Why AutoCAD Files Just Don't Work in Revit

Yes, its true:  AutoCAD .DWG files just don't work in Revit.  You can import a .DWG file into Revit, but you won't be pleased with the results.

Because of this, it's recommended that you don't send your customer, who uses Revit, your AutoCAD files.  Watch the video above to see why...

This is the challenge that manufacturers face: they offer symbols, but the majority of them are .DWG files (the most common AutoCAD file type).  This is great for your customers who use AutoCAD, but not so good for Revit users.

Your customers who want to interact with your products in Revit, won't like the fact that they have to insert a .DWG file into their precious design.  

Here are a two additional reasons your Revit design customers won't insert your AutoCAD .DWG files into their Revit projects:

1. AutoCAD .DWG files are HEAVY in Revit

Revit users often work on large scale projects.  Their designs could include entire buildings or floors, so .DWG files are not ideal.

Because .DWG files were not meant to reside in Revit projects, they are "heavy." 

This means that they slow down the Revit software, include too much detail, and are not parametric (the ability for users to turn product options on and off).  

In short, they're not made for Revit and don't allow the user to experience the best functionality that Revit can offer.  

Imagine adding a table and a chair 30 or 40 times into an entire Revit floor using clunky .DWG files. Your Revit project would come to a stand still.

The end result is a computer that crashes and an unhappy customer.

2.  AutoCAD .DWG files are not flexible in Revit

As we have shown in the above video, .DWG files used in Revit are inflexible and stiff.  

Let's say you've created a furniture typical configuration in AutoCAD and you then import it into Revit.  If your customer who uses Revit wants to make a change, they will struggle to adjust the model in Revit.  

The .DWG file in Revit imports just as you created it in AutoCAD and cannot be moved or easily broken apart.  The entire typical is essentially a stiff, unmovable block that slows down your customer's Revit project.

Also, .DWG files that are imported into Revit lose all "data," meaning that any specification information that the .DWG file contained will not show in Revit.

In conclusion: it's not a good idea to offer your AutoCAD files to a Revit user.  Give them the Revit version of your products they need, and they'll place an order.