January

3

2024

In the fast-paced world of business, staying ahead requires innovative thinking and efficient processes. Ideate Automation has emerged as a powerful tool to streamline workflows and boost productivity across an organization.

Ensuring a Successful Implementation at Your Company

Scaling and managing Ideate Automation effectively can be a game changer for your company. In this blog post, we explore key tips to help you navigate the challenges and ensure a successful implementation across your entire organization. 

Tips for Scaling Ideate Automation:

  1. Start with a Clear Vision and Strategy: Before diving into Ideate Automation, define your goals and expectations. Understand the specific pain points you aim to address and how Ideate Automation can enhance your workflows. A clear vision will guide your implementation strategy and ensure alignment with organizational objectives.

    Example: You have a list of models that need the same task performed, such as Model Health Checks or weekly PDF Exports. You can utilize our “Use File List” to perform the same task on the same list of models. Use Task “AUT-Generate_Revit_File_List” to generate a file list based on selected Revit files. The resulting .txt file can be used by other scripts that use the File List option. This enables you to reuse and update the same .txt list for other tasks.

    Ideate Automation

    Example: Some of your Revit models are big, and processing all the data is a time-intensive task for your machine. Keep your Workset naming consistent across your organization. Worksets are important when working in the Revit model as well as when running an Automated Task. What are Worksets? They are a portion of the file that can be opened and closed and managed independently to utilize less of your computer resources when you’re running a task. Run “AUT_Get_File_Data” and define your Workset conditions before running a task. 

    Ideate Automation

    Example: You need regular exports to PDF/DWG/NWC, but the Revit Sheet Sets are different every time, and they’re difficult to manage as Revit Sheet Set are static! We have the solution for you! Utilize our Dynamic publishing methods that utilizes Ideate BIMLink to generate a Dynamic Sheet Set via parameter value on the fly without altering your model. 

    Ideate Automation
     
  2. Prioritize Processes for Ideate Automation: Prioritize tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming, and prone to human error. Start with smaller, manageable processes to build confidence and gradually scale up to more complex workflows. While you are prioritizing tasks, review the time it takes to run a task and when it should run given the amount of information that needs to be processed. 

    Example: You are running tasks on 100 models. Should these tasks be run at the same time? Keep in mind if task is triggered on these models, they will all get triggered based on their scheduled time. You should give some thought to staggering these tasks to allow your machine to run this effort. We recommend running tasks after hours and on weekends. Please review our Performance Tips that will ensure your Ideate Automation tasks are executed with speed and reliability to support your Revit workflows.
     
  3. Identify Ideate Automation Champions: Identify and nurture champions within your organization. These individuals can act as advocates, driving enthusiasm and adoption of Ideate Automation initiatives among their peers. They can also be the ones that build tasks and monitor progress and ensure teams know that some of these tasks are automated for their specific projects and proper setup is in place. Working closely with someone in that project is helpful in setting up these tasks during project setup or when Ideate Automation adoption is taking place for this specific project. 

    Example: Letting the team know that their model is being published regularly to BIM 360/ACC that aligns with their BIM execution plan, or that their PDF exports are being uploaded automatically weekly to BIM 360/ACC for submissions.
     
  4. Training and Support: Our website contains extensive Help files, getting started guides, product documentation, workflow blogs posts, and educational videos. Empower your team with the skills needed to leverage Ideate Automation tools effectively.

    We also have an exceptional technical team that is always available and ready to help and troubleshoot issues that come up on any tasks. Email: [email protected].

    Training programs and workshops can help bridge knowledge gaps and ensure that employees feel confident using Ideate Automation tools in their daily tasks. Contact your Ideate Software account manager for questions related to training: [email protected].
     
  5. Collaborate Across Teams: Fostering collaboration across different teams will help you identify automation opportunities and gather diverse perspectives. Involving stakeholders from various areas ensures that the implemented solutions are comprehensive and beneficial to the success of the project.

    We provide three distinct collaboration methods for Ideate Automation scripts, catering to diverse needs in both script development/creation and task execution. We firmly believe that adopting a one-size-fits-all solution is not the optimal approach. We can easily see all three approaches implemented at a given organization, requiring no specialized IT setup. 

    Now, let’s delve into the three methods:
     
  • Run Tasks on Your Own Machine: 
    This method allows you to run the tasks on the same machine the task was created on. 

    This allows for automated tasks to be run on any user’s machine. A good example of that is the daily file open task: AUT-Open_RVT_Files. This enables all users of any skill level to save time on their file open tasks and have it scheduled every day ready for them to use.
     
  • Dedicated Machines Running Tasks: 

    This method allows multiple users to build scripts on their personal machines that can later sent to dedicated machines to run the tasks. This allows you to offload tasks to differently managed machines, while relying on other team members to send in task requests that are already created to run.
     
  • Dedicated User Building Tasks: 

    This method allows a dedicated user to build tasks that can later be sent to multiple teams to run the tasks on their own machines, and then later, these users can manage the progress of these tasks. 

    When distributing scripts across machines for task execution, please consider the following requirements for the machines involved: 
     
  • Ensure that the machine has a valid Ideate Automation license.
  • Ensure the machine has the latest “Refresh File List”. 
  • Verify that it has the necessary access to models utilized in automated tasks, whether it be access to server locations or connectivity to BIM360/ACC.
  • Confirm that the machine is equipped with a licensed version of Revit, with appropriate permission levels for accessing BIM 360/ACC models.
  • Note that specific tasks may necessitate the appropriate license for BIM 360/ACC, particularly for actions like publishing to BIM 360.

How can you share scripts across machines? 

  1. Execute a task on a local machine to verify smooth operation, schedule it, and then export the scheduled .xml task and import it for execution on a different machine.


    Ideate Automation

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  2. You can reconstitute a script task when retrieving the log file. Go to line: “Command Line Input” in the log and copy everything starting from -t until the next timestamp item. Then you’re able to “Import Command” to review the variables within the Ideate Automation UI. Then proceed to running the task ad hoc or schedule it. 

    Ideate Automation

Check out this link on more information on task sharing and reconstitution. 

Successfully scaling and managing Ideate Automation across your organization requires strategic thinking, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By starting with a clear vision, involving diverse teams and investing in the right tools and training, you can harness the full potential of Ideate Automation to drive efficiency, innovation, and long-term success. With these specific tips, your journey to organizational efficiency through Ideate Automation becomes not just a goal but a reality with measurable and sustainable outcomes.


About the Author

Nivin Nabeel, Customer Success Manager, Americas

Nivin has a background in architecture, visual arts, and computer science and has extensive experience in managing and manipulating BIM data, developing and implementing BIM standards and workflows, and applying BIM workflows to ancillary project components for improved efficiency. Before joining Ideate Software, Nivin worked at several architecture and design firms where she learned about Ideate Software products, used them, advocated for them, implemented them, and trained others on how to use them. She earned her Bachelor of Architectural Science degree from Toronto Metropolitan University. Follow Nivin on LinkedIn.

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June

9

2023

Every day, our Ideate Software Support team fields all types of questions from AECO professionals all around the world. You can review some of these recent questions and answers via our Ideate Software Support Series blog category.

An Ideate Software customer asked if they could find all hidden Detail Groups in the Revit model.

Finding Detail Groups that are hidden can be a tricky and challenging task, as they become invisible due to various reasons including:

  • Hidden by Element
  • Hidden by Category
  • Cropped by View

Identifying these hidden detail groups is crucial for maintaining an accurate BIM model. However, the challenge here is that there is no specific property (on the Detail Group) that will flag most of these conditions.
Fortunately, there is a helpful solution available within IdeateApps > Annotate that can assist in this process, although it may require some time to complete, which makes running it at the end of a work day ideal.   

The complexity of identifying hidden detail groups arises from the fact that there is no specific property directly associated with the detail group that indicates these hidden conditions, unlike some other elements in Revit that have explicit properties like visibility settings or design options. The view-specific cropping for detail groups for example do not possess such attributes. Consequently, locating hidden detail groups requires a more comprehensive approach.

To address this challenge, thanks to our wonderful development team, Ideate Annotate, part of the IdeateApps collection, offers a powerful tool that can help uncover hidden detail groups within your Revit model. By leveraging this tool, you can streamline the process and save valuable time. Here's how you can use it:

  1. Launch the May 2023 version of IdeateApps
  2. Open Ideate Annotate
  3. Select the Review tab
  4. Change the Display to “Entire Project”
  5. After it does the initial review, choose “Full Analysis” This is the part that potentially can take a long time.*
  6. When that's done, type “Detail Group” in the Search bar 
  7. Look for any Detail Groups listed under both issue types:
    • Hidden by Element – this includes any Detail Group that exists on a dependent view and is invisible due to the use of the right-click>Hide in View>Elements command.
    • Other Not Visible – this includes any other invisibility condition, including those caused by cropped views. 
  8. Double click on each instance to open the view where they exist and decide which action to take: delete or change view crop

*After you complete the Full Analysis, the results can be saved and imported later for reviewing at another time. Learn more

This blog post is part of our Support Series. Access more here

Browse our website to learn more about how Ideate Software’s Revit add-ins help Revit users save time, increase model accuracy, improve deliverables, and elevate design. You can give them a try by downloading trial versions or purchasing the bundle for access to Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, Ideate Sticky, Ideate StyleManager, and IdeateApps for six months.

 


About the Author

Nivin Nabeel, Customer Success Manager, Americas

Nivin has a background in architecture, visual arts, and computer science and has extensive experience in managing and manipulating BIM data, developing and implementing BIM standards and workflows, and applying BIM workflows to ancillary project components for improved efficiency. Before joining Ideate Software, Nivin worked at several architecture and design firms where she learned about Ideate Software products, used them, advocated for them, implemented them, and trained others on how to use them. She earned her Bachelor of Architectural Science degree from Toronto Metropolitan University. Follow Nivin on LinkedIn.

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April

18

2023

Every day, our Ideate Software Support team fields all types of questions from AECO professionals all around the world. You can review some of these recent question and answers via our Ideate Software support series blog category.

Not too long ago, a good customer contacted me about using Ideate Automation. Ideate Software has a simple process called the Ideate Forge Connector. The purpose of the Ideate Forge Connector custom integration is to use the Autodesk API to authenticate the user and to enable Ideate Automation to see and access hub names, project names, and Revit model names for which the user has the appropriate permissions. This custom integration ONLY gives Ideate Automation the current list of Revit models that can be used for Ideate Automation. It does NOT give Ideate Software access to any BIM360 or Autodesk Construction Cloud models. The access is needed for Ideate Software to be able to generate a list of available models.

However, we realize that firms are sensitive and protective of their data. This particular customer that reached out to me mentioned that they could NOT give access to Ideate Software even to generate the list of models that was on their BIM360 Hub.

Well, Ideate Automation 2.1 to the rescue! We realized the hesitancy and security concerns from some potential and existing customers, and we introduced the “Recent Revit Files” dropdown within Ideate Automation 2.1.

Recent Revit Files - Ideate Automation
Within Ideate Automation 2.1, a new Manage option has been added for “Recent Revit Files.”  

While we continue to recommend the custom integration for an optimum file access experience, we developed this functionality to respond to customer requests to make it easier to work with Revit files from a partner’s Autodesk account/hubs. It also allows you to use Ideate Automation without giving Ideate Software the BIM 360/ACC access permissions required for the custom integration.

As long as the Ideate Automation user has previously accessed the Revit model on their computer, the list of Revit models will appear if the “Recent Revit Files” is the active setting under Manage on the main Ideate Automation dialog.

Recent Revit Files - Ideate Automation 
Here, you can see access to several Ideate Software BIM360 Hubs as well as the Recent Revit Files.

This also makes it MUCH easier to trial Ideate Automation since you don’t have to go through the custom integration to gain access to a model for testing or trialing purposes.

You can download a full function, 30-day Ideate Automation trial here. If you already have Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, IdeateApps, or Ideate StyleManager, the Ideate Automation trial will work seamlessly with your current Ideate Software applications. If you don’t have any Ideate Software applications, you can download those applications for a trial as well. Or, you can certainly use Ideate Automation as a stand-alone solution for publishing PDF or publishing DWG information as a few examples.

We made this update as a request from several Ideate Software customers, so be sure to continue to keep those amazing questions coming to [email protected] and we will keep answering them! 
 


About the Author

Richard Taylor, Ideate Software Technical EvangelistRichard W. Taylor, Associate AIA – Technical Evangelist 

Richard has more than 30 years of experience working for companies that develop architectural and engineering software solutions, such as Intergraph, Bentley, and Autodesk. He has over 23 years of Revit experience, and he was part of the original development of Revit while at Revit Technology Corporation. He worked for 12 years at Autodesk, where he presented, taught, and worked to improve features in Revit. Richard holds both a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies and Master of Architecture from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. As Technical Evangelist, Richard works with AECO clients worldwide, developing and consulting on BIM solutions. Find Richard on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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February

16

2023

Every day, our Ideate Software Support team fields all types of questions from AECO professionals all around the world. You can review some of these recent question and answers via our Ideate Software support series blog category.

Here is a good question that came across our virtual desk.

“I was wondering if there is a way to number doors according to the ‘To Room’ number information, and following a sequence off 1, 2, 3, etc.; without the need to pick the doors or marking a path.”

There are several ways to accomplish this task very easily within Ideate ReNumber which is a tool within the IdeateApps collection.

The easiest step-by-step answer for the question asked by our customer is included in our “Getting Started” online Help topic for IdeateApps called Renumber Doors.

Within a default Revit Schedule View, you can modify the ‘From Room’ and ‘To Room’ values if those properties appear within your schedule.

Revit Schedule Change
 

Ideate ReNumber can easily modify those ‘From Room’ and ‘To Room’ properties on the fly within the renumbering process. You can also choose to report on the ‘From Room’ value instead of making the change within the Revit database.

Ideate ReNumber can be used to change the Revit values for the ‘To Room’ and ‘From Room’ properties whether you are using the Room Calculation Point property or not. (Door swing graphics will only change if you are using the Room Calculation Point property.) Once the doors are properly set to the correct room, future numbering tasks are a snap.

swap value 
The Flip Room button will change the relationship within the Revit database and update the Door Mark value.   

Report Value
If you just want to report on the ‘From Room’ value, this will push the value into the door Mark but NOT change the Revit database.

 
Ideate ReNumber will identify doors that are using the ‘Room Calculation Point’ property. When this property is active, the door swing graphics will update when changing the ‘To Room’ and ‘From Room’ flip button. If this property is not in use, the door swing graphics will not update.

You can use our delivered door rule to renumber doors based upon the room values.

Please review this very detailed 8-minute video on the features of door renumbering with Ideate ReNumber.

Additionally, you can renumber door instance marks via a Revit Schedule View by activating the Ideate ReNumber tool within an active Revit Schedule View.

When Ideate ReNumber is started from an active Revit Schedule View, the only available selection method will be Auto-Number by View.

This online help article is a detailed explanation for managing door numbering with Ideate ReNumber

Keep those amazing questions coming to [email protected] and we will keep answering them!


About the Author

Richard Taylor, Ideate Software Technical EvangelistRichard W. Taylor, Associate AIA – Technical Evangelist 

Richard has more than 30 years of experience working for companies that develop architectural and engineering software solutions, such as Intergraph, Bentley, and Autodesk. He has over 23 years of Revit experience, and he was part of the original development of Revit while at Revit Technology Corporation. He worked for 12 years at Autodesk, where he presented, taught, and worked to improve features in Revit. Richard holds both a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies and Master of Architecture from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. As Technical Evangelist, Richard works with AECO clients worldwide, developing and consulting on BIM solutions. Find Richard on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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January

16

2023

Every day, our Ideate Software Support team fields all types of questions from AECO professionals all around the world. You can review some of these recent question and answers via our Ideate Software support series blog category.

Recently a customer reached out to us with a question about Ideate Explorer, which is his “favorite troubleshooting add-in to clear out warnings in a hot mess of a project.” 

After deleting one Warning Type that cleared out 10 warnings, he thought that he could clear more warnings faster if he could sort by the severity of the warnings as well as by the number of warnings on a specific element. 

“I just had deleted one object which cleared out 10 warnings, and it dawned on me that in particularly rough projects I could get more warnings cleared faster if I knew which items had multiple warnings. In an ideal world, that sorting by severity of issues could weight based on the errors most severe.   E.g., in our workflows I see a ton of abandoned room separation lines which cause notable room calc based lag, I might want those (or other red rated warning types) to count for 3 points, where I really may not care (from an emergent clean up standpoint) about a green warning about a railing being malformed, which might only get half a point.” 

By default, the Ideate Explorer Warnings tab is set to “Sort by:” the Types of Warnings, such as Highlighted Floors Overlap shown below.

Revit Warnings - Ideate Explorer

Ideate Explorer Warnings Tab set to Sort by: Warning Types

We responded to this customer that you can also change the “Sort by:” criteria to Elements rather than the Types of Warnings. This will show the Element ID and the number of warnings assigned to that specific element. It will also show all the different Types of Warnings assigned to that element in the Element Information Pane.  

In the example below, the Sweep, the Sunshade, and Mike’s Roof all have 48 warnings of the same Type. However, the Storefront has 2 warnings of 2 different Types. You can also see the severity of the Warning Type by color in the Element Information Pane. In the example below, we have a severity of medium for the walls overlapping and a severity of low for the walls missing their target.

Revit Warnings - Ideate Explorer

Ideate Explorer Warnings Tab set to Sort by: Elements

”BINGO!” said the customer, who was able to fix 30 warnings from one element very easily.

You can learn more about the Warnings Manager in Ideate Explorer by reviewing this online Help topic. You can also review an entire library of videos focusing on using the Ideate Explorer Warnings Manager. 

Don’t let your project become a hot mess! Fix things easily with Ideate Explorer and the Ideate Warnings Manager!

Keep those amazing questions coming to [email protected]. Your feedback allows us to improve our software with every release.


About the Author

Richard W. Taylor, Associate AIA – Technical Evangelist 

Richard has more than 30 years of experience working for companies that develop architectural and engineering software solutions, such as Intergraph, Bentley, and Autodesk. He has over 20 years of Revit experience, and he was part of the original development of Revit while at Revit Technology Corporation. He worked for 12 years at Autodesk, where he presented, taught, and worked to improve features in Revit. Richard holds both a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies and Master of Architecture from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. As Technical Evangelist, Richard works with AECO clients worldwide, developing and consulting on BIM solutions. Find Richard on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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