What are electronic survey documents such as CAD files and PDF copies considered?

Electronic survey documents like CAD files and PDF copies are typically categorized as preliminary or draft documents. This classification arises from their role in the surveying process, where they are often used for design, review, or adjustment purposes before final approval and formal adoption.

These documents reflect the ongoing work and iterations that occur during the survey phase. They may not represent the final outcomes or decisions, as they can be subject to further modifications based on stakeholder feedback or additional field data collection. Thus, considering them as preliminary highlights that they are part of an evolving process leading to more formalized and finalized documents.

Categories such as final documents, official documents, or archived documents represent works that have been completed, authorized, or stored for long-term reference and do not apply to the nature of CAD files and PDFs in most cases during their initial circulation in the surveying workflow.