Vault Foundations is a fixed-cost, structured implementation package from SolidCAD that gets your Autodesk Vault Professional environment up and running within a defined timeline and budget. It is designed for engineering and manufacturing teams that need a reliable engineering data management system without the risk of open-ended consulting. The package includes system setup and configuration, user management, Windows Authentication, customized workflows, categories and lifecycles, data and property mapping, job processor configuration, and full user and administrative training. Everything your team needs to go live with a production-ready CAD data management environment, no surprises, no scope creep.

Vault Foundations is delivered over 4 to 6 weeks. The structured PDM implementation plan covers workflow discovery in week one, installation in week two, full system configuration in week three, testing and user acceptance testing in week four, Autodesk Vault training in week five, and remote go-live support in week six. Every phase has a defined outcome so your team knows exactly where things stand throughout the engagement.

Yes. Vault Foundations is specifically designed for organizations that are either implementing PDM systems in manufacturing for the first time or replacing informal file management practices with a controlled, scalable engineering data management system. The package includes user and administrative training as part of the delivery, so your team is confident and self-sufficient from day one, no prior Vault experience required.

PDM stands for Product Data Management. A PDM implementation is the process of deploying and configuring an engineering data management software solution, like Autodesk Vault Professional, within your engineering or manufacturing environment. It covers server setup, file structure planning, workflow configuration, user permissions, and Autodesk Vault training. Without a proper PDM implementation, teams often struggle with lost files, version conflicts, and inconsistent data, all of which slow down projects and increase rework. A structured PDM implementation plan like Vault Foundations ensures you get it right from the start.

Yes. Autodesk Vault training for both users and administrators is included in week five of the implementation roadmap. By the end of the engagement, your team understands how to work within Vault day-to-day, and your administrators know how to manage the environment, add users, and maintain configurations going forward. Training is not an add-on, it is a core part of every Vault Foundations delivery.

To implement Autodesk Vault Professional, your environment should meet the following requirements: a Vault Server running Windows Server 2022 or 2025, 16 to 32 GB of RAM, a processor running at 3 GHz or higher, SQL Server 2022, a Job Processor machine running Windows 11, and VPN access provided prior to the configuration meeting. SolidCAD will review your environment during the discovery phase to confirm readiness before Autodesk Vault setup begins.

Vault Foundations is designed as a starting point you can expand over time. Three purpose-built add-ons are available. The Engineering Items add-on introduces a centralized item master for parts, assemblies, and BOM management with lifecycle-driven revision control, delivered over three weeks. The Engineering Change Order add-on configures a formal ECO process with routing, user roles, email notifications, and numbering schemes, delivered over two weeks. The Autodesk Vault Filestore Replication add-on enables distributed engineering data management across multiple geographic locations while maintaining a single centralized Vault environment, delivered in one week.

A bill of materials, or BOM, is a structured list of all parts, components, and assemblies that make up a product. BOM management is the process of keeping that list accurate, version-controlled, and synchronized across engineering and manufacturing teams. Without reliable BOM management tools, teams face rework, production errors, and costly miscommunications. The Engineering Items add-on for Vault Foundations introduces a centralized item master inside Autodesk Vault, functioning as a dedicated BOM management system that is independent of CAD files, so engineering and manufacturing always work from the same data.

A custom Autodesk Vault implementation typically involves open-ended discovery, variable scope, and time-and-materials billing, which means timelines stretch and costs are hard to predict. Vault Foundations takes a different approach. The scope is predefined, the cost is fixed, and the PDM implementation roadmap is structured from week one. This makes it faster to get started, easier to budget, and lower risk overall. For organizations that need highly specialized engineering data management software configurations beyond the standard scope, SolidCAD’s add-on services allow you to extend the foundation without sacrificing predictability.

Vault Foundations is a fixed-cost Autodesk Vault Professional implementation package, meaning you know the total investment upfront with no variable billing or surprise invoices. Pricing depends on your chosen package and any add-ons you select, such as BOM management via the Engineering Items add-on, Engineering Change Orders, or Filestore Replication. Contact SolidCAD for a quote tailored to your team size, environment, and goals.