Network

Source section: 7. Network Drive Locations and Mapped Drive Standards

7.1 Purpose

S3 Design, Inc. uses mapped network drives for shared resources, technology content, project files, Florida project files, and archives. Project-facing instructions in this manual must use the mapped drive letters that staff see in Windows instead of IP-based paths or server share paths.

The network drive information below is intentionally limited to macro use and top-level structure. It is not a full file audit.

7.2 Mapped Drive Summary

• T:\ - Technology Drive - S3 T Drive
  Design technology resources, BIM standards, Autodesk libraries, Revit / AutoCAD support content, material development resources, and WIP content submission

• R:\ - S3Design-Inc Resources R Drive
  Company resources, office standards, templates, brand resources, HR / onboarding information, software information, and business support references

• P:\ - S3 Projects P Drive
  Primary S3 project drive for project working folders and legacy project directory workflows

• F:\ - Projects-Florida F Drive
  Florida project drive for project working folders and regional project directory workflows

• X:\ - s3d-archives X Drive
  Archive drive for historical, closed, or retained project and company records

7.3 Network Drive Use Rules

• Use mapped drive letters in procedures, training material, project notes, and user-facing documentation.

• Do not reference IP-based paths in project team instructions unless Cinch IT specifically requires them for troubleshooting.

• T:\ is the controlled technology and BIM content location.

• T:\WIP\ is the approved staging location for submitted BIM content awaiting DT Cadre review.

• R:\ is a company resource and reference drive, not a project model production location.

• P:\ and F:\ are project working drives and must follow the project-folder restrictions in this manual.

• X:\ is an archive location and must not be used as an active production workspace.

• Existing stored files are not removed by this manual unless a separate cleanup or enforcement action is approved.

7.4 Technology Drive Top-Level Structure

The Technology Drive is the primary shared location for S3 Design, Inc. design technology resources, BIM support content, application installers, work-in-progress content development, and technology reference shortcuts.

The folder names below should be treated as the current top-level structure. The tree intentionally avoids showing deeper folder levels except for key T:\Revit\ transition and content-management folders. Some items are hidden in Windows. Hidden status is not intended to restrict access; it is used to reduce visual clutter. Users can access hidden items by enabling hidden items in File Explorer or by typing the known path directly.

Technology Drive top-level use:

Item:  Apps 

Hidden: Yes

Primary Use: Stores downloaded applications, installers, add-ins, utilities, and reusable setup files such as Autodesk Revit installers, pyRevit installers, and other design technology tools. This location is available to staff who know it exists, but it may not be visible unless hidden items are shown in File Explorer.

Item:  Archive 

Hidden: Yes

Primary Use: Stores legacy items that used to live in the root of T:\ but should no longer be used for current workflows. The purpose is preservation, not active production use. Similar archive folders may exist inside other directory branches for the same reason.

Item:  Autodesk_Libraries 

Hidden: No

Primary Use: Stores Autodesk out-of-the-box libraries and install content for local reuse. This supports cases where software installation did not include the required libraries or where users need access to standard Autodesk content. Revit also has web-based content access, so this folder is partly a legacy support location, but it remains useful for recovery and consistency.

Item: AutoCAD

Hidden: No

Primary Use: Stores AutoCAD-related support content. This folder is currently a broad holding location and may contain unorganized or legacy AutoCAD resources.

Item: Revit

Hidden: No

Primary Use: Stores current Revit-related support content for the new system. Moving forward, content intended for active use in the new system must live in the Revit root structure, not in Legacy.

Item: Revit\Legacy

Hidden: No

Primary Use: Preserves pre-2026-05-01 Revit content during the transition period. This folder keeps the old system accessible but should remain unedited.

Item: Revit\Manufacturer

Hidden: No

Primary Use: Stores manufacturer-provided Revit families organized by manufacturer. Content in this folder must remain as downloaded from the manufacturer website and must not be modified.

Item: WIP

Hidden: No

Primary Use: Work-in-progress staging area for families, templates, materials, standards, and other technology content under development. This is the only top-level Technology Drive folder intended to be open to all S3 staff with full read/write access.

Item: agnets.md

Hidden: Yes

Primary Use: Hidden technology reference file. This is not a project team production document.

Item: Forma Data Management Cloud.url

Hidden: No

Primary Use: Shortcut to open the Forma Data Management cloud project environment in the user's default browser.

Item: S3_wiki.url

Hidden: No

Primary Use: Shortcut to open the S3 Wiki in the user's default browser.

Item: S3_Youtube_Channel.url

Hidden: No

Primary Use: Shortcut to open the S3 Design YouTube channel in the user's default browser.

Technology Drive rules:

- The leading sort character on selected folders keeps key support folders at the top of the drive.

- Hidden folders are not secret or restricted by policy; they are simply hidden from the default File Explorer view.

- Application installers and reusable setup files belong in T:\Apps rather than on individual desktops or inside project folders.

- Legacy root-level technology content should be moved to T:\Archive when it is no longer current but still needs to be preserved.

- Autodesk out-of-the-box content should be stored in T:\Autodesk_Libraries when a local library copy is needed.

- AutoCAD and Revit are current macro-level holding locations and may be reorganized later.

- Revit content dated or governed before 2026-05-01 is legacy content and belongs under T:\Revit\Legacy\.

- During the transition, T:\Revit\Legacy\ remains available for reference and access to the old system.

- Do not edit files inside T:\Revit\Legacy\.

- Only current approved Revit content in the active T:\Revit\ root structure should be edited moving forward.

- Manufacturer-provided Revit families belong under T:\Revit\Manufacturer\.

- Each manufacturer must have its own folder under T:\Revit\Manufacturer\.

- Manufacturer folders must use the naming pattern ManufacturerName_YYYY, where YYYY is the four-digit year the content was downloaded.

- The year suffix records the download year, not the Revit version.

- Example: T:\Revit\Manufacturer\Bobrick_2026\.

- Families inside manufacturer folders must remain direct from the manufacturer website and must not be modified.

7.4.1 WIP Folder Rules

WIP means work in progress.

T:\WIP\

The WIP folder is the only top-level Technology Drive folder intended to be open to all S3 staff with full read/write permissions.

Use T:\WIP\ for:

- Revit family development

- Template development

- Material development

- Draft standards

- Draft resource files

- Shared technology work that is not yet approved for the controlled library

WIP exists so active content development is visible, backed up, and not duplicated by multiple users working separately on the same item. Work in this folder is included in managed backup activity coordinated by IT.

Rules:

- Do not build new Revit families inside project directories.

- Build new or revised families in T:\WIP\.

- Name and organize WIP content clearly.

- Do not use WIP content in production until it has been reviewed.

- Notify the BIM manager when content is ready for review.

- DT Cadre / Design Technology reviews the content.

- Approved content is moved to the proper controlled location.

- Rejected or obsolete WIP content may be returned, archived, or removed.