Extract connection data from steel shop drawings into a spreadsheet with an AI skill

The problem

Extract connection data from steel shop drawings into a spreadsheet with an AI skill. This is a common, time-consuming task for a structural engineer.

What this workflow does

Write a step-by-step extraction skill, run an AI model over the shop drawing set, and verify every cell with cross-checks such as plate weight from geometry vs. the bill of materials. In our own trial on 21 connections (273 values), the best model run matched 268 of 273 values (98%) against the verified answers; verification rules made the biggest difference.

Before you start

• Access to the named tool; confirm license, version and cost with the vendor.
• A small, non-confidential sample to try the workflow on first.
• A qualified person to review the output before it is used.

Tools and access

• Claude (Anthropic)
• Microsoft Excel

Follow the steps

1. Do 20+ connections by hand first and define every spreadsheet column precisely (units, which sheet it comes from).
2. Write the extraction rules in plain English per column, including where values usually hide (details, BOM, sections).
3. Test the skill on connections you already know the answers to; when it is wrong, ask why and refine the rules.
4. Add verification rules: cross-source each value on two sheets and compare plate weight computed from geometry to the BOM weight.
5. Have the model mark anything it could not verify as UNVERIFIED instead of guessing, and treat those as errors until checked.
6. Keep files on approved local tools if the drawings are confidential.

Try a small example

Replace the bracketed fields with your own project details. No tested sample run is published for this workflow yet.

Fill in the bracketed [fields] in the text below with your project data.

You are extracting connection data from steel shop drawings. For each connection mark, fill these columns: [list columns with units]. For every value, cite the sheet and detail where you found it. Cross-check plate dimensions by computing plate weight (length x width x thickness x 490 lb/ft3) and comparing it to the bill of materials. If a value cannot be confirmed on two sources, write UNVERIFIED. Do not guess.

Not published yet. Treat any output as a draft and check it against the source documents.

Check the result

• Every value, citation or quantity traces back to a source document.
• Missing information is marked as missing, not filled in.

Limits and recovery

• Extraction only. Models confused gross BOM plate sizes with effective dimensions shown in details; flange plate widths caused the most errors. The engineer reviews every value and makes all design decisions.
• Check your organization’s data policy before sharing project files with third-party tools.

Stop or switch when: The source cannot be verified, permissions are missing, or the result contains unsupported facts.

Frequently asked questions

Where to go next

• Keep engineering calcs organized, checkable and reusable in a calc platform
• Check model data against project rules before it reaches drawings
• Query a Revit model in plain language through an MCP connector (read-only first)
• All Structural Engineer workflows
• All Design calcs and analysis workflows

Evidence and maintenance

Written from a workflow we built and use. Specifics are generalized and no project data is published. Not independently verified.

• Claude (Anthropic) (vendor site)
• Microsoft Excel (vendor site)