Introducing SYNCHRO 4D Pro as a new product

In this 2020.1 (v6.3) release, we are introducing SYNCHRO 4D Pro as a new desktop product that includes all SYNCHRO Pro’s functionalities and brings more value to users and construction projects by including Control 4D Cloud Service to feature our vision for collaborative 4D planning, scheduling and visualization. 4D project data is more accessible than ever. Plan the project through 4D Pro, view and playback 4D sequence on the web, and perform model-based progress tracking through mobile. Behind the Control 4D Cloud Service is Bentley’s iModel/ iTwin technology. SYNCHRO 4D Pro also includes Iray with no extra cost.

Meanwhile, SYNCHRO Pro continues as the 4D market leading desktop application for standalone and file-based 4D Planning, Scheduling and Visualization. Iray is additional to be used with SYNCHRO Pro. 

• For more details on SYNCHRO 4D: SYNCHRO 4D 2020 Release Announcement
• To learn about the new workflow, see: Collaborating on a cloud-hosted 4D project
• For more technical details about the upgrade process see: FAQ: Upgrading Pro to 4D Pro

Click the links below to download the latest version or visit Software Downloads in the Bentley CONNECTION Center. 

Release highlights video:

www.youtube.com/watch

Major Improvements and New Features

• Display Earned Value Graph as a percentage of total. Now you can use the EVA graph to show project progress without sharing sensitive cost information.  
  
• Use saved synchronization setting for schedules. Choose your import/export/synchronization settings once and save them for re-use whenever you import/export/synchronize any file of the same file type; or save different settings for each file individually. Save time and avoid mistakes. 
  
  
• Option to synchronize Actual Dates for Started and Finished Tasks separately from Planned Dates. For projects integrating with Primavera® P6, this allows the task status updates to be owned and managed by the 4D team while the planned dates for not started tasks and new tasks continue to be updated in P6. 
  
  
• Filter tasks by WBS summaries. Quickly create a filter from selected summary tasks, then enable the option to “Include subtasks” to show all tasks in those WBS summaries
  
  
• Automatically color by Code Value in tables. Code Value color is automatically displayed as cell background color when the Code column is added to the table
   
• Allow for comment in both User Field formula and Script. Add comment text in User Field Formulas and Script to explain the formula/script 
  
  
• Edit Resource Status Date in Resource table. Quickly and easily update Resource Status dates directly in the Resource table, enables pasting data from an external spreadsheet 
  
  
• Option to turn off “Task Start/Finish Time” wizard when updating task progress. Update Task Status more quickly by disabling these dialogs; saved preferences (e.g. Planned Start vs Data Date) will be used for all updated tasks and Actual Start/Finish can always be edited in the Task table or Task Properties
  
  
• Type into Date fields directly – Previously, date fields had to be edited using the Calendar picker or by editing the Month/Day/Year separately. Now, save time by typing directly into date fields using your preferred format (specified in Options>General>Time Display Format, e.g. 31/12/20) 
  
  
• Easily find the model, schedule, and user fields associated with each External Data source – Sometimes when you’ve imported many models and schedules, it is hard to remember which External Data source is associated with which. Before synchronizing or deleting User Fields for example, you may wish to double check which model is associated with which source. Select the External Data source and right click to select associated 3D Objects, Resources, Schedule or User Fields.  
  
  
• Edit Resource Type after creation. Edit the Resource type (Equipment, Human, Location, Material) after creation without having to start from scratch if you made a mistake initially 
  
• Added additional Package/System Types for Work Package planning – Now supporting the following Package/System Types:  
  • CWA – Construction Work Area 
  • PWP – Procurement Work Package 
  • EWP – Engineering Work Package 
  • CWP – Construction Work Package 
  • FWP – Fabrication Work Package 
  • IWP – Installation Work Package 
  • MWP – Module Work Package 
  • TWP – Test/Commissioning Work Package 
  • Turnover System 
  • Turnover Subsystem
    
• Export image as PNG with transparent background. When exporting an image in PNG format, enable “Transparent background” to set the alpha channel as transparent in the PNG. Images with transparent backgrounds can be overlaid after export to create, for example, an exploded view of a building by level, or to place on a custom background like a site photo 
  
  
• ProjectWise files now synchronized by document GUIDs. This means that when synchronizing a file from ProjectWise, synchronization can proceed even if the document is moved or renamed. 
  
  
• Auto-matching “Use Parent” setting now searches the entire tree (not just the direct parent). When auto-matching on a User Field, if the object is missing a User Field value, auto-match will search up the tree until it finds the User Field assigned to a parent object or reaches the top of the tree. This is useful for auto-matching some DGN files where the User Field is assigned at the parent level.  
  
  
• Primavera P6 import settings were moved from Options to Import/Synchronization dialogs. These settings are now more accessible to the user and are remembered for each file separately 
  

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Other Improvements

Resources

• Help documentation: press F1 to access directly in the product
• Tutorials: C:\Users\Public\Documents\Shared SYNCHRO Projects\Tutorial Files
• System Requirements

Contact Details 

• Corporate Headquarters: Bentley Systems, Incorporated 685 Stockton Drive, Exton, PA 19341, United States
• Telephone: 1-800-BENTLEY (1 800 236 8539) 
• Outside the United States: +1 610 458 5000 
• Email: synchrosupport@bentley.com 
• Bentley Website: https://www.bentley.com/en/about-us/contact-us 
• SYNCHRO Website: https://www.bentley.com/en/products/brands/synchro 
• BentleySoftware Downloads: https://softwaredownloads.bentley.com/en/  
• SYNCHRO Bentley Communities: https://communities.bentley.com/products/construction/w/construction__wiki 
• FAQ: https://bentleysystems.service-now.com/community?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0017454  
• Submit an Idea for Improvements: https://communities.bentley.com/products/construction/i/synchro-construction-solution-ideas