Architecture and engineering firm IT
IT Support for Architects and Engineering Firms
Remote IT support for architects and design firms: workstations sized to your Revit models, Autodesk seats, remote access that keeps central models in the office, and Microsoft 365.
- No minimum users
- Month-to-month
- Mon–Fri 8am–8pm ET
Who this is for
For architecture, structural, MEP, civil and interior design firms of roughly 3 to 30 people, where a principal, the office manager or the BIM lead handles IT between project deadlines.
The usual kit: Windows 11 workstations with two large monitors, Revit and AutoCAD or Civil 3D on named-user Autodesk subscriptions (or Archicad or Vectorworks, often on Macs), project files on a file server, NAS or Autodesk’s cloud, Microsoft 365, Bluebeam, a rendering tool, and one large-format plotter everybody needs on issue day.
Design-build firm? See our IT support for construction and trades.
What you get for $49 per user per month
- Unlimited remote help desk tickets, Mon–Fri 8am–8pm ET
- Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace administration
- Managed EDR antivirus and automated patching
- Cloud backup monitoring
- New-hire setup and offboarding
Software we work with
Each program is supported by its maker or your reseller; we look after the workstations, network, print queues and sign-ins it depends on. We are not affiliated with these vendors.
| Area | Common apps | What we handle | What the vendor handles |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIM and CAD | Revit, AutoCAD and Civil 3D (Autodesk), Archicad (Graphisoft), Vectorworks, SketchUp (Trimble), Rhino (McNeel) | Installing each new release beside the older versions live projects use, graphics drivers, Desktop Connector updates, and assigning or removing seats in Autodesk Account. | Crashes inside the program, model corruption, add-in bugs and subscription billing. |
| Rendering and visualization | Enscape and V-Ray (Chaos), Lumion, Twinmotion (Epic Games) | Driver choice and rollback, video memory and temp-space checks, and heat and power settings on rendering machines. | Render engine bugs, asset libraries and licensing. |
| Project storage and collaboration | Autodesk Forma Data Management (formerly Autodesk Docs), Forma Design Collaboration (formerly BIM Collaborate Pro), Egnyte, Panzura, LucidLink, SharePoint and OneDrive | Folder permissions, sync and connector apps, internet and Wi-Fi checks when cloud models drag, and adding or removing staff and outside consultants. | Platform outages, cloud model services and storage plans. |
| PDF review and markup | Bluebeam (Basics, Core, Complete and Max plans), Adobe Acrobat | Installs, moving per-user seats when staff change, default PDF app conflicts, and monitor scaling for full-size sheets. | Studio sessions, markup and measurement features, and licensing. |
| Engineering design and analysis | MicroStation and OpenRoads (Bentley), ETABS and SAP2000 (CSI), RISA-3D, Tekla Structures (Trimble), ArcGIS Pro (Esri) | Installing the versions client or state DOT standards call for, license sign-in and activation, and RAM, processor and disk checks for long analysis runs. | Program bugs, analysis and design-code questions, and licensing terms. |
Problems we fix every week
Revit crawls or corrupts the central model when people work over VPN
Autodesk calls file-based worksharing over VPN unsupported. We set up Remote Desktop into each person’s office workstation; moving to cloud worksharing is scoped separately — ask before onboarding.
Desktop Connector stops working after the move to Revit 2027
Revit 2027 needs Desktop Connector 16.x or later. The 2027.x release can break IFC links in Revit 2026 and earlier, so we test it on one workstation first.
A new hire gets a license error in AutoCAD
Usually the seat isn’t assigned to them in Autodesk Account, or the PC still looks for an old license server. We check both, with your Autodesk Account admin if needed.
Xrefs break for everyone except the person who attached them
Usually full paths into one person’s OneDrive folder, or a project drive mapped to another letter on some PCs. We switch to relative paths in a shared location and map the same letter everywhere.
Read the fix →The plotter shows offline the morning a set is due
Often an IP address or port change. We fix the port and queue remotely; jams, printheads and cutters go to your plotter vendor.
Read the fix →Plots come out with the wrong line weights from one PC
Usually that PC has a missing or outdated copy of the firm’s CTB or STB plot styles, or a different PC3 plotter configuration. We point every workstation at one shared standards folder.
The rendering workstation shuts down mid-render
Usually heat, a failing power supply, or sleep and Windows Update restart settings. We check temperatures, drivers and power settings, and flag failing fans or power supplies.
Read the fix →Who fixes what: Autodesk, your plotter vendor or your IT support
Many Revit and AutoCAD problems start outside the program, in the Windows profile, graphics driver, file server or VPN, which Autodesk support doesn’t cover:
| Symptom | Usually | Who starts |
|---|---|---|
| Revit or AutoCAD slow on one workstation only | Driver, RAM, free disk space or the Windows profile | Us |
| Everyone slow at the same moment | File server, NAS, office network or internet line | Us |
| One model crashes on every PC | The model or a program bug | Autodesk or your reseller, with our notes |
| License error or sign-in loop | Seat not assigned, or old license settings on the PC | Us, with your Autodesk Account admin |
| Cloud model won’t open or sync | Internet line, an outdated Desktop Connector, or a service problem | Us, after checking the Autodesk Health Dashboard |
| Plotter jams, streaks or misfeeds | Hardware | Your plotter vendor, on site |
For an Autodesk case, we gather the build number, exact error and Revit journal file for you or your reseller to submit.
Workstations sized to Autodesk’s own requirements
For Revit 2027, Autodesk asks for at least a 2 GHz base clock and recommends the highest single-core base clock you can get, though Revit uses multiple cores for many tasks. Memory should follow the size of your models:
| Autodesk tier | RAM | Typical model size on disk | Graphics memory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 16 GB | Up to about 300 MB | 4 GB recommended |
| Value | 32 GB or more | Up to about 600 MB | 6 GB (8 GB or more for Accelerated Graphics) |
| Performance | 64 GB or more | Up to about 1 GB | 8 GB |
Autodesk also recommends 100 GB of free disk space for temp files. AutoCAD 2027 recommends a 3 GHz or faster base clock (4 GHz turbo), 32 GB of RAM and an 8 GB graphics card. Both 2027 releases list 64-bit Windows 11 only, so remaining Windows 10 machines are a blocker.
Since Revit 2023.1, Revit itself reports whether your graphics card meets its hardware acceleration requirements, under File > Options > Hardware. We install the card maker’s driver branch for professional or creative apps, not the newest gaming release, and roll back when an update starts crashes.
Why Revit and AutoCAD crawl over VPN, and what works instead
File-based worksharing and xrefs were built for an office network: every open, save and synchronize talks to the file server many times, and a VPN adds delay to each trip. Autodesk calls file-based worksharing through a VPN an unsupported workflow that can corrupt the central model, and lists VPN storage as a cause of slow AutoCAD opens.
| Option | Fits | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Remote Desktop into the user’s office workstation | Single-office firms with workstations already in place | The office PC must stay on and run Windows 11 Pro; distance and high resolutions hurt usability. We put it behind a VPN or gateway, never open to the internet. |
| Revit Cloud Worksharing (Forma Design Collaboration) | Several offices or outside firms on one model | Recurring per-user cost, no Revit LT. Autodesk recommends at least symmetrical 5 Mbps and local disk space three times the size of the models each person opens. |
| Revit Server | Two or more offices on one company network | Server hardware; Autodesk cites 3 Mbps and 100 ms latency; RVT files only; home users may be slower. |
For a single-office firm, Remote Desktop is usually the cheapest option that works: the VPN carries only the screen, and the model stays in the office.
Big project files: what to keep where
File size is rarely the problem; live, linked files are. One common Microsoft 365 trap: Revit saves each person’s local copy of a workshared model to the Default path for user files (File > Options > File Locations), usually Documents, which OneDrive folder backup can move into OneDrive. We point that path at a folder OneDrive doesn’t sync.
| Files | Keep them on | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Workshared Revit central models | An office file server on the local network, Revit Server or Autodesk cloud worksharing | OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox, Egnyte and other synced folders, where Autodesk warns of corruption and lost work when two people synchronize at once |
| Live DWGs with xrefs | A shared project folder every PC reaches by the same path, with relative paths | Personal OneDrive folders, whose paths include each user’s name |
| Issued sets, PDFs, renderings and admin files | SharePoint, Teams or your cloud project platform | Email attachments to consultants |
Before live projects move to a hybrid platform such as Egnyte, Panzura or LucidLink, we check that vendor’s Revit guidance and test with a copy. See how we set up cloud file sharing and access, and keep a test-restored backup on any platform.
Autodesk seats, Revit versions and other licenses
Autodesk has moved commercial subscriptions to named-user licensing: an admin assigns each seat to a person in Autodesk Account and unassigns it when they leave. A seat left on a former employee is paid for and unusable.
Projects usually stay on the Revit release they started in, and Revit can’t save a model back to an older release. We keep the versions active projects need installed, test each new release on one workstation first, and upgrade a project only when your team decides.
Bluebeam and Adobe Creative Cloud seats are per-user too; offboarding removes them along with email and Microsoft 365 once you give us admin access.
The deadline calendar: IT around submittals and issue dates
Design firms have no single busy season; every project has its own crunch. Share your deadline dates and we keep risky changes away from them.
| Project moment | What tends to break | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Kickoff, schematic design | Folder setup, consultant access, cloud project users | Create the folder template and permissions; add outside users with an end date |
| Last two weeks of construction documents | Heaviest model use, late nights, full disks | Change freeze: security patches only, no feature updates or driver changes |
| Permit or bid set issue | Plotter, PDF publishing, large transfers | Test plots and PDF output the day before; transfer link ready |
| Closeout | Old outside access, scattered files | Archive the project, remove consultants, confirm the backup |
Support runs Monday to Friday, so if your team works the weekend before an issue date, we schedule risky changes to finish by Thursday.
Security, client contracts and federal project data
Design firms rarely face an industry-specific security rule, but state breach-notification laws still cover personal data such as employee records, and client contracts can add more, so read their security clauses before signing.
Defense Department contracts can include DFARS clause 252.204-7012, which requires the 110 security requirements of NIST SP 800-171 Revision 2, 72-hour cyber incident reports to DoD, and FedRAMP Moderate-equivalent security from any cloud service holding covered defense information, so check before those files go into standard Microsoft 365. A separate clause, DFARS 252.204-7021, brings in CMMC, with self-assessments required in applicable contracts since November 10, 2025: Level 1 for Federal Contract Information, Level 2 for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). In July 2026 the department suspended the planned third-party assessment phase pending a review; self-assessments and the DFARS clauses still apply, so check the DoD CIO CMMC page for current status.
We help implement and document MFA on email and remote access, endpoint protection, patching and a current access list, and describe those controls for your self-assessment, which remains your firm’s.
Our team includes engineers in the United States and overseas. CUI markings or export rules may bar overseas engineers from some drawings, and an IT provider with access to those systems can come into scope of your assessment. If your compliance policy or a client contract limits where support staff can be located, raise it before onboarding so we can tell you plainly whether we’re a fit.
Plain disclaimer: this is a summary, not legal advice, and no IT provider can certify you under these clauses. Ask your attorney or contracting officer how they apply.
What the Business Support Plan covers, and who does the work
Our IT services for architects run on one plan: $49 per user per month, month-to-month, no minimum users and no setup fee. It includes unlimited remote help desk tickets, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace administration (adding and removing users, password resets, security setup), managed EDR antivirus, automated Windows patching and tune-ups, cloud backup monitoring, and new-hire setup and offboarding.
Worked example: a 10-person firm is 10 × $49 = $490 a month.
Not included:
- On-site work, such as cabling or server installs, arranged separately as a paid add-on through a vetted local partner technician; see on-site IT support.
- Hardware and parts, including workstation upgrades and warranty claims.
- Software licenses: Autodesk, Bluebeam, Adobe, rendering tools and Microsoft 365.
- Bugs inside a vendor’s own application, such as Revit crashing on one model.
Projects such as building Revit Server or VDI, or moving live projects to new storage, are scoped separately — ask before onboarding. Full terms are on the Business Support Plan page; what IT support costs a small business compares other pricing models.
The work is done by a US-managed support team with engineers in the United States and overseas, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm Eastern. Every remote session needs your approval, and you can end it at any time. Our engineers use MFA on our own tools, and remote sessions are logged.
Your first 30 days
- Days 1 to 5, workstation audit. Each workstation’s processor, RAM, graphics card and Windows edition against the Autodesk tier your models need; where projects live; who holds Autodesk, Bluebeam and Adobe admin roles.
- Days 6 to 12, accounts and seats. MFA for every user, former staff removed, unused seats unassigned.
- Days 13 to 20, protection. Endpoint protection, patching scheduled around your issue dates, and a known-good graphics driver per workstation model.
- Days 21 to 26, remote work and backup. A plan to move home users off VPN file access; a real project folder test-restored to a separate location, not over live work.
- Days 27 to 30, report. What is in place, the gaps, and which workstations to replace first.
Frequently asked questions
Should we buy laptops or desktops for Revit?
Desktops for most seats. A desktop workstation gets a faster processor and graphics card for the money, stays cooler through long renders and syncs, and is what Remote Desktop connects to from home, so staff can carry a lighter laptop. Buy mobile workstations only for people who model on site or travel, and check their graphics memory against Autodesk’s tiers, since a laptop graphics chip usually runs slower than the desktop card with a similar name.
Why is Revit so slow over VPN?
File-based worksharing makes many round trips to the central model on the file server, and a VPN adds delay to every one. Autodesk treats this as an unsupported workflow that can corrupt the central model during synchronize. The usual fixes are Remote Desktop into an office workstation, Revit Server between offices, or Autodesk cloud worksharing, which carries its own per-user subscription.
Can Revit run on a Mac?
Not natively; Revit is Windows-only. Autodesk’s Revit 2027 requirements list one Mac route: Windows in Parallels Desktop on an Apple silicon or quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac with 32 GB of memory, giving Windows 16 GB for models up to about 300 MB, with Revit’s hardware acceleration turned off. For heavy models, Remote Desktop into a Windows workstation works better. Archicad, Vectorworks, SketchUp and Rhino run natively on macOS.
Do you support Revit, AutoCAD and Bluebeam?
Yes, from the workstation side: graphics drivers, installs of each release, seat assignment, file storage, remote access, plotting and sign-ins. A model that crashes on every PC, a feature bug or a billing question goes to Autodesk or Bluebeam, and we pass along the build number and error details. We are not affiliated with Autodesk, Bluebeam or any other vendor named on this page.
Can you fix our plotter remotely?
Partly. Drivers, print queues, network ports, plot style files and PDF publishing can usually be fixed remotely. Paper jams, printheads, rollers, cutters and anything else that needs hands on the machine go to your plotter dealer or service provider, and we can give them the error details and settings we found.
Do you work with firms on Defense Department projects?
We can help implement technical controls such as MFA, endpoint protection, patching and access lists, and describe them for your self-assessment. Our team includes engineers in the United States and overseas, and CUI or export-controlled drawings may not be allowed to reach them, so raise any such project before onboarding and we will tell you plainly whether we fit. We do not give legal advice.
How much does IT support cost for an architecture firm?
On our Business Support Plan it is $49 per user per month, month-to-month, with no minimum number of users and no setup fee, so a 6-person studio pays 6 × $49 = $294 a month. Autodesk, Bluebeam and Adobe subscriptions, workstation hardware and plotter repair are paid separately to those vendors, and other on-site work is a separate paid add-on.
See whether we’re a fit in 20 minutes
Tell us how many people you have and what you use. We’ll tell you plainly what the $49/user plan covers for you and what it doesn’t.