A detailing firm onboards a new Tekla detailer quickly and securely by having a ready, properly specced CAD workstation, the right Tekla and Autodesk licences and access set up before day one, their accounts and email created with multi-factor authentication, access to the model server and project files, and a clear leaver process for when people move on. Done well, a new detailer is productive on their first morning rather than waiting days for IT. For most firms it is part of managed IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month. Here is what good onboarding looks like.
A new detailer who cannot work for days because their machine and licences are not ready is a costly, frustrating start. A repeatable onboarding process avoids it. Here is what to have in place.
A ready CAD workstation
The new detailer needs a workstation specced for Tekla, with enough RAM and the right components, set up with the CAD software and configured before they arrive. Having a machine ready to go, rather than scrambling to build or buy one, is the single biggest factor in a productive first day.
Licences and software in place
Their Tekla and any Autodesk access needs to be available from day one, with enough licences in the pool so adding a person does not lock someone else out. Sorting this ahead of time, including any extra seat that is needed, means the new detailer can open their tools and start work immediately.
Accounts, email and MFA
A user account, email and the right group memberships should be created in advance, secured with multi-factor authentication. Setting these up properly from the start, with only the access the role needs, gets the new starter working securely rather than being bolted on insecurely and tidied up later.
Access to models and project files
The detailer needs access to the model server and the relevant project folders, including any SharePoint sites used to share with fabricators and contractors. Granting the right access on day one, and no more, means they can pick up real work straight away while keeping your project data properly controlled.
And a clean leaver process
Onboarding’s twin is offboarding: when a detailer leaves, their accounts, licences and access should be removed promptly and their workstation reassigned or wiped. A clear leaver process protects your project data and frees up licences, and a managed approach handles both joining and leaving smoothly as the team changes.
What to ask a provider
A specialist for steel detailers should be able to answer:
- Have you supported Tekla detailing practices and CAD firms, including their licensing, before?
- How do you keep our Tekla licences, workstations and model server running to a fabrication deadline?
- How do you let us share drawings and models securely with fabricators and contractors?
- What is your response time when Tekla is down and the whole team is stopped?
- Is the price clear and per user, with security included rather than charged separately?
Where to start
If you are not sure where your practice stands, a short review is the quickest way to find out: check that your Tekla licences are hosted reliably and not on a single neglected server, that your workstations and file server are sized for your models, that drawings are shared securely with MFA, and that your backups are tested. Those few checks show where a CAD-aware managed setup would pay off.
The bottom line
For a steel detailing firm, good IT is the difference between hitting a fabrication deadline and missing it. Tekla opens first time for every detailer, the model server stays fast even on the heaviest jobs, drawings reach fabricators securely, and the work is backed up so nothing is ever lost. The technology stays out of the way and the team gets on with detailing.
That reliability comes from a setup built around how detailers actually work, high-RAM workstations, properly hosted licences and models, and tested backups, rather than generic office IT. For a small practice whose whole output depends on a few CAD seats and one file server, a predictable per-user cost for that dependability is far cheaper than a day with the whole team locked out of Tekla.
Why steel detailers choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including engineering and design firms, and we understand how a steel detailing practice works: Tekla Structures, AutoCAD, Autodesk and Graitec licensing, high-RAM CAD workstations, large-model file servers, secure SharePoint project sharing with fabricators, and Datto backup for irreplaceable models. We support firms across Essex, Hertfordshire and London. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we have been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want IT that keeps your detailers detailing right up to the deadline? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.