	Applies To
	Product(s):	SewerGEMS, CivilStorm, StormCAD, SewerCAD, WaterGEMS, WaterCAD, HAMMER, PondPack
	Version(s):	10.XX.XX.XX and higher

Problem

How do the above OpenFlows product licenses work with element limits? (feature levels) For example number of pipes, links, inlets, ponds, etc.

How do the license feature levels work between storm and sewer products? For example if I own a license for SewerGEMS how many inlets do I get in my license if I used the GVF-Rational (StormCAD) solver in SewerGEMS?

Background

Bentley's OpenFlows products are licensed by "feature level", which is a combination of the maximum number of elements that can be present in a model, and the allowed platforms (that the program can integrate with.) The feature level is handled by your license and is independent from the product installation. There is only a single installation file for the product, and the number of pipes/inlets/ponds that it uses and records usage against, depends on the feature level that you select in the license tool.

If your organization has an Enterprise or SELECT OpenAccess subscription, you will have access to all available feature levels. When opening the product, if multiple feature levels are available, you must select the one that the application will use. Starting with CONNECT Edition Update 2 (10.02.XX.XX and greater, available starting December, 2018), this selection is done in the Feature Level Selector.

Note: Starting July 1st, 2024, OpenFlows product licenses have been consolidated to a smaller number of packages, simplifying licensing and installation. Please see the following link for more information:

OpenFlows Product Licensing and Feature Levels (New for 2024)

As noted in the above article, the installation files include a suite of applications. For example, OpenFlows Water includes WaterGEMS, WaterCAD, and HAMMER; OpenFlows Sewer includes SewerGEMS and SewerCAD; OpenFlows Storm includes StormCAD and CivilStorm; and OpenFlows Hydraulic Toolset includes FlowMaster and CulvertMaster. How the applications are installed will depend on what you are licensed to use. The section called "OpenFlows 24.00.01.05 and higher Product Installation" in the link above has details on this workflow.

This will not have a significant impact on the license activation through the Feature Level Selector. You will still select the feature level that you own in the Feature Level Selector to activate the license. The chart in the article above, and in the FAQs linked to from the bottom of the next article, explains which feature levels are granted for each tier of the new products.

Note: If you created an entitlement group as a way to limit usage for some feature levels (such as deny access to all un-owned products), you will need to adjust these entitlement groups to use the new packaged OpenFlows product names (OpenFlows Water, OpenFlows Storm, OpenFlows Sewer, or OpenFlows Hydraulic Toolset). You will also need to adjust concurrent use alerts, making note that multiple previous feature levels and products may roll up to a single new OpenFlows product (see the mapping charts in the FAQ articles at the bottom of the following article).

Additional information can also be found here: Simplification of Bentley's Water Software Licenses

The following table includes the feature levels for the different OpenFlows applications:

Available Platforms

Most of the OpenFlows products can be used in multiple platforms: "Standalone", AutoCAD, MicroStation, ArcGIS Pro and ArcMap. The "Standalone" version (not requiring any other software to run) is always available, and MicroStation integration capability is also always included. Prior to the July 1st, 2024 consolidation mentioned above, AutoCAD integration was an optional feature at an extra cost, but is now included with all tiers of the consolidated products. Regardless, there is only one installation file for the application - it will look for compatible platform versions and create shortcuts, but whether or not you can use those shortcuts depends on that platform being included in the feature level.

Element Limits

WaterCAD and WaterGEMS are licensed by the total number of active pipe elements that you have in a given scenario. For example if you have selected to use a license feature level of 5,000 pipes (from OpenFlows Water Advanced), then you will be able to compute a scenario that has up to 5,000 active pipes in the model. If there are more than 5,000 active pipes in the model, you will not be able to compute. Only the pipe elements are counted (which are connected between node elements such as junctions, pumps, tanks, etc) - lateral link elements are not currently counted. Here are some related articles:

Pipe numbering vs. number of pipes in model

How can I reduce the number of pipes in my model?

HAMMER was previously only available in an Unlimited Pipes, but now has a 5000 pipes limit included with OpenFlows Water Advanced. Also, an academic version is available which only includes a 5 pipe license.

SewerGEMS is licensed by the total number of active links that you have in your model scenario. Links are considered to be Gutters, conduits, pressure pipes and channels. Laterals are not counted. The hydrology calculation won't compute if you exceed the licensed number of links. If you change your active numerical solver to the GVF-Rational solver (StormCAD), the GVF-Convex solver (SewerCAD), or the Explicit (SWMM) solver SewerGEMS is still licensed by the number of links you have in your model.

SewerCAD like SewerGEMS is also licensed by the number of links, which includes conduits and pressure pipes. Laterals are not counted.

CivilStorm like SewerCAD and SewerGEMS is also licensed by links. Gutters, conduits, and channels are all counted. Just as SewerGEMS the choice of solver you choose is irrelevant to how the product is licensed. Laterals are not counted.

StormCAD is licensed by the number of inlets, (the catchbasin element.) Only catchbasins are counted towards that number, regardless of whether or not they have an attached catchment. Laterals are not counted.

PondPack is licensed by the number of ponds in the model. It does not matter whether they are interconnected or not - on compute, the program compares the number of ponds in that model with the license.

FlowMaster and CulvertMaster do not have feature levels - you can simulate any number of worksheets/culverts in a given project file.

Note: You will not be able to compute a model if you exceed the number of elements in the license, but you would be able to save the model.

Inactive Elements

Whether or not inactive elements are counted toward your license depends on your version. With the CONNECT Edition, inactive elements do not count. For V8i and below, inactive elements are counted. See: Do inactive elements count against the license count?

How do I check how many Pipes, Inlets or Ponds are in my model?

Open your pipe, catchbasin (inlets) or pond Flextable and look at the count at the bottom. Filter out inactive elements first (see above).

See more in this article.

Trial Licenses

When a valid feature level is not set (such as when you do not own the product but would like to try it), the OpenFlows software will default to the lowest possible feature level for the 7 day trial:

WaterCAD: 10 pipes without AutoCAD
WaterGEMS: 250 pipes without AutoCAD or ArcGIS
HAMMER: unlimited pipes
StormCAD: 5 pipes without AutoCAD
SewerCAD: 10 pipes without AutoCAD
SewerGEMS: 250 links without AutoCAD or ArcGIS
CivilStorm: 10 links without AutoCAD
PondPack: 1 pond without AutoCAD

How do OpenFlows product licenses work with element limits? (feature levels)