Getting Started

Get up and running with Branch in minutes. This guide covers installation, initial setup, and your first automated design.

Prerequisites

Before installing Branch, ensure you have:

AutoCAD 2018-2026 installed on Windows (AutoCAD LT not supported)
.NET Framework 4.8 (usually pre-installed on Windows 10/11)
A Branch account (start your free trial)

Installation

Download Branch

After purchasing or starting your trial, download the Branch installer from your dashboard.

Go to Downloads

Run the Installer

Close AutoCAD, then run the installer. It will automatically detect your AutoCAD version and install the appropriate plugin files.

Launch AutoCAD

Open AutoCAD. You should see the Branch ribbon tab appear. If prompted, click "Always Load" to enable Branch on startup.

Sign In

Run the LEAFLOGIN command to authenticate with your Branch account.

Command: LEAFLOGIN

Keeping Branch Up to Date

Branch checks for new releases automatically when AutoCAD loads. When an update is available, a dialog will appear with the release notes and a one-click option to download and install the new version. Updates are checked at most once every 24 hours.

You can choose to install immediately, skip a specific version, or dismiss the prompt to be reminded next time. To install manually at any time, download the latest installer from your dashboard.

Interactive Demo

The fastest way to learn Branch is through the built-in interactive demo. It walks you through the complete workflow step-by-step with sample drawings and guided instructions.

Run the Demo

Type DEMO in the AutoCAD command line to launch the demo selector.

Command: DEMO

Choose from three demo workflows:

Rooftop Design

9 steps covering landscape panels, string generation, inverter placement, homeruns, and cable export. Uses a sample rooftop drawing included with the plugin.

Ground Mount Design

9 steps covering portrait panels, panel extraction from rack blocks, combiner box placement, and cable routing. Uses a sample ground mount drawing included with the plugin.

SolarEdge Import

6 steps covering PDF import from SolarEdge Designer, reviewing imported data, creating homeruns, and exporting cable lengths. Requires your own SolarEdge PDF and DWG file.

The demo saves your progress automatically—you can close AutoCAD and resume where you left off.

Manual Setup

If you prefer to skip the demo and configure settings manually:

Run LeafSetup

The setup wizard walks you through configuring:

• Installation type — Ground mount or rooftop
• String size — Number of panels per string
• Layer settings — Configure layers for strings and homeruns

Command: LEAFSETUP

Your First Design

Here's the typical workflow for automating a solar design with Branch:

Create Panel Groups

Draw your panel layout, then run PanelGroupCreate to organize panels into groups.

PANELGROUPCREATE

Solve Strings

Run Solve to automatically generate optimized string connections.

SOLVE

Create Homeruns

Run Homeruns to route cables from string endpoints to your inverter or combiner box.

HOMERUNS

Next Steps

Now that you're set up, dive into the workflow guide for your project type:

Rooftop Workflow Ground Mount Workflow SolarEdge Workflow