Mechanical engineer Perry Pattiz shares an AutoCAD tip for using your start-up (or template) file to set up other files.

"I frequently work with other people's drawings, and I used to spend a lot of time creating the dimension styles and layers that I prefer to work with. There is a simple solution for this. Create a start-up drawing that includes all of the dimension styles; layers with any properties you typically use for color, line type, transparency, etc.; blocks; and other items and save it in My Documents as Start-Up.dwg. When you open any other drawing, select Insert > Browse > Start-Up > OK, and when the system asks for an insert location, press Escape. All of your customized items will be inserted automatically for you to use. This is a huge time saver."

Notes from Cadalyst Tip Reviewer Brian Benton: Template files (or a start-up file, in this case) are the absolute best thing you can do for yourself in AutoCAD. They are a must-have. If you don't have one, you are wasting your time. Make one — now. These files will contain all of your styles and layers; you won't ever have to make them again, unless a need for a new style or layer occurs. It will be your library, where you can get what you need to do your work.