Collecting, gathering, and handling all our documents in one single place clearly becomes a priority with the level of digitalization we are in today. It affects us in our daily lives – both at work, in school, and on our leisure time.
Without a single source solution for this, our documents and informal records must be managed in local folders, cloud syncing folders, as well as manual uploads to unique websites. Juggling information this way becomes a tedious process in the long run and being able to assemble it all in one place would be an incomparable reassurance.
Good news is that with 3DEXPERIENCE, you can do just that!
The first two roles, Collaborative Business Innovator and Collaborative Industry innovator have everything you need to get started.
Each role gives you access to several different applications to assist you with these functionalities. Amongst all applications included, let us at least look at some of the ones in focus.
3DDrive
This application gives you access to upload files securely to the cloud. You can upload any kind of filetype – mixing from office documents such as Word- or Excel files, to also include CAD data.
Uploading a CAD file that has a structure, an assembly with subcomponents for example – these references are maintained within 3DDrive. If you choose to move separate components, the platform will maintain and update those references as well.

The 3DDrive can also be synced to your local PC, giving you a cloud-based folder that updates live in both directions. This means that if you add, edit or update information on the platform, it will sync and update to your local folder – and vice versa.
Although 3DDrive is your personal cloud storage, you are able to share separate files or even full folder structures with other users on the platform.
Documents can also be easily shared to users outside your organization. They would need to create a free 3DEXPERIENCE account to identify themselves if they don’t have one and can then access the shared files.
Collaborating with the 3DPlay application, CAD files can be viewed in a 3D-environment directly on the platform, removing the need of any local installation of a CAD-viewer.
3DSpace
PDM functionality is accessed with the collaborative spaces on the platform. Except for the files that you upload to your 3DDrive mentioned above, these collaborative spaces are the big vaults where everything that is uploaded to the platform is stored.
Numerous different applications help us handle the files stored this way and provides us with tools necessary to build a strong lifecycle structure for our files. Even though the CAD files are in focus here, this is also possible for other documents.

The PDM functionality helps us with:
- Construction changes
Make the necessary changes of CAD files with ease. - Handling revisions
Ensure that you are working with the latest version. - Change impacts
Control how changes made to a component affects existing products. - Approval process
Customize requirements to get through with final changes to a product. - Access rights
Control who can do what, and when.
Communities
Collaborating online is something we do daily. 3DEXPERIENCE Communities allows us to do this seamlessly directly on the platform. Communities can be open to the organization or school for anyone to join, or they can be created secretly so that only a selection of users have access to it. Or why not a mix of both – a community headline that is visible to all but where the content is hidden, and anyone interested can request to join.
Each community has a newsfeed style layout that most of us are already used to. It breaks up the information into appropriate topics, and each post has its own comment section to keep related communication well collected.

When a post is created, you can choose from several topics and select the one best suited for your post. It can be just a regular post, a question, an idea, images/media share etc. – and each different type has embedded functionality to that topic. An idea encourages discussion with different stages of achievement, meanwhile a question simplifies the replies as answers and the original poster can highlight the best answer to be easily visible as the top comment.
The topic Wiki Page allows users to create pure informational posts. This can be used to create an internal knowledgebase for colleagues or students alike, including areas such as Frequently asked Questions (FaQ), project resources, curriculums… you name it.
Communities also include a conversation section where the users can have private conversations, or group conversations for several users.
Read more: Enjoy high performance modelling directly in your browser
The cloud is your server
With 3DEXPERIENCE you don’t have to worry about servers, hardware, software upgrades, scalability, or dependency on IT. Everything is stored in the cloud meaning that your data is reachable from any device if you have an internet connection.
This also eliminates the scenario where students are otherwise forced to have their own individual computers to access their files. With a simple login in the web-browser – you have full access to everything you are entitled to on the platform. Accessibility has never been easier!
The functions and features of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform makes it possible for you to handle all your data in one place, just the way you prefer.
Customizable dashboards, bookmarking of files, and the ability to communicate directly through the platform eliminates many of the steps usually required to complete a work cycle.
Imagine knowing all your data is accessible, manageable, and just a few clicks away? The 3DEXPERIENCE platform does all this and more – ensuring your efficiency through a new way of managing data, communicating with colleagues, and working on projects.
Brings new capabilities to educators and students
Not just a solution for commercial companies and organizations, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform empowers the education world with all the necessary tools to maintain learning continuity, teamwork, and knowledge acquisition.
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform provides a suite of connected tools and apps specifically cultivated to the broader toolkit required by the designers and engineers of tomorrow.
Empower your students with essential skills and knowledge using the industry-standard 3DEXPERIENCE platform and give them an edge in their future careers.
Learn more: Reach out to our team

Free guide: 3DEXPERIENCE for Education
In today’s competitive job market, students need every advantage they can get. That's why we offer a digital platform to prepare the workforce of the future.