Objectives and stakeholders defined: identify which departments (e.g., design teams, project managers, BIM/VDC, information governance) will use NPC.

Current tools assessment: evaluate existing document management, project data environments, email systems, and folder structures.

Data and process mapping: decide how NPC will fit with workflows (drawing sets, submittals, RFIs, transmittals, check-in/out, approvals).

Success criteria & metrics: establish KPIs (e.g., faster submittal cycles, improved document retrieval times).

Project planning and architecture

Environment setup: determine on-premises, cloud (if using NPC components that integrate with the broader Newforma ecosystem), or hybrid deployment.

Security and access model: define roles, permissions, and project-level security.

Integration plan: list ERP, BIM/VDC, ITSM, PPM tools, email, and cloud storage integrations (e.g., SharePoint, OneDrive, Box, etc., depending on version and partner capabilities).

Data migration and structure

Migration scope: decide what repositories, folders, and metadata to import.

Metadata schema: define project-wide and document-level metadata (e.g., project number, discipline, status, revision, issue date).

Cleaning and normalization: deduplicate and standardize naming conventions to optimize search and retrieval.

Workflows and approvals

• Custom routing rules for submittals, RFIs, transmittals, submittal packages, and approvals.

• Automated notifications, escalation paths, and SLA enforcement.

Templates and forms

• Custom document templates (cover sheets, transmittal forms, metadata fields) aligned with company standards.

Metadata and data model

• Project-level and document-level metadata fields; enable or disable fields, enforce mandatory fields, and set value constraints.

Security and access

• Role-based access control (RBAC) per project or per user, granular permissions (read, write, approve, administer).

Reports and dashboards

• Custom reports, charts, and KPI dashboards tailored to roles (project managers, engineers, admins).

Automation and rules

• Event-driven rules for document handling, reminders, and batch processing.

Integrations

• Connectors or integrations with:

  • Cloud storage (e.g., SharePoint, OneDrive, Box)

  • Email systems (Outlook)

  • BIM and design tools (depending on integration availability)

  • ERP/financial systems (where supported)

  • CRM or ticketing systems (if needed)

User interface customization

• Personalizable views, saved searches, and quick-access menus.

Licensing and base costs

User licenses: NPC typically uses role-based licenses (e.g., Project Manager, Designer, Admin). Costs vary by license tier and whether you buy perpetual licenses with maintenance or a subscription.

Project centers or modules: Some organizations may license multiple projects or modules; pricing can scale with the number of concurrent projects or users.

Implementation and services

Data migration: fees for mapping, cleansing, and migrating data from legacy systems.

Training: end-user and administrator training sessions (on-site or remote).

Setup and deployment

Initial setup/setup fee: some partners charge a one-time deployment/setup charge to cover environment preparation, VPN/ODBC connectivity, and basic integrations.

Hardware/hosting costs: if hosted on-premises, include server hardware, virtualization, and licenses (e.g., SQL Server). If cloud-hosted, consider cloud hosting or managed services.

Maintenance and support

Annual maintenance/support: typically a percentage of license fees (commonly in the 15–25% range, but this varies by partner and contract).

Support tiers: standard, enhanced, and premium support options with different response times and SLAs.

Core training options

Role-based training: separate tracks for project managers, engineers/ designers, project admins, and IT administrators.

End-user training: covers day-to-day tasks like creating/transmitting submittals, RFIs, transmittals, check-in/check-out, and search/navigation.

Administration training: focuses on system maintenance, user management, security roles, backups, upgrades, and governance.

Data migration / onboarding training: guidance on how to map metadata, prepare data, and perform initial migration with minimal disruption.

Delivery modes

Instructor-led training (ILT): on-site or virtual sessions led by certified trainers.

Web-based training (WBT): self-paced e-learning modules and videos.

Hands-on workshops: guided exercises using your NPC environment or a sandbox.

Train-the-trainer: equips internal champions to train their teams effectively.

Training content and materials

Role-based curricula with manuals, checklists, and quick-start guides.

Templates and sample workflows to mirror your intended processes.

Administration playbooks for ongoing maintenance, upgrades, and governance.

Certification options: some partners offer formal certification paths to validate proficiency.

Training duration and planning

Typical onboarding training can range from a few days (for core users) to several days (including admins and champions), often delivered in staged sessions aligned with the deployment timeline.

Ongoing training: periodic refreshers, new feature trainings after updates, and quarterly/biannual change-management sessions.

Access control and identity

Role-based access control (RBAC): fine-grained permissions at project or system level.

User authentication: integration with standard identity systems (e.g., Active Directory/LDAP) and, where applicable, SSO options.

Audit trails: activity logs capturing who accessed or changed items, when, and what actions were performed.

Data protection and privacy

Data segregation: project-level data isolation to prevent cross-project access.

Versioning and immutability: control over document revisions and historical states.

Retention policies: configurable rules for how long records are kept and when they’re archived.

Data transmission and storage

Secure protocols: encryption in transit (TLS) for data moving between clients, servers, and cloud storage.

Storage security: depending on deployment, data may reside on-premises, in a private cloud, or with a managed hosting provider; configurations typically follow best-practice security controls for the chosen environment.

Backups and disaster recovery: regular backups with defined RPO/RTO, and tested restore processes as part of operations.

Compliance considerations

NPC deployments can be aligned with common standards used in AEC and related industries; specifics depend on regional requirements and the chosen hosting model. It’s important to discuss your compliance needs (e.g., data residency, encryption standards) with your partner.

Update cadence

Regular releases: New features, improvements, and bug fixes are released on a periodic basis. The exact cadence can be quarterly or semi-annual, depending on the product road map and region.

Minor updates vs. major upgrades: Minor updates often contain security patches and small enhancements; major upgrades may introduce new modules, redesigned UI, or significant workflow changes.

How updates are managed

Managed by partner or vendor: depending on your deployment model (cloud-hosted, on-premises, or hybrid), updates may be applied by Newforma directly or by the partner with coordination from your IT team.

Upgrade planning: partners typically provide an upgrade plan, compatibility checks, and a test/validation period (pilot) prior to production upgrades.

Backward compatibility and testing: upgrade cycles usually include validation of integrations, templates, and customizations to ensure compatibility with the new release.

Impact on customizations

Some customizations may require adjustments after major releases; partners or Newforma will advise on upgrade impact and provide a remediation plan.

It’s common to review workflows, templates, and metadata after a significant release to ensure alignment with new features.

Support during updates

Maintenance/support contracts typically include coverage during upgrade windows, with guidance on best practices for minimizing downtime.

Data ownership

Your organization retains ownership of the content you store in NPC (documents, metadata, drawings, RFIs, submittals, transmittals, and project data you upload)

Newforma and partner services act as custodians to store, process, and manage data as part of delivering NPC functionality.

Data rights typically include access rights for authorized users and administrators as defined by your contract.

Data portability and export

• NPC typically supports data export or extraction of project data for migration purposes, especially when moving to another system or terminating a contract.

• Portability options commonly include:

  • Exports of metadata and index/searchable data.

  • Export of document repositories (e.g., original files and version history) in standard formats.

  • Submittals, RFIs, transmittals, and workflow artifacts in exportable formats (CSV, XML, or structured bundles) where available.

• The level of portability and the exact formats depend on:

  • Deployment model (cloud vs. on-premises vs. hybrid).

  • Data retention and retention policy choices.

  • The presence of an agreed data migration/exit plan in the contract.

Data retention and deletion

• Retention policies are typically configurable (how long to keep records, when to archive, and when to purge).

• Deletion requests and data sanitization procedures generally follow your governance policies and any regional privacy requirements.

• When a contract ends, you should have a defined data return or destruction process, including timelines and verification.

Data localization and privacy considerations

• Data residency options depend on hosting arrangement (on-premises, private cloud, or public cloud with region-specific data centers).

• Compliance with regional data privacy laws is typically addressed in the contract via data processing addenda if applicable.

Scaling options

• NPC licenses are generally tied to user roles and project needs; scaling up or down typically involves adjusting:

  • Number of user licenses (per role or seat-based pricing).

  • Number of projects or project centers (if the licensing model uses per-project scope).

  • Add-on modules or integrations (e.g., additional cloud storage, connectors)

• Cloud-hosted deployments often support easier scaling (elastic user counts, faster provisioning) versus on-premises deployments (hardware and capacity planning).

Contract and pricing implications

• Many agreements support mid-term adjustments with:

  • Pro-rated license changes at the next renewal or a mutually agreed effective date.

  • Tiered pricing changes depending on headcount changes or project volumes

• For large swings in scale, a supplemental quote or an updated master services agreement may be required.

Governance and rollout considerations

• Plan for onboarding/offboarding processes, license reallocation, and change-management steps.

• Ensure data governance and security roles are updated in conjunction with user changes.

Renewal structure

• Renewals are typically annual or multi-year, depending on the contract.

• Pricing may be fixed for the term or subject to renewal adjustments (inflation, scope changes, new modules).

• SLAs and support terms often re-confirmed at renewal.

Cancellation and termination

• Most contracts spell out termination rights, including:

  • Termination for convenience with notice periods (e.g., 30–90 days) and any associated wind-down obligations.

  • Termination for cause if there is a material breach that is not cured within a defined period.

• Data handling on termination

  • Termination clauses usually require data extraction/publishing within a defined window after termination.

    
    Post-termination access to data is typically restricted, unless a separate data export or continuation of support is arranged.

• Transition assistance

  • Some contracts include transition services to help migrate data to another system or to a successor platform for a defined period.

  • There may be a defined helpdesk or professional services window to support the exit process.

Fees and refunds

• Refundability on prepaid amounts is region/partner dependent; many agreements are non-refundable for services already delivered but may offer credits or a partial refund in some cases.

• Outstanding charges, data export costs, or wind-down fees may apply per the contract.

Security and privacy frameworks (general alignment)

• Role-based access control (RBAC) and audit trails are typically standard features.

• Encryption in transit (TLS) for data movement; encryption at rest may be enabled depending on hosting model (cloud vs. on-prem).

• Identity management integrations (e.g., Active Directory/LDAP, SSO) are commonly supported.

Industry and regional compliance considerations

• Compliance coverage depends on hosting model and region. Common considerations include:

  • Data residency requirements (data center location and data sovereignty).

  • GDPR/CCPA-type privacy considerations for handling personal data (where applicable).

  • ISO 27001 or other information security standards where the hosting provider or partner maintains certifications (this is more typically aligned with the hosting environment and partner practices than NPC itself).

  • Export controls, if relevant to your organization and data type.

• For regulated industries or regions, you should request:

  • A data protection addendum (DPA) outlining processing activities, sub-processors, security controls, and breach notification procedures.