You connect two Bentley ProjectWise environments with a same-platform CDE integration that keeps chosen folders, files, attributes and versions aligned between them, or with a migration that moves content from one environment to the other. CDE Sync™ handles ongoing ProjectWise to ProjectWise sync and CDE Migrate™ handles one-off moves, both preserving version history and attributes.
Why two ProjectWise environments need to share
ProjectWise is common among engineering consultants and among transport, water and energy owners. That means a consultant working in its own ProjectWise environment is often required to deliver into the owner's ProjectWise environment. Joint venture design partners may each run ProjectWise too, and organisations that merge or restructure can end up with more than one environment.
The two environments rarely share the same configuration. Folder structures, attribute names, workflow states and naming conventions differ. Without a connection, files are exported from one environment, renamed, checked into the other and given a new set of attributes by hand. Version history does not travel, and the two records gradually disagree.
What carries across between ProjectWise environments
CDE Sync™ connects two instances of the same platform as easily as two different ones. It moves files with their version history between nominated folders and maps attributes between the two environments, so a consultant's attribute set can populate the owner's. You choose one-way or two-way rules per folder, and every transfer is logged.
The Bentley ProjectWise integration page describes the connector.
How to connect two ProjectWise environments, step by step
Decide whether you need an ongoing sync or a one-off migration.
Agree the folders and document types that move between environments, and in which direction.
Collect both environments' attribute sets and folder rules from each ProjectWise administrator.
Arrange a service account in each environment with access to the relevant folders.
Connect both environments in the CDE Sync™ wizard and map attributes between them.
Run a test on one package and compare versions and attributes on both sides.
Switch on the schedule, or complete the migration and confirm results with a validation report.
Consultants delivering into owner environments
Transport and utility owners often publish digital engineering standards that define how deliverables must appear in their ProjectWise environment, including folder locations, attributes and file naming. Consultants usually manage their own work to their own standards. A connection maps one to the other automatically, so the consultant keeps its internal structure while the owner receives deliverables that meet its standards on first submission.
Returned documents and review outcomes can flow back into the consultant's environment, so designers see the owner's response without logging into a second system. Our guide to syncing ISO 19650 metadata between CDEs covers attribute mapping in more depth.
For consolidation, CDE Migrate™ moves content from one environment to another once, with versions, attributes and audit trails intact. That suits mergers, restructures and the retirement of an ageing on-premises environment. Migrations need enough notice before the target date to plan, test and validate properly.
Running the connection day to day is mostly about exceptions. A file that fails a mandatory attribute rule in the receiving environment is reported to a nominated person rather than lost, and the fix is made in the source environment so the next run succeeds. Because CDE Sync™ is configured through a wizard, a document controller can adjust mappings when an owner updates its standards, without waiting for developer time. Over a multi-year project, that flexibility matters as much as the initial set-up.
Security for infrastructure design
Owner ProjectWise environments for transport, energy, water and aviation assets often sit under the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act. CDE Sync™ streams files without storing them, encrypts data in transit and processes it in the Azure region you choose. Utopia Digital holds SOC 2 Type II and Cyber Essentials. See the Security Trust Portal and the global data region map.
ProjectWise to ProjectWise and the Utopiaverse™
A ProjectWise to ProjectWise connection is part of the Utopiaverse™, the connected record Utopia Digital builds across your platforms. CDE Sync™ keeps both environments aligned, CDE Backup™ keeps an independent copy in your own Azure, CDE Migrate™ consolidates environments when needed, and CDE Archive™ captures the record at completion. AI Insights searches both environments together, with answers that cite the source files. See also ProjectWise Enterprise Connection Services and How Do I Connect Bentley ProjectWise and Autodesk Forma?
See two ProjectWise environments connected in the monthly live demo, or talk to the team about your project.
