Scan-to-BIM Hub: Definition, Workflow, LOD and Tools

Start here: choose your Scan-to-BIM path

• Understand the definition: inputs, outputs, scope and related terms
• Prepare the workflow: five phases, accuracy, LOD, formats and quality checks
• Choose capture equipment: scanner families and project criteria
• Plan the data exchange: E57, LAS, LAZ, RCS, RCP and LGSx
• Check the result: compare the measured point cloud with the BIM model

Scan-to-BIM in one paragraph

Scan-to-BIM is the process of turning a real building into a BIM model. A 3D laser scanner or a mobile mapping rig captures millions of points, those points are assembled into a unified point cloud, and a BIM modeler uses that cloud as a reference to build walls, slabs, beams, pipes and ducts in software like Autodesk Revit or Graphisoft ArchiCAD. The output is what the AEC industry calls an "as-built" model: a digital twin that matches what is actually on site, not what the original drawings claimed thirty years ago. The Wikipedia entry on Building Information Modeling describes the broader BIM concept (ISO 19650-1:2018) and notes that scan-to-BIM and as-built modeling are the standard way to bring existing facilities into a BIM workflow.

Use the Scan-to-BIM definition for scope, inputs and outputs. Use the step-by-step workflow guide to prepare and execute the five phases. This hub remains the navigation layer for tools, roles, deliverables and LOD.

Workflow map: the five phases at a glance

A Scan-to-BIM project breaks into five phases. Each phase has its own software, its own role, and its own failure modes. Most published workflows align on the same sequence: planning, field scanning, data processing, quality assurance, and deliverable production. Skipping a phase, or letting one team start before the previous one finishes, is the number one source of rework.

Phase 1: Planning and scoping

The planning phase is where you decide three things: which zones to scan, at what point density, and at what LOD(s) the BIM model should be delivered (a project does not require a single LOD). Getting this wrong costs an order of magnitude more than getting it right. The LOD target in particular drives the whole pricing of the modeling phase, and we cover it in detail below.

Phase 2: Field scanning

On site, a surveyor walks the building with a stationary scanner (Leica RTC360, FARO Focus, Trimble X-series) or a mobile mapping system (NavVis VLX, Leica BLK2GO, FARO Orbis). Stationary scanners give the best accuracy but require setup at each position. Mobile scanners trade a small accuracy loss for ten times faster acquisition. ATIS.cloud is compatible with every scanner brand so the choice of capture hardware does not lock the rest of the workflow.

Phase 3: Registration and processing

Several individual scans are needed to cover a building. Registration software aligns these scans into a single coherent point cloud. The output is typically an E57, LAS, LAZ, RCS, RCP or LGSx file ready to be consumed downstream. Industry-standard tools split along hardware ecosystems:

• Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360, the reference for Leica scanners.
• FARO SCENE, the historical companion of FARO Focus.
• Autodesk ReCap Pro, the vendor-neutral option that also handles RCS / RCP exports.
• Trimble RealWorks, the natural choice in a Trimble ecosystem.

Phase 4: Sharing and quality assurance

Once the cloud is registered, it has to travel to three or four other teams: the BIM modelers, the architect, the MEP engineer, and often the client who paid for the survey. This is historically where projects bog down. Sending a 50 GB file over WeTransfer is painful, asking each recipient to install Cyclone or ReCap is unrealistic, and email cannot carry the annotations and markups that drive the QA loop. A web-based platform like ATIS.cloud lets every stakeholder open the cloud in a browser, take measurements, leave notes, and validate completeness without installing anything.

Phase 5: BIM modeling and deliverables

The modeler prepares the required objects from the checked point cloud. In ATIS.cad, Scan-to-BIM proposes building objects to accept, adjust or reject, then complete before IFC export. Revit, ArchiCAD and other software remain possible routes depending on required native files and objects. In every case, model checking is part of delivery, not an optional step after export.

If you are new to IFC, read our IFC file guide and our online IFC viewer overview for context.

LOD: the decision that sets project cost

LOD stands for Level of Development (sometimes Level of Detail). It is the BIMForum / AIA specification that tells the modeler how much information to put into each model element. Six levels exist: LOD 100, 200, 300, 350, 400 and 500. The full definitions, sourced from BIMForum, are summarized below.

• LOD 100, conceptual: element shown as a symbol or generic mass to signify it exists.
• LOD 200, approximate geometry: generic system with approximate quantity, size, shape, location and orientation.
• LOD 300, precise geometry: specific system, object or assembly with exact dimensions and position. The standard target for as-built renovation work.
• LOD 350, precise geometry with connections: LOD 300 plus the interfaces between systems (flanges, hangers, supports). Reserved for congested MEP zones.
• LOD 400, fabrication ready: includes detailing, fabrication, assembly and installation information. Used for prefabrication and shop drawings.
• LOD 500, field verified as-built: element verified on site, suitable for facility management and long-term operations.

In practice, most renovation projects specify LOD 300 as the baseline. Industry guides consistently cite LOD 300 as precise enough for architectural drawings and general coordination, while LOD 350 is reserved for MEP-heavy areas requiring clash detection. Moving the whole model from LOD 300 to LOD 350 increases modeling cost by roughly 30 to 40 percent because the modeler has to draw individual hangers, brackets and clearances. A hybrid strategy (LOD 300 globally, LOD 350 only where clashes are likely) aligns budget with actual risk.

Software landscape: who does what

A Scan-to-BIM project separates survey registration, sharing and review, and model production. A product can cover more than one operation: ATIS.cad adds CAD/BIM production to the ATIS.cloud workflow. Check what each stakeholder needs before choosing tools and access.

Sharing and review layer

ATIS.cloud handles this part of the workflow: the BIM manager uploads the registered point cloud and grants the access needed to view, measure and annotate it in the browser. This shared review also prepares production in ATIS.cad or an external tool. Comparing an existing model with a survey and creating that model are separate operations.

• Capacity: up to 1 TB per file on all plans, up to 5 TB of total workspace.
• Open formats on every plan: E57, LAS, LAZ.
• Proprietary formats on all plans: RCS, RCP, LGSx.
• IFC model overlay supported on Advance and Enterprise plans.

BIM authoring layer

Production can be commissioned from a service provider, carried out in Revit, ArchiCAD or AllPlan, or prepared in ATIS.cad. In the latter workflow, Scan-to-Plan handles 2D drawings and Scan-to-BIM proposes building objects for review and completion before IFC export. Choose according to the deliverable, required objects and team skills. Streaming plugins for external software remain a separate route: they provide access to the point cloud, not model export or Revit co-authoring. ATIS.cad is in early access until the end of November 2026, on request and activated by the team. This is separate from the ATIS.cloud trial.

Deliverables: what comes out of a Scan-to-BIM project

A Scan-to-BIM contract typically produces five deliverables. They cover the raw geometry, the parametric model, the exchange format and the QA artifacts. Each one targets a specific downstream use and tool.

ATIS.cloud supports BCF creation, PDF export of BCF, orthophoto export and cropped exports on its Advance and Enterprise plans, which closes the loop on the QA deliverable directly from the browser.

Who does what on a Scan-to-BIM team

A Scan-to-BIM team is rarely a single company. Even small projects pull in three or four distinct roles, each with its own software stack. Knowing exactly who is responsible for what (and which tool they actually need) is what keeps license costs down and accountability sharp.

The friction surface is between the four upstream roles and everyone downstream. The first four need direct access to the cloud; the rest only need to look at it, take a measurement, drop a comment. Paying for desktop registration software for each downstream stakeholder is wasteful. A web hub that grants per-project access without seat licenses fixes this asymmetry. That is the operating model ATIS.cloud is built for.

ATIS.cloud as the central Scan-to-BIM hub

The technician registers the survey in their processing software, then uploads the point cloud to ATIS.cloud. The BIM manager invites the team and checks coverage before modeling. The modeler works in ATIS.cad after early-access activation, or continues in external software using the appropriate integrations. The architect annotates issues; the client views the survey and shared deliverables. Before handover, the model is checked against the scan and the agreed requirements.

• Hardware-agnostic: compatible with every scanner brand (FARO, Leica, NavVis, Riegl, Trimble, Viametris, Matterport, etc.).
• Sovereignty options across 22+ countries, useful for sensitive infrastructure or data-localization rules.
• IFC support on Advance and Enterprise, so the scan and the BIM model can live in the same project view.
• Revit, AutoCAD and AllPlan plugins available depending on plan, so authoring tools reach the cloud-hosted point cloud directly.

Comparing a Scan-to-BIM project with and without a hub

Without a hub, the unified point cloud gets duplicated. A copy goes to the modeler over WeTransfer, another copy goes to the architect, another to the engineer, the client gets a screen-recorded video because they cannot open the file at all. Annotations live in PDFs that go around by email. Versions diverge. By month two of a six-month project, nobody knows which copy of the cloud is the latest.

The shared point cloud is the team’s reference. Access permissions and annotations let people discuss the same survey. The modeler can work in ATIS.cad or external software while the technician keeps their registration tool. After updating a scan, check the impact on objects and deliverables already prepared.

If you want the pricing logic before testing, see our plans page. If you want to read more on the underlying data structure, our point cloud primer explains formats and how they shape downstream workflows.

Common mistakes in Scan-to-BIM projects

• No written LOD specification per zone. Modeling cost ends up arbitrary and disputes follow.
• Single uniform LOD across the whole building. Pay LOD 350 everywhere instead of using a hybrid strategy.
• Scanner choice driven by the modeling tool. The two layers should be decoupled: scan with what fits the site, model with what fits the team.
• Cloud delivered as a single ZIP over a transfer service. No versioning, no audit trail, no shared annotations.
• BIM modeler installs the registration software just to view the cloud. Wrong tool for the job, wrong license cost.
• Client cannot open the deliverable on their laptop. The project closes with a deliverable nobody on the owner side can actually inspect.

Next steps

Start with a representative survey and a specific deliverable. To view and share the scan, test ATIS.cloud visualization. To prepare drawings or a model in ATIS.cad, request early access from the team. ATIS.cad is in early access until the end of November 2026, on request and activated by the team. This is separate from the ATIS.cloud trial. The Scan-to-BIM workflow guide details the checks to complete before handover.

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