Organising a drawing set
A well-organised set lets anyone find any drawing in seconds. Learn the standard order of drawings, discipline and series numbering, and how the register keeps track.
In this lesson you will
- Order drawings from general to specific
- Use discipline designators and series
- Maintain a drawing register
- Cross-reference drawings clearly
General to specific
Sets move from the whole to the parts: cover and index → general notes and legends → site → plans → elevations → sections → enlarged plans → details → schedules. A reader should never need a detail to understand where something is.
Disciplines and series
Each discipline has a letter: G general, C civil, L landscape, A architectural, S structural, M mechanical, E electrical, P plumbing/hydraulic, F fire. Within a discipline, the first digit often indicates the series: 0 general, 1 plans, 2 elevations, 3 sections, 4 enlarged views, 5 details, 6 schedules. The US National CAD Standard's Uniform Drawing System is one widely used convention; follow your office or national standard.
The drawing register
The register lists every drawing with number, title, scale, size and the revision issued on each date. It's issued with every transmittal so recipients know exactly what's current. Generate it from your CAD or BIM software where possible, so it can't drift.
Cross-referencing
Every section marker, elevation marker and detail callout carries the view number and the sheet it's on (e.g. 3 / A-301). Every view title shows its number, name and scale. Check references before every issue — a missing detail is one of the most common RFIs.
Common mistakes
Numbering sheets in the order they were drawn.
Number by series and discipline so the set reads general to specific.
Renumbering sheets after issue.
Keep numbers stable once issued; add new sheets within the series.
Exercise
Plan a set
- For a two-storey house, list every sheet you'd need with number and title.
- Order them general to specific.
- Draft the register table with columns for three future issues.
You should end up with: A logical, numbered sheet list and register.
Checklist
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Lesson quiz
What does the letter S usually denote in a sheet number?
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