Workflow: Your First Project (Preview)

Preview: this page describes the next FireCAD release, planned for December 1, and the beta available now. For the current release, see Workflow: Your First Project.

Overview

This guide walks you through creating a new FireCAD project, configuring it, and preparing your first drawing for design work. By the end, you'll have a validated drawing with devices ready to connect to circuits.

Phase 1: Create the Project

1. Type ATCREATE_PROJECT in the AutoCAD command line
2. The Project Creation Wizard opens

Page 1 — Project Setup

• Enter a Project Name
• Click Browse to select a Project Directory
• Optionally select a Settings Template (XML file with pre-configured circuit settings)
• Optionally select Project Drawings (.dwg files to copy into the project)
• Click Configure to connect to the Master Database (required)
• Click Add Devices to select device parts from the database
• Click Add Templates to select circuit templates
• Click Next

Page 2 — Project Properties

• Fill in project type, industry, construction type, and occupancy classification
• Enter the project address (use Google Maps autocomplete or type manually)
• Select applicable codes (NFPA, IFC, IBC, NEC)
• Optionally enter owner, contractor, and engineer information
• Click Create Project (or Skip for Now to fill in later)

The project creates automatically and opens in AutoCAD.

Phase 2: Configure Block Definitions

1. Type ATEDIT_PROJECT_BLOCK_DEFINITIONS to review and edit device block attribute layouts
2. Type ATREFRESH_BLOCKS to apply block definitions to the active drawing

This ensures all device blocks display attributes correctly (position, rotation, visibility).

Phase 3: Apply Circuit Templates

1. Type ATRESET_CIRCUIT_TEMPLATES in the AutoCAD command line
2. A progress dialog runs through:
   • Applying circuit templates (creates circuit records from templates)
   • Applying device type templates (assigns device types to devices)
   • Syncing device current values
   • Reloading the cache
   • Updating device and wirepath labels

This step is required before connecting devices to circuits.

Phase 4: Validate the Drawing

1. Type ATVALIDATE in the AutoCAD command line
2. Validation performs four steps:
   • Validates wirepath segment intersections
   • Validates devices and creates database records for new entities
   • Syncs project properties to the drawing
   • Refreshes all labels

Run this after placing or moving devices to keep the database in sync with the drawing.

Phase 5: Configure Options (Optional)

1. Type ATOPTIONS to open the Options dialog
2. Review settings across the eight tabs:
   • Text and Attributes - Label formatting preferences
   • Tools - Fillet radius, layout settings
   • Layers - Layer naming conventions
   • Circuits - Wire overage, delimiter settings
   • Reports - Report formatting options
   • Drawing - Drawing-specific settings
   • Project - Project-wide settings
   • Design Assistant - What the Design Assistant should assume instead of asking (voltage margin, spare capacity, speaker voltage, mounting, ceiling height), and the project's voltage drop method. See Options: Design Assistant Tab

Phase 6: Check Your Work (Optional)

Once devices are connected, run the Design Precheck to check the drawing against FireCAD's design rules:

1. Click FireCAD > Design Assistant > Design Precheck, or type ATDESIGN_PRECHECK
2. Read the findings in the Precheck section and click Recheck after each fix

The Precheck spends no credits. See Workflow: Checking Your Design.

Prefer to Work with the Design Assistant?

The Design Assistant can do much of this setup for you from plain-language requests: project properties and codes, room names, device layout, circuits and wirepaths, and reports on their sheets. Open it with FireCAD > Design Assistant > Design Assistant (ATDESIGN_ASSISTANT) and follow A Project Start to Finish with the Design Assistant.

What's Next

Your project is now set up and ready for active design work:

• Building Circuits — Connect devices to circuits and draw wirepaths
• Managing Device Properties — Set panel names, locations, and custom properties
• Generating Reports — Create device schedules, battery calculations, and more
• Workflow: Checking Your Design - Run the Design Precheck and a design review

Quick Reference

FireCAD is the industry-leading AutoCAD add-in for fire alarm system design — from circuit layout to wire routing to code-compliant reports.
Learn more and get started at getfirecad.com →

Inspect Point Integration — Fire alarm system device lists and bill of materials can be pushed directly from FireCAD into Inspect Point, eliminating manual data entry and ensuring every device is ready for inspection scheduling and ongoing asset management.
Learn more here →