Beyer Blinder Belle Customizes Ideate Software Solutions to Meet Their Specific Needs
Press Release: San Francisco, CA, January 24, 2024
On the recommendation of a staff member who spoke highly of Ideate Software, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (BBB) reached out to learn more about the Autodesk® Revit® software add-ins developed by Ideate Software, an Autodesk Authorized Developer and member of the Autodesk Developer Network.
“To get to know the software, we started with Ideate Sticky,” said Matthew Breau, Design Technology Specialist at BBB. “We were impressed that it did just what it was supposed to do, and it was easy to learn and use. We added another Ideate Software product, then another. We now subscribe to the entire Ideate suite and encourage all designers at BBB to leverage those offerings in their day-to-day work.”
In 2022, BBB added Ideate Automation to their toolkit, and in 2023, they started to explore ways to customize several of the scripts that ship with the software to meet their specific needs. When discussing these customizations, Matthew mentioned:
- Structuring PDF Exports to Meet Teams’ Requests
– People from various teams across BBB requested one PDF per type of drawing series. “Although Ideate Automation does not come with a script that can structure PDFs in that particular way, it comes with a lot of editable examples. We were able to study the many scripts as references and then we pulled in the pieces we needed and created a hybrid script that performs perfectly,” said Matthew.
- Model Health Reports – BBB developed a firm-standard model health dashboard by customizing several of the Data Export scripts that ship with Ideate Software tools. The exported data includes information about file-open times, model-in-place families, component family size and naming conventions, view organization, and model warnings.
- Scaling Overnight Automations – To fully integrate Ideate Automation into BBB’s data-centered processes, BBB developed a workflow using Microsoft Power Automate to capture front-end Ideate Automation command line arguments and send them to the backend to run on a specific schedule. This allows for additional tasks to happen before or after Ideate Automation’s data export, beyond the Revit environment. “The flexibility of Ideate Automation’s task engine and its ability to work independently of the front-end UI is a huge plus for us,” said Matthew.
Read Spotlight on BBB for more information.
Visit www.ideatesoftware.com to learn how Ideate Software add-ins for Revit help users save time, increase model accuracy, improve deliverables, and elevate design. Give them a try by downloading trial versions or purchasing the bundle.
About Ideate Software - Ideate Software, Autodesk® AEC Industry Partner and Autodesk® Authorized Developer, empowers Revit users to gain unprecedented control over their data. They developed Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, Ideate Sticky, IdeateApps, and Ideate StyleManager to solve persistent problems in architecture, engineering, and construction, and owner-operator (AECO) workflows. They developed Ideate Automation as a scripting solution to easily automate repetitive Revit and Ideate Software tasks for consistent and repeatable results.
Autodesk and Autodesk Revit are trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries
What is a Named User license?
A Named User license is assigned to one specific person rather than shared across a network. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see the Graitec Licensing Help Center - Named User.
Are Ideate Suites replacing Ideate Software Bundles?
Yes. Going forward, Ideate Suites replace Ideate Software Bundles.
What's the difference between the Ideate Software Bundle and the Ideate Suite?
Both include the same five tools: IdeateApps, Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, Ideate Sticky and Ideate StyleManager.
- Bundle: Each tool is licensed separately, so different people can work in different tools at once. For example, with one Bundle, five people could each use a different tool at the same time.
- Suite: One license covers all five tools for one person at a time. That person can move freely between every tool. While they're using the Suite, it isn't available to anyone else on that license until they finish.
A Named User Suite is assigned to one specific person. A single Network Cloud Floating Suite can be shared across your team, one person at a time.
Will my team need more licenses?
If several people on your team use different Ideate tools at the same time, you may need more than one Suite license. Contact us and we'll review your team's usage and help you choose the right setup.
Can I still buy an Ideate Software Bundle?
No. Bundles are no longer available for purchase. New purchases are offered as follows:
- Ideate Suite: Named User or Network Cloud Floating
- Enterprise Suite: Network Cloud Floating
- Active Host: Network Cloud Floating
- Automation: Network Cloud Floating
- Individual products: Named User or Network Cloud Floating (IdeateApps, Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, Ideate Sticky, and Ideate StyleManager)
Can I still buy IdeateApps, BIMLink, Explorer, Sticky, or StyleManager individually?
Yes. Individual products are available as Named User or Cloud Floating licenses until the new product lineup launches with the next major release, expected mid-2027.
Will floating (network) licenses still be available?
Yes. FlexLM remains available for organizations with security requirements, such as environments without internet access. FlexLM is not available through the online store, so please contact your account manager to purchase.
My organization has strict security requirements or no internet access. Can I still get a FlexLM license?
Yes. FlexLM remains available for organizations with security requirements, such as environments without internet access. FlexLM is not available through the online store, so please contact your account manager to purchase.
I'm an existing customer. What happens to my current license/s?
Your existing Ideate Software subscription is moving to our new licensing system at no cost. Your license quantities and expiration dates stay the same.
- Standalone licenses become Named User licenses. Set up your Named Users in the Graitec Advantage Portal.
- Cloud Floating (network) licenses become Network Cloud Floating Suite licenses. Deploy the latest release as you have in the past, using the new license code in your migration email.
- Each Ideate Software Bundle becomes an Ideate Suite.
To keep using Ideate, update to the latest release and activate your new license by March 31, 2027. Older Ideate licenses will stop working in Q2 2027.
Using Ideate with Revit 2022 or earlier? Contact ideatesupport@graitec.com to review your options. For account questions, contact sales@ideatesoftware.com.
I have a Bundle today. What will I receive when I move to the new licensing?
Conversions are one for one. Each Ideate Software Bundle becomes one Ideate Suite, and each network Bundle becomes one Network Cloud Floating Suite. Your license quantities and expiration dates stay the same.
Where do I manage my licenses?
In the Graitec Advantage Portal. Based on customer requests, starting with the latest Ideate release, license management and license usage information are handled in Graitec Advantage, outside of Revit. We recommend bookmarking the portal.
- Named User licenses: Assign licenses to people on your team in Graitec Advantage.
- Cloud Floating Suite licenses: Deploy the latest release with your new license code as you have in the past, then manage licenses in Graitec Advantage.
Watch the Graitec Advantage walkthrough
Can I transfer a Named User license to another person?
Yes. There's no limit on the total number of transfers, but each license can be transferred up to two times within a 30-day period.
How are licenses issued?
Each product on your order is issued as its own license once your order is processed. To try a product before buying, contact us to request an evaluation license.
I want to try the Graitec AI Assistant now, but I don’t have my new license code yet. What should I do?
Existing customers: We’re delivering new license codes to existing subscribers on a rolling basis over the next few weeks. If you need access sooner, contact your Graitec sales representative.
New customers: The Graitec AI Assistant isn’t available in the Ideate trial. Contact your Graitec sales representative to request an evaluation license or purchase a 6-month subscription.
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