How Do You Handle Outdated AutoCAD Drawings in a CAD to BIM Workflow?

[helenstar]

My go-to approach for handling outdated AutoCAD drawings is to review the CAD files first before bringing them into Revit as it saves a lot of headaches later. If the drawings are unreliable, I’ll cross-check them with site surveys, point clouds, or as-built documentation to fill in the gaps. Don't we all agree that dealing with outdated AutoCAD drawings in a CAD to BIM workflow is very frustrating! I’ve run into my fair share of missing dimensions, inconsistencies, and layers that are a complete mess. If the discrepancies are minor, I might adjust things directly in Revit, but for major issues, I prefer cleaning up the CAD files first. Importing bad data into BIM just creates more problems down the line. One time, an outdated CAD file completely mismatched the actual site, and we had to do a laser scan survey to get accurate measurements. It was extra work upfront, but it saved us from a huge mess later.

My biggest takeaway? Never trust a CAD file blindly! Always validate the data before converting, and if something seems off, double-check with the team or site conditions. How do you usually handle outdated CAD files in your workflow? I would love to hear other inputs.

 

[Laura_mr]

I completely agree—outdated AutoCAD drawings can be a nightmare in a CAD-to-BIM workflow. Your approach of reviewing and cleaning up CAD files before importing them into Revit is definitely the way to go. Importing messy or unreliable data straight into Revit often leads to bigger issues down the line, affecting accuracy and efficiency.


In my experience, if CAD files are questionable, cross-referencing them with as-built documentation, site surveys, or point clouds is essential. I’ve also seen cases where structural elements were misaligned in outdated CAD drawings, leading to significant coordination issues in Revit. When possible, I try to get the most recent and verified data before making any major modeling decisions.


Another key step is managing layers carefully—sometimes, AutoCAD files come with redundant or mislabeled layers that can clutter the Revit environment. Cleaning these up beforehand helps maintain a more organized workflow.


Ultimately, the best practice is exactly what you said: never trust a CAD file blindly. Validating the data before converting saves a ton of rework and frustration later.