AutoCAD MEP has a wide variety of schedules available to track objects like air terminals, lights and plumbing fixtures. Panel Schedules, however,
are a different beast. The panel schedule behaves differently from other schedules – for example, it has two columns that oppose each other for each
side of the panel – so we can’t use a normal schedule. Placing a panel schedule requires that you have created and are using an Electrical
project database – so if you aren’t, stop right here. If you are, take a look at how to do this. Make sure you are in the electrical workspace. Check to make
sure your drawing is connected to the electrical project database – from the manage tab, select Electrical preferences. You should see the
Livgren.epd file associated with the project – if not, select open and then browse to the reference folder in this chapter’s Livrgen project folder. Select
the file, and then pick Ok. From the analyze tab, pick the Circuit manager – as long as you’ve defined your circuits and added them to a panel,
life is good – but even if you’re still working on this, you can create the panel schedule and still add content to it later. Expand the window until you see
panel LP1 – review the circuit information. Right click on the panel in the left column – choose Insert Panel Schedule – this will place the schedule in
your current drawing. At the dialog, the options are a little out of order. Start by picking the location for the panel schedule styles – this shows up if you
don’t have any in your current drawing – get your CAD manager to make sure these are in your drawing template for future work! Pick browse –
you should be placed right into the styles folder under the default content location. If not, pick the content shortcut, and then pick the Styles folder –
pick your version for units, and then locate the Panel Schedule table styles drawing. Pick open – the list above it will be populated. Pick the branch
panel – single phase. Notice how everything else is grayed out – that’s because you’re not in a drawing that contains panels - which is really cool. You can
link to panels into ANY drawing that is associated with the project database – letting you put panels where they’re really located. Pick OK. If you pick
the wrong panel type, such as the wrong phase, you’ll get a warning – so knowing electrical design may keep you from picking the wrong type. Place
the schedule where you want it. Next, use zoom extents to zoom in on the schedule. And see how the data is already populated. To make changes,
simply pick it and right click – you can update it, change styles, size the columns and rows, export it and more. You can also use the grips to stretch,
change the columns or move it. While we’re not working on customizing the schedule in this drawing, you can see how powerful this tool is – so
use it, and throw away some spreadsheets!