Best practices to send CAD backgrounds to client

[Maltezc]

Hi all, I'm curious to see how others are sending their CAD backgrounds to clients. Although this may be a simple question, I thought it'd be best to ask out loud.

Here are the different methods i've found: 

1) Export CAD from Revit. Select export setup. Make sure the "Export views on sheets and links as external references" box is checked. Open a file in AutoCAD and eTransmit all files to make sure the xrefs are included in the .zip. and then send the zip file. 

2) Export CAD from Revit. Select export setup Uncheck the "Export views on sheets and links as external references" box. Now the xrefs will show as blocks. Send .dwg files.

Just wanted to see if anyone else is doing anything different and check if these were the only 2 ways of doing it.

I appreciate your thoughts.  

[ToanDN]

Create overall views dedicated for background, VG them how you expected the background to be, and export them to CAD.

[kadmonkee]

recommend your clients use Revit and share the model.

but if that is not possible how @ToanDN  suggested works well

[dahld]

The only additional comment I can add is to make sure what version of AutoCad you need to send.  Everyone should have the most current versions, but there are those are not on the most current version.  

[syman2000]

A lot of time i would export as single file without xref. Majority of the consultant and client love that simplicity. If I have to send to civil, I would set to shared coordinate and give them unit either in feet or meters.

[ToanDN]

My reply above assuming you sending exported DWGs to consultants based on the keyword "background".  Consultant need background DWGs clean to not muddying their content, and generally non-cropped because they will create viewports on sheets themselves.

On the other hand, if you are asking about exporting DWGs for end-user clients then it is totally different.  I would export sheets and DO NOT check the box Export views on sheets and links as XREFs, and set text behavior to Preserve visual fidelity.