Modern engineering teams are no longer confined to a single office. Whether you are working from home, visiting a client site, or coordinating with a subcontractor overseas, the ability to access and collaborate on 2D drawings from anywhere is essential. DraftSight Connected (also known as 3DEXPERIENCE DraftSight) bridges that gap by bringing the familiar DraftSight desktop experience into a unified cloud environment on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
In this guide, we will walk you through what DraftSight Connected is, how to get started, and the practical ways it transforms 2D collaboration for distributed teams.
What Is DraftSight Connected?
DraftSight Connected is the cloud-enabled version of DraftSight that links your desktop CAD application to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. It gives you the same professional 2D (and optional 3D) drafting tools you expect from DraftSight, with added cloud capabilities for data management, revision control, and real-time collaboration.
There are two editions available:
- DraftSight Professional on 3DEXPERIENCE — Full 2D drafting, markup, printing, and cloud collaboration tools.
- DraftSight Premium on 3DEXPERIENCE — Everything in Professional plus 3D modeling, parametric constraints, and full PLM tools in the cloud.
Setting Up DraftSight Connected
1. Assign Your Platform Role
Your administrator assigns you a DraftSight role on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. This is a Named User license tied to your account, so you can log in from any machine with DraftSight installed.
2. Install DraftSight and the Platform Connector
Install the standard DraftSight desktop application along with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform connector. Once installed, you will see a login prompt to connect to your cloud tenant.
3. Save and Access Drawings in the Cloud
Instead of saving DWG files to a local drive or network share, you save them directly to your 3DEXPERIENCE cloud space. This becomes your single source of truth — accessible from the office, home, or even a browser on another device.
Core Collaboration Features
Centralized, Secure Storage
All drawings are stored in one integrated environment. You no longer need to email DWG files back and forth or wonder whether you are looking at the latest revision. The platform manages versions automatically, so you can track changes and roll back if needed.
Real-Time Collaboration Tools
DraftSight Connected includes built-in communication features:
- Activity streams — See updates and changes to projects in a live feed.
- User-tagged comments — Pin feedback directly to drawings so teammates know exactly what you are referring to.
- Chat and video — Discuss designs without leaving the platform.
Browser-Based Access
Even if you are on a machine without DraftSight installed, you can log into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform through a web browser to review drawings, monitor project status, and manage tasks. This is ideal for managers, clients, or field engineers who need visibility without a full CAD install.
Seamless Integration with 3D Workflows
Because DraftSight Connected lives on the same platform as SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD and other 3DEXPERIENCE roles, you can move between 2D and 3D data effortlessly. Open a SOLIDWORKS model, generate a 2D layout in DraftSight, and share both with your team — all within one environment.
Practical Workflow Example
Here is how a typical project might flow using DraftSight Connected:
- Create — A designer opens DraftSight and starts a new floor plan, saving it directly to the cloud project space.
- Share — The designer tags a colleague in a comment on a specific wall section, asking for a structural review.
- Review — The structural engineer sees the notification, opens the drawing in DraftSight from their home office, and adds revised dimensions.
- Approve — The project manager reviews the updated drawing in a browser, approves it, and marks the task complete.
- Deliver — The final DWG is exported and shared with the construction team — with full revision history preserved in the background.
Who Should Use DraftSight Connected?
DraftSight Connected is ideal for:
- Distributed teams — Multiple offices or remote workers who need a single place for 2D data.
- Multi-disciplinary projects — Teams mixing 2D drafting with 3D CAD, simulation, or manufacturing planning.
- Client-facing workflows — Stakeholders who need to review and comment without installing CAD software.
- Organizations moving away from file servers — Teams tired of managing network shares, VPNs, and email attachments.
Key Takeaways
- DraftSight Connected combines professional 2D CAD with cloud-based data management and collaboration.
- It eliminates version-control headaches by storing DWG files in a centralized, revision-managed environment.
- Built-in chat, comments, and activity streams keep feedback tied to the design, not lost in email threads.
- Browser access means anyone on the team can review progress without a full CAD installation.
- It integrates seamlessly with SOLIDWORKS and other 3DEXPERIENCE roles for mixed 2D/3D workflows.
If your team is still passing DWG files over email or struggling with VPN access to network drives, DraftSight Connected offers a simpler, more secure path forward. The learning curve is minimal — the interface is the same DraftSight you already know — but the collaboration potential is transformative.
Interested in seeing DraftSight Connected in action? Request a demo or request a quote to get started.