The invention provides the ability to count symbols within drawings in an automated fashion using a computer processor. This may be accomplished by identifying a particular symbol (representing a drawing part) and then permitting the computer to search for the identified symbol in the drawing. Following the initial search, a secondary search may be performed to increase the accuracy of an initial automated count, and obtaining refined searches results representing similar parts (represented by the same symbol) but being a part type as indicated by an identifier associated with the initial symbol.