Collaborating on AutoCAD Projects: File Sharing, eTransmit, and Design Review

Modern construction and engineering projects are collaborative by nature. An architect, structural engineer, MEP engineer, quantity surveyor, and specialist contractors may all need access to the same drawing files simultaneously or in sequence. Managing that coordination — ensuring everyone has the right files, at the right version, in a format they can use — is a discipline in itself.

AutoCAD provides several built-in tools specifically designed for multi-party collaboration: eTransmit for packaging drawings with all their dependencies, DWF/DWFx for creating reviewable drawing packages, and Sheet Set Manager for managing large projects. Beyond these, the landscape of cloud collaboration has expanded significantly, with Autodesk Docs and other platforms now deeply integrated with AutoCAD.

This guide covers the complete collaboration toolkit: from transmittal best practices through to structured design review workflows that allow non-CAD users to mark up and comment on drawings.

The Challenge of Sharing AutoCAD Files

Sharing a DWG file is not as simple as attaching it to an email. A typical drawing file has dependencies that must travel with it:

• External references (Xrefs): Referenced drawings that must be present in the correct relative location for the xrefs to load
• Fonts: Custom or specialist fonts used for text styles — if the recipient does not have them, AutoCAD substitutes a different font and the text layout changes
• Plot style tables: CTB or STB files that control how the drawing prints
• Custom linetype files: LIN files defining non-standard linetypes
• Custom hatch patterns: PAT files for specialist hatching
• Referenced images: Attached TIF, JPG, or PNG files

If you send only the DWG and the recipient is missing any of these, they get broken references, substituted fonts, and wrong-looking output. eTransmit addresses this systematically.

eTransmit: Packaging Drawings for Transmission

The eTransmit feature (available via the Application Menu → Publish → eTransmit, or by typing ETRANSMIT) collects a drawing and all its dependencies into a single package — either a folder or a ZIP file — ready for sending.

Running eTransmit

1. Open the drawing you want to transmit (or the sheet set if transmitting a whole project).
2. Type ETRANSMIT or go to the Application Menu → Publish → eTransmit.
3. The Create Transmittal dialogue shows:
   • The Files Tree tab: all files that will be included — the main drawing, all xrefs, fonts, images, and support files. Review this list carefully.
   • The Files Table tab: a flat list view with file paths.
4. Click Transmittal Setups to configure how the package is created:</n
   • Transmittal type: Folder (uncompressed), ZIP, or Self-Extracting EXE
   • Transmittal file folder: Where the package is saved
   • Transmittal file name: The name of the ZIP file
   • Path options: How file paths in the package are structured — keeping the original folder structure, or organising all files in one flat folder
   • Include options: Whether to include fonts, plot styles, and texture maps
   • Convert drawings to: The DWG version to save files as (important if the recipient uses an older AutoCAD version)
5. Click Add File if there are additional files to include (e.g., a PDF specification or a Word document).
6. Add transmittal notes in the Notes field — these appear in the transmittal report.
7. Click OK to create the package.

eTransmit creates a transmittal report (a text file listing all included files and the transmittal settings) in addition to the package itself. Include this report in any transmittal for the recipient’s reference.

Path Options in Transmittals

The path organisation in the transmittal is important:

• Use organised folder structure: Preserves the relative folder hierarchy from your project. Best for multi-discipline projects where the recipient will continue working with the files.
• Place all files in one folder: Puts everything in a single directory. Simpler but can cause issues if multiple xrefs have the same filename in different folders (rare but worth checking).
• Keep files and folders as is: Preserves absolute paths. Only works if the recipient has the same drive and folder structure — rarely useful for external transmission.

DWF and DWFx: The AutoCAD PDF Equivalent

DWF (Design Web Format) is Autodesk’s vector drawing format for sharing with people who do not have AutoCAD. DWFx is the later version, based on Microsoft’s XPS format and viewable in Windows without additional software (it opens in the XPS Viewer).

What DWF Provides That PDF Does Not

When you plot to DWF rather than PDF:

• Layer visibility: Recipients can turn layers on and off in Autodesk Design Review, filtering the drawing to see only relevant content
• Measurement tools: Calibrated to the drawing scale, allowing measurements to be taken directly from the DWF
• Markup tools: Redline annotation tools that create a separate markup layer without modifying the original drawing data
• 3D DWF: 3D models can be published to DWF, allowing interactive 3D viewing and navigation in Design Review
• Embedded properties: Block attributes and sheet metadata are preserved and searchable

For projects where clients or consultants need to interact with drawings (check dimensions, mark up changes, query areas) rather than just view them, DWF/DWFx is superior to PDF.

Creating a DWF from AutoCAD

1. Type PUBLISH or go to the Application Menu → Publish → Publish.
2. The Publish dialogue shows all sheets (layouts from open drawings). Add or remove sheets as needed.
3. Set Publish to: DWF or DWFx.
4. Click Publish Options to configure layer information, password protection, and resolution.
5. Click Publish. AutoCAD processes the sheets in the background.

Alternatively, use the DWG To PDF.pc3 plotter for PDF output when DWF’s additional features are not needed — PDFs are more universally viewable and are generally the preferred format for external communication.

Autodesk Design Review: Free Markup Software

Autodesk Design Review is a free application (available from Autodesk’s website) that opens DWF and DWFx files, providing markup, measurement, and reviewing tools without requiring a full AutoCAD licence.

Design Review Capabilities

• View drawings: Navigate multi-sheet DWF packages, zoom and pan, toggle layer visibility
• Measure: Measure distances, areas, and angles (the scale is calibrated from the drawing’s plot scale information)
• Mark up: Add redline annotations using a comprehensive set of tools: clouds, arrows, text notes, highlighted areas, stamps (APPROVED, FOR REVIEW, etc.)
• Comment: Add text comments attached to specific areas of the drawing
• Compare drawings: Overlay two DWF files and highlight differences — useful for checking what changed between revisions

Integrating Markups Back into AutoCAD

When a DWF is returned with markups from a reviewer:

1. In AutoCAD, attach the marked-up DWF as an underlay: Insert tab → Reference → Attach → select the DWF file.
2. The DWF appears in the drawing with markup annotations visible as a transparent underlay.
3. Work through the markups, making the corresponding changes to the actual DWG geometry.
4. When done, detach the DWF underlay.

This markup-and-integrate workflow is well-established in architectural and engineering practices. It allows clients and project managers to communicate drawing changes without requiring AutoCAD access.

Cloud Collaboration with Autodesk Docs

Autodesk Docs (formerly BIM 360 Docs) is a cloud platform for managing design files across large projects. AutoCAD 2023 and later include direct integration with Autodesk Docs through the Save to Cloud and Open from Cloud options in AutoCAD’s file dialogs.

Key Benefits

• Single source of truth: All project files live in one location accessible to all authorised team members
• Version control: Every upload creates a new version. Team members always see the current version, and historical versions are preserved
• Controlled access: Fine-grained permissions control who can view, download, and upload each file
• Issue tracking: Create and assign issues (change requests, clashes, RFIs) linked to specific drawing locations
• Mobile access: The AutoCAD mobile app and BIM 360 app allow field access to current drawings without carrying paper sets

Basic Autodesk Docs Workflow in AutoCAD

1. Sign in to Autodesk Account within AutoCAD (the account icon in the top-right corner).
2. When saving, choose Save to Cloud from the Application Menu and navigate to your Autodesk Docs project folder.
3. When opening a file, choose Open from Cloud to access files from your Autodesk Docs projects.
4. If another team member has the file open, AutoCAD will warn you. You can open a read-only copy or wait for them to close it.

Sheet Set Manager for Project Coordination

Sheet Set Manager (SSM) is AutoCAD’s built-in project management tool for multi-drawing projects. Open it with SHEETSET or from the View tab.

Creating a Sheet Set

1. In the Sheet Set Manager, click the dropdown arrow and select New Sheet Set.
2. Choose to create from existing drawings or start an example sheet set.
3. Name the sheet set and specify the project folder.
4. Add existing DWG files or create new sheet stubs.

Publishing the Complete Drawing Package

With all sheets in the sheet set, publishing the complete package is a single operation:

1. In the Sheet Set Manager, click the sheet set name to select all sheets.
2. Click the Publish dropdown and select Publish to DWF or Publish to PDF.
3. AutoCAD generates the complete package in one batch operation.

Common Document Control Practices

Professional practice in construction and engineering project management follows established document control procedures. Whether you are managing drawings yourself or working within a larger team structure, these practices apply:

• Issue registers: Maintain a log of every drawing issued, with issue date, revision, purpose of issue (for information, for approval, for construction, etc.), and recipient. Many practices use a spreadsheet; larger organisations use document management systems.
• Transmittal forms: Every drawing issue should be accompanied by a formal transmittal form listing the drawings issued, revision numbers, and purpose. eTransmit generates a basic transmittal report; formal transmittal forms are usually created separately.
• CDE (Common Data Environment): The NBS and UK BIM Framework advocate for a CDE — a single controlled environment where all project information is stored, managed, and shared. Autodesk Docs, Asite, and ProjectWise are common CDE platforms in the UK.
• File naming conventions: Follow the BS EN ISO 19650 naming conventions for BIM projects in the UK. For traditional AutoCAD-only projects, agree naming conventions at project inception and enforce them consistently.

Receiving and Working with Drawings from Third Parties

When receiving DWG files from other parties, a few precautions protect your work:

• Open in a clean session before allowing the content to interact with your drawings. Check for unusual named objects (suspicious linetypes, weird block names) that might indicate content contamination.
• Check the drawing units (UNITS command) and coordinate system before xrefing a received drawing. A survey delivered in metres when your drawing expects millimetres will produce a 1000:1 scale mismatch.
• Use XREF overlays rather than inserts for received drawings to keep their content isolated from your own layers and standards.
• PURGE received drawings before attaching them as xrefs — this removes unused layer definitions, text styles, and blocks that would otherwise import into your drawing’s namespace.

Conclusion

Effective collaboration in AutoCAD requires both technical tools and procedural discipline. The tools — eTransmit, DWF, Design Review, Sheet Set Manager, and Autodesk Docs — are mature and capable. The discipline — consistent naming, formal transmittals, controlled issue registers, and agreed folder structures — determines whether those tools produce reliable coordination or information chaos.

Investing time in setting up the right collaboration infrastructure at the start of a project (drawing templates, folder structure, issue register, naming conventions) eliminates most of the coordination headaches that arise mid-project. AutoCAD 2023–2026 is available from GetRenewedTech for £39.99 — a comprehensive platform for everything from single-user drawing production to coordinated multi-discipline project delivery.