Frequently Asked Questions

Feature / Benefit Standard SharePoint Online High-End EDMS CADtoWIN + SharePoint
Best Licensing Price Included in M365 (Low) Very High ($800+/user) Best Value ($150/user, volume licensing available)
Revit Central Models Not Supported / High Risk Full Support Full Support (Native Plugin)
AutoCAD Xrefs Frequent broken links Complex re-pathing tools Automatic Relative Mapping, automatic volume re-pathing
Convenience Uses your existing cloud Requires new servers/IT Zero New Infrastructure
Deployment Instant Months of Consulting Installs under one Minute per user, it can be automated
Platform Trust Microsoft Tier-1 Security Third-party niche security 100% Microsoft Ecosystem

CADtoWIN plugin can be installed on a computer with AutoCAD/Revit. CADtoWIN plugin is compatible with Autodesk vertical applications which use AutoCAD/Revit as base application. CADtoWIN connects to Microsoft SharePoint sites on premises or SharePoint Online for cloud connectivity.

For any other application there is a helper application that will allow to work with AutoCAD LT, Design Review, TrueView etc.

In CADtoWIN click on the Options button, under the “Check out” tab, there is and option “Use server draft location on this computer” select that one.

In CADtoWIN LT click on Options-Work Mode and select Offline.

Close your CAD application as indicated.

Using this option everytime you check-out a file it will be saved in the your local Draft location (by default it is C:\users\xxxx\Documents\SharePoint Draft where xxxx is your user name). You can open edit and save your files like any other file saved locally without the need to be connected to SharePoint or any other network.

Once you are ready to update you changes to the SharePoint central copy, click on the check-in button that should be available when the file is open and connected to the SharePoint network. After the transfer has been completed successfuly to SharePoint, your local copy will be erased to avoid having 2 copies of the file avoiding confusion.

Note, while doing this check-out operation, no one but you will have access to your changes, and they will not be able to edit the SharePoint file.

Once installed, help button is avalable in the application ribbon, inside dialogs and menus. Click on the next links to access general help.

CADtoWIN plugin for AutoCAD Help

CADtoWIN plugin for Revit Help

CADtoWIN LT Help

CADtoWIN plugin for BricsCAD Help

Yes, CADtoWIN plugin for AutoCAD allows you to insert, open, modify and manage external references saved in a SharePoint document library same way you do when they are stored locally or mapped to a network share. It will be like working as usual from your AutoCAD application. You can also use CADtoWIN to automatically remap your existing external references to a SharePoint document library location to start working on your project entirely from SharePoint.

CADtoWIN may need to clear some previous authentication credentials stored. Follow the next steps
1. Go to the Windows search and type internet options, open the control panel internet options dialog.
2. On the General tab, click the Delete button and select the Cookies and website data, hit the delete button.
3. On the Advanced tab, hit the Restore advanced settings button. Close this dialog.
4. On the Windows search, type %appdata% to open the user’s application data folder.
5. Delete the CADtoWIN folder.
6. Restart the CAD application or the CADtoWIN LT helper. Using the CADtoWIN open dialog, enter the SharePoint url address. It will prompt for credentials allowing site navigation

Basically, there are 2 ways to store external references:

Relative: This is the preferred method, because it makes much easier the transportability of your project. This means that you can copy all of your project content from SharePoint Services to any other place without worrying about losing visibility to your external references files. This is useful if you are planning to work offline, as you can copy all the files or the folder contents that you need to your local disk.

Absolute: This will fix your external reference to one location. It will give you less flexibility than the RELATIVE method, but allows the users from multiple servers to obtain the external reference files.

CADtoWIN Launcher for SharePoint Online Modern Views

The CADtoWIN Launcher extension allows users to launch files directly from SharePoint Online Modern Views into their desktop CAD applications using a centralized utility.

1. Deployment Overview

This extension is designed for high-efficiency environments. Please consider the following before deployment:

  • Pros: Easy tenant-wide installation; supports all modern web browsers.
  • Cons: Limited to SharePoint Online Modern views; requires one-time column configuration per document library.

2. Installation & Deployment Steps

Step 1: Download the Application Package

Download the application package from the link below. If the download does not start automatically, copy and paste the full URL into your browser address bar:

Download Link: CADtoWINAppLauncher.zip
Full URL: https://cadtowin.com/C2W/launcher/CADtoWINAppLauncher.zip

Step 2: Upload to the App Catalog

  1. Access your SharePoint Online Admin Center (typically https://yourtenantname-admin.sharepoint.com).
  2. Select Apps from the left menu, then navigate to the App Catalog.
  3. Upload the .sppkg file to the Apps for SharePoint section.
  4. When prompted, click Deploy to authorize the application across the tenant.

Step 3: Site Level Activation

  1. Navigate to your specific SharePoint site.
  2. Select Site Contents > Add an app.
  3. Locate and click on CADtoWIN-app-launcher to finalize the installation for that site.

Step 4: Configure Library Columns

To enable the launch link for users:

  1. Open your Document Library and navigate to Library Settings.
  2. Select “Add from existing site columns.”
  3. Find and add the “CADtoWIN Launcher” column. This column will now display the launch link for your CAD files.

3. Troubleshooting & Registry Calibration

If clicking the launch link does not trigger the “Allow” dialog, it usually indicates that the required registry keys were not created due to local permission restrictions.

To resolve this:

  1. Ensure the user is logged into Windows with Local Administrative rights.
  2. Locate your CAD application icon (AutoCAD, Revit, etc.).
  3. Hold the Shift key, right-click the icon, and select “Run as administrator.”
  4. Open a blank drawing and wait for the CADtoWIN interface to load.
  5. Close the CAD application and refresh your browser. The Launcher link should now function correctly.

Revit Worksharing with CADtoWIN

CADtoWIN enables collaborative Revit workflows by hosting Central Models (CM) directly on Microsoft SharePoint. By leveraging SharePoint’s native file-locking and versioning, the plugin allows teams to synchronize local copies using standard Revit tools.

1. Working with a Central Model (CM) in SharePoint

The plugin utilizes SharePoint’s ability to map Internet URLs to UNC (Universal Naming Convention) addresses that Revit supports.

UNC Path Conventions

To access SharePoint files via Revit, use the following address formats:

  • For Standard HTTP: \\servername\DavWWWRoot\site\DocumentLibrary
  • For Secure HTTPS (Recommended): \\servername@SSL\DavWWWRoot\site\DocumentLibrary

Example: If your Central Model is located at:
https://mytenant.sharepoint.com/mySite/DocumentLibrary/myCM.rvt

The corresponding UNC address for Revit would be:
\\mytenant.sharepoint.com@SSL\DavWWWRoot\site\DocumentLibrary\myCM.rvt

Critical Considerations

  • Performance & Environment: While we have validated the stability of this worksharing solution, performance varies based on network latency and the number of concurrent users. We recommend testing this workflow within your specific environment.
  • Synchronization Logic: Sync requests are processed sequentially. To prevent file corruption, CADtoWIN automatically locks the CM file using SharePoint’s check-in/out controls during a sync.
  • Handling Collisions: If two users attempt to sync simultaneously, the second user may receive an error and will need to retry once the first transaction is complete.
  • Manual Locks: If a user manually checks out the CM in SharePoint, the file is exclusively locked. Other team members will be unable to sync their local copies until the lock is released.
  • Monitoring: You can use the standard Revit Worksharing Monitor to track progress and coordinate synchronization among team members.

2. Plugin Configuration & Features

  • Activation: To enable these features, navigate to Options > User Preferences and check “Enable Worksharing.”
  • Creating a Central Model: The CADtoWIN Save dialog includes the option “Create a central model after saving.” This is enabled by default when saving a Revit file to a SharePoint folder.
  • Creating Local Copies: When opening a CM from SharePoint, a dialog will appear with the “Create New Local” option.
    • This creates a local copy in your Revit-defined default path.
    • If a local copy already exists, you will be prompted with standard Revit overwrite/append options.
    • Note: To preserve worksharing integrity, the plugin prevents users from modifying the Central Model file directly.

3. Using Standard Revit Dialogs

While CADtoWIN provides specialized tools, you may continue to use the native Revit Open/Save dialogs by entering the SharePoint UNC address. CADtoWIN operates in the background to manage SharePoint authentication and file-locking protocols.

4. Linked and Imported Files

You can link SharePoint-hosted files into your Revit project using the UNC addresses mentioned above.

  • Shortcuts: The CADtoWIN Options dialog provides a utility to create UNC shortcuts under “This PC” in Windows Explorer for easier navigation.
  • Safety Recommendation: We recommend linking files as Read-Only. Modifying a linked file directly from a host document is not advised, as it bypasses SharePoint’s lock controls. To edit a link, open it as a standalone file using the CADtoWIN Open dialog.

5. Known Limitations

  • Restoring Versions: Restoring a previous version of a CM via SharePoint history will result in a “disconnected” file. To resume worksharing, you must open the restored file, use the “Create a central model after saving” option, and have all users regenerate their local copies.
  • Data Integrity: As with any network-based worksharing, maintain Revit best practices to avoid bottlenecks. If a file becomes inaccessible, use the Collaborate > Manage Models > Repair Central Model tool within Revit.

Working with AutoCAD Sheet Sets (DST) in SharePoint

AutoCAD Sheet Sets can be managed within SharePoint by utilizing UNC (Universal Naming Convention) addresses. This allows your .dst files to correctly reference drawing layouts stored in the cloud while maintaining a collaborative environment.

1. Setup Instructions

To use SharePoint UNC addresses with the AutoCAD Sheet Set Manager (SSM), please follow these steps:

  1. Verify Access: Ensure you have active access to the target SharePoint site through the CADtoWIN plugin.
  2. Create a Network Shortcut:
    • Open the CADtoWIN Options menu.
    • Under the User Preferences tab, click “Add a SharePoint network share.”
    • This creates a UNC shortcut available under “This PC” in your Windows File Explorer.
  3. Import Layouts:
    • Open the Sheet Set Manager (SSM) in AutoCAD.
    • Right-click a sheet group and select Import Layout as Sheet.
    • Browse to “This PC” and navigate through the SharePoint shortcut to your document library.
  4. Initial File Opening:
    • Right-click a sheet and select Open.
    • If AutoCAD prompts you to “Recover” the file, check the box and proceed. This is a one-time step to calibrate the path.

2. Data Protection & Lock Control

When opening a drawing via the Sheet Set Manager, CADtoWIN automatically recognizes the SharePoint source and applies the necessary lock controls.

Important Usage Notes

  • Permission-Based Access: SharePoint permissions are enforced globally. Whether you select “Open” or “Open Read-Only” in AutoCAD, your specific SharePoint user rights will dictate your ability to save changes.
  • Avoid Direct UNC Access: Crucial: Do not open drawing files directly through Windows Explorer using the UNC links. Opening files outside of the SSM or the CADtoWIN interface bypasses the SharePoint lock control, which may lead to file corruption.
  • Managed Session: Always use the Sheet Set Manager or the CADtoWIN “Open” dialog to ensure your session is protected by the synchronization engine.

Yes. CADtoWIN offers a search engine or search interface to SharePoint, so you can look for CAD files in SharePoint within AutoCAD or Revit or using the CADtoWIN LT helper. By organizing your custom metadata fields and filling in the drawing information using CADtoWIN, you can find your CAD files according to their properties.

Yes, CADtoWIN synchronize your AutoCAD drawing title block metadata with its corresponding SharePoint one. This will allow title block attribute search support by SharePoint.

The CADtoWIN software only needs to be installed at the user computer, no need to install or configure any component at the SharePoint server side to start using it. Installation is very easy and it takes less than a minute per user. For large number of users, CADtoWIN can be installed silently and remotely.

Case Study: High-Volume Drawing Migration to SharePoint

This case study highlights a large-scale integration project delivered in collaboration with Business IT for a major energy sector client, demonstrating the power of CADtoWIN in enterprise-level data migrations.

1. Project Background

In late 2019, an oil company in Ecuador required the migration of over 120,000 AutoCAD drawings from legacy network shares to Microsoft SharePoint. The technical challenge involved reading title block data from each drawing and mapping it accurately to specific SharePoint properties.

The Challenge

  • Volume: 120,000+ AutoCAD drawings.
  • Data Integrity: Automated extraction and mapping of title block attributes to SharePoint metadata.
  • Timeline: Initial estimates predicted approximately 240 work hours, including quality control revisions.

2. Solutions & Services Delivered

CADtoWIN provided the core software, customized automation, and technical training necessary to execute this migration at scale.

  • Custom Automation: Developed a specialized AutoCAD .NET plugin to automate the migration and property mapping.
  • Quality Control: Implemented automated error reporting to identify and flag inconsistencies during the batch process.
  • Support & Training: Provided comprehensive operation manuals and training for Business IT personnel, supplemented by ongoing technical support.

3. Results and Impact

The project significantly outperformed initial time estimates while maintaining a high standard of data accuracy.

  • Rapid Delivery: The migration of the first 120,000 drawings was completed in just two weeks—finishing much earlier than projected.
  • High Accuracy: Achieved a reprocessing rate of less than 1%.
  • Scalability: Following the success of the initial phase, a second batch of 120,000+ drawings was commissioned for migration in late 2022.

4. Technical Lessons & Best Practices

Post-migration support identified that metadata transfer issues are often caused by discrepancies between title block attribute tag names and SharePoint property fields. Ensuring these names match is a critical requirement for automated synchronization success.

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