Aconex
Documents

Setting up your document types

Properly managing project documentation ensures information is organized, secure, and easily accessible to all relevant stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.

Projects create a huge amount of information: drawings, specifications, contracts, reports, etc.

Good document management improves collaboration and reduces the risks associated with rework, delays and miscommunication.

Time

60-90 mins

Difficulty

Easy

Project Stage

Any

Using the Play

The aim is to agree on what document types should be used and when. Having more choices is almost always a bad idea and means people are more likely to make the wrong choice.

Keep it simple and make sure you are managing project documentation efficiently and consistently.

 

This Play will...

Get you off to the right start by helping you decide what document types you need and how to get them set up.

 

Why you need this Play

Are you experiencing inefficient collaboration, rework, missing documents, project delays and out of date information? These are signs of poorly managed documentation.

Teams often spend a lot of time looking for the documents they need. It's not unusual to have trouble finding the latest versions or realize that the team might be using old documents that then create more work or worse, rework.

It's crucial that everyone on a project understands what documents are used, by whom and when. A big part of that is knowing what types of documents are needed.

Allowing people to do their own thing will very likely lead to confusion, delays and even penalties. 

 

Who needs to be involved?

You'll need different stakeholders involved to get a holistic picture of what document types are required. Typically, you'll need to understand the requirements of: 

1. People creating and distributing documents (e.g. Consultants and Subcontractors)

2. People reviewing documents (e.g. Consultants and Contractors)

3. People managing documents (e.g. Document Controllers)

 

But, be mindful of having too many opinions. Groups of 4-5 tend to work best. More people means more discussion and fewer decisions. You can get feedback on decisions made with a wider audience later on. 

 

Preparation

Before you get people together, start by checking if there are any contractual, legal or regulatory requirements regarding how you and the greater project team are required to communicate. This can help decide on the types of correspondence needed. 

Also think about previous experiences. What worked, what didn't? What caused confusion within the team?

Try not to repeat earlier mistakes. 

What you'll need...

You can run this play in-person or virtually. Whiteboards are great and easy to use in-person, but there are virtual options available via platforms like Zoom.

Whatever method you choose, make sure you capture all the decisions and ideas (e.g. photos or screen grabs) as it's easy to forget what was said even a few hours later. 

This play is easy to use and follow, but, sometimes you might need additional help or advice. That's where our Professional Services team can help you get the most from Aconex. 

Step-By-Step

  • 1Get familiar with Aconex Documents (10 mins)

    Making sure everyone is on the same page. 

    Start by watching this video that provides a simple overview of Aconex Documents. It'll help the group get on the same page and better understand what decisions need to be made.

    Then spend about 5 mins to get everyone to write down what their initial thoughts are on the types of documents they want to see on the project. At this stage anything goes. It can be a big list but it's just an initial take on what you and your team think is needed. You'll reduce it in subsequent steps.

Facilitation Tip

Have each person consider individually and then take turns to share with the group.

One person acts as scribe or note taker, capturing the full list.

  • 2Deciding what's needed (30 mins)

    Here's where you'll get into deeper discussions.

    You need to decide what types of documents are needed on your project and/or within your team. Have a think about:

      1. Common document types that everyone will suggest
      2. Document types that might be influenced by the project type (e.g. A hospital is likely to have different requirements to a school)
      3. Documents that may have caused problems on previous projects (e.g. was there confusion between types of documents?)

     

    Spend a maximum of 5 mins on each one. You'll probably end up with many options for each one. Decide on your preferred single document type for each one but keep the others on the list for now. 

    Hopefully your list is not too big.

Consultant Tip

If you're required to use certain types of documents (e.g. via the Contract), a lot of your decisions will be made for you.

Don't waste time discussing things you cannot change or have no real control over. 

Instead, make sure the required types are configured properly and everyone knows why and when to use them.

  • 3Reduce, reduce, reduce (10 mins)

    Time to make that list more manageable. 

    Okay. You should now have a list of document types that you think would be useful. To be clear, there are no firm right or wrong document types. But what you need to do now is make sure there is no room for confusion or ambiguity. That will often result in delays and mistakes. 

    Go through the list you have with the group and decide if there are any document types that could be confused with each other. For example, if you have MANUAL and GUIDE, they could be confused as serving the same purpose. So why would you need both? 

    You should now have a list of document types.

Our Recommendation

Here's what we recommend as a minimum:

~ Contract
~ Drawing
~ Manual
~ Policy
~ Program
~ Process
~ Report
~ Schedule
~ Shop Drawing
~ Specification

This is a solid set of documents that will suit most projects.

  • 4Check the document types are available (10 mins)

    Can you have what you want? 

    There are lots of document types available in Aconex, but every now and then, an unusual one comes up. It's worth double checking that all the document types you need are actually available for use. 

    Follow steps 4 & 5 of these instructions to browse the list of available document types. 

    TIP: Use the search option to quickly look for the one you're after.

     

    If the document type you want is not available, you'll need to find an alternative. If you really do need to use a document type that's not available, then follow these instructions. 

    Finally, confirm the final list of document types.

    That's the end of the Play.

    Next you'll get everything set up.

Next Steps

Now it's time to get your document types set up and added to your project. 

  • 1Document your decisions

    Now you've done the hard work, it's time to document it. Yes, we know that's not very interesting, but if nothing's documented, the project team can easily claim ignorance when it comes to what document types they should be using. 

    Here's a table showing what it might look like (we've added a few more in addition to our earlier recommendation):

     

    Document Type & Description of Use CL PM CN MC SC
    Certificate
    For all certificates including completion certificates and certificates of compliance.
    no
    no
    no
    yes
    yes
    Contract
    For contracts between any parties relevant to the project.
    no
    no
    yes
    yes
    yes
    Data Sheet
    Product data sheets, technical literature and manufacturer’s information for specific assets.
    no
    no
    no
    yes
    yes
    Drawing
    Drawings including floor, site and roof plans, elevations, sections, details and layouts.
    no
    no
    yes
    no
    no
    Image
    For all photographic records and images.
    yes
    yes
    yes
    yes
    yes
    Manual
    Manuals including O&M manuals for plant and equipment.
    no
    no
    yes
    yes
    yes
    Model
    For all 3D and BIM (Model) related files.
    no
    no
    yes
    no
    no
    Policy
    For all project-related and relevant external or third party policies and guidelines.
    yes
    yes
    no
    yes
    no
    Process
    For all relevant processes and process related documentation.
    no
    yes
    no
    yes
    no
    Program
    All project programs and project planning documents.
    no
    yes
    no
    yes
    no
    Report
    Reports including Weekly, Inspection, Monthly, PCG and Cost reports.
    yes
    yes
    yes
    yes
    no
    Schedule
    Schedules including Window, Door, Finishes and Hardware schedules.
    no
    no
    yes
    no
    no
    Shop Drawing
    All shop drawings produced by the subcontractors and head contractor.
    no
    no
    no
    yes
    yes
    Specification
    All specifications including hardware, equipment and design specifications.
    no
    yes
    yes
    yes
    yes
    Warranty
    For all plant and equipment warranties and guarantees.
    no
    no
    no
    yes
    yes
    CL 
    Client
    PM 
    Project Manager
    CN 
    Consultant
    MC 
    Main Contractor
    SC 
    Subcontractor

     

    This list is a good set of document types and will provide clarity and ease of reporting. That's what you should aim for.

  • 2Getting the document types set up and configured

    All you need to do is follow the steps to get your project configured with the agreed document types. 

    Note: You will need to be a Project Admin to add and assign document types.


    1. Add the relevant document types to the relevant roles.

    2. Then, assign the role to the organizations or companies that need to add and distribute the specific document types.

    3. If you need to create a new role, follow these instructions and then add the relevant document types to the new role. 

     

    It's always a good idea to double-check everything and make sure each role has the right document types assigned. 

That's it! You've now decided what document types are important for you and your team, and set them up in Aconex. 

You're now ready for clear and and consistent project documentation.

Resources

Some useful and related links to help you with this Play.