A CDE platform is the software that hosts a project's common data environment: it stores information containers, manages their states, versions and metadata, runs approval workflows and keeps an audit trail. The CDE itself is the agreed workflow; the platform is the tool that enforces it. This entry describes the category neutrally.
At a glance
| Examples | Autodesk Construction Cloud (Docs), Bentley ProjectWise, Oracle Aconex, Trimble Viewpoint, Asite, Dalux, Thinkproject, Procore, SharePoint-based systems |
| Core functions | Storage, versioning, metadata, states and workflows, permissions, audit |
| Often also | Model viewing, issue tracking, transmittals, forms, field tools |
| Set up by | The appointing party, or a party appointed to manage the CDE |
Functions to look for
| Function | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Metadata fields | Status, revision, classification and naming fields stored separately and filterable |
| State workflow | Work in progress, shared, published and archived with controlled transitions |
| Approval steps | Check, review, authorise and accept gates with named approvers |
| Naming validation | Rejects names that do not follow the convention |
| Permissions | Task teams see their own work in progress; others see shared information |
| Audit trail | Who did what and when, for every container |
| Transmittals | Formal issue records to other parties |
| Model viewing | Federated viewing and markups without native software |
| Integrations | APIs, OpenCDE support, links to authoring and coordination tools |
| Export and archive | The client can take the full record at the end, in open formats |
Setting one up
- Configure the metadata fields and code lists from the information standard.
- Build the folder or container structure from the model breakdown, kept simple because metadata does the filtering.
- Define workflows for sharing, reviewing and publishing, with approvers by role.
- Set permissions per organisation and task team.
- Test the set-up with real files before the project starts.
- Write short user guidance; most CDE problems are habits, not features.
Common mistakes
- Deep folder trees that replace metadata, so the same file ends up in several places.
- Workflows so heavy that teams share by email instead.
- No plan for the end: the client cannot export the archive when the subscription ends.
- Different platforms per party with no agreed way to move information between them.
Where to read more
ISO 19650-1 and -2 describe CDE requirements. buildingSMART's OpenCDE APIs describe standard connections between platforms.