Projects Overview                                                                                                 

Projects are the primary method by which information is accessed and organized in Project Center and Info Exchange. Administrators create projects in Project Center by specifying key information such as Project Name, Project Number, Status, Type, and many other parameters. Projects must be created before you can use the Project Center and Info Exchange features.

One of the most important components of a project is the location of its associated files on your company’s network. A project can consist of and combine several network folder locations, each of which is entered as a root project folder beneath which the files and nested sub-folders are then grouped together in one place in the project.

A key aspect of Project Center is that it does not require you to move, modify, or restructure your network-stored project data. Instead, you simply create projects that reference the project data as it is currently structured on your firm’s central file server, making it accessible from one central location, no matter where all of the folders and files are actually located throughout your network. Info Exchange securely extends access of project information to your remote users.

For example, let's say your company has over a hundred networked computers, each storing folders and files related to a building being constructed. To keep track of all of those files for communications purposes would be a logistical nightmare. Project Center projects enable you to group related folders and files, and view and manage them as if they were all located in one place. When you create a project and add files, the actual source files are not moved, affected, or altered in any way. (You can, however, rename, copy, move, and delete files after they are in a project.) Projects simply create a "snapshot" at a moment in time of all of your files and gather them into one easy-to-use area. You can then use Info Exchange to manage, search, and share the files with your remote users.

Once a project is defined in Project Center and Info Exchange, project team members can access the project data from Project Center or Info Exchange. Instead of browsing through network volumes and folder structures, they can quickly access the project from the My Project Center activity center.

More precisely, the following key project processes are enabled for Info Exchange users so that they can access the project through their web browsers, including:

• The ability to exchange file transfers with internal and external project team members using Info Exchange.

• The ability to search the project for any files or project items containing a particular word or phrase.

• The ability to create, track, and manage project items (such as action items, submittals, RFIs, record documents, etc.) in a way that promotes team visibility and accountability.

• The ability to share project folders to Info Exchange.

Project permissions and accessibility

To put a project on Info Exchange and make it available to external users, refer to Make a Project Center Project and Its Activity Centers Available on Info Exchange.