CAD/BIM Tips & Tricks
Automation Tools To Support CAD and BIM in the AEC Industry
29 September 2025
Depending on how long you’ve been in the AEC industry — or how many tales you’ve heard told — you may remember the days of line-by-line CAD drafting, repetitive data entry and time-consuming edits and repairs. Now, with decades of near-continuous modernization of platforms like MicroStation®, Revit® and AutoCAD®, line-by-line drafting is no longer the norm (and may soon be extinct). Yet, the irksome repetitive tasks linger like a bad odor, forcing architects, engineers and designers to waste time on menial manual tasks when they could be devoting their time and energy to the creativity they were born to share with the world.
The AEC industry currently stands on the brink of a new era. Automation — not just a productivity booster but a strategic necessity involving smart software — is reshaping architecture, engineering and construction workflows.
Imagine a project where Excel® schedules sync flawlessly into Revit, where title blocks across hundreds of DWGs update instantly and where corrupted DGN files spring back to life with just a couple of clicks. Now, you can have it all.
Automation can drive productivity, reduce frustration and empower AEC professionals to focus on design, innovation and quality.
In this article, we explore how automation can increase productivity, reduce frustration and empower AEC professionals to focus on design, innovation and quality. We’ll also explore tools that illustrate how real-world, high-impact advancements are already simplifying daily workflows.
Why Automation Matters in the AEC Industry
About 30% of CAD users have not yet switched to fully digital workflows and 32% of AEC professionals have not yet embraced BIM, so this next section is more to bring them up to speed than to reiterate what you most likely already know.
As projects grow in complexity and deadlines become tighter, firms are increasingly relying on technology to streamline workflows, reduce errors and free up time for creative, high-value work. Who doesn’t want a boost that gives you a competitive edge? This shift from manual to automated processes is not just a trend — it’s a fundamental and much-needed change in how the industry operates.
The Problem: Time-Eating Tasks
Costs increase when a project is burdened with tasks that slow down productivity. Without automation, AEC professionals spend a significant amount of time on mundane repetitive tasks that are also prone to human error. Examples include:
- Manual Data Entry & Imports: One example is the time spent manually formatting Excel or Word® content imported into CAD and BIM projects. Not only is this time-consuming, but the results are very prone to error, and that leads to even more work for you. Additionally, any changes made to the source data mean that the import either needs to be manually updated or completely replaced, which requires yet another round of formatting (yet more work for you).
What about the thousands of project files you already have — each slightly different, each a ticking time bomb of inconsistency?
- Repetitive Tasks & Updates: Manually updating details across hundreds of drawings is a massive time and resource drain that gives new meaning to the phrase, “the daily grind.”
- File Corruption & Cleanup: Error messages, files that won’t open and elements that misbehave are just a few indicators that point to file corruption, which can slow a project down — or jeopardize it if the file is unopenable. The truth is that DGN files can become corrupted and rescuing them is often a real headache, if it’s even possible at all.
- Quality Control: Manually checking for duplicate elements or inconsistencies in title blocks across multiple files is a time drain, but it’s necessary to ensure accuracy and maintain standards.
The Solution: Targeted Automation
Automation provides a solution to these common challenges by using software to perform the tedious, mechanical work. By automating these tasks to a greater degree, AEC professionals can achieve higher levels of efficiency and productivity. Consider a single, automated process that can make the same change across thousands of files in a fraction of the time it would take to do it manually. Not only would this save on time and resources, it would also rapidly pay for itself.
Smart software can:
- Streamlines workflows with minimal or zero manual intervention.
- Boost productivity, allowing professionals to dedicate time to creativity, instead of repairs, formatting, data searches and the long list of mundane tasks busy AEC professionals are forced to undertake.
- Reduce errors, improving overall project accuracy and quality.
Tools specifically designed to speed workflows are not just helpful, they’re essential.
Time-Saving Tools
If you work in MicroStation, Revit or AutoCAD, here are examples of some popular tools that can save you hours of unnecessary tedium, not to mention your sanity:
For MicroStation Users
- Microsoft Office Importer™ This tool enables the import of Excel and Word data, without the need for manual formatting. You automatically get flawless formatting so that the import looks just like the original document. Fitting large amounts of data within your design borders is a snap, and you can link to the source data for automatic updates.
The shift from manual to automated processes is not just a trend — it’s a fundamental and much-needed change in how the industry operates.
- FileFixer™ Automatically rescues and repairs corrupted DGN files so that you don’t have to.
For Revit Users
- Microsoft Office Importer This time-saving powerhouse makes the import of Excel and Word data fast and easy. Additionally, you can bring in multipage PDFs all at once, instead of one page at a time. Formatting is always on point, plus the import can be optionally linked to the source file for automatic updates.
- Productivity Toolkit™ for Revit A comprehensive toolkit to streamline repetitive tasks, improve the handling of families and views, and manage links. Includes Microsoft Office Importer (imports Word and Excel data with intact formatting), Family and View Studio (makes finding and editing Revit families significantly faster and easier) and LinkFixer Advanced™ (auto-restores broken file links).
For AutoCAD Users
- Microsoft Office Importer Imports Excel and Word content into AutoCAD with impressive formatting and the option to link and sync to the source data for automatic updates.
- Translation Manager™ Handles clean and accurate batch conversions between DGN and DWG formats.
AI, the Cloud & Collaboration
Beyond software, other forms of automation are making a big impact, too.
Globally, we’re seeing increased adoption of AI-driven tools for AEC, as well as cloud solutions that enable global collaboration. AI technologies are becoming more commonplace in generative design and predictive quality assurance. Examples include:
- Autodesk Forma: This cloud-based software uses AI to help architects, urban planners and developers with early-stage planning and design. It can generate and explore multiple design options while considering factors like solar exposure, wind impact and traffic patterns.
- Midjourney & DALL-E: These generative AI tools are used to quickly create visual concepts and high-quality images from text prompts, allowing architects to efficiently explore and communicate design ideas.
- TestFit, Delve, and Archistar: These platforms offer generative design and feasibility analysis, helping to optimize design options and assess project viability in the early stages.
- Togal.ai: This tool uses AI and deep machine learning to analyze blueprints, which helps to automate and accelerate the most time-consuming parts of the bidding and estimation process.
- SWAPP and Blueprints AI: These AI-powered tools streamline the creation of construction documents, automating tasks like floor plan generation and building code analysis to save time and reduce errors.
- Kwant.ai: By using wearable smart devices and sensors, Kwant.ai connects jobsite data to provide real-time insights and reports, enhancing project management and safety.
- OpenSpace: This AI-driven tool uses 360-degree image-mapping to create an interactive visual record of construction progress, helping project teams to monitor timelines and detect deviations.
- Smartvid.io: This platform uses AI to analyze images and videos from job sites, identifying potential safety hazards and helping to reduce the risk of accidents.
Real-World Workflow Optimizations
Besides AI’s impact, how does the adoption of smart software change current practices? Let’s explore what is versus what could be.
For Architects and Designers
You’re preparing a schedule. You need to copy and paste the spreadsheet into your project and fiddle around to get the import to fit within your borders. Next comes the formatting — time spent ensuring that you’re compliant with your project’s standards. Finally, it’s done. And then a colleague messages you to say that the figures have just been unexpectedly updated. So, you — lucky you — get to do it all over again. It’s frustrating and a massive time-drain.
Manually updating details across hundreds of drawings is a massive drain on resources and gives new meaning to the phrase, 'the daily grind.'
Instead, you can opt for a tool such as Microsoft Office Importer for MicroStation, Revit or AutoCAD to import Excel and Word data flawlessly. You can choose to link the import to the source data and enjoy automatic updates, literally with one click. No time-drain, no frustration.
For Engineering Teams
Need to convert from MicroStation to AutoCAD or vice versa? This seemingly straightforward task is often plagued with issues such as fonts that don’t map correctly, problems with incorrect line styles or line types, line weight or color issues, lost levels or layers, and the list goes on.
Using Translation Manager streamlines and simplifies the DGN-to-DWG conversion process, preserving accuracy and standards compliance, while offering massive time savings.
Got a corrupt DGN file holding your project hostage with a file that won’t open or a host of other issues that indicate file corruption? No sweat.
FileFixer can automatically fix corrupt MicroStation files and generally requires minimal intervention on your part. If you can type in or double-click on the name of the damaged file, that’s pretty much all that’s required. Plus, FileFixer can run on dozens or hundreds of files at a time.
For CAD and BIM Managers
End the title block chaos, once and for all, with Title Block Manager for MicroStation and AutoCAD. Change attributes in bulk across thousands of drawings — virtually without lifting a finger.
Tired of broken file links? LinkFixer Advanced detects and repairs broken links in Revit and AutoCAD — such as those that occur when files are moved or renamed.
Million Dollar Case Study
We appreciate getting feedback from a client whose project proves the value of our software. Here’s an example:
“We use MicroStation Productivity Toolkit for checking consistencies in contractor work, for altering drawings and for extracting information from files. We are working on building one of the largest refineries in Saudi Arabia. Axiom’s productivity tools in Toolkit have saved us upwards of more than a million dollars in overall costs for just this one project. And your Tech Support is always outstanding.” K.S., Rolta Int Inc/KBR Inc
Why Choose Axiom Tools?
At Axiom, each tool is designed to address a specific, common problem faced by users of MicroStation, Revit and AutoCAD, effectively improving productivity, smoothing workflows and improving turnaround times.
For thirty years, we’ve listened to what architects, engineers, designers, project leaders, CAD or BIM managers and users have told us they need help or support with. And for thirty years, Axiom has built tools to address those exact issues, save time, reduce frustration and automate tasks wherever possible.
Automation provides a solution to these common challenges by using software to perform the tedious, mechanical work.
Key Considerations:
- Platform Compatibility: Axiom currently offers tools for MicroStation, Revit and AutoCAD.
- Scalability & Integration: The majority of our tools support batch processing. Tools are available for MicroStation (and verticals such as OpenRoads Designer), Revit, AutoCAD and Civil 3D.
- Vendor Support: Reliable updates, documentation and diamond-class customer support.
- Free demos and live trials: Request a demo or download a free trial to test tools before committing.
- Custom programming services: Axiom offers tailored solutions if off-the-shelf falls short.
- Proven track record: Three decades of experience and expertise in providing CAD and BIM users with reliability and innovation.
Common Complaints and The Software That Solves Them
| Untidy formatting of Excel and Word imports. | Microsoft Office Importer | Flawless imports of Excel and Word data for MicroStation, Revit, AutoCAD and Civil 3D, plus automatic updates. |
| MicroStation file won’t open, flawed conversions, unruly elements. | FileFixer | Repairs corrupted MicroStation files fast. |
| Multiple edits to multiple DGN files take too long. | Global File Changer | Simplifies a variety of large-scale MicroStation edits, in batch. |
| Editing individual title blocks is inefficient (slow and tedious). | Title Block Manager | Rapid batch editing of MicroStation and AutoCAD title blocks. |
| Conversions from DGN to DWG (or vice versa) are messy and violate CAD standards. | Translation Manager | Easy conversions between DWG and DGN or vice versa. |
| Hunting for missing references wastes time. | RefManager | Instantly locate missing MicroStation references or update settings across multiple files. |
| Editing rasters can be virtually impossible and time-consuming. | RasterDGN | Edit, copy, move, deskew and despeckle raster images in MicroStation. |
| Manually comparing files is time-consuming and error prone. | DGN Compare | MicroStation file comparison made fast and easy. |
| Messy files with multiple attachments. | RefMerge | Combine your MicroStation master file and all its references into one ready-to-share file. |
| Duplicate elements mess with the accuracy of your data. | Duplicate Element Remover | Eliminate duplicate and near-duplicate files in MicroStation for greater accuracy and speed. |
| Checking for CAD standards violations is time-consuming and error prone. | SpecChecker | A design tool that enforces your CAD standards as you work in MicroStation. |
| Cells and cell libraries can get messy and are tedious to fix. | CellManager | Easily organize, modify and report on your cell libraries for complete control. |
| Unprofessional typos and errors. | SpellCheckerPlus | Safeguard every text element for polished, error-free MicroStation files. |
| CAD standard violations can derail a project. | SpecManager | A design tool that enforces your CAD standards as you work in MicroStation. |
| Working with Revit families and views can be slow and frustrating. | Family & View Studio | Find, edit and place Revit families and views in seconds. |
By providing targeted automation solutions, Axiom helps AEC professionals spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on the creative and technical challenges that require their expertise. This aligns perfectly with the broader industry trend of using technology to enhance productivity and improve project outcomes.
Many of these tools are available as convenient power suites, such as MicroStation Productivity Toolkit, MicroStation Acceleration Garage, Productivity Toolkit for Revit and Productivity Toolkit for AutoCAD.
Future Outlook
As we sail into the future, it’s not unreasonable to anticipate that automation will only accelerate.
- AI-Driven Design: Expect generative workflows that adapt in real-time.
- Digital Twins: Live, data-connected models will influence construction and operational decisions.
- Increased Interoperability: Seamless file exchange and automation across platforms will become standard.
When paired with established tools such as those from Axiom, this promises a future where AEC tasks are more efficient and error-free, helping users to focus on and devote more time to creative design.
That’s a Wrap
Automation isn’t just beneficial to us as individuals or as an industry — it has the potential to be globally transformative. It converts frustration into fluidity, frees professionals from grunt work and revitalizes AEC creativity and productivity.
By integrating smart tools, firms can future-proof workflows and focus on innovation instead of on the mechanics of their design platform.
Ready to see automation in action? MicroStation? Revit? AutoCAD? Explore live demos of Axiom’s tools today or request a free trial that aligns precisely with your workflows. Your next design breakthrough is waiting — and we’ve got the software to help you get there.
Automation converts frustration into fluidity, frees professionals from grunt work and revitalizes AEC creativity and productivity.
