SmartPlant Foundation
Comprehensive Plant Technical Document Management Software
SmartPlant Foundation is an electronic technical document management solution within Hexagon's SmartPlant Enterprise suite. The product functions as an integration hub within an enterprise's information management architecture. The solution provides centralized management capabilities for all technical documentation of industrial facilities. The managed scope includes P&ID drawings, isometrics, equipment datasheets, technical specifications, and commissioning records.
Core Values of SmartPlant Foundation
Four core values that transform SmartPlant Foundation from a document storage tool into a strategic information management platform for industrial enterprises.
Single Source of Truth for All Project Documents
Eliminate duplicate data and ensure every user accesses the same accurate, up-to-date version.
- All technical documentation from every design discipline, contractor, and project phase is stored centrally on a single platform. Every user, from design engineers to project managers, accesses the same accurate and current data source.
- Automatic numbering and unified metadata management prevent duplicate documents or outdated versions from entering the system. Each document exists as a single authoritative copy, with all previous revisions preserved in a structured history.
- A standardized plant data structure can be reused across projects, building an organizational knowledge base that accumulates over time. Enterprises do not need to start from scratch when beginning a new project with similar characteristics.
Multi-System Connectivity Through Open Integration Architecture
Link SmartPlant Foundation with design tools, ERP, and project management systems in one unified ecosystem.
- SmartPlant Foundation serves as the integration hub, connecting seamlessly with products in the SmartPlant Enterprise suite, including SmartPlant 3D, SmartPlant P&ID, SmartPlant Electrical, and SmartPlant Instrumentation. Design data is automatically synchronized between these tools and the document management platform.
- The open architecture supports integration with third-party systems via APIs and web services. Commonly connected systems include SAP, Oracle Primavera, Microsoft Project, and other widely used ERP and project management platforms.
- Standardized data structures and cross-system migration protocols ensure information does not remain siloed. Any data change at a source system is accurately reflected across the entire ecosystem, increasing interoperability and reducing operational costs.
Transparent Control and Standards Compliance
Complete audit trails, structured approval processes, and compliance with ISO, OSHA, and API standards.
- Every action on a document is recorded in the audit log with detailed information about the user, timestamp, nature of the change, and the IP address used for access. This log cannot be edited or deleted, ensuring integrity for audit purposes.
- Multi-level document approval workflows are configured according to the project's actual organizational structure. Each approval tier has its own authority, from technical review to formal sign-off. The system sends automatic notifications to the next approver when a document completes the current level.
- SmartPlant Foundation supports compliance with international standards including ISO 15489 (Records Management), ISO 19650 (Information Management for Buildings and Civil Works), and OSHA and API regulatory requirements in the oil and gas and energy sectors. Compliance configurations can be adjusted to meet the specific regulations of each country and region.
Smart Search and Instant Retrieval
Multi-criteria search engine helps engineers find the right document on the first query.
- Full-text search engine scans all text content within PDF files, metadata fields, and document descriptions. Users can combine multiple search criteria simultaneously to narrow results precisely, even without knowing the exact document code.
- The search interface provides intuitive filters by document type, discipline, system, area, and approval status. Results are displayed in list or grid view, with summary information including title, version, status, and last update date.
- Saved search functionality allows users to store frequently used queries and receive automatic notifications when new documents match the saved criteria. This feature is especially useful for project managers who need to track document submission progress from multiple contractors.
Key Technical Features
Five core technical capabilities that enable SmartPlant Foundation to manage industrial project documents with precision, structure, and instant retrieval.
Automatic Numbering System and Metadata Management
- The automatic numbering system assigns a unique identifier to each document based on pre-configured enterprise rules. Numbering templates can be customized by document type, design discipline, project code, and implementation phase, completely eliminating duplication or numbering errors.
- Metadata management allows detailed attributes to be assigned to each document, including equipment tag, system, installation area, approval status, and current revision. Metadata fields are flexibly configured according to the specific management needs of each project.
- Built-in metadata fields conform to industry standards such as ISO 15489 and international naming conventions, helping enterprises meet internal and third-party audit requirements without complex additional configuration.
Hierarchical Plant Data Structure
- The Plant Breakdown Structure organizes documents across multiple tiers: from plant, area, system, and equipment unit down to individual tags. This structure accurately reflects both the physical layout and the logical arrangement of the facility.
- Each node in the hierarchy is linked to its corresponding technical document set, including drawings, datasheets, operating parameters, and acceptance records. When a user selects any equipment item, all related documents are displayed instantly.
- The data structure can be reused across projects with similar characteristics, reducing initial setup time and ensuring consistency in information organization across the enterprise's entire project portfolio.
Comprehensive Technical Document Management
- Document lifecycle management covers all stages: creation, data entry, editing, approval, issuance, archival, and final handover. Each stage is governed by a structured workflow process, ensuring documents pass through the correct approvers in the proper sequence.
- Check-in and check-out functionality manages concurrent multi-user access to the same document. When an engineer checks out a document for editing, it is temporarily locked, preventing version conflicts and ensuring data integrity.
- The transmittal management feature supports creating, tracking, and confirming receipt of document packages between EPC contractors and owner-operators. Every transmittal is recorded in detail, including the attached document list, submission date, and confirmation status.
Document Status and Change History Tracking
- Every document in the system is assigned a real-time status, such as "Draft," "Pending Approval," "Approved," "Issued," or "Superseded." Status is displayed visually on the interface, helping users grasp the current situation immediately without opening individual files.
- Version history records the complete editing trail, including the editor's identity, timestamp, nature of changes, and update rationale. This log serves internal audit purposes and meets regulatory compliance requirements from government oversight bodies.
- The version comparison feature allows two document revisions to be placed side by side to identify differences. This capability is particularly important in the Management of Change (MOC) process, helping assess the impact of changes before approval.
Advanced Technical Document Search and Retrieval
- The advanced search engine allows users to query documents using multiple simultaneous criteria: document code, equipment name, system, area, discipline, status, version, and date range. Results are returned quickly, even across databases containing hundreds of thousands of documents.
- Intelligent filters learn from user search behavior to suggest relevant filter criteria. Full-text content search supports scanning text inside PDF files as well as metadata fields, ensuring no related documents are missed.
- The search results interface displays key summary information directly in the listing, including title, version, status, and last update date. Users can open, download, or forward documents directly from search results without navigating through multiple menu layers.
Industries Served by SmartPlant Foundation
A technical document management solution suited for industries with demanding document control requirements and complex project information management needs.
Oil & Gas
Control design documentation from the FEED stage through commercial operation on upstream and downstream projects.
- Centrally manage all technical documentation from the FEED phase through commercial operation, including thousands of P&ID drawings, isometrics, layouts, and equipment datasheets, with automatic numbering and rigorous version control for each EPC package in oil and gas projects.
- Integrate directly with SmartPlant P&ID and SmartPlant 3D to automatically synchronize data between 3D models and the document management system, eliminating information discrepancies between mechanical, piping, and structural disciplines on offshore platform projects.
- Support Management of Change (MOC) processes with detailed change logs and multi-level approval workflows, meeting the stringent safety requirements of international oil and gas regulatory bodies and API standards.
Power & Energy
Organize multi-discipline design documentation and ensure regulatory compliance throughout the energy project lifecycle.
- Build a plant data structure organized by system and equipment hierarchy, enabling the management of hundreds of thousands of technical documents from multiple design disciplines (mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, civil), ensuring data consistency throughout the thermal power plant project lifecycle.
- Support multi-level document approval workflows with detailed change logs, meeting audit requirements from international and domestic energy regulatory organizations, including documentation requirements for critical equipment acceptance.
- Manage document handover between project phases (design, construction, commissioning, operation) using controlled electronic transmittals, reducing handover time and ensuring completeness of the as-built documentation package.
Chemical & Petrochemical
Control process safety documentation and operational records for facilities handling hazardous chemicals.
- Manage Process Safety Management (PSM) documentation including risk assessment reports, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), ensuring all safety documents are updated to the latest version and instantly retrievable for unannounced inspections.
- Support Management of Change (MOC) per OSHA PSM and API 750 standards, with multi-level approval workflows and impact assessments before implementing changes, reducing the risk of incidents from uncontrolled modifications at chemical facilities.
- Store and manage pressure equipment acceptance documentation as required by ASME and TCVN standards, including material records, welding certificates, and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) results, serving periodic inspection purposes.
Mining & Minerals
Control technical documentation for mining projects at remote locations with large data volumes.
- Provide a web-based interface that allows access to the document management system from anywhere, including mines in remote and isolated areas, requiring only an internet connection. Field engineers can look up drawings and technical documents directly on mobile devices.
- Manage large volumes of geological data, survey documents, and mine infrastructure design records, with a hierarchical data structure organized by mining zone, ore type, and project development phase, enabling fast and accurate retrieval.
- Integrate data between the document management system and mine design software, ensuring technical information remains synchronized between design drawings and management document records, reducing errors from inconsistent data.
Pharmaceutical & Food
Control validation records and GMP documentation to meet stringent quality management requirements.
- Manage validation documentation (IQ, OQ, PQ) for pharmaceutical production equipment and systems, with multi-level approval workflows and detailed change logs, meeting FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements and GMP standards for electronic document management.
- Maintain rigorous version control for Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), quality inspection guidelines, and production record forms, ensuring all production personnel use the correct, latest-approved version of every document.
- Support incident management and Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) processes with full history traceability, serving audit purposes for national pharmaceutical regulatory agencies and international certification bodies.
Frequently Asked Questions About SmartPlant Foundation
SmartPlant Foundation is purpose-built for the process industries (oil and gas, chemicals, energy). The product understands plant data structures, equipment hierarchies, and industry-specific document types such as P&IDs, isometrics, and datasheets. Standard document management software lacks the capability to manage documents by equipment hierarchy and integrate with 3D design tools.
The product integrates natively with the SmartPlant Enterprise tool suite, including SmartPlant 3D, SmartPlant P&ID, SmartPlant Electrical, and SmartPlant Instrumentation. Additionally, the system supports integration with third-party software through APIs and web services, including popular ERP and project management systems.
SmartPlant Foundation can be deployed for a single project or scaled to cover an enterprise’s entire project portfolio. The system supports everything from small projects with a few hundred documents to major programs containing millions of technical documents, with an architecture that scales according to need.
Yes. The system supports compliance with ISO 15489 (Records Management), ISO 19650 (Information Management), OSHA PSM, API, and related document management standards in the oil and gas, energy, and chemical industries. Compliance configurations can be adjusted to meet the specific regulations of each country.
Costs include software licenses, implementation services (configuration, data migration, training), and annual maintenance fees. Specific costs depend on the number of users, project scope, and customization level. Please contact TrueTech for a detailed quotation.
Yes. SmartPlant Foundation supports data migration from other document management systems, including digitized paper records. The migration process includes data quality checks, reclassification under the new structure, and integrity verification after import.
Contact TrueTech for SmartPlant Foundation Implementation Consulting
TrueTech's team of specialist engineers is ready to support you from current-state assessment through implementation and stable operations.
