From Chaos to Control: Building a Common Data Environment with SharePoint

For small to mid-sized architecture and engineering firms, managing drawings and project information effectively is critical. A Common Data Environment (CDE), aligned with standards like ISO 19650, offers a solution. But do you build one yourself, or purchase a dedicated system? This post explores the trade-offs of leveraging SharePoint as a CDE, offering a practical path to a reliable, scalable system without the complexity and cost of traditional solutions.

What’s Wrong with “Just Using” SharePoint for Engineering Files?

SharePoint, out-of-the-box, isn’t designed for the rigorous demands of engineering workflows. While it’s excellent for general document management, it quickly becomes unwieldy when handling complex projects with numerous drawings, revisions, and collaborators. The core issue isn’t SharePoint’s capability, but its lack of specific features needed for controlled engineering processes. This leads to challenges like messy folder structures, inconsistent permissions, and version control issues.

Beyond these organizational problems, engineering workflows often involve large model files requiring local download for editing, and the use of XREFs (external references) in CAD files. Without a consistent and reliable file path system – something SharePoint doesn’t inherently provide – XREFs can break, leading to significant rework and delays. These issues compound, causing wasted time as team members struggle to locate the correct files, resolve broken links, and manage revisions. Ultimately, this translates to increased risk of errors, project delays, and cost overruns because teams are forced to build and maintain solutions from scratch on each project. As highlighted in a whitepaper, SharePoint often lacks the CAD integration needed for effective engineering document management and control Cadac Group.

Can SharePoint Actually Function as a Common Data Environment (CDE)?

Yes, with deliberate configuration. A CDE isn’t just about storing files; it’s about how those files are managed and accessed. It requires a single source of truth, robust version control, clear audit trails, and defined processes for quality control. As defined by ISO 19650, a CDE is a centralized repository for project and asset information managed through a defined process. While SharePoint doesn’t automatically provide these features, it can be transformed into a powerful CDE with the right approach.

This transformation involves implementing standardized metadata, controlled vocabularies, and automated workflows. Utilizing managed metadata is key to creating a unified taxonomy for consistent categorization. Essentially, once your team or organisation has determined how you'd like to be tracking documents and what key metadata should be associated with documents (be it file names, package IDs, status codes, revisions), these need to be added on as custom metadata for files within SharePoint. A properly configured SharePoint CDE ensures everyone is working from the latest information, with a clear history of changes and a defined process for approvals. You can also leverage SharePoint’s versioning features Microsoft Learn to track changes and restore previous iterations.

What Does it Take to Build a SharePoint CDE?

Building a functional CDE within SharePoint requires a structured approach. It begins with establishing clear information management protocols. This means defining controlled vocabularies for disciplines, project phases, and document types. For example, enforce a convention like [Project Code]-[Organisation]-[Location code(s)]-[Document type]-[Discipline Code]-[Drawing Number] instead of allowing free-form naming.

Beyond metadata, leverage SharePoint’s versioning features, approval workflows, and security settings to enforce control and maintain data integrity. Configure approvals in SharePoint to streamline reviews and automate workflows. Tools like Power Automate can create dynamic approval routing based on Azure AD groups, and further guidance on setting up document approval workflows can be found at Velosio.

What are the Benefits of a SharePoint-Based CDE?

A well-implemented SharePoint CDE delivers significant advantages. It provides a single source of truth for all project information, reducing rework and improving collaboration. It can help ensure that your employees use an online store for all project files, instead of choosing to save it locally on their computers, leading to risks when it can't be accessed by anyone else who needs it.

It streamlines CAD/BIM workflows, minimizing errors and delays. It also enables project scaling without the chaos often associated with traditional file-sharing systems. Furthermore, it introduces built-in QA/QC processes, ensuring that only approved documents are used.

What’s the Cost Difference: Building vs. Buying a CDE?

The cost of a dedicated CDE solution can be substantial. Options like Asite, BIM 360, and Viewpoint Spectrum typically involve per-user licenses ranging from $50 to $200+ per month, plus implementation fees that can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars G2. Ongoing maintenance and support add to the total cost of ownership.

Building a CDE on SharePoint leverages your existing investment, significantly reducing upfront costs. However, the true cost depends on the path you take.

Building from Scratch: Implementing a SharePoint CDE entirely in-house can take anywhere from 40 to 160+ hours, depending on the complexity and the team’s SharePoint expertise. This translates to a significant time commitment for your internal IT resources.

Consultant-Led Implementation: Engaging a specialist dramatically accelerates the process. A consultant can deliver a fully functional, ISO 19650-aligned CDE on SharePoint in as little as 20-40 hours. While this involves consulting fees, it minimizes disruption to your internal team and ensures a robust, well-configured solution.

Construct Digitally offers a lightweight, ISO 19650-aligned CDE built on SharePoint specifically for small-to-mid-sized engineering and architecture firms. We transform existing SharePoint into a reliable system, addressing messy folders, broken permissions, version chaos, and unreliable CAD workflows.

Is a SharePoint CDE Right for My Firm?

If you’re a small to mid-sized engineering or architecture firm experiencing the pain points of unmanaged files and chaotic workflows, a SharePoint CDE is worth serious consideration. It offers a practical, cost-effective path to a reliable and scalable system. It’s particularly well-suited for firms that already use SharePoint and want to maximize their existing investment.

To learn more about how Construct Digitally can help you build a CDE on SharePoint, contact us today. Success depends on a commitment to standardization, discipline, and ongoing maintenance, but the rewards – improved collaboration, reduced errors, and increased project efficiency – are well worth the effort.

Loading...