How to Migrate Your CAD Files Between Different Autodesk Applications

No project exists in a single application silo. An architectural project typically begins in AutoCAD for site planning, moves to Revit for the building model, requires Civil 3D for the surrounding infrastructure, may need Inventor or Fusion 360 for bespoke metal fabrication details, and ends with drawings exported in formats consumed by quantity surveyors, structural engineers, and contractors using entirely different software. Managing this complexity — transferring data between applications without losing geometry, properties, or the relationships that make the data useful — is one of the practical skills that distinguishes experienced professionals from novices.

This guide covers the most common CAD file migration scenarios between Autodesk applications, explaining what transfers cleanly, what gets lost in translation, and how to minimise data loss at each step.

The Autodesk File Ecosystem: Understanding the Formats

Before attempting any file transfer, it helps to understand the native formats involved and what they represent:

DWG (AutoCAD Drawing) — The universal language of CAD. DWG is AutoCAD’s native format and the de facto standard for 2D and basic 3D CAD exchange. Nearly every CAD application reads and writes DWG. However, DWG is geometry-focused: it stores lines, arcs, text, and blocks, but has no inherent concept of building elements, material properties, or parametric relationships.

RVT (Revit Project) — Revit’s native format, containing the full BIM data model: building elements with their parameters, families, views, sheets, schedules, and workset information. RVT files are not interoperable with non-Revit software in their native form; exchange to other systems requires export to a neutral format.

IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) — The open standard for BIM data exchange. IFC is not tied to any vendor and is the format used when Revit data must be shared with software like ARCHICAD, Tekla, or SolidWorks. IFC export from Revit preserves building element types, materials, and many property sets, though it does not preserve Revit’s parametric intelligence.

IPT/IAM (Inventor Part/Assembly) — Inventor’s native formats for individual parts and assemblies. IPT and IAM files are mechanical CAD formats; they contain precise parametric geometry and features but are not intended for architectural or civil exchange.

F3D/F3Z (Fusion 360) — Fusion 360’s project format, containing parametric history, assemblies, and design versions. Like Inventor files, these are mechanical CAD formats with limited direct interoperability with architectural tools.

DWF/DWFx (Design Web Format) — Autodesk’s publishing format for sharing 2D and 3D design data with reviewers who do not have CAD software. DWF preserves visual fidelity and allows mark-up and measurement but does not allow editing.

Exporting from AutoCAD to Revit

Importing AutoCAD drawings into Revit is one of the most common migration tasks in architectural practice — when an existing building is documented in AutoCAD and needs to be modelled in Revit for a renovation or extension project.

The process has two distinct approaches, each appropriate in different situations:

Linking (not importing): In Revit, go to Insert > Link CAD and select your DWG file. This creates a live link to the AutoCAD file — if the DWG file is updated, Revit can reload the link to reflect the changes. Linked DWG files appear in Revit as reference geometry; they can be used as a backdrop for modelling but cannot be edited within Revit. Use linking when the DWG will continue to be updated by AutoCAD users, or when you only need the drawing as a reference to trace.

Importing: Insert > Import CAD imports the DWG content directly into the Revit model. Imported content is static — changes to the source DWG are not reflected. Import is appropriate when the DWG is a final as-built survey or a static reference that will not change.

Key settings during CAD import/link in Revit:

• Current view only: Checking this imports the DWG as 2D reference geometry in the current view rather than as 3D model content. Use this for floor plans used as reference under your Revit model.
• Positioning: Origin to origin — Aligns the DWG’s 0,0,0 origin with Revit’s origin. This works correctly if the DWG was drawn with the project near the origin. For large coordinates (easting/northing survey coordinates), use “Shared coordinates” instead.
• Layer handling: Choose which DWG layers to import and how to map them to Revit visibility settings.

What transfers cleanly: Lines, polylines, arcs, circles, text, blocks (as symbols), hatching, and layer structure.

What does not transfer: Parametric dimensions, AutoCAD external references (XREFs — these must be linked separately), OLE objects, and any 3D geometry more complex than extruded 2D shapes.

Exporting from Revit to AutoCAD

Revit’s AutoCAD export is used constantly in collaborative projects — quantity surveyors, structural engineers, and contractors often request DWG drawings because they use AutoCAD or related applications. The export is via File > Export > CAD Formats > DWG.

Before exporting, configure the DWG export settings (the gear icon in the export dialogue) to control:

• Layers and properties: How Revit categories map to AutoCAD layers. The default mapping is workable, but projects with specific layer standards (such as BS 1192 or AIA) should configure layer mapping to match.
• DWG version: The AutoCAD version format for the output. If your recipients use AutoCAD 2018, export as DWG 2018 or earlier. Exporting a DWG that is newer than the recipient’s AutoCAD version causes compatibility problems.
• Coordinate system: Internal origin, project base point, or survey point. For engineering coordination, shared coordinates are typically appropriate.
• Export scope: Current view, visible views/sheets, or all views/sheets.

What exports cleanly: Lines, text, dimensions, filled regions, hatching, and plan/elevation/section geometry.

What becomes flat geometry: All Revit 3D intelligence — walls, floors, doors, windows — becomes 2D linework in the exported DWG. The parametric relationships, material properties, and BIM metadata are lost. The exported DWG is a snapshot of the view at the time of export.

Revit to IFC: Open Standard Exchange

When Revit data needs to go to non-Autodesk BIM applications — ARCHICAD, Tekla Structures, BIMcollab, or structural analysis software like Robot Structural Analysis — IFC is the appropriate exchange format.

Export via File > Export > IFC. The IFC export dialogue allows configuration of:

• IFC version: IFC 2×3 is the most widely supported. IFC 4 offers improved capabilities but has less widespread software support. Check what version your recipient’s software expects.
• Space boundaries: Include space boundary information for energy analysis workflows.
• IFC property sets: Configure which Revit parameters are exported as IFC property sets. Custom parameter mapping may be needed to ensure project-specific information transfers.

IFC export quality has improved significantly in recent Revit versions, but some loss of information is inherent in any translation between different data models. Always verify the exported IFC in a viewer (Autodesk’s own Autodesk Viewer, or BIMvision for a free dedicated IFC viewer) before sending to a collaborator.

AutoCAD to Civil 3D: Working with Existing Survey Data

Survey drawings often arrive as AutoCAD DWG files containing point blocks or polylines representing survey data. Migrating this into Civil 3D’s intelligent object format is a common requirement for civil engineers starting a new project.

For point data, Civil 3D can import points from the point blocks in an AutoCAD drawing (using the Point Cloud from Objects workflow), from CSV or text files containing X,Y,Z coordinates, or from survey formats like LandXML. Once imported as Civil 3D Point objects, they can be used to create a TIN surface that models the terrain.

For contour lines or polylines representing existing terrain, Civil 3D can create a surface from these using the Add Contour Data workflow (within a surface’s definition). This generates a TIN surface from the elevation information encoded in the contour lines.

A critical step when working with survey data in Civil 3D is verifying the coordinate system. Surveys in the UK are typically in Ordnance Survey National Grid coordinates (British National Grid, OSGB36, or OS coordinates in metres). If the coordinates are large (eastings of 300,000–600,000 for England), ensure Civil 3D is configured with the correct coordinate system to avoid precision issues from working far from the origin.

Inventor and Fusion 360 to AutoCAD

Mechanical assemblies designed in Inventor or Fusion 360 sometimes need to be incorporated into AutoCAD drawings — for example, bespoke metalwork designed in Inventor being incorporated into an architectural DWG package.

From Inventor: Inventor can export 2D drawing views to DWG directly through its drawing environment (File > Export > Export as DWG). The 2D views export as standard AutoCAD geometry. Inventor can also export 3D geometry to DWG as 3D solids (File > Save As > DWG), which AutoCAD can use as 3D reference geometry.

From Fusion 360: Fusion 360 exports to DWG from the drawing environment (for 2D views) or as STEP/IGES for 3D geometry exchange. AutoCAD can import STEP files (Insert > 3D Model) as solid bodies, though the parametric history is not preserved.

STEP and IGES: The Common Bridge

When transferring 3D geometry between applications that do not share native format support, STEP (ISO 10303) and IGES are the standard neutral formats. All major Autodesk applications support STEP export and import:

• Inventor: File > Export > STEP (for 3D geometry), or File > Save As > STEP
• Fusion 360: File > Export, select .step or .stp format
• AutoCAD: Insert > 3D Model to import STEP files

STEP transfers the final solid geometry accurately but loses parametric history, feature trees, and constraints. It is appropriate for sharing geometry that will be used as static reference rather than actively modified in the recipient application.

Managing File Migration in a Project Team

In a professional project team, file migration needs to be systematic rather than ad hoc. Establish clear protocols:

• Version standards: Define the file format version used for all exchange — for example, “DWG 2018 as standard for all CAD exchanges, IFC 2×3 for all BIM exchanges”
• Coordinate system documentation: Record the project coordinate system at the outset and ensure all applications are configured to use it
• Layer and category standards: Configure export/import settings to map your project’s layer standard consistently across exchanges
• Version history: Maintain clear naming conventions for exported exchange files, including version numbers and dates

Having access to the full range of Autodesk applications is clearly beneficial when managing complex file exchange workflows. The Autodesk AEC Collection, available at £149.99 from GetRenewedTech, includes AutoCAD, Revit, and Civil 3D in a single package, eliminating application-level gaps in your workflow. Individual applications including AutoCAD, Revit, and Civil 3D are each available at £39.99.

Conclusion

CAD file migration is an unavoidable part of professional design practice. Understanding what each format preserves and what it discards — and configuring export settings appropriately for each exchange scenario — is the difference between clean data handoffs and frustrated recipients spending hours fixing corrupted geometry. The general principle is: use native formats within an application or workflow, use IFC for BIM data exchange with non-Autodesk applications, use DWG for 2D and basic 3D drawing exchange, and use STEP for neutral 3D geometry transfer between mechanical CAD applications.