Overview#
Fusion stores data in the cloud so several people can work in the same project: they can see the same designs, comment, mark up, and share links. Autodesk's help describes a set of collaboration tools: comments, share links, and Design Reservation, plus a set of data-management improvements called collaborative editing (editable properties and bill of materials, shared part numbers, a clearer History, hub merge, and project search). Splitting a product into separate designs referenced from an assembly, with versions controlling what parents pick up, is the basic way to divide work.
Note: not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation: how Fusion behaves when two people open and save the same design without Design Reservation (earlier drafts described "first to save wins" and merge-less conflicts). Use Design Reservation to avoid the problem.
Where to find it#
- Comments pane: click + at the bottom of the graphics window; Ctrl+Alt+A (Option+Command+A on macOS) shows or hides it. Save the design first; only people invited to the project see the feed.
- Share: right-click a design in the Data Panel, Share Link; in the web client use Share.
- Design Reservation: enabled by a team administrator in the Fusion web client (profile, Admin, Team Settings, Collaboration, Design Reservation toggle).
- Avatars and badges: next to the default component and external components in the Browser, on the document tab, and on the design thumbnail in the Data Panel.
- Read-Only For Me: right-click the default component in the Browser.
Design Reservation#
Design Reservation lets project members reserve designs while editing, to prevent conflicts.
- An Avatar (initials in a colored circle) represents each member who has the design or an external component open.
- A Reservation Badge (a white dot on the lower right of an avatar) means that member made a savable change; the design is reserved by them until they save or discard.
- You reserve a design when you edit it. After you save (a check mark appears beside the name in the tab), the badge is removed after the save and upload finish (about 15 seconds in the help's example).
- Editing an external component in place (Edit In Place on hover in the Browser, then Finish Edit In Place) reserves the component and its parent designs until you save or discard.
- To find who is editing, hover over the avatars in the Browser, the active document tab, or the Data Panel and look for the badge.
- Read-Only For Me (right-click the default component) makes a design temporarily read-only for you, so you can view or experiment without reserving it. In the Read-Only menu at the top of the canvas, Make Savable reverses it. You can also release a reservation from the web client with More > Read-Only For Me.
- Only a team administrator can enable or disable it; disabling removes current reservations.
- Not available with Fusion for personal use or with teams of one member.
Comments and markups#
In Fusion: click +, type a comment, optionally click the Camera to include a captured image, and click Post. Use @mention in the web client to notify a person.
In the web client you can open the Comment tool from the Overview tab (View and comment) or View tab (Comments in the navigation bar), adjust the snapshot, and post. Comment On Points and Comment On Objects drop blue pin markers; you can reply, delete, and show or hide markers. People who open a shared link can use Markup mode (Freehand, Lines, Area Selection, Callouts) and save a snapshot as a comment.
Sharing#
Share Link in Fusion makes a link to the latest version that anyone can open in the web client viewer, with optional Allow item to be downloaded and Require a password to access the public link. Recipients do not need an Autodesk ID. From the web client you can also email a link or embed the design in HTML. Sharing with a non-team member shares a copy of the design; sharing with a hub project member opens the original. Hub admins control sharing (Admin > Hub Settings > File Sharing): turning it off disables all existing links.
Warning: A shared link is not permission-based. Anyone with the link (and password, if set) can view.
Data-management model for teams#
| Concept | How it works |
|---|---|
| Projects and roles | Access by role: Viewer, Reader, Editor, Manager, Folder Admin (see Hubs and projects) |
| Components as separate designs | An assembly inserts designs as external components; each stays an independent design |
| Versions drive updates | Parents follow versions of components, not every save; out-of-date icons and Get Latest bring changes in |
| Collaborative editing | Editable properties and BOM, shared part numbers, History, hub merge, and project search (not in education) |
| Review | Comments, markups, share links, and the web client viewer |
Collaborative editing hubs show a special icon next to the hub name in the Data Panel or web client.
Step by step: collaborating on a small assembly#
- Plan the split. One person owns "Base", another "Lid", and you own the master "Assembly".
- Create or choose a project and set roles so owners are Editors (see Hubs and projects).
- Insert components. In the Assembly, Solid > Insert > Insert Component, or right-click a design in the Data Panel and choose Insert into Current Design. Each is inserted as an external component.
- Work independently. Each owner edits and saves their design; with Design Reservation on, avatars and badges show who is editing.
- Create versions. When Base is ready, its owner uses File > Create version. The Assembly now shows an out-of-date indicator.
- Update. In the Assembly, right-click the component and choose Get Latest, then save.
- Comment. Open the Comments pane, post feedback, or use the web client for pins on objects.
- Share externally with Share Link (password on, download off) for a customer view.
Working with outside collaborators#
Invite people to a project by email (people not yet in the hub get invitations), or give them a share link. People with Basic Access can view, comment, mark up, and (with permission) download. Neutral formats such as STEP are common for exchanging with other CAD systems; Fusion's File > Open and Upload accept many native formats.
Options reference#
| Option | What it does | Notes/default |
|---|---|---|
| Design Reservation | Reserve designs during edit | Admin toggle; not for personal use or single-member teams |
| Avatar / Reservation Badge | Shows who has a design open or is editing | Data Panel, Browser, document tab |
| Read-Only For Me | View without reserving | Browser context menu on default component |
| Edit In Place | Edit an external component in the context of the assembly | Reserves component and parents |
| Comments pane | Post comments on a saved design | + at bottom of canvas |
| Share Link | Public link with optional password and download | Data Panel context menu |
| Get Latest | Update references to latest versions | Manual |
| File Sharing (hub) | Allow or block share links | Hub admin |
Tips and pitfalls#
Tip: Give each person whole designs, not areas of the same design.
Tip: Write a clear description when you create a version, so teammates know what they are about to pull in with Get Latest.
Warning: Get Latest on a master assembly pulls in the latest versions of everything; check the incoming version description first.
Warning: Unsaved changes are invisible to others.
Practice exercise#
- With a second account, create a shared project with two designs and a master assembly.
- Edit one design and watch the avatar and badge from the other account (if Design Reservation is enabled).
- Create a version of the edited design and use Get Latest in the assembly.
- Post a comment with the Comments pane.
- Create a share link with a password and open it in a private window.
Expected result: you can split work across designs, update safely, and review without losing history.
Related#
- Hubs and projects
- Versioning and milestones
- Autodesk Drive
- Data Panel basics