Autodesk to SharePoint 2-way Integration FAQs

Autodesk to SharePoint 2-way Integration FAQs




Setting Up Your SyncEzy Integration Between Autodesk and SharePoint


Before you attempt to connect your company's Autodesk and SharePoint in your SyncEzy integration portal, please review the following article below and follow the instruction in order to setup the integration.

Install and Configure SyncEzy Integration Platform for Autodesk Account

Please also visit our Integration Menu Overview article to get familiarized with every menu of this integration.

Is this tool 100% web-based, or do we need to install an application on a desktop or server?

This is 100% web-based, we integrate the data directly into SharePoint via its API, the individual users don't have to install any SyncEzy apps to their local machines.

We’re going to be turning on multi-factor authentication in SharePoint. Will this cause any issues?

No, only the site admin has to authenticate SharePoint during the initial setup.  Once set up the other users simply log in to their normal SharePoint / OneDrive / MS Teams account.  The Two-factor auth on users has no effect on the integration.

What tools can be integrated from Autodesk to SharePoint? 

Currently, we sync Autodesk project Documents and Photos. Note: Photos are synced only once during the initial sync and are not included in subsequent syncs. However, the synchronization for the documents tool will continue to work both ways.

Technical Details - Initial Setup

Where do I log in to change settings/setup the integration?

Login link to the SyncEzy integrations portal: integrations.syncezy.com

What access do I need in Autodesk to sync the Projects to SharePoint?

SyncEzy does not require you to have Admin permissions on the company level in Autodesk. We just need the user to have Admin access to those particular projects that will be added to SyncEzy integration.

So for all the projects that you will configure, you need to have Admin access to those projects in Autodesk. Your Admin access on those projects will ensure smooth syncing of files and folders between Autodesk to SharePoint and vice versa.

Can I choose which Autodesk projects to sync to SharePoint?

Yes. The integration portal has a configuration settings area where this can be configured.  You can also have multiple app subscriptions and connect them to different SharePoint accounts.




How can I add a Project to sync to SharePoint?

To access the comprehensive article on Projects, kindly refer to step 15 here.

Can I add files to SharePoint to sync them to Autodesk right after adding the project to integration?

Once you have added a project to integration, you will need to wait for the initial sync to be completed. Initial sync can take a few minutes (Normally 5-10 minutes, depending on the number of folder structures in your Autodesk Project. If the project size is big it can take upto 24-48 hours). 
Once the initial sync is completed then you can add the data to either side to sync across. You will receive an email notification. If you have added multiple projects then for each and every project you will receive a separate email. After this email you can add data to either side to sync.

Is it possible to rename an already synced project in Autodesk?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to rename an already synced project as it will break the sync. If you wish to rename an already synced project in Autodesk, then it needs to be deleted from the Configuration menu in your SyncEzy integration portal. You will then need to re-add as a new project with a new location folder in SharePoint.

Can you support multiple companies in Autodesk?

Yes. We can connect Projects from multiple Autodesk companies to a single organization’s SharePoint Team folder.

Where is the data saved in SharePoint?

The data is saved to the root folder of your chosen path when the project is configured.

How to Use the File Manager to check your data sync?

Please click here to understand the File Manager.

Can multiple people within the same company use the integration?

Yes, we do not restrict the number of users, once we sync the data into a SharePoint all of your SharePoint users can have access to the data as long as they have access to the added projects/sites. You can control different levels of access within SharePoint. Only the administrator needs to log in to SyncEzy. You can now also invite users with varying permission levels from within the My Account menu in your SyncEzy integration portal account. Please refer to the below point.

Can I add users to my SyncEzy account?

The Owner account responsible for hosting integration has the ability to add and invite users, granting them different levels of permissions as needed. This allows for greater flexibility and control over user access within the integration. To understand this better, please visit the Company section in our SyncEzy Portal Overview  guide.

Can I change the Folder structure in SharePoint?

Yes, you can change the folder structure ONLY inside a Project. Please ensure that you are not renaming or moving any of the top-level folders in SharePoint.This includes the project path folders and the documents/photos folders inside the root path folder. 

In SharePoint, folders/files inside the Documents and Photos folders can be edited/deleted/added etc. Please do not move any of the top-level folders to a new location. Also, please do not rename the top-level folders or add any folders/files outside the Documents/Photos folders (shown below). Please click here to learn more.


Are there any file formats that the integration does not support?

We offer compatibility with a wide range of essential file formats. Nevertheless, it's important to note that Autodesk and SharePoint may impose certain restrictions on specific file formats, preventing their use. This can be checked on their website. Most of the file types are supported by Autodesk documents tool. To know more about Autodesk supported/unsupported files here. For SharePoint please click here.

I connected both of my accounts but I can’t see any files in SharePoint

Upon connecting, our system creates documents and photos folders in the designated SharePoint location. Photos are only synced during the initial sync, and this process can take a few minutes to 24-48 hours depending on project size. After the initial sync, only documents will continue to sync in real-time.

Going forward, ongoing syncs happen every 1 minute.

What is Force Sync and how this can be done?

We have 2 methods to sync the files/folders forcefully. Please note that the below option can only be used after the completion of the initial sync.




 
1. Sync Button  - This button will allow you to sync ONLY the files and folders in the navigated level. Child and parent files/folders will not sync when this is pressed.
2. Individual file sync - Clicking this option will sync the individual file /folder but the Child and parent files/folders will not sync when this is pressed. Use this option only as a backup if the integration has failed to sync the files/folders and you need them urgently.

Technical Details - Regular Sync


How often does the sync run?

The document sync runs every minute, triggered by changes made in the documents folder on SharePoint. Photos are not part of the ongoing sync and are only transferred during the initial sync.

Can I export a list of all the configured projects?

Yes, to export a list of all the configured projects please navigate to Data View > Click on the Dropdown > Select Configurations and then click on Export as Excel button.

Can I see who modified or added the files in Autodesk or SharePoint?

When you authenticate/connect your Autodesk and SharePoint accounts, this will determine what name/details are shown in files/folders in each application. 
 
So for example, if you authenticate Autodesk and SharePoint with your own account it will work as follows:
 
1) Whomever adds a file/folder to Autodesk, it will show their username/details on that file or folder in Autodesk, however when it is synced to SharePoint, it will show with the details/username of whomever authenticated SharePoint (in this example, your account) in the SyncEzy portal.
 
2) It works the same the other direction, whoever adds a file/folder to SharePoint it will show in SharePoint with that user's name/details however when it is synced back to Autodesk it will show the user’s name/details of the account who authenticated Autodesk in the SyncEzy portal.

We recommend you set up a service email account with a generic name if you wish to avoid using your name when the integration makes changes. To learn more about service account please click here.

What if I already have a SharePoint folder for the project?

To maintain the integrity of the sync, we have to start the integration from scratch in a new top-level folder in SharePoint. Once the initial sync is complete and the data structure is created in SharePoint, you can move your existing data from the existing folders into the Documents folder created by SyncEzy.

Why my SharePoint site is not appearing while configuring a project?

If you have recently created the SharePoint site then SharePoint can take a few hours to index the site in its API. As long as permissions are correct, the site will appear in the list in some time. Usually a few hours but it can be up to 24 hours.

Are there any limits to how much data can be synced?

There are no technical limits to the amount of data that can be synced. We have synced individual projects with over 50,000 files each and over 200 GB of data per project. Our standard plan comes with some fair use limits detailed in your proposal which can be extended upon request and special pricing.

The only hard limit we have is for individual files to be less than 955 MB. Typically this would be data like large laser scans (point cloud) of buildings, large drone video captures and special purpose files. We do not have any file-type restrictions. We can sync and support all file types and data types.

We do not stop syncing the files just because the limit has been reached, this will only ever be done after consultation with you.  You do not have to worry about the sync stopping once the limits are reached.

How quickly does the data sync? What is your sync speed?

We sync data every 1-3 minutes after edits or changes in SharePoint.  The time to move the files can depend on the size of the file and number of files edited. In 98% of cases, this happens within a few minutes.

We do not throttle data transfer speeds from our end, we are only limited by SharePoint or Autodesk limits.  In most cases this is done every 5 minutes for hundreds of files at once. Initially, once the projects are connected, the first download can take from 4 to 48 hours depending on the amount of data in Autodesk. Once the initial sync is complete every future sync happens automatically, every five minutes, whenever a file change is detected in either system.

Is there any file path/name limit?

Please avoid using long file names as the file path limit for SharePoint is 400 characters. SharePoint does not accept long folder/file names. Please note in some versions of Microsoft Office 365 this limit may be smaller - 256 character limit.

Is there any file size limit?

Please ensure individual files are not larger than 955 MB. Files of this size will need to be added manually into Autodesk or SharePoint as required. Also please ensure files are not 0KB in size. Adding a document as a template for later with no data inside it, for example, will be 0KB in size. These files are not able to be synced. The best practice here is to place at least one character inside the document to make it at least 1KB.

Service account - Introduction and benefits

Service accounts are usually created specifically for a particular service or application and are granted only the permissions necessary for that service to function properly. They are often used to access other resources such as databases, APIs, file systems, or other services that the application or service needs to interact with. Basically, we use a service account to differentiate the user activity in a  particular application.

Why use a service account to connect the integration applications?

We highly recommend you set up a service email account with a generic name if you wish to avoid using your individual account name on folders/files when the integration syncs folder/file changes to the opposite application. You could set up a user in Autodesk and SharePoint with an email called syncezy@yourcompany.com for example and use this account to connect Autodesk and SharePoint in your integration. This will ensure you can easily identify what synced changes our integration has made. Please ensure any new service accounts you set up have full admin permissions on the Documents, Photos, and RFIs tools for all projects you want to sync in Autodesk and also full read/write permissions on the applicable SharePoint account/sites.

There are several reasons why you might want to use service accounts in your computing environment:

Security: By using service accounts, you can limit the permissions granted to individual applications or services, which helps to reduce the risk of security breaches. Service accounts are typically used for automated processes, they do not require interactive login sessions or access to sensitive information that humans would normally need, such as passwords or other confidential data.

Accountability: When you use service accounts, you can track the actions of individual services or applications, making it easier to identify which system or service is responsible for particular actions or changes within your environment.

Centralization: By using service accounts, you can centralize the management of access and permissions across multiple applications or services, making it easier to ensure that each application has the appropriate level of access and reducing the complexity of managing permissions across your computing environment.


Best practices around the integration


Do not have any trailing spaces at the end of folders or project names

SharePoint (Windows) does not handle Document library names well with spaces at the end of the name. 

Also, SharePoint does not accept the following special characters in file names:
Hash(#),percentage(%),star(*),colon(:),angular brackets(<>),question mark(?),slash(/), vertical pipe(|). Full stop/period (.) is permitted within the filename however full stops/periods are not permitted at the end of a file name. Please avoid naming your Autodes files and folders with these characters to avoid errors in the integration. 


Make sure your team does not delete/rename/move the below folder structure in SharePoint.

1. The path that you have selected to sync your project. For example (screenshot below) the project "Test" is syncing to the folder location "01 Autodesk Test" that was created manually in SharePoint. You can view the path for your configured project under the "Configuration" tab. Please ensure you do not delete/rename/move the path parent folders, or else the sync will break.





2. The integration creates the tools folders (Documents, Photos) to the path folder location. In continuation to the above-given example, the tools folders have been created under the path folder "01 New Autodesk Test" in SharePoint. Please ensure you do not delete/rename/move these tool folders, or else the sync will break because these folders are directly linked with Autodesk tools creating a link between Autodesk and SharePoint to sync the data.

You can make the changes inside the Documents and Photos folder and the same will be synced to Autodesk and vice versa.  




Note: if you need to delete a large number of files

If you need to delete a large number of files from both systems, do it manually from both systems.  This is because as a safety mechanism, SyncEzy has a delete limit for the maximum number of files that can be deleted through the sync in any 24-hour period. (If enabled in the integration)
Once the limit is hit, the sync will not delete any more files and the sync will email the administrator with the path of the files not deleted. The Sync deletes limit will reset after 24 hours. (Please note that the 24-hour deletion limit reset is based on the file deletion time, which means the 24-hour starts from the time you have deleted the file).

Can I buy additional space? I’m getting an out-of-space error.

Yes, this will be based on your SharePoint account. Please contact your organization's SharePoint account admin for details. We do not have space restrictions for the integration.

Pricing / Accounts / SyncEzy-related questions


How does your pricing work?

Please contact us for pricing. Pricing is based on the number of Projects and the amount of data synced.

Does SyncEzy keep a copy of my data stored?

Your data is only stored on your Autodesk account and in your SharePoint account. SyncEzy is only the conduit and does not store any of your organisation's project data files. We only store relevant metadata (file names, folder names and folder paths, sync time, modified time etc) as required for us to manage the integration and syncing the files. 
Your files are transferred through our servers for only as long as it takes to pass them from one system to the other. Once the transfer is complete the actual files are automatically deleted. We only store the metadata and the file paths.
This is why if you have any technical issues our support team may ask you to add support@syncezy.com to the project documents folder so we can review the data.  We do not have access to any of your tools or login to your Autodesk.

Where is SyncEzy hosted?

Our application and the metadata that we store is hosted securely with Amazon Web Services (AWS). This is the same back end infrastructure system that Autodesk uses.

Do the files transferred into cloud storage count towards my cloud storage account storage limits?

Yes, all files & folders synced across will count towards your file storage limits. 

How long does it take to transfer my files across?

The integration syncs every 30 minutes as long as the SharePoint file or folder has been edited and saved. 

What triggers the files being transferred?

Any changes made to the files or folders will trigger a sync. For example, renaming the file, opening the Word document and saving it,  revising it in Autodesk, editing a document in SharePoint, deleting the document in either system. All of these changes will trigger the sync, and the older file in either system will be replaced with the current / latest version of the file.

Where do I go to check the settings and billing details on my cloud storage integration?

You can view your settings configurations and any billing details by going to the SyncEzy Portal here. In the Portal, navigate to Plan Details to see billing details. Contact support to make changes or cancel your service.



Use of special characters:

In SharePoint: SharePoint supports file or folder names that are 255 characters or less. It does not support names containing non-printable ASCII characters, "/", "", leading or trailing spaces, or the special names “.” and “..”. Additionally, SharePoint only supports Unicode Basic Multilingual Plane (BMP) characters in file and folder names. Paths on Windows machines should adhere to the 255-character limitation, with longer paths possibly truncating content names before uploading to SharePoint.

In Autodesk: Please click here.

Other questions

Have a support question?

We offer three support channels: 

Chat - Live Chat (24x5 support) from within your integration portal.  

Phone - #1 for Support
AUS: +61 2 9136 9448 
NZ: +64 9 303 2999 
UK: +44 203 670 1109
US: +1 720 500 9302



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