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Use a screenshot, sketch or scanned plan to create an editable 2D drawing in AutoCAD. The video above shows a PDF plan recreated as CAD geometry. Start with a small area and a reference dimension. A one-off reconstruction can be done directly in chat; you do not need an automation to begin.

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1. Provide the reference

Open your own drawing in AutoCAD, connect it to Ideatura and attach the image to a new chat. Identify the area to recreate and give a dimension to establish scale—for example, the distance between two grids. Include units and distinguish a known measurement from an assumption. Here, we assume the first grid spacing is 5 m and recreate the rest proportionally. Where possible, provide a second dimension in the other direction to check for image distortion. Prefer the original PDF or scan over a photograph taken at an angle. Reference office floor plan; the first two vertical grid lines from the left establish the assumed 5 m spacing.

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2. Choose the result

Describe the geometry, layers and annotations you need, and where the new drawing should go:
Recreate this floor plan in AutoCAD. Ignore the printed grid names and dimensions. Assume the first spacing between vertical grid lines, measured from the left, is 5 m. Draw the rest proportionally as editable 2D geometry, in millimetres.
This example uses an assumed scale. Check the first spacing is 5000 mm in AutoCAD; the remaining dimensions are proportional estimates from the image. State whether you need wall outlines, centre lines, door swings, furniture or annotations. Ask to reuse your layer and dimension styles if you have office standards. If your next task is a Revit model, also provide levels, heights, types and supporting sections. A plan image alone does not establish the full construction.

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3. Build and check in stages

Start with the main walls and structural layout. Check their position and scale before adding openings, furniture or annotations. Compare the result with the reference in AutoCAD. Measure known distances, inspect wall thicknesses and opening widths, and check alignment. Select objects to confirm that you have editable geometry on the intended layers. Here, the coloured CAD geometry is overlaid on the aligned source image. Compare wall positions, door swings and furniture before hiding the reference. Coloured AutoCAD walls, doors, furniture and stairs overlaid on the reference office plan. Watch the original demonstration on LinkedIn

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4. Refine the result

If you find a difference, describe one correction at a time. For example:
The conference-room door swing faces the wrong way. Match its direction to the image, keeping the opening width and adjacent walls unchanged.
Review the corrected area and save the DWG. Keep unresolved dimensions clearly identified. The result below shows the drawing with the source image hidden. Walls, openings, stairs, furniture and annotations are on separate layers; the first grid spacing measures 5000 mm. Check room names against the source too: unclear labels in this example were interpreted. Editable AutoCAD office floor plan with the source hidden and a 5000 mm reference dimension at the upper left. If you repeat this work, save your layer, annotation and checking rules in a skill. Build an automation only for steps that repeat consistently across your plans.