As a follow-up to my previous blog, we have all the content that was available in Autodesk Civil 3D: Fundamentals now in two new learning guides called Essentials and Beyond the Basics. You can view my previous blogs here:
1. Civil 3D Fundamentals: The breakup!
2. Introducing Autodesk Civil 3D 2023: Essentials
My focus in this blog will be on the content within Beyond the Basics and what you can expect from this new guide.  
The Autodesk Civil 3D 2023: Beyond the Basics learning guide is geared towards more advanced users of Civil 3D and is designed to be taught over two days. As with the Essentials guide, a working knowledge of the AutoCAD software and the computer’s operating system plus a basic understanding of civil terminology and concepts is recommended. Having completed the Essentials guide is NOT a requirement if users already have knowledge of Civil 3D, as many existing Civil 3D users can benefit from this learning content to “go beyond the basics.”
The Autodesk Civil 3D 2023: Beyond the Basics guide is geared towards sharpening the skills of the more seasoned Civil 3D users in various aspects of the software and contains the following chapters:
- Civil 3D Styles and Settings
- Project Management
- Parcels
- Surfaces – Beyond the Basics
- Corridors – Beyond the Basics (now includes Mass Haul Diagram)
- Pipes – Beyond the Basics (now includes multiple materials in Pressure Parts list)
- Sheet Set Manager
- Quantity Takeoff and Visualization
Unlike the Essentials guide (or the previous Fundamentals guide), the practices within the Beyond the Basics guide are NOT continuous and do not offer a consistent workflow. This is due to the “beyond the basics” nature of this material, where select offerings of intermediate topics are covered in a more isolated practice environment. However, the practices still make use of the same site and fictional projects that are used within the Essentials course, so there is some continuity.
The content and the practices in this guide are from the Autodesk Civil 3D 2022: Fundamentals book, so if you are familiar with it, this new Beyond the Basics guide will also feel familiar. The following are some of the major changes introduced this year:
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The Surfaces chapter goes through different surface creation methods, from using contours or GIS data to using a point cloud. It also explains how to create a 3D solid from the surface.
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The Corridors chapter covers how to manage assemblies within a Civil 3D project. It also builds a roundabout and superimposes profiles. A Mass Haul Diagram is created in one of the practices.
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In another practice, a Pressure Network Parts List is created that contains multiple catalogs for different materials, allowing for one pressure network to have a combination of parts with different materials.
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Appurtenances are added to a pressure pipe network and tools are examined for editing such appurtenances.
With the Essentials learning guide now covering the basics, it can serve as a foundation upon which other more complex guides can be based. This Beyond the Basics guide is an example of such a learning guide this year, paving the way for specialized, targeted Civil 3D guides to be developed for specific industry workflows involving Civil 3D and other Autodesk programs.
I hope you enjoy this new Civil 3D Beyond the Basics guide and I look forward to hearing how this new format works for you! 
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