Document control and the common data environment
Issuing drawings by email stops working the day two consultants mark up different revisions. These four platforms hold one register for the whole team, with transmittals, approvals and model viewing. Here's what each states on its own pages, including where your data is stored.
Which one fits your business
Your projects run on Revit and AutodeskForma Data Management
Formerly Autodesk Docs. Views RVT and IFC in the browser, sends and tracks transmittals, runs review and approval workflows, and lists Australia as a primary storage region. $864 a user a year inc GST, with a 30-day trial.
No commission on this product.
Mixed software teams and open BIMTrimble Connect
The only one of the four that states both an ISO 19650-compliant CDE framework and Australian hosting on its own pages. Views IFC and Revit models. Pro is US$349 a user a year (US dollars, tax extra; about A$550 with GST), with a 30-day trial.
No commission.
Large projects where the client sets the platformOracle Aconex
Built for project-wide communication, and often specified by the client or head contractor on large jobs. Document transmittals from the register, design-review workflows, and an AU1 instance for Australia and New Zealand. Price on request.
No commission.
How we make money: on this page, we don't. Autodesk runs an affiliate program for some products, but we haven't confirmed it covers Forma Data Management, so its link is a plain link. Trimble, Oracle and Newforma pay us nothing. Disclosure.
The four platforms compared
A "?" here usually means the vendor's page doesn't say, which is worth asking about in a demo, especially for ISO 19650 and data hosting. Every confirmed fact links to the vendor's own page.
| Checked 21 Oct 2026 | FdForma Data ManagementAutodesk · Common data environmentVisit site | TcTrimble ConnectTrimble · Common data environmentVisit site | AcOracle AconexOracle · Project CDE and document controlVisit site | NkNewforma KonektNewforma · Project information managementVisit site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per user | ||||
| Per yearAUD inc GST unless marked | $864/yr1 user, 1-year term (formerly Autodesk Docs) source | US$349/yr≈ A$550Pro, per user per year source | On requestPrice on request source | On requestPrice on request source |
| Billed monthly instead | $110/mo | – | – | – |
| Prices include GST? | No, GST added | USD only, tax added | Not stated | Not stated |
| Other plans (per year) | – | Innovate US$499 | – | – |
| Fit | ||||
| ISO 19650 workflows stated | Not confirmed (page did not load) source | Framework for an ISO 19650-compliant CDE source | Not confirmed (page did not load) source | ISO 19650 not stated on Konekt pages source |
| View models (RVT/IFC) in a browser | RVT and IFC viewable on web source | IFC and Revit viewable; Revit needs add-on upload source | OnlineViewer for documents; models not confirmed source | IFC opens natively; RVT not stated source |
| Transmittals and issue registers | Transmittals tool sends and tracks files source | Not stated for Trimble Connect source | Document transmittals from the document register source | Issuance workflows named; transmittals not stated source |
| Review and approval workflows | Review and approval workflow source | Review sharing and comments; approvals not stated source | Workflows for submittals and design reviews source | Approvals not described on Konekt pages source |
| Australian data hosting stated | Australia is a primary storage region source | Australia listed as a hosting jurisdiction source | AU1 instance serves Australia and New Zealand source | Hosting regions listed: US, Canada, Europe source |
| Free trial or free plan | 30-day free trial source | 30 days free source | Not confirmed (page did not load) source | 'Try and buy later' offered; terms not stated source |
| Honesty | ||||
| Do we earn from this link? | No. Plain link, no commission | No. Plain link, no commission | No. Plain link, no commission | No. Plain link, no commission |
| Visit Autodesk | Visit Trimble | Visit Oracle | Visit Newforma | |
Four questions before you pick a CDE
- Who sets the platform? On many projects the client or head contractor chooses it, and you join their instance. Your own CDE then matters for your in-house work and smaller jobs.
- Where is the data stored? Government and some private clients require Australian hosting. Ask for it in writing on your plan.
- How does it handle ISO 19650 status? Look for work in progress, shared, published and archived states, with sign-off between them.
- What do outside parties need? Check whether consultants and builders can view, mark up and upload without buying a seat.
Teams ask
Is Autodesk Docs now called Forma Data Management?
Yes. Autodesk's Australian product page is titled "Autodesk Forma Data Management | Formerly Autodesk Docs". It lists A$785 a year for one user, excluding GST.
Which CDEs host data in Australia?
Autodesk lists Australia as a primary storage region, Trimble lists Australia as a hosting jurisdiction for Trimble Connect, and Oracle runs an AU1 Aconex instance for Australia and New Zealand. Newforma lists US, Canada and Europe hosting regions for Konekt.
What is a CDE?
A common data environment is the single shared place where a project's drawings, models and documents live, with each file's status (work in progress, shared, published, archived) and its approval history. ISO 19650, the international standard for managing BIM information, is built around one.