Free IO list preview
Generate loop diagrams from your IO list
Drop a vendor XLSX. See loops and mapping issues in seconds. Then issue deterministic PDF and native DXF, plus cable schedule, termination list, and Loop Register from the same data. Free tier: first 15 loops as a watermarked PDF. DXF is the pack.
- Same data feeds drawings, register, and schedules
- Native DXF with editable blocks (pack)
- Rev B/C inside the pack band is $0; growth past the band is the difference
From IO list to issued drawings in three steps
Upload your IO list
Drop in an XLSX, XLS, or CSV file. The importer finds the header row, maps columns to the loop/signal model, and shows a parse preview.
Review and assign
Fix the mapping, let auto-assignment allocate JBs, terminals, and cables from your standards, and run the validation rules.
Generate the package
Produce deterministic DXF/SVG/PDF drawings, the Loop Register workbook, and a bookmarked package with a drawing index.
What engineers ask before they upload a client file
Revisions (Rev A to Rev B)
Edit the Loop Register and re-import. Only changed loops regenerate; a delta lists what to re-issue. Inside the paid loop band, Rev B and Rev C are $0 — not a second pack. If the list grows past the band (150 to 180), you pay the difference to the next band, not another $399.
Confidentiality
You keep the IO list and generated files. Guest uploads are kept until claimed at signup; they are not auto-deleted. Drawings never call a model. We do not train on your projects.
CAD compatibility
Pack DXF uses native blocks and your layer and title-block names. Open and edit in AutoCAD or any CAD that reads DXF. Engineer review still required; this is a drafting aid, not a SIL/IEC 61511 deliverable.
Details on Security and the DPA. We sign your NDA. Questionnaires: schematicforge@gmail.com, same-day reply.
The package is more than loop sheets
Merged PDF
Cover, legend, notes, drawing index, registers, I/O allocation appendix, then loop sheets — bookmarked.
Native DXF ZIP
One file per loop with editable blocks. Included with a pack; blocked on free.
Loop Register
Protected Excel that round-trips. Edit tags in Excel, re-import with a diff.
Schedules
Cable schedule, JB schedule, and termination lists from the same loop and signal data.
Software register
HMI and SOFT rows land in the software and network register, not on a field sheet.
QA appendix
Wired signals, missing channels, duplicate addresses, and card capacity before you issue.
Free download is the watermarked PDF of the first 15 field-wired loops. The rest of the project stays in the account until a pack.
Pack cost versus billed drafting hours
Conservative first-issue time is 0.5 hours per loop to trace, check, title-block, and issue. 150 loops is about 75 hours by hand versus Growth at $399. Multiply hours by your CAD rate — we do not invent one. Rev B inside the band is $0; if the list grows past the band you pay the difference.
| Topic | Manual CAD / drafter | SchematicForge |
|---|---|---|
| Input | Trace each loop from the IO list | Vendor XLSX (free parse, no account) |
| 50 loops, first issue | About 25 hours at 0.5 h per loop | Starter $149 — clean PDF and DXF |
| 150 loops, first issue | About 75 hours at 0.5 h per loop | Growth $399. Unlimited Rev B/C inside 150 loops. |
| Client Rev B (count stays in band) | Another 5–15 hours — often another PO | Re-import; only changed loops; $0 |
| List grows past the band | More tracing hours on the new loops | Pay the difference to the next band, not a second full pack |
| Addressing mistakes | Found in commissioning | Package QA: missing channel, duplicate address, card capacity |
Full comparison: pack vs billed hours · generate vs CAD · generate vs EPLAN · pricing.
Engineers also ask
Can I generate loop diagrams from an Excel IO list?
Yes. Upload XLSX, XLS, or CSV. SchematicForge maps columns, counts loops and signals, and can generate DXF, SVG, PDF, cable schedules, and termination lists from the same data.
Do I need an account to try it?
No. The homepage parse preview runs without an account. Creating a free account is only required to save the project and download the package.
Does the free PDF include my whole IO list?
No. Free is one project and the first 15 field-wired loops, watermarked. Loops 16+ stay in the project ungenerated. A pack issues the full set as clean PDF and DXF.
Will I pay again when the client issues Rev B?
Not if the loop count stays inside the pack band. Edit the Loop Register and re-import. Only changed loops regenerate; a delta lists what to re-issue. If the list grows past the band (150 to 180), you pay the difference to the next band — not another $399.
Do I need AutoCAD to start?
No. Upload the spreadsheet and review the parse preview in the browser. Native DXF is included with a pack and opens in AutoCAD and other CAD tools that read DXF. It is not an AutoCAD Electrical project file.
What file types can I upload?
XLSX, XLS, and CSV, up to 20 MB. Cover sheets are skipped automatically when an IO worksheet is present.
Is the drawing engine AI?
No. Drawings, registers, and schedules are deterministic: same input, same files. We do not train on your projects.
Does it work with DeltaV, Siemens, or Allen-Bradley IO lists?
Yes if the sheet has a tag column and signal type (AI/AO/DI/DO). Card, slot, and channel fill the I/O appendix and drawings. SchematicForge does not ship vendor symbol libraries. Layer names and title block are per project.
Are cable screens bonded to PE or IE?
The drawing follows the terminals and cable data on the loop. Screen bonding to PE versus IE is your project standard — set it in the data; the engine does not invent bonding.
Is output ISA-5.1 or SIL certified?
No. Tags follow the identification you supply. Generated files are drafting aids. Approval stays with the engineer. See the ISA-5.1 guide.
Is SchematicForge cable schedule software?
Yes for instrumentation field cables. The issued package includes a cable schedule from the same IO list as the loop diagrams. A free 10-row generator and an ungated Excel template need no account.
What is range low and range high on an IO list?
Range low is the engineering-unit zero of the transmitter span (often 4 mA). Range high is the top of span (often 20 mA), for example 0–10 bar. Both print on the loop sheet when the columns are present.
More on the FAQ · cable schedule · range low / range high · instrument index.
Free Excel templates for instrumentation deliverables
Guides
Preparing an IO list, ISA-5.1, DeltaV, Siemens PCS 7, and Allen-Bradley.
Free templates
IO list, register, cable schedule, termination list, and more.
IO list checker
Validate a vendor spreadsheet with no account.
Cable schedule software
One row per field cable from the same IO list as the loop diagrams.
Termination lists
JB and marshalling pairs, plus the same connections on each loop sheet.
10-row cable CSV
Free cable scheduling in the browser. No account.