Streamlining Door Schedules with BIM in DraftSight Premium

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Efficiently managing door schedules in building design projects is no small feat. Coordinating across massive datasets, ensuring accuracy, and maintaining flexibility throughout the project lifecycle can challenge even the most experienced professionals. However, with the tools provided by DraftSight Premium‘s BIM Module, users can streamline the entire process, from creating plan views to generating comprehensive door schedules.

This blog will guide you through the step-by-step process of creating and managing door schedules using DraftSight Premium, with a particular focus on its data extraction capabilities. Although the BIM module does not offer full automation, its mix of user control and advanced functionality makes it a reliable solution for professionals looking to optimize their workflows.

Why Are Door Schedules Critical in BIM Workflows? 

Door schedules are an integral component of any construction or renovation project. By listing all door details such as size, material, mark, and frame, they coordinate essential project information between architects, builders, and maintenance personnel. Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows aid in this process by embedding critical data directly within design elements, enabling faster updates and more accuracy.

While some BIM tools offer complete automation for schedule creation, DraftSight Premium takes a more nuanced approach. It allows for highly customizable and controlled data extraction, providing professionals with the flexibility to tailor schedules to specific project needs.

Key Steps for Creating Door Schedules with DraftSight BIM Module: 

1. Set Up Your Sheet Space and Plan Views 

The first step is to organize your project’s sheet space and set up the plan views.

  • Start by creating a blank file and naming your plan appropriately (e.g., “Level 1 Plan” for first-floor layouts).
  • Insert a title block onto your sheet to clearly display the project details, such as project name, drawing number, and date.
  • Place the plan view onto your sheet. Ensure the label placement and viewport adjustments are clean and professional for clarity.

You can easily make adjustments in DraftSight to ensure the visualization is simple, clear, and ready for further work.

2. Label Your Doors 

The next step is to label the doors. DraftSight uses data embedded within the BIM model for this. Here’s a simplified overview of how to label doors efficiently:

  • Select a door label block (for example, “Door Name Block”) that will be used throughout the project.
  • Use DraftSight’s “Label All Doors” command from the Annotate panel under the BIM tab to label all doors automatically.
  • Once labeled, save your file, and return to the parent file to synchronize updates.

Door labels integrate with plan views, and adjustments dynamically update across the model.

3. Create BIM Filters for Data Extraction 

Accurate schedule creation starts with applying appropriate filters to your BIM data. This ensures only relevant entities are included in the final schedule.

  • For door schedules, set the filter criteria to include only the doors you’re interested in including in your schedule, and save that filter.
  • Create multiple filters that can be reused across similar processes, especially when working on complex projects requiring multiple floor plans or schedules.

Filters provide much-needed precision and scalability as you scale projects across floors and sections.

4. Extract Data to Generate Door Schedules 

DraftSight’s data extraction utility plays an important role in populating door schedules. Follow these steps to extract the necessary data for your schedule:

  • Start by applying the BIM filter previously created so that only the doors on the first floor are considered for data extraction.
  • Create a DET (data extraction template) file. This file specifies data preferences for generating door schedules. Name your template (e.g., “Door Schedule Template”).
  • Define your data source. Choose the appropriate DWG file to pull relevant information, ensuring no unnecessary source files are included.
  • Use category filters (e.g., “Door Identity Data” or “Materials and Finishes”) to narrow down relevant properties.
  • Select only the essential columns for your schedule, like Mark, Height, Width, and Material.
  • Refine the organization by removing unnecessary parameters and sorting columns, such as arranging rows by door marks for easier readability.

By presenting only necessary data, your final door schedule becomes streamlined and highly efficient.

5. Insert Your Schedule into the Drawing 

DraftSight Premium gives you the flexibility to either embed the table directly into the drawing or export it externally (e.g., as a CSV file). Here’s how to integrate it as a drawing table:

  • Choose a style for your table, ranging from standard defaults to custom configurations.
  • Title your table appropriately (e.g., “Level 1 Door Schedule”) for easy identification in multi-floor projects.
  • Insert the table into the allocated space on your drawing sheet.

Additionally, use features like table breaks to ensure larger schedules fit neatly within the sheet layout, a helpful enhancement introduced in DraftSight 2025.

6. Replicate Schedules for Additional Floors 

With the framework established for the first-floor schedule, replicating the process for additional levels becomes significantly easier. Steps to replicate schedules are:

  • Modify the original BIM filter (e.g., change the criteria to “Second-Floor” for new door entities) and save it as a new filter for that floor.
  • Use the existing data extraction template for subsequent floors, skipping unnecessary steps, and quickly updating only the table title (e.g., “Level 2 Door Schedule”).
  • Insert the new schedule into its respective sheet.

The ability to repurpose filters and templates enhances consistency while reducing workload, especially for large-scale projects.

Benefits of DraftSight Premium for Door Schedules 

DraftSight Premium’s BIM module offers a reliable, flexible platform for managing door schedules. Key benefits include:

  • Customization: Tightly control what data appears in schedules, ensuring improved accuracy and relevance.
  • Flexibility: Switch between drawing-integrated tables and exportable external files like CSVs for easier sharing.
  • Reusability: Save filters and DET templates for fast replication throughout multi-floor or multi-building projects.
  • Scalability: Integrate DraftSight workflows into broader BIM processes for collaboration with designers, builders, and engineers.

DraftSight’s approach empowers users to tailor solutions that fit unique project requirements, without being limited by rigid frameworks.

Maximize Your Workflow with DraftSight Premium 

DraftSight Premium equips architects, designers, and engineers with powerful tools to streamline their BIM workflows, particularly in managing equipment and door schedules. By using its BIM filter and data extraction features, users can ensure their projects remain organized, accurate, and efficient.

Sign up for DraftSight Premium today and experience precision scheduling that aligns with your project goals.

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