Create and Manage BIM Quantity Takeoff Data

Create and Manage BIM Quantity Takeoff Data for Revit with Ideate BIMLink

While a regular Revit Schedule reports on a single category of data such as Doors, Plumbing Fixtures, or Structural Foundations, a Revit multi-category schedule can report on many of the Revit model categories at once, which can be useful for quantity takeoffs. Sounds straightforward, but the catch is that some of the model categories are being excluded. What’s missing are the system families such as Walls, Floors, etc.

Ideate BIMLink's multi-category method includes all the model category data that you need to do a comprehensive takeoff AND lets you select, on a per category basis, which elements you want to include. Furthermore, you can include not just the Length and the Volume, but also the Area. Read Create Revit Multi-Category Links with Ideate BIMLink 

Here are the steps to manage your BIM quantity data with Ideate BIMLink.

STEP 1 - Create the takeoff

The quickest way to get started is to use the sample link called "Construction_QTO".  

Create the Takeoff

 

  1. Select the New... button and then browse to the Construction Links folder as shown.
  2. Select the Construction_QTO file and then the Next button at the bottom of the Load Link File dialog.
  3. This is a multi-category link, so when the Properties dialog opens, it will begin on the Categories Tab.  Check the categories that you would like to include in your link. Read Create Revit Multi-Category Links with Ideate BIMLink and Edit Revit Categories with Ideate BIMLink.
  4. Select Done to complete the load link process.

STEP 2 - Export the data takeoff

  1. From the main dialog, while the Construction_QTO link is highlighted, select the Export button to write the data out to an Excel file.  You can browse to the folder where you want the new file to be stored.

If installed, you can also use the sample file that is included as part of the Ideate Automation installation.  That file can be found at "C:\Program Files\Ideate\Ideate Automation\en-US\Samples\Ideate Software Scripts\04 Quantity Takeoff\Construction_QTO.xlsx".  It's recommended that you copy this template to another location before proceeding. This method will result in a pre-formatted table which includes summaries for the count, length, area and volume of each element on a per Type basis.  TIP:  Look on the "Summary" tab within this Excel template.

If you are using the provided template, or your own version of an Excel file with a pivot table, you will want to refresh the pivot table data.  You can do this from the PivotTable Tools>Options as shown.

Video Example

refresh the pivot table data.

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