Industry Standard for Drafting and Designing
Updated May 09, 2022

Industry Standard for Drafting and Designing

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with AutoCAD

We use AutoCAD for making changes and additions to existing jobs as it was our legacy software before we switched to Visio. We have over 4,000 jobs with multiple AutoCAD files so it's a pretty extensive database, complete with customized templates for our equipment and controls. We use it for the design and creation of HVAC control drawings.
  • 2D drawing
  • Ability to run macros and custom templates.
  • User friendly interface.
  • Shortcut keys for legacy users who learned without using the mouse for everything.
  • Does not integrate changes across multiple files.
  • Does not compile data across multiple files.
  • Some menu options are from older versions and could be reorganized better.
  • Best product available for handling legacy DWG. files
  • Ability to use templates.
  • Ability to use plugins like bluebeam for compiling drawings.
  • Saves us time when working with existing projects vs. converting them to different software.
  • AutoCAD keeps our legacy jobs editable and improves customer retention.
  • New single license increases the cost over discontinued server licensing.
All of the alternatives above work well if you are starting from scratch and are in the market for new software. DraftSight is no longer free. If you have any legacy AutoCAD drawings you are going to encounter problems as we did. Sometimes old files won't open or save correctly. Sometimes not all of the data comes with the file. When you open them, layers, templates, etc. are missing. Plot configurations don't line up if you need to use a large plotter vs just a small printer.

Do you think AutoCAD delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with AutoCAD's feature set?

Yes

Did AutoCAD live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of AutoCAD go as expected?

I wasn't involved with the implementation phase

Would you buy AutoCAD again?

Yes

If you are heavily invested in 2D design or need to make simple shop drawings or manufacturing of less complex parts, AutoCAD would be a good choice. It also works well for sketching ideas and is fairly customizable. You can build templates and run macros to suit your needs although there are better options out there for that specifically. If you are wanting 3d in any form, you will be disappointed with AutoCAD's capabilities.