Most steel detailing firms work off a central server for their shared models, because it keeps everyone on one current version, makes backup straightforward and supports collaboration, while individual detailers may keep local working copies for speed on the very largest models. Tekla also offers a multi-user mode for several detailers in one model at once. The right answer depends on your team size and models, but a well-run central setup suits most practices. Managed IT for a detailing firm is typically about £45 to £100 per user per month. Here is how to decide.
Where the model lives, on a server everyone shares or on each workstation, affects speed, collaboration and safety. Here is how the options compare for a detailing practice.
The case for a central server
Keeping models on a central server means one authoritative copy, easy sharing between detailers, and simple, complete backups. There is no confusion about which version is current and no risk of work stranded on a single workstation. For most firms this is the sensible default, provided the server and network are fast enough to serve big files well.
When local working copies help
On very large models, working from a local copy on a high-spec workstation can feel faster than working across the network, so some detailers keep a local working version and save back to the server regularly. This needs clear discipline about saving back and backing up, so work is never lost or left only on one machine.
Tekla multi-user mode
For bigger jobs, Tekla offers a multi-user mode that lets several detailers work in the same model at once, sharing changes through a model server. Set up correctly it boosts collaboration on large projects, but it depends on a solid server and network, which is another reason the central infrastructure has to be right.
The role of the network
Whichever approach you take, a fast, reliable local network is what makes shared-model working pleasant rather than painful. A good switch, quality cabling and a well-configured server keep big files moving quickly, so detailers are not sitting through slow saves and opens.
Get the setup right for your firm
The best arrangement depends on how many detailers you have, how large your models are and how you collaborate, so it is worth getting advice from a provider who understands Tekla rather than guessing. The goal is fast working, safe data and easy collaboration, and a CAD-aware setup delivers all three.
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 your models hosted and protected the way a detailing firm needs? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.