Modernize Your Agency’s CAD-to-GIS Workflows with OpenCities Map Ultimate

May 21st, 2021

Louis-Martin Losier
Product Manager OpenCities Map, Digital Cities

State and local government agencies rely on powerful computer-aided design (CAD) systems, such as Bentley Systems MicroStation, for their CAD model creation, use and visualization. Geographic information systems (GIS) are also widely used by agencies for mapping, data analysis and visualization for a large variety of government purposes. When used together, CAD and GIS have a solid track record for streamlining decision-making and reducing inefficiencies in the design, planning and execution of critical municipal operations and projects. And a growing number of engineering tasks now require the knowledge of many interrelated, yet often disconnected, CAD and GIS tools.

Despite the known advantages of integrated CAD-to-GIS workflows, moving between the two systems can present a host of challenges and issues. GIS is more structured and delivers powerful data management and analysis capabilities, particularly when paired with a spatial database. CAD is file-based, more loosely structured and difficult to interrogate. The conventional wisdom is that CAD work is best if done in a CAD system and GIS work is best if done in a GIS system. But adoption of the conventional wisdom presents many problems for local government agencies – including additional cost, maintenance, model export/import and user interface learning curves.

Fortunately, MicroStation users have an excellent option that mitigates many of those challenges—OpenCities Map Ultimate, an innovative geospatial platform made specifically for MicroStation users. OpenCities Map Ultimate is built right on top of MicroStation and has a familiar user interface that makes it easy to quickly become proficient in creating powerful GIS models.

There are many advantages to using OpenCities Map Ultimate:

  • Use the same familiar interface to import engineering designs, feature-based data and property symbology.
  • Create robust GIS models that you can later evolve, document and edit.
  • Fuel sharing and collaboration across your environment with multi-user editing and spatial data support.
  • Integrate large data sets including engineering DNG files; survey data; element business data; point clouds; digital imagery, such as LIDAR and 3D reality meshes; and scalable terrain models into a single source of truth. Manage geospatial information, land information, parcel records, asset life-cycle management information and model data.
  • Document and model your assets with speed and ease in a GIS environment and intelligently share and collaborate across your agency.
  • Incorporate data in native ESRI formats and use spatial databases to search and conduct spatial analysis.

For Bentley MicroStation users, OpenCities Map Ultimate is the best way to modernize your existing CAD environment and tap into the power of spatially fueled GIS workflows. It’s easy to use and integrates powerful GIS tools into the MicroStation interface you rely on every day.

View our Webinar and contact your Carahsoft Bentley professional to learn more. What are you waiting for? The timing is better than ever to move to OpenCities Map Ultimate.