2D Takeoff Overview

2D Takeoff — Overview

2D Takeoff is IntoAEC's built-in measurement and estimation module. Upload your architectural or construction PDF plans, calibrate the scale once, and immediately begin measuring areas, lengths, and element counts directly on the drawing — without switching to any external tool.

The module combines manual drawing tools with AI-powered detection, so you can measure spaces precisely by hand or let the system scan your plan, identify rooms and components automatically, and group the results intelligently. Every measurement links directly to IntoAEC's material takeoff engine, turning drawing measurements into material quantities and estimates in a few clicks.

2D Takeoff Dashboard

The 2D Takeoff dashboard is your central hub for managing all plans uploaded to a project. From here you can:

• See all plans already uploaded to the current project
• Upload a new plan PDF using the + Add Plan button
• Open an existing plan to Edit the measurements. 
• Preview or Delete an existing Plan
• View All profile and Project details and also edit it.
  
  

What You Can Do with 2D Takeoff

Plan management

• Upload one or multiple 2D PDF floor plans to a project
• Each PDF can contain multiple pages (sheets), and you can navigate between them inside the takeoff canvas
• Set the drawing scale once by clicking two points of known distance on the plan — all measurement tools use this scale automatically from that point forward
  
  

Measurement tools

• Draw rectangles, circles, or freeform polygons over any space to measure areas.
• Draw straight lines or multi-segment paths to measure wall lengths, pipe runs, cable routes, perimeter distances, or any linear element
• Place Add count marker on repeating elements such as doors, windows, columns, or light fixtures to get an accurate count
• Measure the distance between two specific points on the plan, for example between structural elements or setback lines
  
  
  
  

AI-powered detection

• Let the AI scan the plan and automatically identify and outline individual rooms and spaces, saving you from tracing each one manually
• The system recognizes common building elements such as doors, windows, columns, and fixtures and logs them as counts automatically
• Text labels detected in the drawing — such as room names printed on the plan — are used to automatically name and group measurement sections
• Detected measurements are grouped logically by space or element type, so your Takeoff panel is organised from the moment AI detection finishes
  
  
  
  

Annotations and organisation

• Add text comments directly on the plan canvas to flag notes, queries, or instructions against specific areas
• Select any measurement shape and adjust it — move it, resize it to fit the boundary more precisely, or delete it
• Change the highlight colour of any shape to visually distinguish rooms, trades, floors, or priority zones
• Organise measured items into named sections such as Ground Floor, Electrical, or Tiling using the Create Section tool
  
  

Material takeoff and estimation

• Select any measured area, open the Material Takeoff panel, choose a trade and assembly, and generate a full material quantity list
• Assemblies come with built-in calculation formulas for each material and labour item — these apply automatically against your measured area with no manual calculation needed
• Build your own assemblies with custom materials, user-defined inputs, and bespoke formulas when predefined options do not match your project specification
• Material quantities calculated in the takeoff feed directly into IntoAEC's estimation workflow, letting you produce cost estimates without re-entering any data
  

Why 2D Takeoff Matters

• AI-Driven Accuracy
• Faster Estimation 
• Single Source of Truth
• Effortless Material Takeoff
• Clear Collaboration 

Related articles in this series:

• Uploading a Plan
• Setting the Scale
• Drawing Measurement Areas
• Running a Material Takeoff
• Creating Custom Assemblies and Formulas