Generate Floor Plans and Diagrams Using Your Favorite AI Platform

Already working in ChatGPT or Claude? You can connect to SmartDraw's MCP server and generate a floor plan or diagram editable in SmartDraw mid-conversation while using your preferred AI tool.

What is the SmartDraw MCP Server?

The SmartDraw MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server integrates with AI platforms to generate SmartDraw diagrams from your prompts without leaving your existing conversation. You can connect your platform to the MCP server and when you describe a diagram during a chat, the AI platform will know to invoke the appropriate tools to produce a diagram with a preview image and a link that opens the diagram in the full SmartDraw editor to let you continue to edit what you generated.

SmartDraw MCP connecting to Claude and ChatGPT

What It Does

  • Serves the live VSON specification. VSON stands for VisualScript Markup Language. It is SmartDraw's special form of JSON that describes a diagram in a way that SmartDraw can render it. The AI pulls the current VSON spec directly from the SmartDraw MCP server, so it always works from the latest version. When SmartDraw adds capabilities, connected AIs pick them up without an update on your side. Learn more about VSON here.
  • Handles a broad set of inputs. Ask for a diagram in natural language and include "using SmartDraw." Or paste Mermaid code, CSV data, SmartDraw Floor Plan Notation, VSON and ask SmartDraw to render it.
  • Renders inline previews. The drawing appears right in the conversation as soon as it is generated, as a full-sized preview image.
  • Lets you open generated drawings in SmartDraw. Every generated drawing comes with an "Edit in SmartDraw" button that opens SmartDraw in your browser so you can continue to edit and refine the diagram.
  • Works with every AI platform that supports MCP.
VSON code example

How to Work with SmartDraw's MCP Server

To set up working with SmartDraw's MCP server, just follow these steps:

  1. Connect SmartDraw to your preferred AI platform
  2. Write a prompt that triggers the SmartDraw tool by talking about diagrams it can generate: floor plans, flowcharts, org charts, mind maps, and timelines or request that a diagram be created specifically using SmartDraw.
  3. The AI fetches the VSON specification for the right drawing type from SmartDraw's MCP server and generates VSON SmartDraw can interpret and sends that VSON to SmartDraw's server to be rendered.
  4. Once a diagram is generated, you can click the Edit in SmartDraw button to open that diagram in SmartDraw and edit it.
SmartDraw MCP server communicating with LLMs to generate diagrams

Connect to SmartDraw's MCP Server

Below are instructions to connect SmartDraw to popular AI platforms.

Connect SmartDraw to Claude

Connect Claude to SmartDraw's MCP server and generate floor plans and diagrams mid-conversation.

Connect SmartDraw to Claude
SmartDraw and Claude logos

Connect SmartDraw to ChatGPT

Connect ChatGPT to SmartDraw's MCP server to create fully editable SmartDraw drawings in the context of any chat.

Connect SmartDraw to ChatGPT
SmartDraw and ChatGPT logos

Creating Diagrams with the SmartDraw MCP Server

Similar to how you'd interact with the AI inside SmartDraw, the MCP server supports two primary ways of creating diagrams.

  1. Generate New Ideas: Use AI's general knowledge to create a starting point for a diagram or floor plan. The best part is you won't need to switch applications or interrupt your workflow. Let SmartDraw generate your layout or diagram in the context of your conversation.
  2. Visualize Your Own Data: Similar to uploading structured data like a CSV or floor plan notation inside SmartDraw, you can do the same while connected to the MCP server and turn your own information into editable diagrams and floor plans.
Prompt to generate flowchart Creating diagram from floor plan notation in LLM

Using Prompts

For the most reliable results, explicitly mention SmartDraw in your prompt and ask it to create or render the diagram. While many AI assistants can automatically recognize when SmartDraw is the appropriate tool, naming SmartDraw directly ensures the MCP server is invoked.

For example:

"Using SmartDraw, create a floor plan of a 4 bedroom 3 bath modern, open concept house."

"Using SmartDraw, create a flowchart illustrating a hiring process at a software company."

Using natural language to generate floor plan

Edit the Generated Diagram in SmartDraw

Once a floor plan or diagram is generated, it's more than just a static image. SmartDraw's MCP server gives you a native SmartDraw document with a preview you can see in your conversation, while it's also a fully editable document you can open in SmartDraw.

To open it in SmartDraw, simply click the Edit in SmartDraw button. Now your generated floor plan or diagram is ready to be edited using the full power of SmartDraw. You can add shapes and labels to your diagrams or move walls and add furniture to your layout.

The SmartDraw MCP server can help you get started faster and SmartDraw provides the power and tools to get a professional finish.

Edit in SmartDraw button inside LLM

Data Handling at a Glance

  • SmartDraw never sees your prompt or your conversation. Only the VSON the AI chooses to send, plus a short title.
  • VSON and rendered images are stored for 48 hours so the editor and preview links work, then automatically deleted.
  • Drawings you save to your SmartDraw account are yours and follow your account's normal retention rules.

For the full picture, see SmartDraw AI Privacy and Data Handling.

Secure data handling