Frequently Asked Questions

DraftSight is professional CAD software from Dassault Systèmes for creating, editing, viewing, and sharing DWG drawings. It provides familiar drafting workflows, advanced productivity tools, and options suitable for individual professionals, companies, educational institutions, and large organizations.

DraftSight is developed by Dassault Systèmes, the company behind leading engineering and design solutions including SOLIDWORKS, CATIA, and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

DraftSight works natively with DWG files and supports common drafting formats such as DXF. Support for additional formats and import or export functions can vary depending on the selected DraftSight product and edition.

For workflows involving PDF, STEP, DGN, BIM, or other specialist formats, review the feature comparison before selecting a license.

Yes. DraftSight is designed to work with industry-standard DWG and DXF files, allowing teams to exchange drawings with customers, suppliers, consultants, and users of other DWG-based CAD applications.

Complex drawings, custom objects, third-party plug-ins, fonts, and externally referenced files should still be tested as part of the migration process.

The former free DraftSight edition is no longer available. DraftSight currently provides commercial products for professional and organizational use.

A time-limited trial may be available so that users can evaluate the software before purchasing.

DraftSight normally offers a 30-day trial that allows potential users to evaluate professional drafting capabilities before selecting a commercial license.

Trial terms, supported operating systems, and the product edition included in the trial should be confirmed on the official DraftSight download page.

Operating-system support depends on the selected DraftSight product and version. DraftSight desktop products primarily support approved Windows configurations, while certain products may also provide macOS support.

Always review the system requirements for the exact release before purchasing or deploying the software.

The right product depends on your required features, number of users, deployment method, collaboration needs, and whether licenses will be dedicated or shared.

• DraftSight Professional: Professional 2D drafting and productivity tools.
• DraftSight Premium: Advanced 2D capabilities with additional 3D, BIM, and productivity functions.
• DraftSight Mechanical: Mechanical drafting workflows and standards-based mechanical tools.
• DraftSight Enterprise: Network licensing, centralized deployment, and organizational support.
• 3DEXPERIENCE DraftSight: Named-user access combined with cloud-connected collaboration and data-management capabilities.

DraftSight Professional focuses on professional 2D drafting, editing, annotation, blocks, and productivity workflows. DraftSight Premium includes the Professional capabilities and adds more advanced functions such as 3D modeling, BIM-related tools, STEP import, and additional drawing-management features.

The correct choice should be based on the exact feature matrix for the current DraftSight release.

DraftSight Mechanical is designed for users working with mechanical drawings and DWG-based mechanical workflows. It adds mechanical drafting features, standards-based content, parts and symbols, annotations, and tools for working with mechanical entities.

DraftSight Enterprise is intended for organizations that need shared network licenses, centralized deployment, flexible access for multiple users, and support through an authorized DraftSight channel.

It can be suitable when a company has several CAD users who do not all need to use the software at the same time.

3DEXPERIENCE DraftSight combines DraftSight design capabilities with cloud-connected services on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Depending on the selected role, users can securely store, manage, share, review, and collaborate on design data.

The DraftSight design application may still run locally while licensing, collaboration, and data services are connected to the cloud platform.

Certain DraftSight products include 3D modeling and editing capabilities. These tools are not identical across every DraftSight edition, so users requiring 3D functions should compare the current Professional, Premium, Mechanical, Enterprise, and cloud-connected packages.

DraftSight can complement SOLIDWORKS by supporting DWG-based 2D drawing workflows, legacy drawing maintenance, plant and facility layouts, schematics, and collaboration with departments or suppliers that rely on 2D CAD.

Some organizational licensing and cloud configurations can also support closer alignment with SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE environments.

DraftSight licensing options vary by product and may include:

• Machine-based or standalone desktop licenses.
• Shared network licenses for organizations.
• Named-user licenses connected to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
• Term-based subscription options.
• Perpetual options for eligible organizational products.

Not every licensing model is available with every DraftSight product.

A machine-based license is activated on a specific computer and is normally intended for a dedicated user or workstation. The license may need to be deactivated before it is moved to another supported computer.

A network license is managed from a company license server and shared among authorized users. A user consumes a license while DraftSight is running and returns it to the shared pool after closing the application.

The correct number of licenses should be based on expected concurrent usage rather than only the total number of installed computers.

A named-user license is assigned to an identified user account rather than being permanently tied to one computer. The user signs in with an authorized account to access the assigned DraftSight role and connected platform services.

Named-user licensing should not be treated as a shared account for multiple employees.

Eligible machine-based licenses can normally be transferred by deactivating the license on the existing computer and activating it on the replacement computer.

The old computer should remain accessible until deactivation is completed. If it is damaged, formatted, or unavailable, submit a support request with the license and machine details.

A dedicated machine-based or named-user license should not be informally shared between multiple employees. Organizations that need flexible access for several users should consider a network license or another approved organizational licensing model.

Perpetual licensing may be available for eligible DraftSight Enterprise and organizational configurations. Availability can depend on the product, territory, commercial policy, and support or maintenance requirements.

A perpetual license does not automatically mean that every future software release is included indefinitely.

Current DraftSight installation files should be downloaded from an official DraftSight or authorized Dassault Systèmes source. Avoid modified installers and unofficial download websites.

The activation process depends on the license type:

• Machine-based products normally use a serial number and activation process.
• Network products obtain authorization from the configured license server.
• 3DEXPERIENCE products require the assigned user to sign in with the authorized platform account.

Make sure the correct product edition is installed before entering or assigning the license.

Common causes include installing the wrong DraftSight product, entering an incorrect character, using a license that is already active on another machine, using an expired subscription, or attempting to activate a network or named-user license as a standalone product.

When requesting assistance, include the product name, installed version, operating system, exact error message, and a screenshot. Do not publish the complete serial number in a public forum.

Yes. Organizational DraftSight products can support managed deployment across multiple computers. DraftSight Enterprise is generally more appropriate for centralized installation, network licensing, and administration across teams.

The deployment method should be tested with your company's security software, user permissions, network policies, and software-distribution tools.

Access to an older version depends on installer availability, license entitlement, operating-system compatibility, and the applicable support policy.

Older releases can present security, compatibility, and support limitations. Confirm the requirement before standardizing a company deployment on an outdated version.

Customers in the Middle East and Africa can submit a quotation request through 2B CAD. The request can then be managed directly or routed to an authorized partner according to the customer's country, required product, licensing model, and project needs.

Pricing depends on the selected product, license type, subscription period, number of licenses, territory, applicable taxes, support requirements, and commercial program.

Published prices can be used as a general reference, but a formal quotation is recommended for network licenses, multiple seats, educational institutions, government organizations, and larger deployments.

Currency and invoicing options depend on the customer's country and the authorized partner managing the transaction. Submit the billing country, required product, quantity, and company information so the appropriate commercial route can be confirmed.

The available support route depends on the product, purchase channel, subscription or maintenance status, and support entitlement. Online documentation and learning resources are available, while organizational products may include support through an authorized reseller or partner.

Customers should contact the partner that supplied the license first. 2B CAD can assist with identifying the correct support route when needed.

Providing complete information reduces delays. Include:

• Company and contact information.
• Country and purchasing partner.
• DraftSight product and exact software version.
• License type.
• Operating system.
• Clear description of the issue.
• Exact error message and screenshots.
• Steps required to reproduce the problem.
• A sample file when it can be shared safely.

Remove confidential commercial or personal information from sample drawings before uploading them.

DraftSight provides online learning materials including tutorials, videos, articles, webinars, product documentation, and community resources.

Instructor-led enablement, partner-delivered training, or organization-specific workshops may also be available depending on the country and project scope.

2B CAD, powered by 2B Digital, is focused on developing and supporting the DraftSight channel across the Middle East and Africa. It connects customers with DraftSight solutions, licensing guidance, commercial support, and authorized partners throughout the region.

A Master Distributor develops regional market coverage through authorized partners. Its role can include partner recruitment, enablement, opportunity coordination, commercial guidance, marketing support, regional coverage, and helping customers reach the appropriate local sales or support organization.

The Master Distributor does not replace every local partner. A strong regional model depends on capable partners that can support customers within their own markets.

The appropriate commercial route depends on the customer's country, project, product, and available partner coverage. Enquiries submitted to 2B CAD may be managed with or assigned to an authorized local partner.

This approach provides regional coordination while maintaining local commercial and customer support.

Use the 2B CAD partner locator to search by partner name, country, or city. When no suitable result appears, submit an enquiry and the 2B CAD team can help identify the appropriate commercial route.

Companies interested in joining the DraftSight partner network can submit the partner application form. The evaluation may consider geographic coverage, customer base, CAD and software experience, sales capability, technical resources, marketing commitment, and ability to support business customers.

Submission of an application does not automatically guarantee appointment as an authorized partner.

Eligible partners can benefit from structured commercial opportunities, regional coordination, partner enablement, opportunity registration, marketing collaboration, technical engagement, and access to a scalable professional 2D CAD portfolio.

Exact benefits, margins, requirements, and performance commitments depend on the approved partner agreement and level.

An existing SOLIDWORKS partner may be considered for the DraftSight partner program, subject to territory, capability, commercial alignment, and completion of the applicable DraftSight authorization process.

Existing status in another product channel should not be assumed to create automatic DraftSight authorization.

Submit your enquiry directly to 2B CAD. The team can assess the request and determine whether it can be supported through a regional partner, another authorized commercial route, or future local coverage.