Manage plan & billing

Invite members at the organization level

What are Organizations and Spaces?

Open a space

Navigate the CADchat left navigation

Use search to find spaces and files

Bookmark a space

Shared With Me vs organization spaces

Schedule a meeting

View events on the calendar

View meetings on the dashboard

Copy meeting invitation details

Use 3D viewer tools

Space settings overview

Change camera type (Perspective vs Orthographic)

Take measurements and change precision

Chat in a space

Threads overview

Upload a file in chat

Troubleshooting access and permissions

Invite people to a space

Manage sharing and general link access

Update your profile

Change notification settings

Log out of CADchat

Manage organization profile

Manage organization users

Troubleshooting 3D navigation

Troubleshooting blank pages

Restore a deleted space (Trash)

Understand the space layout

Work with the 3D Canvas

Use the Documents tab

Work with DXF and DWG layers

Manage document files

Use the Whiteboard tab

Use the Meeting tab in a space

Start an ad hoc meeting with the Meet button

View assembly details

Understand permission levels

User Preferences

Use the 3D Canvas context menu

Interact with 3D model parts

Upload a 3D model file to a space

Use Add Pin and Threads

Create a space

Manage spaces in your organization

Getting Started

Navigation & Workspaces

Meetings & Calendar

3D Viewer & Collaboration

Chat, Threads & Comments

Files & Models

Sharing & Permissions

Account & Notifications

Organization & Admin Settings

Troubleshooting

Spaces — Layout & Navigation

Documents Tab

Whiteboard

Meetings in Spaces

<h2>Overview</h2><p>CADchat organizes your work into organizations and spaces. Organizations are the top-level containers for your team, and spaces are where you view 3D models, collaborate on documents, chat, and hold meetings.</p><h2>Steps</h2><ol><li>Sign in to CADchat. You will land on the Dashboard.</li><li>Look in the left navigation panel for your organization or organizations.</li><li>Click an organization name to open its space list.</li><li>Click a space card to open that space.</li></ol><h2>Additional details</h2><ul><li>Each organization has its own member list, settings, and billing. You may belong to more than one organization.</li><li>Spaces live inside an organization. Each space has its own members, files, and permissions that are independent of other spaces.</li><li>The Shared With Me section shows spaces you have access to that belong to other organizations.</li><li>The Recently Visited and Bookmarked sections in the left nav are shortcuts to spaces you open often.</li></ul><h2>Troubleshooting</h2><ul><li>If you cannot see a space you expect, check Shared With Me — it may belong to a different organization.</li><li>If the left navigation is collapsed, click Expand to reveal organization names and sections.</li><li>If a space is visible but you cannot open it, you may not be a member. Ask the space owner to invite you.</li></ul><h2>Related articles</h2><ul><li>Open a space</li><li>Navigate the CADchat left navigation</li><li>Invite people to a space</li><li>Shared With Me vs. organization spaces</li></ul>

<h2>Overview</h2><p>Spaces are where you view 3D models, collaborate on documents, use the whiteboard, chat, and hold meetings. You can open a space from your organization list, from Shared With Me, or from your recently visited or bookmarked spaces.</p><h2>Steps</h2><ol><li>In the left navigation, click an organization name to expand its space list, or click Shared With Me, Recently Visited, or Bookmarked.</li><li>Scroll through the space cards if needed.</li><li>Click a space card to open it.</li></ol><h2>Additional details</h2><ul><li>Space cards show the space name, last modified date, and who modified it.</li><li>You can bookmark a space by clicking the bookmark icon on the card so it appears in your Bookmarked section.</li><li>If a space has no cover image, it shows the default CADchat logo.</li><li>Opening a space always takes you to the 3D Canvas tab first.</li></ul><h2>Troubleshooting</h2><ul><li>If clicking a space card does nothing, scroll slightly so the full card is in view and try again.</li><li>If you see a permissions error, you may have been removed from the space. Ask the owner to re-invite you.</li><li>If the space appears blank after opening, wait a moment for it to finish loading, then refresh if needed.</li></ul><h2>Related articles</h2><ul><li>What are organizations and spaces?</li><li>Bookmark a space</li><li>Navigate the CADchat left navigation</li><li>Invite people to a space</li></ul>

<h2>Overview</h2><p>The Show Viewing Tools flyout gives you seven tools to control how a 3D model is displayed. Access it by clicking the toolbox icon in the left toolbar.</p><h2>Steps</h2><ol><li>In the left toolbar, click the Show Viewing Tools icon (toolbox icon, fourth from top in the tool group).</li><li>A dark flyout panel expands to the right. Click any tool to activate or toggle it:<ul><li>Fit to Screen — Resets the view so the entire model fits in the canvas.</li><li>Show Exploding Assemblies — Spreads assembly components apart so you can see individual parts.</li><li>Show Transparent Parts — Makes model geometry semi-transparent for internal visibility.</li><li>Hide BRep Edges — Removes edge lines from the model surface for a cleaner visual.</li><li>Recolor Model — Applies a unified color to the model.</li><li>Plane Cut — Slices the model with a cutting plane so you can see its interior.</li><li>Capture Screen Area — Lets you draw a selection rectangle and capture that area as a snapshot.</li></ul></li><li>Click a tool again to toggle it off.</li></ol><h2>Additional details</h2><ul><li>Multiple tools can be active simultaneously (e.g., Transparent Parts and Hide BRep Edges).</li><li>Plane Cut interacts with the Plane Caps setting in Space Settings. When Plane Caps is on, the cut surface is filled in cleanly.</li><li>Show Exploding Assemblies only has a visible effect on multi-part assembly files.</li><li>All viewing tool states are visible to other collaborators in the space in real time.</li></ul><h2>Troubleshooting</h2><ul><li>If Show Exploding Assemblies has no effect, the file may be a single-part model rather than an assembly.</li><li>If the model looks washed out, check whether Recolor Model or Show Transparent Parts is active and toggle them off.</li><li>If Plane Cut produces a hollow-looking cut, turn on Plane Caps in Space Settings.</li></ul><h2>Related articles</h2><ul><li>Work with the 3D Canvas</li><li>Space settings overview</li><li>Change camera type</li><li>Take measurements and change precision</li></ul>

<h2>Overview</h2><p>You can invite collaborators to a space by email directly from within the space. Inviting someone gives them access to the space's content based on the permission level you assign.</p><h2>Steps</h2><ol><li>In a space, click the Invite button in the top right, or click the gear icon and select Members.</li><li>The Invite Users modal opens.</li><li>In the Add Emails field, type an email address and press Enter. Repeat for multiple people.</li><li>Under People with access, find each invited person and set their permission level using the dropdown: Can Edit, Can Comment, or Can View Only.</li><li>Optionally, check or uncheck the share and download checkboxes per person.</li><li>Click Done.</li></ol><h2>Additional details</h2><ul><li>Invitees receive an email notification with a link to the space.</li><li>You can also set the General Access level (Anyone with the link) to control what happens when someone opens the link without a direct invite.</li><li>Click Copy Link to copy the general access link and share it manually.</li><li>People already listed under People with access can have their permissions changed at any time.</li></ul><h2>Troubleshooting</h2><ul><li>If an invitee does not receive their email, ask them to check spam and verify the address you entered is correct.</li><li>If you cannot see the Invite button, you may have view-only or comment-only access to the space.</li></ul><h2>Related articles</h2><ul><li>Manage sharing and general link access</li><li>Understand permission levels</li><li>Invite members at the organization level</li></ul>

<h2>Overview</h2><p>The 3D Canvas is the primary workspace for viewing and collaborating on 3D models. You can navigate the model, use viewing tools to inspect it, and add annotations directly on the geometry.</p><h2>Steps</h2><ol><li>Open a space and click the 3D Canvas tab.</li><li>If no model has been uploaded yet, click Upload 3D models or drag and drop a file into the upload zone.</li><li>Once a model loads, use your mouse to navigate:<ul><li>Rotate: Click and drag.</li><li>Pan: Right-click and drag.</li><li>Zoom: Scroll wheel.</li></ul></li><li>Use the ViewCube in the top right (labeled FRONT, BACK, etc.) to snap to standard views.</li><li>Use the Roll -90 / Roll +90 buttons next to the ViewCube to rotate the view.</li><li>Click the Home icon to reset to the default view.</li><li>Click the Walk controls icon (fan shape) to enter first-person navigation mode.</li><li>Right-click on the empty canvas background to open the canvas context menu with view and rendering options.</li><li>Right-click directly on a model part to open the part context menu with options to zoom, hide, isolate, recolor, and apply materials to that part.</li></ol><h2>Additional details</h2><ul><li>Supported 3D file formats: .FBX, .GLTF, .STL, .GLB, .OBJ, .STP, .STEP, .3DS, .SLDPRT, .CATPART, .SLDASM, .PRT, .ZIP, .PAR, .IGES, .IGS, .RVT, .IPT, .IAM, .JT, .F3D, .3DM, .SKP, .IFC, .X_T, .X_B, .SAT, .1, .2, .3, .DWF, .DWFX</li><li>You can upload multiple 3D files to the same space. They appear in the Files panel on the left.</li><li>Double-clicking on a 3D part performs an action based on your User Preferences setting (default: Add Pin).</li></ul><h2>Troubleshooting</h2><ul><li>If the model does not appear after uploading, wait for processing to complete and refresh the page.</li><li>If navigation feels sluggish, try enabling Limit Resolution in User Preferences.</li><li>If the model appears very small, right-click the canvas and choose Fit To Screen.</li></ul><h2>Related articles</h2><ul><li>Use the 3D Canvas context menu</li><li>Interact with 3D model parts</li><li>Use the 3D viewer tools</li><li>Add and manage 3D model files</li><li>Space settings overview</li></ul>

<h2>Overview</h2><p>Pins are anchored annotations you can place directly on a 3D model, document, or whiteboard. Each pin opens a Thread — a conversation tied to that exact location. Use pins and threads to give contextual feedback, ask questions, and track decisions without losing context.</p><h2>Steps — adding a pin</h2><ol><li>Open a space and go to the 3D Canvas, Documents, or Whiteboard tab.</li><li>Double-click anywhere on the model, document, or canvas to place a pin. (You can also select the Add Pin tool from the left toolbar and then click to place.)</li><li>A thread panel opens on the right side of the screen.</li><li>Type your comment in the text field and press Enter or click the send button to post the first message.</li><li>The pin appears at the location you clicked, with a numbered indicator.</li></ol><h2>Steps — viewing and replying to threads</h2><ol><li>Click any existing pin on the canvas to open its thread panel.</li><li>Read the existing messages in the thread.</li><li>Type a reply in the text field at the bottom and press Enter to send.</li><li>To close the thread panel, click anywhere outside it or press Escape.</li></ol><h2>Steps — managing threads</h2><ol><li>Click the Threads panel in the left sidebar to see a list of all threads in the current tab.</li><li>Click any thread in the list to jump to its pin and open the conversation.</li><li>To resolve a thread, open it and click the checkmark / Resolve button. Resolved threads are hidden from the canvas but remain accessible via the Threads panel filter.</li><li>To delete a pin and its thread, open the thread and click the trash / delete icon.</li></ol><h2>Additional details</h2><ul><li>Pins are numbered sequentially per tab (3D Canvas, Documents, Whiteboard each have their own sequence).</li><li>Threads support @mentions — type @ followed by a collaborator's name to notify them.</li><li>All collaborators with at least Can Comment permission can add pins and reply to threads.</li><li>Resolved threads can be viewed by switching the Threads panel filter to show resolved items.</li><li>Double-click behaviour can be changed in User Preferences — set it to Zoom To instead of Add Pin if you prefer.</li></ul><h2>Troubleshooting</h2><ul><li>If double-clicking does not place a pin, check your User Preferences — the double-click action may be set to Zoom To instead of Add Pin.</li><li>If you cannot add a pin, check that your permission level is at least Can Comment.</li><li>If a pin is not visible on the canvas, check the Threads panel — it may be on a different page of a document or a different whiteboard board.</li></ul><h2>Related articles</h2><ul><li>Threads overview</li><li>Chat in a space</li><li>Understand permission levels</li><li>User Preferences</li></ul>

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