots.
📝 Note: You can read more about how to create projects in this article: Create a new project
Project Phases (available in the Premium and Ultimate plan)
Project phases are representative of the stages of the project lifecycle, for example, the concept design, detailed design, and construction phase of a construction project. Project phases reflect the duration of each stage, and can differ per project.
Phases are created by administrators in the Admin environment, not in the project itself.
Documents and models can added at the phase level.
Each project phase can be associated with the relevant part of the spatial structure (e.g., a new building wing or a specific floor).
📝 Note: You can read more about how to create project phases in this article: Managing project phases
⚠️ Attention: While a project can be associated with a location, it is only at the phase level that the actual link to the spatial structure becomes effective as metadata for document management.
⚠️ Attention: Ensure that you are always working within the right Location, Project, and Project phase, especially because documents can be added and only be visible at a specific stage.
3. User Structure
The User Structure defines how people interact with projects and documents in BIMcollab. It is managed across two levels:
Project level (Project environment): Users are added as Team Members, giving them project-wide permissions for Document Management features.
Phase level (Admin environment): Users are added to Phase Teams and assigned a User Role, which defines their specific permissions within that phase.
Key Elements
At phase level, the User Structure is defined by using:
Phase Teams – groups of users assigned to specific project phases.
User Roles – permission sets that determine what users can do at phase level (e.g., upload, download, view confidential docs).
Access Control
Being added to a project at a team member does not automatically give a user access to its phases. To access phases, a user must be added to a phase team along with being assigned a user role.
Once this is assigned, users can access the necessary information and features within the designated phase.
Flexibility
Multiple teams can have access to the same project and project phases.
A single user can belong to multiple teams, meaning a user can have multiple roles within a project.
📝 Note: Visit the User role permissions article to learn more about this topic.
📝 Note: Because multiple teams may have access to the same project and/or phases, users' navigation panels within a space may vary due to the different permissions they have.