Tipster Danny Korem shares his experiences using sheet sets and the Sheet Set Manager in AutoCAD to manage his projects.

"I've been using sheet sets from their very beginning, when I found out that AutoCAD can manage a project instead of just a bunch of files. Then, it can automatically generate a dynamic sheet list table. If proper prototyping is applied, one can create a sheet set template in which title blocks will be filled up automatically and dynamically using fields. Extra custom properties will offer flexibility and force all sheets in the set to behave as expected. But the party begins after the sheet set is ready to go (a real-world hierarchy tree with subsets and many features to navigate within).

"A sheet set can be plotted, archived, e-transmitted, and used for many daily tasks. In addition, once you get used to it, you can take advantage of manipulating the whole sheet set at once. Just open the DST file instead of a single DWG, and you'll get access to all the sheets together. Personally I don't like the default location (...my documentsautocad sheet sets), so I always keep them in the project's location for easy access from within a local network.

"I find it a great feature, though not many users take advantage of this great time-saver and useful standard toolset. One of the greatest options would be the capability to extract data from the whole sheet set (or a subset within it) instead of by the drawing option. Many projects are similar in means of their contents or file structure."

Notes from Cadalyst Tip Patrol: I couldn't agree more. If you are not using sheet sets in AutoCAD, then why are you using AutoCAD? There are so many things that can be done with sheet sets — pick any one or two of them and that is reason enough to use sheet sets. They can help you manage project data, drawings, folders, files, printing, coordination, drawing creation, and more. Do you want to streamline printing? Use sheet sets. Do you want to manage file creation? Sheet sets. Do you need to make quick edits to drawing names, numbers, titles, section references, drawing lists, "drawn by" names, project dates, or anything else project-related? Use sheet sets. You can start off small and work more sheet set features into your workflow as you go.