General
The Autodesk Forma Module is an Integrator component designed to transfer structured data into Autodesk Forma. It processes prepared transactions containing folder structures, documents, versions, and metadata, and ensures that these elements are created or updated correctly in the target Autodesk Forma environment.
The module relies on Autodesk Platform Services (APS) for authentication and connectivity and uses a defined workflow of actions to control how data is processed and transferred.
For setup instructions, see: [CROSS-REFERENCE: Autodesk Forma Client Setup]
For detailed workflow and action behavior, see: [CROSS-REFERENCE: Autodesk Forma Technical Details]
Key Concepts
The module operates on a transaction-based model. A source system prepares a transaction containing:
- Folder hierarchy
- Documents
- Version history
- Metadata and custom attributes
This transaction is processed sequentially to ensure that:
- Folder structures are created first
- Files are evaluated for existence
- New items or versions are created accordingly
- Metadata is applied after creation
Version Handling
When version handling is enabled:
- Versions are processed in chronological order (oldest to newest)
- Each version is created sequentially in Autodesk Forma
- Metadata is applied per version to preserve historical accuracy
This ensures a complete and correctly ordered version history in the target system.
Metadata Handling
Custom attributes are applied after file or version creation. This ensures that:
- Each version receives the correct metadata
- Attribute mappings are consistent with Autodesk Forma definitions
Throttling and Performance
Autodesk Forma enforces API rate limits. Excessive requests may result in:
- Delayed processing
- Retries
- Temporary request rejection
To mitigate this:
- Rate limiting can be enabled in the client
- Retry handling improves stability for large transactions
It is recommended to carefully configure:
- Collection scope
- Scheduler frequency
- Integration concurrency
Workflow Structure
The module uses structured workflows consisting of:
- Preprocess actions
- Structure processing actions
- Document processing actions
These workflows determine how data is interpreted and transferred to Autodesk Forma.