Transition from a proficient AutoCAD user, to an efficient one with Beyond the Basics training

Having attended the `Essentials’ AutoCAD training course, you are likely by now to be a proficient AutoCAD user - but are you an efficient AutoCAD user?

Most delegates who have attended the Essentials course consider they have sufficient expertise to do their jobs effectively. This, of course, in most cases, is not an accurate consideration.

Using a “running” analogy, the job of the Essentials AutoCAD training course is to teach delegates how to walk-jog-run.

But if you want to get the job done efficiently, you need to learn to sprint, and this is the aim of the next level of training.

We have trained so many runners to know people are missing out. This is so evident when people attend our refresher (or update) AutoCAD training. They see the trainer do something (which really they should know) and immediately ask the question, “What was that you did? - How long has AutoCAD been able to do that?”. They are shocked and surprised to discover this functionality has been there for years.

The next response is typically, “I wished you shown me that months ago as it normally takes me ages.”

This is why you should always consider AutoCAD Essentials as the first step on your learning journey and always ask how you can supercharge your abilities – the AutoCAD “Beyond the Basics” course is an excellent way to achieve this and is the logical next step after the essentials training.

AutoCAD sprinters predominately utilise the keyboard. The Beyond the Basics course teaches keyboard techniques with Aliases and Keyboard Shortcuts. Something that is sure to bring real time-savings.

Efficient Layer manipulation is also something that is often overlooked. The Beyond the Basics course teaches alternative methods of handling layers (focused upon just a specific area of the drawing). We also show you other ways of Layer manipulation and investigation as well as showing how to get better layer control within Viewports.

Knowing how to work effectively with multiple open drawings is also taught. Its surprising how well this can be utilised to bring further increases in productivity.

And if you are not familiar with Grips, we will show you how these can make AutoCAD do things you never thought it could.

But these are just examples of the many topics that will take you from “Runner to Sprinter” and there is much more on the course, including:

• How to draw accurately and precisely, without having to draw heaps of construction lines.
• How to divide an object up equally or place something at measured intervals.
• How to constrain 2D Geometry to prevent it being moved out of position and add dimensions that can manage its size and position.
• How to better manage your blocks, and how blocks and drawing files can be one and the same.
• How to keep your drawing “clean” with the Purge command, reducing drawing size and increasing speed.
• How Template Files can bring timesaving efficiencies to drawing creation.
• How to streamline plotting, layer control and Viewport configuration by using Named Views
• How to harness the full benefits and power of Annotation scaling using Annotative objects such as Text, Dimensions and Hatch patterns.
• How by using External References you can dramatically help reduce the size of drawing files and provide the ability to update multiple files from a single location.

So, to conclude, attending the Essentials course is like providing you with a pair of running trainers which is great if you want to go jogging. Whereas, the Beyond the Basics course will provide you with a pair of running spikes to help turn you into a sprinter!

Book your place on the next AutoCAD Beyond the Basics training course here.

Author

Symetri