FAQ
Faq category: Training
[FAQ200] What you should know about purchasing Carlson Software
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About Carlson Software, the Company
About Carlson, the Software
Carlson programs work natively and produce DWG format files. There is NO need to convert, import or export – only Open and Save.
The programs are primarily delivered as “vertical” modules that can be installed and run on top of a generic-CAD platform.
Carlson’s desktop modules for land surveying, engineering and construction are built to run on top of the ITC’s IntelliCAD and Autodesk’s AutoCAD platforms. The modules include: Survey, Civil, Hydrology, GIS, Geology, Underground Mining, Surface Mining, Natural Regrade, Field, CADnet, GeoTech, Trench, Construction and Point Clouds.
Additionally, Survey and Takeoff are developed and run on top of an embedded AutoCAD (OEM).
You Have Options!
Purchase Carlson with the Platform that's Best for You
Carlson’s desktop programs can be installed as a standalone program on top of IntelliCAD or on top of your separately-purchased, full-AutoCAD-based program.
Each purchase includes a license of the latest version of IntelliCAD – it doesn’t have to be purchased separately.
Your separately-purchased, full-AutoCAD-based program can be AutoCAD, AutoCAD Map, Land Desktop, Civil 3D or other vertical – but does NOT include AutoCAD LT.
The following modules are available with IntelliCAD/for YOUR AutoCAD: Survey, Civil, Hydrology, GIS, Geology, Underground Mining, Surface Mining, Natural Regrade, Field, CADnet, GeoTech, Trench, Construction and Point Clouds
Carlson Survey and Takeoff can be purchased and installed standalone with embedded AutoCAD (also known as the OEM version).
Each purchase includes a license of the latest version of embedded AutoCAD (OEM) – it doesn’t have to be purchased separately.
Note that embedded AutoCAD (OEM) is more similar to AutoCAD LT than AutoCAD – so, experienced AutoCAD users may end up missing much of the functionality they are accustomed to.
The embedded AutoCAD (OEM) programs do not include IntelliCAD and do not require a separate purchase of AutoCAD.
Importantly, although both programs can be installed on the same computer, programs installed with the OEM platform will be completely separate from those installed with IntelliCAD/your AutoCAD. This means that you will not be able to work in a DWG file and simply switch between menus – you’ll have to close the drawing in one program in order to open it in the other.
Carlson's Versions vs AutoCAD's Versions
Carlson Software will run on earlier versions of AutoCAD; however, you cannot run a version of Carlson that is older than the AutoCAD. For instance, Carlson 2024 will run on AutoCAD 2018-2024 but Carlson 2022 will only run on AutoCAD 2018-2022.
Which Program or Modules Do I Need?
FAQ: I’m a land surveyor. What software do I need?
FAQ: I’m a civil engineer. What software do I need?
Programs with embedded AutoCAD (OEM)
FAQ: What features & menus are in Carlson Survey with embedded AutoCAD (OEM)? (a running thread)
FAQ: What features & menus are in Carlson Takeoff with embedded AutoCAD (OEM)? (a running thread)
Desktop Programs with IntelliCAD/for YOUR AutoCAD
FAQ: What features & menus are in the non-OEM Carlson Survey program? (a running thread)
FAQ: What features & menus are in Carlson Civil? (a running thread)
FAQ: What features & menus are in Carlson GIS? (a running thread)
FAQ: What features & menus are in Carlson Hydrology? (a running thread)
FAQ: What features & menus are in Carlson Point Cloud? (a running thread)
FAQ: What features & menus are in Carlson Construction? (a running thread)
FAQ: What features & menus are in Carlson CADNet? (a running thread)
FAQ: What features & menus are in Carlson GeoTech? (a running thread)
FAQ: What features & menus are in Carlson Trench? (a running thread)
Carlson iCAD
Retail Pricing for Carlson Software
| Program | Retail Price of Standalone (effective 7/10/2024) | Retail Price of Network |
|---|---|---|
| Select Suite - Pick 6 (from Survey, Civil, Hydrology, GIS, Point Cloud Basic, CadNet) | $ 4,950 | $ 5,445 |
| Select Suite - Pick 5 (from Survey, Civil, Hydrology, GIS, Point Cloud Basic, CadNet) | $ 4,650 | $ 5,115 |
| Civil Suite or Select Suite Pick 4 (from Survey, Civil, Hydrology, GIS, Point Cloud Basic, CadNet) | $ 4,250 | $ 4,675 |
| Select Suite - Pick 3 (from Survey, Civil, Hydrology, GIS, Point Cloud Basic, CadNet) | $ 3,850 | $ 4,235 |
| Select Suite - Pick 2 (from Survey, Civil, Hydrology, GIS, Point Cloud Basic, CadNet) | $ 3,350 | $ 3,685 |
| Survey | $ 2,150 | $ 2,365 |
| Civil | $ 1,950 | $ 2,145 |
| Hydrology | $ 1,550 | $ 1,705 |
| GIS | $ 1,250 | $ 1,375 |
| Point Cloud Basic | $ 2,000 | $ 2,200 |
| Point Cloud Advanced | $ 6,000 | $ 6,600 |
| Takeoff Suite (Construction, CADNet, Trench, GeoTech) | $ 7,500 | $ 8,250 |
| Construction | $ 3,950 | $ 4,345 |
| CADNet | $ 1,750 | $ 1,925 |
| Trench | $ 1,595 | $ 1,755.50 |
| GeoTech | $ 1,595 | $ 1,755.50 |
| Takeoff with embedded AutoCAD (OEM) | $ 9,000 | $ 9,900 |
| Survey with embedded AutoCAD (OEM) | $ 3,250 | $ 3,575 |
Upgrading Carlson Software
Upgrades are managed through the Annual Maintenance Plan which, essentially. allows users to pre-pay for future upgrades. As long as your Maintenance is active at the time a new version is released, you are eligible for an automatic upgrade to the new version.
See additional information about Maintenance below…
Survey and Takeoff with embedded AutoCAD (OEM)
Maintenance is NOT available for these products so upgrades are only available after a new version has been released.
The cost to upgrade Carlson’s OEM products is subject to change each year and varies depending on the program and how many versions behind you are.
However, Carlson never charges more than 50% of the current retail price to upgrade any license to the latest and greatest version of the software.
Carlson Software Annual Maintenance
Every new license of Carlson with IntelliCAD/for CAD includes 90 days of free Maintenance. This is Carlson’s way of ensuring that anyone who purchases a new license inside of that 90-day window can be assured of getting the free upgrade.
Renewing Maintenance Before it Expires
Renewing Maintenance is optional for users.
However, if you prefer to keep your software up-to-date when new versions are released, keeping the Maintenance plan active is the best way to do that.
If it is renewed prior to expiration, maintenance costs 10% of the retail price of the software.
Renewing Expired Maintenance
If your Maintenance has expired, you can pay the regular 10% Maintenance fee plus the expiration fee to activate your Maintenance for one-year. While Maintenance is active, you’ll be eligible for an immediate upgrade to the current version AND for automatic upgrades to any new versions released during the Maintenance year.
How Old is Too Old (to Renew)?
For licenses of Carlson with IntelliCAD/for CAD that are more than 4 years old, users can pay 50% of the retail price to activate Maintenance for 1-year.
While Maintenance is active, you’ll be eligible for an immediate upgrade to the current version AND for automatic upgrades to any new versions released during the Maintenance year.
See the tables below for sample pricing for Carlson Maintenance.
Carlson Software Maintenance Fees – per Product
Carlson’s policy on Software Maintenance can be viewed by clicking here
| Program | Retail Price of Standalone (effective 7/10/2024) | Annual Maintenance for Standalone | Retail Price of Network | Annual Maintenance for Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select Suite Pick 6 | $ 4,950 | $ 495 | $ 5,445 | $ 544.50 |
| Select Suite Pick 5 | $ 4,650 | $ 465 | $ 5,115 | $ 511.50 |
| Select Suite Pick 4 | $ 4,250 | $ 425 | $ 4,675 | $ 467.50 |
| Select Suite Pick 3 | $ 3,850 | $ 385 | $ 4,235 | $ 423.50 |
| Select Suite Pick 2 | $ 3,350 | $ 335 | $ 3,685 | $ 368.50 |
| Civil Suite | $ 4,250 | $ 425 | $ 4,675 | $ 467.50 |
| Survey | $ 2,150 | $ 215 | $ 2,365 | $ 236.50 |
| Civil | $ 1,950 | $ 195 | $ 2,145 | $ 214.50 |
| Hydrology | $ 1,550 | $ 155 | $ 1,705 | $ 170.50 |
| Point Cloud Basic | $ 2,000 | $ 200 | $ 2,200 | $ 220.00 |
| Point Cloud Advanced | $ 6,000 | $ 600 | $ 6,600 | $ 660.00 |
| GIS | $ 1,250 | $ 125 | $ 1,375 | $ 137.50 |
| Takeoff Suite | $ 7,500 | $ 750 | $ 8,250 | $ 825.00 |
| Construction | $ 3,950 | $ 395 | $ 4,345 | $ 434.50 |
| CADNet | $ 1,750 | $ 175 | $ 1,925 | $ 192.50 |
| Trench | $ 1,595 | $ 159.50 | $ 1,755 | $ 175.50 |
| GeoTech | $ 1,595 | $ 159.50 | $ 1,755 | $ 175.50 |
Carlson Software Maintenance & Expiration Fees
Carlson’s policy on Software Maintenance can be viewed by clicking here
| Maintenance Status | Annual Maintenance (Percentage of Retail) | Expiration Fee (Percentage of Retail) | Total Fee to Renew (Percentage of Retail) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active | 10% | 0 | 10% |
| Expired, up to 1 year | 10% | 10% | 20% |
| Expired, up to 2 years | 10% | 20% | 30% |
| Expired, up to 3 years | 10% | 30% | 40% |
| Expired, more than 3 years | 10% | 40% | 50% |
Sample Pricing for Active and Expired Maintenance Renewal Fees
Carlson’s policy on Software Maintenance can be viewed by clicking here
| Program | # of Years Expired | Retail Price | Total Fee (Percentage of Retail) | Total Fee to Upgrade and/or Renew Maintenance for 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey | Not expired, maintenance is current | $ 2,150 | 10% | $ 215.00 |
| Survey | Expired for less than 1 year | $ 2,150 | 20% | $ 430.00 |
| Networked Survey | Expired for less than 1 year | $ 2,365 | 20% | $ 473.00 |
| Civil Suite or Select Suite Pick 4 | Not expired, maintenance is current | $ 4,250 | 10% | $ 425.00 |
| Civil Suite or Select Suite Pick 4 | Expired for less than 1 year | $ 4,250 | 20% | $ 850.00 |
| Networked Civil Suite or Select Suite Pick 4 | Expired for less than 1 year | $ 4,675 | 20% | $935.00 |
Carlson Licensing
A purchase of Carlson Software grants a perpetual license to the owner. This means that, once purchased, you “own it” and never need to pay additional fees to use it.
Carlson allows users to “network” their licenses for an additional fee. The fee is 10% of the retail price of the software being networked.
When installing their desktop software, Carlson recognizes 5 different “Reasons for Installation”:
After installation and registration, Carlson provides a Registration Report that includes a “Change Key” and it’s a good idea to save the report and the change key.
And here’s a Pro-Tip for you! The Serial Number screen on your That CAD Girl Customer Portal has a “Customer Notes” section – that’s a great place to save your Change Key and other important information about each license!
FAQ: Does Carlson retire their products?
FAQ: What happens if I get a new computer and need to reinstall Carlson?
FAQ: Can I install my Carlson desktop software on two computers?
FAQ: Is it better to network Carlson than use standalone licenses?
FAQ: Does Carlson Software Still Offer Perpetual Licenses?
FAQ: How do I register my Carlson Software? And what are change keys?
System Requirements for Desktop Software
Technical Support & Training
You can see all the opportunities for training with That CAD Girl here and you can follow these links to see our FAQs about the training and technical support available from Carlson and That CAD Girl.
30-Day Trials
Once you decide to purchase, you won’t even need to uninstall. You can activate your software by simply updating your registration with your purchased serial number.
Why Buy from That CAD Girl?
Once you decide to purchase, you won’t even need to uninstall. You can activate your software by simply updating your registration with your purchased serial number.
[FAQ506] Am I eligible to attend your Carlson Software webinars for free?
+You can also log in to your That CAD Girl Customer Portal to confirm your webinar eligibility:
The fine print: There will be a limited number of “seats” available for the sessions (limits of the technology). If we start bumping up against the limit of attendees, only one person per company will be able to attend each session. If we have plenty of seats available, that won’t be an issue.
On the Free Webinars tab of your portal, you can find links to pre-register or join a session in progress.
Follow this link to pre-register for any webinars you’d like to attend.
[FAQ505] Why did you start doing your webinar series for Carlson and CAD training?
+Over a 3 week period I had 14 2-hour sessions with different people or groups. At that point I realized I needed to find a better way if I wanted to continue to support those who purchased software from me – and the webinar series was born!
Now it has grown and is, I think, a great way to make everyone happy. Those needing an overview of the software or particular features can get that on a regular basis. And, it frees me up to offer more specialized training to those who want and need custom training.
[FAQ502] Does That CAD Girl training qualify for PDH/CEU/continuing education credit?
+That CAD Girl is an approved provider of continuing education credit for the THE NORTH CAROLINA BOARD OF EXAMINERS FOR ENGINEERS AND SURVEYORS so anyone licensed in NC should have no problem.
For those out-of-state who attend webinars or other online training, we do provide “Certificates of Attendance” for each session. We also archive recordings of all training (technology willing!) and are happy to provide access to these for proof of training and auditing.
Links to past or upcoming training sessions and your Certificates of Attendance can be found on your That CAD Girl Customer Portal.
[FAQ501] What options do I have for training on CAD or Carlson Software?
+But, don’t forget – there’s a difference between Carlson software TRAINING and Carlson Software TECH SUPPORT… you have to pay for one and the other is free!
I recommend you Click here to complete our Training Questionnaire – this will help you (and us) identify the training that will work best for you.
If it’s training you need, the best and most timely training I provide is through my live webinars or custom online training. You can see the list of upcoming webinars here or follow this link to Request Custom Training to schedule one-on-one custom training.
If it’s movies and videos you want, Carlson has an extensive library of recorded webinars and I’ve posted the webinars I presented on Carlson’s behalf here in my Video Library.
And, if you prefer written material, you may be interested in my Carlson Self-Study Training Manuals. These don’t cover everything Carlson… they’re more of the inch-wide but mile deep variety.
[FAQ507] Before I buy, can I attend a webinar for free?
+Be our guest! Be our guest!
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin ’round your neck, cherie
And we’ll provide the rest
Of course! Click here to let us know which one you want to attend!
[FAQ400] Find Answers on your new That CAD Girl Portal
+Find Answers on your new That CAD Girl Portal
If you (or your company) have ever requested a proposal or invoice from That CAD Girl – Congrats! You have a portal!
Every portal is specific for the email address we have on file for you, so – Click here to access That CAD Girl’s Customer Portal then enter your email address.
The availability of tabs on your portal will depend on whether you have been granted Full Access by the primary contact in your company or if you have Restricted Access. Everyone will have Home, Free Webinars and My Training tabs while those with Full Access will have access to Recent Transactions, Serial Numbers and Maintenance Reports.
Clicking on an Estimate – When viewing an Estimate (Proposal) in Recent Transactions, you have different options depending on whether the Estimate has been previously converted to an invoice, is active (unexpired) or is past due (expired).
For active (unexpired) and unconverted Estimates, you can click “Accept & Pay” to convert the Estimate to an Invoice and proceed directly to our payments screen or click “Create Invoice” to convert the Estimate to an invoice and proceed to the Invoice screen.
For past due (expired) or previously converted Estimates, you only have the “Print” button that allows you to export to a PDF.
NOTE: Once an Estimate has been converted to an Invoice using either option, you must return to the Recent Transactions table and open the Invoice to pay.
Clicking on an Invoice – When viewing an Invoice in Recent Transactions, you have different options depending on whether the Invoice is active or past due.
For active (unexpired) Invoices, you can click “Pay Now” to proceed to our payment screen.
For past due (expired) Invoices, you only have the “Print” button that allows you to export to a PDF.
DISCLAIMER: That CAD Girl has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information about your Carlson Software licensing that is provided on this website. Nevertheless, inadvertent errors may occur so all information shall be confirmed and validated directly by Carlson Software prior to use.
Also, clicking on any serial number in the list brings you to a details page where you can add any “Customer Notes” that are helpful to you such as the user name, location or even the Change Key associated to that installation. You can also find the link to download and link to installation instructions.
DISCLAIMER: That CAD Girl has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information about your Carlson Software licensing that is provided on this website. Nevertheless, inadvertent errors may occur so all information shall be confirmed and validated directly by Carlson Software prior to use.
- A list of Upcoming sessions in our Webinar Series with links to pre-register
- A list of webinars that you attended and a button to download a Certificate of Attendance. Note: You can add your professional license numbers on your Home tab and they will appear on your certificates.
- A list of recordings of webinars that you attended
- A list of Upcoming Training sessions that have already been paid for with links to pre-register
- A list of Past Training sessions the user has paid for and attended with a link to download a Certificate of Attendance
- A list of Past Training sessions with links to the recording
Find Answers on your new That CAD Girl Portal
If you have ever requested a proposal or invoice from That CAD Girl – Congrats! You have a portal!
Every portal is specific for the email address we have on file for you and you can access yours by following this link and entering your email address.
The availability of tabs on your portal will depend on whether you have been granted Full Access by the primary contact in your company or if you have Restricted Access. Everyone will have Home, Webinars and Paid Training tabs while those with Full Access will have access to Transactions, Serial Numbers and License Reports.
DISCLAIMER: That CAD Girl has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information about your Carlson Software licensing that is provided on this website. Nevertheless, inadvertent errors may occur so all information shall be confirmed and validated directly by Carlson Software prior to use.
Also, clicking on any serial number in the list brings you to a details page where you can add any “User Notes” that are helpful to you such as the user name, location or even the Change Key associated to that installation. You can also find the link to download and link to installation instructions.
DISCLAIMER: That CAD Girl has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information about your Carlson Software licensing that is provided on this website. Nevertheless, inadvertent errors may occur so all information shall be confirmed and validated directly by Carlson Software prior to use.
- A list of Upcoming sessions in our Webinar Series with links to pre-register
- A list of Past sessions in our Webinar Series with links to the recording
- A list of sessions the user has attended with a link to download a Certificate of Attendance
- A list of Paid Training sessions the user has attended with a link to download a Certificate of Attendance
- A list of Upcoming Paid Training sessions that have already been paid for with links to pre-register
- A list of Past Paid Training sessions with links to the recording
[FAQ420] I’ve Installed My Carlson Software – Now What Do I Do?
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Installing and Registering
FAQ: How do I register my Carlson Software? And what are change keys?
FAQ: Can I install my Carlson desktop software on two computers?
FAQ: What happens if I get a new computer and need to reinstall Carlson?
FAQ: What happens if I get a new computer and need to reinstall Carlson?
Tracking my Licenses and Keeping Up to Date
FAQ: That CAD Girl Customer Portal
FAQ: My Maintenance is Current… Where’s My Upgrade?
FAQ: When I upgrade, do I immediately lose access to the older version of my software?
FAQ: I can’t seem to keep up with my Carlson maintenance – Can you help?
FAQ: Do I qualify for an automatic upgrade to the new version of Carlson?
Technical Support
FAQ: Where do I get support for Carlson Software and how much will it cost me?
FAQ: How can I be sure I’m running the latest build of my Carlson Software?
FAQ: How can I find out when new versions or builds of Carlson are released?
FAQ: Where do I find the build date or build number of my Carlson Software?
FAQ: I think I found a bug in my Carlson Software – how can I get it resolved?
FAQ: What is the latest and greatest version/build of my Carlson Software? (a running thread)
FAQ: What is “The Little CAD Engine That Could” Website?
Training
FAQ: What options do I have for training on CAD or Carlson Software?
FAQ: Am I eligible to attend your Carlson Software webinars for free?
FAQ: Before I buy, can I attend a webinar for free?
FAQ: Does That CAD Girl training qualify for PDH/CEU/continuing education credit?
[FAQ509] What is Carlson Academy?
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According to Carlson’s website, Carlson users with an active maintenance plan can access the lessons provided in Carlson Academy after creating or logging into their account here.
[FAQ503] How much training will I need to learn Carlson?
+If you’ve used anything AutoCAD-based (such as Land Desktop, Eagle Point, Civil 3d) then the only thing you will need to learn is how Carlson manages points or surfaces compared to those programs. In many ways Carlson Software and Land Desktop are more similar than Land Desktop and Civil 3d so the learning curve is pretty short.
But, if you’re coming from TerraModel or Microstation-based program, learning the AutoCAD or IntelliCAD platform underneath Carlson programs will probably double the time it takes to learn the program. It’s all CAD so you’re not starting from scratch, but figuring out the fundamental differences between layers and levels, templates and seed files, cells and blocks, paper space and plan/profile views and so on will take some time.
Refer to this FAQ for training that’s available if you need to learn CAD or Carlson Software.
[FAQ500] What is Carlson College?
+That CAD Girl was one of the first two training centers to meet the qualifications for Carlson College.