Files at AEC industry firms frequently have essential related information such as corresponding drafting views, legends, or schedules, PDFs of specifications or certifications, or URL links that should accompany them. AVAIL’s Related Content feature gives design technology teams the power to connect these different pieces of data in AVAIL’s content management system (CMS). Relating content ensures any essential information is immediately available along with the content itself. Director of Customer Success Clay Watson shares how AVAIL’s AEC industry customers are benefiting from this feature.
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Constructing Smarter Workflows with Related Content: Common Use Cases
AVAIL’s Related Content feature was officially released in December 2024 with AVAIL Desktop 5.0. The adoption of this new feature has been on the rise, and the AVAIL Customer Success team has witnessed how customers are utilizing it to enhance their AEC industry workflows. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular use cases we’ve seen since Related Content was introduced.
[1] Connecting content and its corresponding drafting view, legend, or schedule
Referencing a drafting view with its sheet or legend is already a natural workflow. Relating them in AVAIL brings them together in a simple and easily viewed interface. We’ve seen customers begin establishing these relationships in AVAIL with great success.
New with AVAIL version 5.0, Related Content connects different pieces of content like a door Revit Family with its corresponding sheet.
[2] Connecting manufacturer's content with PDFs of specifications or certifications
AEC industry firms are saving valuable production time by bringing manufacturer's content directly to their teams through AVAIL. They are eliminating the need to hunt down specifications in a file system or a manufacturer’s website by relating these resources directly in AVAIL.
MEP Revit content like that in the AVAIL Select MEP Channel can now easily be connected with corresponding technical data sheets and certifications.
[3] Connecting content to a URL link
Indexing a URL into AVAIL allows users to browse a website without ever having to leave the application. Relating a URL like that to a manufacturer's website to content in AVAIL elevates the end-user experience. Related Content brings an external asset that often lives outside the content library directly to your team when they need it most.
A base cabinet Revit Family in AVAIL is easily connected to its corresponding online catalog with Related Content.
Building stronger connections
AVAIL CEO and Founder Randall Stevens shares why the development team built Related Content and how they see it laying the foundation for AVAIL’s future
Related Content and Your Firm: Best Practices for Getting Started
Before you sit down to start relating content in AVAIL, it is important to think through how to organize digital assets in your Related Content strategy.
Take these four steps to determine where you should prioritize building relationships and what categories of content you want to relate firm-wide, as well as create actionable goals for yourself and team.
1. Narrow in on Common Workflows
Consider your team's common workflows. What content relationships would be most important and most impactful for your team?
Examples of content you may want to relate:
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Revit Families that are similar/alternatives
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Construction details to related Revit Families
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Drafting Views, Legends and Schedules belonging to Sheets
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URLs (manufacturer product pages) to Revit Families or AutoCAD Blocks
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Training information (e.g. URLs to learning materials) to Revit content
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Photos to design representations like construction details to Revit content
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"Lessons learned” database entries to construction details
2. Define Related Content Categories
Based on the workflows you decide to focus on from #1, strategize what type of Related Content categories you want to use. These categories serve the entire AVAIL account. Organizing and grouping related content by category will create a better end-user experience.
Examples of Related Content categories:
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Marketing and Technical Manuals
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Specifications
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Sustainability Documents
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Technical Data Sheets
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Certifications
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Training Documentation
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Materials
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Websites
Related Content can bring several corresponding documents to Revit Families and more. For example, this base cabinet is connected to a product catalog and detail.
3. start small
Start with a small group of content to establish your first relationships. Focusing on a small group of content will help your team become pros at noticing when Related Content exists.
4. Get Feedback from Your Team
Understanding the value and impact of Related Content for your team is crucial. Ask them what is working and what would be most helpful to take things to the next level.
As always, the Customer Success team is here if you have questions, need assistance, or want to share your use case with Related Content. Contact us by email support@getavail.com or schedule a one-on-one.
How should the lessons learned from a project be communicated?
AVAIL CEO and Founder Randall Stevens explores this common issue as a Related Content use case
Tying It All Together: How to Relate Content
Now that you’ve planned out your firm’s strategy, you are ready to start relating. Follow these steps to relate your first piece of content today!
1. Make sure you have AVAIL Desktop 5.0 downloaded. Download 5.0 here.
2. Navigate to the source item you want to relate content to in the AVAIL Desktop.
3. Click the name of the file to open the Content View window.
4. Then, click the pencil icon to enable the Related Content drag and drop panel.
5. With the Content View open, drag and drop content from the AVAIL Desktop to the Related Content panel.
6. After dropping the content into the Related Content panel, you can create a Category to define the type of relationship.
7. Then select done.
Once Related Content has been established you’ll notice a new icon appear under the thumbnail image. Clicking the icon will display the Related Content panel.
As you continue your Related Content journey, connecting more content, users can quickly find these new relationships using the Filter By: Has Related Content.
Related Content takes what used to require multiple searches through the library along with additional time browsing webpages into a refined and coherent workflow, with the potential to yield a full network of resources directly to the end user.
Get started with Related Content today!
- How To: Related Content Overview
- Unleash the Power of Connected Information with AVAIL’s New Feature
Explore More 5.0 Features
Clay Watson
Director of Customer Success
Clay Watson brings over seven years of SaaS Customer Success experience to his role as Director of Customer Success at AVAIL. Clay is passionate about helping customers maximize product value to achieve their business goals. Prior to joining AVAIL, Clay served as the Director of Customer Success at Hippo Manager Software, Inc. His educational background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Communications and Information Studies and a Master's Degree in Information Communication Technology, both from the University of Kentucky. Clay's expertise in Customer Success and his academic foundation in communication and technology inform his leadership of the Customer Success team at AVAIL.
About AVAIL
Founded in 2016 as a solution for architecture and engineering firms to find the information they need faster, AVAIL creates software for the global architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. AVAIL’s content management system (CMS) platform and Revit application tools help designers and engineers take control of their intricate network of files in one visual, streamlined solution. AVAIL’s customers include industry leaders Gensler, Perkins&Will, IMEG, LEO A DALY, and Populous.
