Autodesk Vault


Autodesk Vault is a data management tool integrated with Autodesk Inventor Series, Autodesk Inventor Professional, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD Electrical, Autodesk Revit and Civil 3D products. It helps design teams track work in progress and maintain version control in multi-user environments. It allows them to organize and reuse designs by consolidating product information and reducing the need to re-create designs from scratch. Users can store and search both CAD data and non-CAD documents.

Overview

The Vault environment functions as a client server application with the central SQL database and Autodesk Data Management Server applications installed on a Windows-based server with client access granted via various clients such as: Thick Client and Application Integrations. ADMS acts as the middleware that handles client transactions with the SQL database. Vault Explorer functions as the client application and is intended to run alongside the companion CAD software. The Vault Explorer UI is intended to have an appearance similar to Microsoft Outlook and can display the Vault folder structure, file metadata in the form of a grid and a preview pane for more detailed information.
Autodesk Vault is a file versioning system that "records" the progression of all edits a file has undergone. All files and their associated metadata are indexed in the SQL base data management system and are searchable from the Vault client interface. Other information about the files include version history, uses, "Where Used" as well as a light weight viewable in the form of the Autodesk Design Web Format file which is automatically published upon check-in. When users intend to edit a file the file is checked-out and edits are made. When the user is satisfied with the changes the file checked-in and new file version, containing the new changes, is then available to other users in the workgroup. In-process file changes are hidden from other users until the changes are checked-in. As files are edited, renamed and moved in the folder structure the Vault database automatically updates any file references in related files.
Vault is intended to be the core data management strategy for Autodesk's design products and therefore has add-ins to many of Autodesk's design solutions.
ADMS also plays another role as the hosts for Autodesk Inventor's Content Center for use by Inventor when it's desired that they are hosted in a central location.

The Autodesk Vault Family of Products

The Autodesk Vault product family is a stack of products each offering incremental functionality over the previous product. While the base "Autodesk Vault" is included with many Autodesk design applications; additional functionality is available based on the needs of the organization. The following products are part of the Autodesk Vault Family.
Note: For the 2011 Release, Autodesk Vault Manufacturing was Renamed to Autodesk Vault Professional. This was also formerly known as Autodesk Productstream in prior releases. The family was subsequently simplified for the 2014 Release with the retirement of Autodesk Vault Collaboration

Functionality Matrix

Legend
Autodesk Vault was initially known as truEVault; part of an acquisition from a company called truEInnovations, Inc. based in Eagan, Minnesota. truEInnovations was started by two entrepreneurs, Brian Roepke and Dean Brisson in 1999. The company was founded on the basis of bringing a more affordable tool for managing engineering data to the market.
After the asset acquisition of truEInnovations by Autodesk in 2003, Autodesk began to further the integration of the product into the manufacturing product line, starting with Autodesk Inventor.

Supported Applications

As of the 2015 release, the following applications are supported by Autodesk Vault.
ApplicationVersion
AutoCAD2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
AutoCAD Architecture2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
AutoCAD LT*2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
AutoCAD Electrical2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
AutoCAD Map 3D2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
AutoCAD Mechanical2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
AutoCAD MEP2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
AutoCAD Plant 3D and P&ID2015, 2014, 2013 Ext 1
AutoCAD Civil 3D2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk Alias2014, 2013
Autodesk Alias Automotive2014, 2013
Autodesk Alias Design2014, 2013
Autodesk Alias Surface2014, 2013
Autodesk Simulation Mechanical2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk Buzzsaw*2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk Inventor2015, 2014, 2013, 2012,2011
Autodesk Inventor Professional2015, 2014, 2013, 2012,2011
Autodesk Inventor LT*2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk Inventor Publisher2013, 2012
Autodesk Inventor Fusion2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk 3DS Max2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk 3DS Max Design2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk Moldflow Adviser2014, 2013
Autodesk Moldflow Synergy2014, 2013
Autodesk Navisworks Simulate2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk Navisworks Manage2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk Revit Architecture2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk Revit Structure2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
Autodesk Revit MEP2015, 2014, 2013, 2012
Microsoft Office2013, 2010, 2007, 2003
Microsoft Office Outlook*2013, 2010

* These integrations are only available for Vault Workgroup and above. Not the base Vault

Software Timeline

ReleaseDateProducts Shipped With-
Autodesk Vault 1.0July 2003Autodesk Inventor 7 -
Autodesk Vault 1.3September 2003Autodesk Inventor 8-
Autodesk Vault 2.0January 2004Available as a subscription only download-
Autodesk Vault 3.0June 2004Autodesk Inventor 9-
Autodesk Vault 4.0March 2005Autodesk Inventor 10-
Autodesk Vault 5.0March 2006Autodesk Inventor 11, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2007, AutoCAD Electrical 2007, AutoCAD Mechanical 2007-
Autodesk Vault 2008March 2007Autodesk Inventor 2008, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008, AutoCAD Electrical 2008, AutoCAD Mechanical 2008, Autodesk 3ds Max 2008-
Autodesk Vault 2009March 2008Autodesk Inventor 2009, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009, AutoCAD Electrical 2009, AutoCAD Mechanical 2009, Autodesk 3ds Max 2009-
Autodesk Vault 2010April 2009Autodesk Inventor 2010, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010, AutoCAD Electrical 2010, AutoCAD Mechanical 2010, Autodesk 3ds Max 2010-
Autodesk Vault 2011March 2010Autodesk Inventor 2011, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2011, AutoCAD Electrical 2011, AutoCAD Mechanical 2011, Autodesk 3ds Max 2011-
Autodesk Vault 2012March 2011-
Autodesk Vault 2013March 2012-
Autodesk Vault 2014March 2013
Autodesk Vault 2015March 2014
Autodesk Vault 2015 R2September 2014-