Linking a CAD or PDF file

Overview

As you become more familiar with the Artcraft Revit workflow, we encourage you to begin new projects directly in Revit whenever possible. Starting a project in Revit from the beginning allows you to take full advantage of Building Information Modeling (BIM), including intelligent cabinet families, automatic schedules, coordinated views, and a streamlined Design-to-Order workflow.

However, there may be situations where you've already started a project in AutoCAD or have received an architectural floor plan in DWG format from a client, architect, or builder. In these cases, importing a CAD drawing into Revit can be an excellent way to transition an existing project into the Artcraft Revit workflow.

Importing an AutoCAD Drawing

To bring an AutoCAD drawing into Revit:

Open your Revit project.
Navigate to the Insert tab.
Select Import CAD (or Link CAD, depending on your preferred workflow).
Browse to the DWG file you wish to use.
Select the desired import settings and click Open.

Once imported, the CAD drawing can be used as a reference for laying out walls, placing cabinetry, and building your Revit model.

Why Import a CAD File?

Importing an existing AutoCAD drawing allows you to continue working on projects that have already begun without having to redraw the entire floor plan.

The CAD drawing becomes a reference beneath your Revit model, allowing you to trace walls, verify dimensions, and accurately position cabinetry while taking advantage of Revit's intelligent modeling tools.

Rather than continuing to draft in 2D, you'll be building a true 3D model that automatically generates plans, elevations, sections, schedules, and presentation views.

The Benefits of Transitioning to Revit

Once your CAD drawing has been imported, all new design work should be completed using native Revit elements and Artcraft cabinet families.

As you place Artcraft cabinets, you're no longer simply drawing geometry—you are creating an intelligent model that contains product information used throughout the design, scheduling, pricing, and ordering process.

This provides several important advantages:

Automatic generation of floor plans, elevations, sections, and 3D views from a single model.
Changes made anywhere in the model automatically update throughout every view.
Cabinet schedules are generated directly from the model, eliminating manual counting and data entry.
Cabinet information can be exported for use within Accolades, supporting a faster and more accurate quoting process.
Improved visualization through realistic 3D models and renderings, making it easier to identify design conflicts and communicate ideas with clients.

Best Practice

Importing a CAD drawing is an excellent way to transition existing projects into Revit.

However, for new projects, we recommend beginning directly in Revit whenever possible. This allows you to take full advantage of the Artcraft Design-to-Order workflow from the very beginning, eliminating unnecessary drafting steps and maximizing the benefits of intelligent modeling.

Think of an imported CAD file as a starting reference—not the final drawing. As your Revit model develops, it becomes the primary source of project information, providing the foundation for documentation, scheduling, pricing, and ultimately, ordering through Accolades.