A detailing firm manages its CAD project files best by keeping them in a well-organised, central, version-controlled store, usually a file server for live models plus SharePoint or OneDrive for sharing, with a consistent folder structure and naming, controlled access, and reliable backup. Good file management means detailers always find the current version, nothing is lost, and projects are easy to hand over and share. For most firms it is part of managed IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month. Here is what good looks like.
On a busy detailing job, files multiply fast: models, drawings, revisions, references, and shared sets. Without structure, that becomes confusion and risk. Here is how to keep project files under control.
One organised, central store
Project files should live in one central place, with the live models on a fast file server and shared sets in SharePoint or OneDrive, rather than scattered across individual workstations and inboxes. A single, organised store means everyone works from the same current files and nothing important is stranded on someone’s local drive.
Consistent structure and naming
A clear, consistent folder structure and naming convention across projects saves time and prevents mistakes, so detailers and collaborators can find the right drawing and revision quickly. Agreeing and sticking to a simple standard is a small effort that pays back on every project, especially when someone has to pick up another’s work.
Control who can access what
Access should be set so the right people can reach the right projects, with external parties limited to what they need. Sensible permissions protect confidential project information and reduce the chance of accidental changes or deletions, while still letting the team and collaborators work freely where they should.
Keep versions and history
Being able to see previous versions and recover an earlier state protects against mistakes and overwrites, which matters when revisions fly around during a job. Platforms like SharePoint keep version history automatically, and good practice on the file server, with backups, gives the same safety net for live models.
Back it all up
However well organised, project files are only safe if they are backed up, with tested restores, so a mistake, hardware failure or attack never costs you a project’s work. Reliable backup is the foundation under good file management, turning your organised store into one you can truly depend on.
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 to share models with fabricators securely and easily? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.