Autodesk Vault
Autodesk Vault is a data management tool integrated with Autodesk Inventor Series, Autodesk Inventor Professional, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD Electrical, Autodesk Revit and Civil 3D products. It helps design teams track work in progress and maintain version control in multi-user environments. It allows them to organize and reuse designs by consolidating product information and reducing the need to re-create designs from scratch. Users can store and search both CAD data (such as Autodesk Inventor, DWG, and DWF files) and non-CAD documents (such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel files).
Overview
The Vault environment functions as a client server application with the central SQL database and Autodesk Data Management Server (ADMS) applications installed on a Windows-based server with client access granted via various clients such as: Thick Client (Vault Explorer) and Application Integrations. ADMS acts as the middleware that handles client transactions with the SQL database. Vault Explorer functions as the client application and is intended to run alongside the companion CAD software. The Vault Explorer UI (User Interface) is intended to have an appearance similar to Microsoft Outlook and can display the Vault folder structure, file metadata in the form of a grid and a preview pane for more detailed information.
Autodesk Vault is a file versioning system that "records" the progression of all edits a file has undergone. All files and their associated metadata are indexed in the SQL base data management system and are searchable from the Vault client interface. Other information about the files include version history, uses (composed of a list of children), "Where Used" (a list of all parents) as well as a light weight viewable in the form of the Autodesk Design Web Format (DWF) file which is automatically published upon check-in. When users intend to edit a file the file is checked-out and edits are made. When the user is satisfied with the changes the file checked-in and new file version, containing the new changes, is then available to other users in the workgroup. In-process file changes (file saves) are hidden from other users until the changes are checked-in. As files are edited, renamed and moved in the folder structure the Vault database automatically updates any file references in related files.
Vault is intended to be the core data management strategy for Autodesk's design products and therefore has add-ins to many of Autodesk's design solutions.
ADMS also plays another role as the hosts for Autodesk Inventor's Content Center (Standard Parts Library) for use by Inventor when it's desired that they are hosted in a central location.
The Autodesk Vault Family of Products
The Autodesk Vault product family is a stack of products each offering incremental functionality over the previous product. While the base "Autodesk Vault" is included with many Autodesk design applications; additional functionality is available based on the needs of the organization. The following products are part of the Autodesk Vault Family.
- Vault - Work-in-Process Data Management
- Vault Workgroup - Customisation, Revision Management & Security
- Vault Professional - Professional Level Capabilities such as ERP Integration, Item Master and more
Note: For the 2011 Release, Autodesk Vault Manufacturing was Renamed to Autodesk Vault Professional. This was also formerly known as Autodesk Productstream in prior releases. The family was subsequently simplified for the 2014 Release with the retirement of Autodesk Vault Collaboration
Functionality Matrix
| Function | V | VW | VP |
|---|---|---|---|
| File Management Tools | --X-- | --X-- | --X-- |
| Single Workgroup | --X-- | --X-- | --X-- |
| Fast Searching | --X-- | --X-- | --X-- |
| Autodesk CAD Integrations | --X-- | --X-- | --X-- |
| Design Reuse Tools | --X-- | --X-- | --X-- |
| File Revision Control and Lifecycles | --X-- | --X-- | |
| Utilities for Batch Plotting | --X-- | --X-- | |
| Automatic File Naming | --X-- | --X-- | |
| Stand Alone Client for Non-CAD Users | --X-- | --X-- | |
| File and Folder Security | --X-- | --X-- | |
| Reporting | --X-- | --X-- | |
| Server Based DWF Publishing | --X-- | --X-- | |
| Custom Objects | --X-- | ||
| Multi-Site Replication | --X-- | ||
| Search, View and Print Web Client | --X-- | ||
| Advanced Backup & Windows Authentication | --X-- | ||
| Bill of Material Management | --X-- | ||
| Engineering Change Management | --X-- | ||
| Co-Exist with Enterprise Business Systems | --X-- |
Legend
- V - Vault (Base)
- VW - Vault Workgroup
- VP - Vault Professional
History
Autodesk Vault was initially known as truEVault; part of an acquisition from a company called truEInnovations, Inc. based in Eagan, Minnesota. truEInnovations was started by two entrepreneurs, Brian Roepke and Dean Brisson in 1999. The company was founded on the basis of bringing a more affordable tool for managing engineering data to the market.
After the asset acquisition of truEInnovations by Autodesk in 2003, Autodesk began to further the integration of the product into the manufacturing product line, starting with Autodesk Inventor.
Supported Applications
As of the 2015 release, the following applications are supported by Autodesk Vault.
| Application | Version |
|---|---|
| AutoCAD | 2021, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| AutoCAD Architecture | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| AutoCAD LT* | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| AutoCAD Electrical | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| AutoCAD Map 3D | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| AutoCAD Mechanical | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| AutoCAD MEP | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| AutoCAD Plant 3D and P&ID | 2015, 2014, 2013 Ext 1 |
| AutoCAD Civil 3D | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Alias | 2014, 2013 |
| Autodesk Alias Automotive | 2014, 2013 |
| Autodesk Alias Design | 2014, 2013 |
| Autodesk Alias Surface | 2014, 2013 |
| Autodesk Simulation Mechanical | 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics | 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Buzzsaw* | 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Inventor | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012,2011 |
| Autodesk Inventor Professional | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012,2011 |
| Autodesk Inventor LT* | 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Inventor Publisher | 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Inventor Fusion | 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk 3DS Max | 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk 3DS Max Design | 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Moldflow Adviser | 2014, 2013 |
| Autodesk Moldflow Synergy | 2014, 2013 |
| Autodesk Navisworks Simulate | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Navisworks Manage | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Revit Architecture | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Revit Structure | 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Autodesk Revit MEP | 2021, 2014, 2013, 2012 |
| Microsoft Office | 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003 |
| Microsoft Office Outlook* | 2013, 2010 |
* These integrations are only available for Vault Workgroup and above. Not the base Vault
Software Timeline
| Release | Date | Products Shipped With | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autodesk Vault 1.0 | July 2003 | Autodesk Inventor 7 (as a subscription only download) | |
| Autodesk Vault 1.3 | September 2003 | Autodesk Inventor 8 | |
| Autodesk Vault 2.0 | January 2004 | Available as a subscription only download | |
| Autodesk Vault 3.0 | June 2004 | Autodesk Inventor 9 | |
| Autodesk Vault 4.0 | March 2005 | Autodesk Inventor 10 | |
| Autodesk Vault 5.0 | March 2006 | Autodesk Inventor 11, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2007, AutoCAD Electrical 2007, AutoCAD Mechanical 2007 | |
| Autodesk Vault 2008 | March 2007 | Autodesk Inventor 2008, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008, AutoCAD Electrical 2008, AutoCAD Mechanical 2008, Autodesk 3ds Max 2008 | |
| Autodesk Vault 2009 | March 2008 | Autodesk Inventor 2009, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009, AutoCAD Electrical 2009, AutoCAD Mechanical 2009, Autodesk 3ds Max 2009 | |
| Autodesk Vault 2010 | April 2009 | Autodesk Inventor 2010, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010, AutoCAD Electrical 2010, AutoCAD Mechanical 2010, Autodesk 3ds Max 2010 | |
| Autodesk Vault 2011 | March 2010 | Autodesk Inventor 2011, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2011, AutoCAD Electrical 2011, AutoCAD Mechanical 2011, Autodesk 3ds Max 2011 | |
| Autodesk Vault 2012 | March 2011 | (Ships with various Suites as well as many new additional supported applications for the AEC market. See the list of supported applications for full details.) | |
| Autodesk Vault 2013 | March 2012 | (Ships with various Suites as well as many new additional supported applications for Moldflow and Alias family. Additions to this release included Custom Objects, and a new Microsoft SharePoint Integration for Vault Professional.) | |
| Autodesk Vault 2014 | March 2013 | (Ships with various Suites. Additions to this release included a number of improvements to the Autodesk Revit integration, Revision table functionality and overall performance.) | |
| Autodesk Vault 2015 | March 2014 | (Ships with various Suites.) | |
| Autodesk Vault 2015 R2 | September 2014 | (Professional Version only for subscription users. Multiple enhancements for item and BOM) |