Save 32 Hours per Project Using Ideate BIMLink to Audit Analytical Columns, Structural Framing, and Rebar Shape Data

Auditing Revit projects is critical, but probably not a favorite task for many.


Fortunately, with Ideate BIMLink, engineers can quickly check data, verify accuracy, and make necessary changes, so they can confidently get back to the more interesting aspects of their jobs. 


Ideate BIMLink users, including those who are not Revit users, use the software to pull Revit model data into Excel for easy auditing and editing, and then push the verified data back into Revit to update the model. 


Below is information on how much time our users reported saving. 


Tasks: Auditing Analytical Columns, Structural Framing, and Rebar Shape Data 

Ideate BIMLink ROI

Calculate Your Return on Investment 

Do you need to determine the value of Ideate BIMLink to your company? Here’s how: 


  1. Review the above chart above and additional related data to understand how much time can be saved by using Ideate BIMLink for various tasks
  2. Compare that amount of time to the number of projects you have and your software purchase price


ROI Examples

Here are two examples. For simplicity’s sake, these examples assume you save four hours per project. Because our customers reported an average savings of 32 hours per project on the tasks featured in this blog post alone, your payback will likely be much higher.


  1. Single Standalone License
    A single standalone license of Ideate BIMLink costs approximately US$795. If you have 20 projects per year and save four hours per project, you’ll save 80 hours per year. According to the 
    2020 Economic Research Institute, the average Structural Engineer’s salary is about $99K per year. Assuming a corresponding hourly rate of $48 (which would exclude overhead), you will have a payback (over covering software costs) of more than US$3000 each year. 
     
  2. Network Licensing
    For larger firms, network licensing can deliver an even higher return on investment. For example, the cost of a single seat is about $2,000 per year. Assuming that you save four hours per project, pay a higher burdened salary rate of $59, and have 50 projects, you will have a payback of more than US$9,800 per year. 


Learn More

Visit our Help files to learn more about Ideate BIMLink.

Explore recent posts

Generate Curtainwall Elevations in Revit Using Ideate ViewCreator
November 19, 2025
TRAINING - VIDEO | Easily create curtain wall elevations in Revit! Creating curtain wall elevations doesn’t have to be time-consuming. With Ideate ViewCreator, you can quickly generate curtainwall elevations from 2D view or 3D elements customize view naming, apply view templates, avoid duplication, etc.
Generate Material Quantity Takeoffs Using Ideate BIMLink
November 19, 2025
TRAINING - VIDEO | Generate material quantity takeoffs in Revit… automatically! Say goodbye to manual material exports. With Ideate BIMLink’s new ‘Material_QTO link definition, you can quickly export material instance data, areas, and volumes directly from your Revit projects.
Manage Model Material Assets Using Ideate BIMLink
November 19, 2025
TRAINING - VIDEO | Edit and swap material assets in Revit with ease! Ideate BIMLink just got even better - now you can swap appearance, physical, and thermal material assets in your Revit projects.
Create New Materials Using Ideate BIMLink
November 19, 2025
TRAINING - VIDEO | Create new materials in Revit… fast! With Ideate BIMLink’s new definition called ‘Material-Create_NEW’, you can now create new materials or add an existing material directly into your Revit models.
Show More