Structured content helps you plan, deliver, and verify information consistently - and makes export packs and audits far easier.
A Common Data Environment is only valuable if it keeps information connected to decisions, responsibilities, and approvals. Plannerly does that by combining document creation, structured scope, and controlled file management in one place.
Using Plannerly as a Common Data Environment (CDE)
What is a Common Data Environment (CDE)?
A CDE is a centralized digital space where project information is gathered, managed, and shared. It supports structured collaboration among stakeholders across the lifecycle of a built asset - from planning and design through construction and operation.
Why Plannerly is a CDE (and not just file storage)
Plannerly stands out because it does not only store and share files. It also connects files to the workflows that produce them:
- Facilitates the creation, approval, and versioning of documents
- Manages scope, milestones, tasks, and information requirements
- Automates naming, storage, and organization so teams do not have to
- Connects to model data via Autodesk Forma (formerly Autodesk Construction Cloud / BIM 360)
- Keeps everything in a secure, controlled environment
"If your current CDE is only folders - you are missing approvals."
"If requirements are not connected - delivery becomes guesswork."
"If evidence is not traceable - audits become painful."
Docs are created and approved in Plannerly
In many CDEs, documents are authored elsewhere and uploaded. In Plannerly, the Docs module allows you to:
- Author documents collaboratively
- Assign reviewers and manage approval workflows
- Once approved, documents are automatically versioned and archived
Each approved document can be:
- Exported to PDF or Word
- Automatically stored in your File Manager
- Tagged and organized by project structure
- Named using conventions that follow your standards
Scope, timeline, and reports are created and stored
Plannerly lets you build structured scope directly inside projects, including:
- Milestones
- Work packages
- Tasks
- Information requirements
When these components are exported (PDF, Excel, MS Project, and more), they can also be saved into the File Manager, preserving version control and traceability.
All documents, scopes, and reports are centrally organized using folders or smart filters - making Plannerly a single source of truth.
Task files and supporting information stay connected
Every task in Plannerly can store supporting files such as:
- Construction drawings
- Images or field photos
- Supporting documents
- Checklists and references
These attachments are available in the task for context and also appear in the File Manager, searchable alongside all other project files.
This helps teams:
- Track documentation associated with each deliverable
- Maintain a connected workflow from scoping through execution
- Keep traceability of who added what, where, and when
Upload any file type to File Manager
You can upload files directly into the File Manager, including:
- PDFs
- Images
- Excel sheets
- Revit or IFC models
- Contracts or reports
Once uploaded, files can be organized using saved filters, tagged with metadata, and managed with naming conventions and version control - the same way as Plannerly-generated files.
Autodesk Forma integration for model and file access
Previously known as Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) and before that BIM 360. The platform was rebranded to Autodesk Forma in March 2026. The integration works the same way regardless of which name you know it by.
Plannerly can connect with Autodesk Forma (formerly ACC) - Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), Autodesk Docs, BIM 360 and Forma Data Management:
- In File Manager, open CDE Connect to sync the Autodesk folders you choose into Plannerly, files and metadata together
- Connect your Verify module to view and interact with models from Autodesk Forma
- Link model elements to scope and validate information requirements
- Bring model-based checking into the same workflow as documents and tasks
This helps you manage document and model data in one unified interface.
Connecting other CDEs with CDE Connect
CDE Connect, in File Manager, synchronizes files and their metadata between your CDE and Plannerly, so work moves between the two without downloading and uploading it again.
- Available today: Autodesk - Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), Autodesk Docs, BIM 360 and Forma Data Management.
- Coming soon, not available yet: Microsoft SharePoint, Oracle Aconex and Procore, along with Asite, Bentley ProjectWise, Trimble Connect and more.
In CDE Connect, each coming-soon CDE has a link to add your vote or browse our Ideas Board - it's how we decide which to build next. Using a CDE that isn't listed? Tell us in the in-app chat.
Connecting a CDE is part of Pro, including its 14-day trial, and Company. If your account is on one of Plannerly's earlier paid plans, you keep the access you already have. See what each plan includes on the pricing page.
Whichever CDE your organization uses, you can export files that are automatically named and versioned, then upload them to your organization’s preferred system. Even if Plannerly is not your primary file storage, it can still be the source of structured, approved project documentation.
What Plannerly does that storage-first CDEs do not
Many traditional CDEs are storage-first tools. They typically do not provide:
- Collaborative document authoring
- Structured scope and requirements
- Approval workflows tied to document structure
- Integrated model validation within the same platform
With Plannerly, you can create, approve, export, and organize information without duplicating work or manually filing documents.
Summary - why use Plannerly as your CDE?
| Feature | Plannerly | Traditional CDEs |
|---|---|---|
| Document authoring | Yes | No |
| Approval workflow | Built-in | Often external |
| Auto-naming and filing | Yes | Manual |
| Scope creation | Yes | No |
| Timeline, milestones, tasks | Yes | No |
| Model integration | Autodesk Forma (formerly ACC) | Varies |
| CDE connections | Autodesk today, more coming soon | Varies |
| Smart organization | Saved filters | Varies |
| File versioning | Yes | Yes |
Related Articles
- File Manager - smart CDE workflows
- Linking your Autodesk Forma account (ACC / BIM 360)
- CDE usage
- Troubleshooting ACC hub access in Plannerly
FAQs
Is Plannerly a CDE or a document tool?
Plannerly works as a CDE because it stores files and connects them to structured workflows for documents, scope, tasks, and approvals.
Can I use Plannerly if my organization already has a CDE?
Yes. Many teams use Plannerly to create and approve structured documentation, then export and publish it into their required storage system.
Does Plannerly support model-based workflows?
Yes. With the Autodesk Forma integration (formerly ACC / BIM 360), you can connect model data to scope and verification workflows inside Plannerly.
Which CDEs can I connect to Plannerly?
Autodesk, today: Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), Autodesk Docs, BIM 360 and Forma Data Management, through CDE Connect in File Manager. Microsoft SharePoint, Oracle Aconex, Procore and other CDEs are coming soon and aren't available yet.
Can I sign in with Procore?
Yes. Procore sign-in works today. The Procore connection in CDE Connect, which will sync files, is coming soon.