The User Experience around iModel Synchronization and data extraction urgently needs a deep redesign and performance enhancements.

1. There is no real connection between the ProjectWise Documents and the iModel Synchronization service

   1. When a Design File in ProjectWise is Mapped to an iModel Connection, users cannot see that from the document properties panel.

   2. There is no way to map design files to an iModel directly from the ProjectWise Web Document Viewer.

   3. There are no REST APIs available in developer.bentley.com to create iModel connections from PWDI files.

2. Synchronization jobs take way too long to start. Especially when Managed Workspaces are involved.

3. There is no way to handle duplicate file names when connecting files to an iModel.

4. There is no way to estimate the synchronization progress —percentage complete per file, ETA...

5. When the iModel's underlying database grows, synchronization performance decreases significantly.

6. There is no way to cancel ongoing synchronization jobs. Neither from the User Interface nor via API.

7. The ProjectWise Web Viewer is not showing the dependencies between design files. The iModel Synchronization portal is not displaying them either nor letting the user choose which references should be synced.

8. The iTwin Synchronizer desktop tool is painfully slow. Especially when connectors have to be updated.

9. The iTwin Synchronizer desktop tool is not connected to PWDI. It should be integrated with ProjectWise Drive and Explorer.

10. Synchronization of reality data is disconnected both from the iModel Synchronization services and the PWDI document management.

11. When a design file is mapped to an iModel, it would be really convenient to enable an "isolated display" right from the Documents viewer.

12. There is no way in the user interface to generate attribute reports in a tabular format and download them as an excel file.

13. There is no iModel integration with PowerBI for reporting purposes.

14. Coordinate system management is not intuitive. It would be great if the iModel coordinate system could be predefined instead of using spatial seed files.

15. Handling Geographic Coordinate Systems, like WGS84.

16. Integration of GIS Feature Services is limited. 3D support does not work.

17. Google Photorealistic 3D Tiles are not integrated in the viewer. Only in the new Map view.

Here are some proposals:

Unified Workspace Integration

• Deeply integrate the ProjectWise Document Properties panel with the iModel Synchronization service to provide immediate visibility into file mapping and sync status.

• Enable direct "Map to iModel" actions within the ProjectWise Web Document Viewer, eliminating the need to switch between different portals.

• Implement an "Isolated Display" toggle in the Documents viewer, allowing users to instantly view the iTwin representation of a specific design file in isolation.

• Launch a dedicated set of REST APIs on developer.bentley.com specifically designed to programmatically create and manage iModel connections from PWDI files.

Advanced Sync Orchestration & Performance

• Optimize synchronization startup times by implementing Managed Workspace caching, significantly reducing the overhead during the initialization phase.

• Introduce a real-time Progress Telemetry system to provide users with percentage-based completion stats, per-file status, and accurate ETA estimates.

• Deploy a robust Job Control API and UI button to allow for the immediate cancellation of ongoing synchronization tasks.

• Implement an Incremental Database Engine that maintains high synchronization performance regardless of the underlying iModel database size or complexity.

• Resolve file naming conflicts with a new Mapping Rule Engine that handles duplicate filenames by using unique ProjectWise identifiers (GUIDs or paths).

• Pre-Sync Validation Dashboard:

  • A "Conflict Detection" step in the synchronization wizard that flags potential naming overlaps before the job starts.

  • Interactive prompts that allow users to "Batch Rename" or "Apply Unique GUID" to conflicting files in real-time.

Enhanced Dependency & Reality Data Management

• Bridge the visibility gap by displaying the full ProjectWise reference tree within both the Web Viewer and the Synchronization portal.

  • Bidirectional Reference Tree Visibility:

    • Mirror the ProjectWise Dependency Hierarchy directly within the iModel Synchronization portal, providing a visual map of all XREFs, DGN attachments, and nested references.

    • Integration with the ProjectWise Web Viewer to show a "Dependency Overlay," highlighting which parts of the 3D model originate from specific referenced documents.

  • Granular Selective Syncing:

    • Provide an Interactive Reference Checklist where users can manually toggle specific attachments on or off before initiating a sync.

    • Rule-Based Inclusion: Automatically include or exclude references based on their ProjectWise State (e.g., only sync "Approved" or "Shared" references) or specific file extensions.

• Support for Reference Versioning, allowing users to choose between syncing the "Latest" version of a reference or "Locking" the sync to a specific Document Version.

• Grant users granular control to selectively sync dependencies, allowing them to choose exactly which references are included in the iModel.

• Centralize Reality Data management, ensuring that point clouds and meshes are synchronized alongside design files through a unified PWDI-to-iTwin workflow.

Modernized Desktop & Geospatial Experience

• Re-engineer the iTwin Synchronizer desktop tool for high performance, focusing on lightweight background updates for connectors to eliminate manual lag.

• Provide native integration with ProjectWise Drive and Explorer, allowing users to initiate synchronizations directly from their local file system interface.

• Overhaul Coordinate System Management to support predefined project coordinates, removing the dependency on legacy spatial seed files.

• Provide comprehensive support for Geographic Coordinate Systems (GCS), including native WGS84 handling for global project alignment.

• Upgrade the primary viewer to support 3D GIS Feature Services and natively integrate Google Photorealistic 3D Tiles directly into the design context.

Actionable Data & Reporting

• Integrate an in-browser Tabular Data Explorer that allows users to query iModel attributes and download the results as formatted Excel files.

• Release a certified iModel PowerBI Connector to enable direct data streaming for automated project dashboards and advanced analytics.