Understanding Flow Check warnings
Every warning maps to a real guideline. Here's what each one is checking, the numbers behind it, and how to clear it.
Smart Flow Check reads your plan as you work and reports, in plain words, anything that wouldn't work in real life. The Flow check pill in the toolbar is green when there's nothing to fix, amber when there are only warnings, and red when there's at least one error. Open it and every issue is listed, naming the pieces involved.
This page is the full list of what it can raise — the errors, the warnings, the numbers behind each one — and how to work through the panel.
Step by step
- 1
The pill
Top left of the canvas toolbar. OK on green means nothing to fix; a number on red or amber is the count of open issues. Click it to open the panel.
- 2
Errors (red): things that can't be
overlaps exterior wall / interior wall — the piece is inside a wall (a 1.5 in tolerance lets you place flush). A & B overlap — two pieces share floor (rugs and stackable items are exempt). blocks door — inside a door's swing arc. blocks fireplace — in the 18 in hearth zone. overlaps pillar / elevator shaft / floor opening. blocks the Murphy bed and two Murphy beds would collide.
- 3
Two pieces overlap
The most common red: a table dropped onto a sofa, a chair on a desk. The row names both pieces; move either one.
- 4
Warnings (amber): comfort and safety
too close to — a coffee table under 18 in from its seating. crowds the door / opening / fireplace — inside the 36 in approach zone. blocks a window — a piece 48 in or taller within 18 in of a window. can't recline — a recliner whose open footprint would hit a wall, a fixture or another piece. won't fit under the sloped ceiling and the other vaulted-ceiling checks. in the Murphy bed's path.
- 5
Doors: approach, then swing
A chair sliding toward a door first crowds the door (amber, the 36 in approach zone), then blocks door (red, the swing arc). A piece wide enough to cross the arc goes straight to red. The same pair applies to openings, sliding and French doors.
- 6
Blocks a window
Tall furniture within 18 in of a window covers the light. Bookcases, wardrobes and tall cabinets trigger it; a sofa doesn't (under 48 in). Curtains and blinds are exempt.
- 7
Can't recline
Recliners carry their open depth. This warning means the chair fits closed but would hit something when it reclines. See Recliners: recline depth and clearance.
- 8
Work through the panel
Errors are listed first, then warnings, then notes. Click a row and the piece is highlighted on the plan. Nudge it with the arrow keys; the row disappears the moment the rule is satisfied and the count drops. Keep going until the pill reads OK.
- 9
One fixed, keep going
Fix the reds first — they're the ones that physically can't be built — then decide about each amber. A warning you've thought about and accept can stay; the pill will be amber, not red.
Tips
The numbers
Wall tolerance 1.5 in · door approach 36 in · coffee table 18–24 in · window zone 18 in for pieces 48 in or taller · fireplace 18 in · recliner open depth 64 in (standard) / 70 in (oversized).
Rugs are exempt
A rug never counts as an overlap and never blocks a door or window, so lay it first.
Common mistakes
Chasing amber before red
Red rows are the ones that can't be built. Clear those, then read the warnings.
Expecting a walkway-width warning
Flow Check checks specific clearances (doors, coffee tables, windows, recliners, fireplaces) and all overlaps. It doesn't measure a general walkway between two pieces — use the tape measure for that.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between an error and a warning?
Errors (red) are things that physically can't be — overlaps, a blocked door swing. Warnings (amber) are comfort and safety rules — too close, crowding an approach, blocking a window's light.
Why does Flow Check say my sofa overlaps the wall when it's just touching?
It allows 1.5 in into the wall face for flush placement. Beyond that it's an overlap — nudge it one inch into the room.
What does 'crowds the door' mean?
The piece is inside the 36 in approach zone in front of the door (door width × 36 in into the room). Move it out of that zone.
How do I find the piece a row is talking about?
Click the row — the piece is highlighted on the plan.
Can I ignore a warning?
Yes. Warnings are advice; the pill stays amber to remind you. Errors are worth fixing before you build or export.
Does Flow Check work in 3D?
It checks the 2D plan; the results apply to what you see in 3D. Fix issues on the plan.
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