Best Practices for Layer Management in Large AutoCAD Projects

[Aria James]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm working on a large-scale architectural drawing in AutoCAD, and it's starting to get pretty cluttered. I’ve been using layers to separate different elements like electrical, plumbing, and structural components, but managing them efficiently is starting to feel overwhelming especially when collaborating with others.

I’d love to hear how you manage layers in big projects:

Do you follow a specific naming convention or structure?

How do you handle layer states when sending files to clients or collaborators?

Any tips for keeping things clean and avoiding layer overload?

I’m relatively experienced but still refining my workflow, so any advice or resources would be awesome.

 

Some references I’ve been checking out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md2UtQ3utRw

https://www.theengineeringprojects.com/2023/08/introduction-to-autocad.html

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad

https://autocadtips1.com/

 

Thanks in advance — this forum has already helped me out a lot!

[SLW210]

Welcome to CADTutor!

 

I have moved your thread to the CAD Management Forum. Please post in the most appropriate Forum.

 

All of your links but the last one are dead ends.

 

I use similar to this when I do Architecture drawings or usually when I use AutoCAD Architecture, I use the layers that it creates for which objects I am creating.

 

Standard CAD Layers for Architectural Drawings

 

Are you using AutoCAD Architecture or just vanilla AutoCAD?

[BIGAL]

Great information by @SLW210, whilst I worked CIVIL similar request use standard layer names. We had some state Authorities with a massive layers to be used document.

 

One thing to look at is draw objects not say 4 lines on any layer for a wall, the reason I say that is if you have a draw wall lisp etc then all objects are on correct layers. So also use  blocks which again have all the objects on correct layers. Everything in this image was drawn using a house lisp. All objects are on correct layers, as an example the walls are 4 layers. Have your dim and text styles set up for correct layers. Again a menu or mini lisp functions eg "D25" will be text style 2.5 high and on "Dim25" layer.

 

 

One world wide company that I had involvement with had a huge custom menu so the dwg's produced were to company standards. You picked an object to draw from the menu.

 

One thing you can do is export all your layers info out to say Excel easier to make copies of say a few characters adding correct suffix then import back into a DWT. Its also handy if you do a purge and want all the layers back again. 

 

I am sure others will comment about "layer standards" function.

[tombu]

Layer states are saved in the drawings so anyone you share them with will have access to them as well.

Following standard naming conventions allows you to use standard layer filters to avoid layer overload by displaying only the group of layers in the layer manager related to your current task.

Having all your layers, layer states and layer filters set up in your templates results in faster workflow and less mistakes.