How to work with online projects

The following section shows what you need to do if you want to work with online projects. Carry out steps 6 and 7 only if external users (who do not belong to the Allplan workgroup) want to access online projects.

1st step: setting up the FTP server (Allplan administrator or system administrator)

Allplan Workgroup Online requires an FTP server. You can use any FTP server, provided it can be accessed via a static IP address. In order to set up and manage the FTP server, you can use the free FileZilla program.

An FTP server is an application program providing access for FTP clients. Using an FTP server, you can share a part of the file system on the computer running this program so that other computers can access this part over the Internet.

The data for the FTP server can also be stored on an existing Allplan workgroup server.

Recommended: use an additional computer for the workgroup server; set up the FTP server on this computer; move the projects for online use to this server; prepare the projects for online use.

2nd step: setting up FTP users and user rights on the FTP server (Allplan administrator or system administrator)

After having set up the FTP server, set up the users and user permissions on the server. Users require full control of the project folder. Spend some time thinking about data security. Access via Anonymous FTP is not possible.

What we recommend: create a separate account for each user. Assign each user his or her own password.

3rd step: informing users of login details for the FTP server (Allplan administrator or system administrator)

Inform the users of the login details for the FTP server. Users need these login details to add an online server. Users who belong to the Allplan workgroup require only the login details for the FTP server; external users also require the password you assigned for Administer Allplan users (see step 6).

So that Allplan users can work with online projects, they have to inform Allplan of the login details for the FTP server where the projects reside. These details, which can be obtained from the system administrator who is in charge of the FTP server, are saved in a user-specific manner.

To add an online server

In the Services application, open the Workgroup Manager menu and click Manage computers and projects.
Click Add online server.
Specify the properties of the online server.

5th step: turning projects into online projects (Allplan administrator or project owner)

When preparing a project for online use, the program carries out the following steps:

You can prepare a project for online use when you create it or later. You do not need to do this for projects you create directly on an online server. The same applies to projects you move or copy to an online server. These projects are automatically prepared for online use. However, this does not apply to projects that are on a workgroup server that also acts as the FTP server. In this case, you must prepare the project for online use.

To prepare a project for online access

On the File menu, click New Project, Open Project....
Click the relevant project with the right mouse button and select Prepare project for online access.
Click Yes to confirm the prompt.

Carry out steps 6 and 7 only if external users (who do not belong to the Allplan workgroup) want to access online projects.

The Allplan user administration must include the email address and password for each external user who is to access an online project. In order to open an online project, an external user must enter this email address and password. Users who belong to the Allplan workgroup can open online projects without having to enter their email address and password.

To create an Allplan user

In the Services application, open the Workgroup Manager menu and click Manage users.
Click in the empty white space with the right mouse button and select Create user... on the shortcut menu.
Enter the properties of the new user in the Dialogfeld Allplan Benutzerverwaltung and click Apply.

7th step: defining the authorized users of an online project (Allplan administrator or project owner)

If external users want to access online projects, you must give these users permission to do so. In order to do this, open the New Project, Open Project dialog box, open the shortcut menu of the project and click Properties.