Global design and BIM software provider Vectorworks, Inc. has launched a new integration with Morpholio Trace, one of the latest additions to its product portfolio, connecting freehand sketching on iPad directly to Vectorworks design workflows. Because moving between sketches and precise models and documentation is central to any design workflow, the integration lets users sketch freely on plans and other drawings on iPad while their ideas flow straight back into Vectorworks. The new Trace integration reflects a market-proven fact that drawing, tracing, and sketching remain central to how designers think, explore, and communicate ideas. By connecting Trace on iPad with Vectorworks on desktop, designers can move more naturally between the immediacy of hand sketching and the intelligence of their BIM and CAD models, without breaking their creative flow.
“With this integration, we’re bringing the power of sketching and the precision of BIM closer together than ever before,” said Vectorworks Product Planner Iskra Nikolova. “Drawings and sketches now move seamlessly in both directions through Vectorworks Cloud Services. Designers can start in Vectorworks and then sketch in Trace, or begin in Trace and bring those ideas back into Vectorworks, enabling a fluid, flexible creative process without extra steps or friction. The release of this integration in Vectorworks 2026 Update 5 marks another milestone in our commitment to connected, mobile-friendly workflows that honor the craft of design.”
Image Courtesy of: Vectorworks
At the core of the new integration is a direct, built‑in connection between Vectorworks and Trace. Designers can use the “Export to Morpholio Trace” command to send selected, scale‑accurate sheets or viewports from Vectorworks via the cloud to a dedicated Vectorworks folder in Trace on their iPad. They can then sketch freely on their plans and other drawings, and when they are ready, the “Import from Morpholio Trace” command brings those sketches back into their Vectorworks file as images or vector linework, eliminating manual back‑and‑forth to maintain creative momentum and keep everything in sync.
This continuous loop between hand sketching and BIM empowers teams at every stage of a project. In early concept design, designers can quickly explore alternatives and overlays in Trace without losing connection to scale and geometry. As projects progress, the same workflow supports client presentations, review markups, and coordination sketches that tie directly back to the Vectorworks model. The result is a more fluid, expressive, and efficient process — from first ideas through detailed design and documentation.
“Morpholio Trace was created to preserve the joy and immediacy of drawing while connecting it to the tools that carry ideas into reality,” said Vectorworks Director of Marketing – Cloud & Mobile and Morpholio co-founder Anna Kenoff. “By integrating directly with Vectorworks, we’re giving designers a seamless path from sketching on iPad to working in sophisticated BIM and CAD environments. It’s a way to keep drawing and mark-ups at the center of the design process, while ensuring every idea can be developed and delivered with precision.”
Customers can access the new integration with Vectorworks 2026 Update 5, available now. This update is available for all currently released English-language versions of Vectorworks 2026 and is immediately accessible to subscription and Vectorworks Service Select customers. To install, select “Check for Updates” from the Vectorworks menu (Mac) or the Help menu (Windows).
To explore the new Morpholio Trace integration and all the latest features, start a free 7-day trial of Vectorworks Design Suite and download Morpholio Trace for iPad and iPhone in the Apple App Store.
About Vectorworks, Inc.
Vectorworks, Inc. is an award-winning design and BIM software provider serving the architecture, landscape architecture and design, and entertainment industries in 85 countries. Professionals worldwide are using Vectorworks on Mac and Windows to create, connect, and influence the next generation of design. Built with designers in mind since 1985, Vectorworks software offers you the freedom to follow your imagination wherever it leads you. Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with offices in the UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan, Vectorworks is a part of the Nemetschek Group. Learn how you can design without limits at vectorworks.net or follow @Vectorworks.
