Is ProfiCAD compatible with AutoCAD?

Not entirely. ProfiCAD can import and export DWG and DXF files, but the conversion is not always 100% accurate. ProfiCAD uses its own data format and does not use DWG as its native working format.

Both importing and exporting therefore always involve a conversion between two different formats, and there is no guarantee that every element of the drawing is transferred completely unchanged.

Can I use an AutoCAD drawing as a background for electrical installation?

Yes. This is one of the typical ways of using the program.

For example, you may receive a floor plan of a building in DWG or DXF format from an architect or a building designer, import it into ProfiCAD and then add:

• sockets,
• switches,
• light fittings,
• distribution boards,
• cable routes,
• other parts of the electrical installation.

If the original drawing is meant to serve mainly as a background, this way of working can be very practical. You usually do not need to edit the building lines, partition walls or dimension styles – your task is to lay out the electrical installation on top of the floor plan.

How to insert an AutoCAD floor plan as a background

1. Go to Insert - DWG or DXF file and choose the Raster graphics or Vector graphics option. For complex building floor plans, the raster option is usually more reliable.
2. Click Insert to place the drawing into your document and resize it with the mouse as needed.
3. Keep the background and the electrical installation in separate layers – the floor plan in one layer, the electrical part in another. Edits to the electrical part then cannot affect the building part.
4. In the layer with the electrical installation, draw sockets, switches, light fittings, distribution boards and cable routes.

You can hide the background layer at any time to see the electrical installation on its own, or print it together with the floor plan. A detailed description of both import methods is in the chapter Import from DWG and DXF Formats.

How does ProfiCAD differ from AutoCAD?

The two programs solve a different kind of task:

Program	What it is designed for
AutoCAD	A general-purpose CAD tool for creating and editing building and mechanical geometry. It works with DWG as its native format.
ProfiCAD	A specialised program for electrical drawings and diagrams. It uses an AutoCAD drawing mainly as a background into which you place electrical symbols, and generates lists and reports from it.

Is the import from AutoCAD always accurate?

No. Importing DWG or DXF is a conversion between different graphic formats. The result depends on the complexity of the original drawing, on the objects and fonts used, and also on the program in which the file was created.

Simple floor plans and technical drawings usually convert better than very complex drawings containing special objects or properties specific to AutoCAD.

That is why we recommend testing the import on several real drawings that you use in your work before purchasing ProfiCAD.

Can I save a ProfiCAD drawing back as DWG or DXF?

Yes. ProfiCAD can export drawings to the DWG and DXF formats.

Here, too, it is a conversion. So if you open an original DWG drawing, extend it in ProfiCAD and then export it back to DWG, you cannot expect the resulting file to be identical to the original one in terms of its internal structure.

When is ProfiCAD a good choice?

Requirement	ProfiCAD
Use a DWG or DXF floor plan as a background	Yes
Add electrical symbols and wiring	Yes
Export the finished drawing to DWG or DXF	Yes
Preserve all properties of the original DWG unchanged	Cannot be guaranteed
Use DWG as the native working format	No
Regularly edit and exchange DWG files with AutoCAD users	A program working natively with DWG may suit you better

When is another CAD program a better choice?

If your main requirement is continuous collaboration with AutoCAD users and you need to repeatedly open, edit and pass on DWG files while preserving their original structure, it is better to use a CAD program that works with DWG as its native format.

ProfiCAD is designed primarily for fast and simple creation of electrical drawings and diagrams. The DWG and DXF import is useful mainly when you want to use an existing drawing as a basis for further work.

What to do before buying

If you already have drawings created in AutoCAD, we recommend the following before you buy ProfiCAD:

1. Install ProfiCAD.
2. Import several of your real DWG or DXF drawings.
3. Check whether the drawings are displayed in a way that suits you.
4. Try adding parts of the electrical installation to them.
5. If you need to pass the results on, test the export to DWG or DXF as well.

This is the best way to find out whether ProfiCAD fits the way you work.

💡 Pro tip: If the other party only needs to view the drawing, you do not have to deal with a DWG conversion at all – use the export to PDF. Everyone can open it and it looks the same everywhere. Export to DWG or DXF only when someone is going to work with the drawing further in a CAD program.