If you want to implement Autocad MEP in your company there are lots of things to consider. You should  first consider the training, the learning curve of the autocad technician, the training strategies you will apply and importantly the CAD Filing structure and how you will manage your autocad library.

Cad filing structure is very important specially if your team is involved in differernt projects. When you have thousands of projects, consisting of thousands of drawings you will realize the proper filing and cad drawing and reference control is a must. Because good structure in filing your autocad drawings will save time in archiving, controlling and accessing the files you need to retrieve.

Here is a typical cad filing structure I proposed and implemented in our Engineering Department.

Typical CAD Filing Structure:

1. CAD Main Folder.
2. Folder alloted for files management & administration of CADD Engineering Department.
3. Key Performance Indicator Folder
4. Monthly Report monitoring files storage.
5. Folder for acad drawings, autocad blocks, common drawings & system file for Autocad MEP (previously ABS) & CADD related software.
6. Location of standard CADD drawings.
7. HVAC, ELEC, PLUMBING & ARCHITECTURAL Autocad MEP (ABS) mvpartS & catalog location
8. AutoCad blocks, ACAD title block location
9. Storage for standard logo of client, consultant.
10. Designated folder for any autodesk upgrade, utilities, patch, fixes
11. Default MEP styles & template location, including the autocad lisp routine & special script used for Autocad MEP (ABS) & Autocad
12. Information Center. Common problems resolved, tips, productivity hints including the Engineering webpage for any Cad Update & New technology
13. Folder for Data and Drawing control management and monitoring
14. Monitoring Files & drawing logs
15. Important information from client / consultant about the project
16. Drawing request receiving and outgoing monitoring.
17. Submittals and other reports, monthly, weekly as per project summary
18. Project Folder – all projects subdivided according to project index.
19. Project subfolder that have the project code and short description as a folder name for quick and easy reference.
20. Subfolder of project designated to store all the CAD drawings subdivided in four categories (construct, elements, views & sheets)
21. Constructs. Main drawing / shop drawing designed separately per services.
22. Drawing storage for Architectural discipline
23. Subparts related to Architectural as per client’s requirement.
24. Construct folder for Electrical
25. Subfolder storage for Electrical
26. HVAC drawing storage (contains subfolder related to HVAC)
27. PLUMBING drawing storage (contains subfolder related to HVAC)
28. This is one folder that consist of per project auto cad block, autocad title block, standard drawings used repeatedly on the entire project (Typical drawings, templates, special blocks..etc)
29. This is where the plot sheets are located. Composed of drawing xref’ed to views for publication, printing either by hard copy or softcopy.
30. Views, elevations, schedules xref’ed to construct. This is subdivided per discipline and may have subfolder depending on the nature of the project.
31. Any e-mail, communication correspondense important to the project – external / internal
32. Other files, drawings, or reference useful for a particular project.
33. Specifications of parts/ equipment. These are commonly scanned & soft copy of the parts specficiations provided by client
34. Transmital folder for files use to track the rawing receiving , submission, logs commitment up to completion of the project.

Shown in the Figure above is a sample of standard CADD filing structure and the coding index I implemented in our CADD/Engineering Department. I also set special permission on specific folder (per discipline) so user can customize the subfolders provided they have access on it. By default, each folder is configured per user with the permission / security applied

Under the project folder, folder creation and management is automatically generated using the Autocad MEP project navigator & project browser. It is recommended to use the project browser in creating subfolder ( if the user is permitted) in order not to mess up with the xrefing of drawing files, and folder indexing.