Ideate Software is proud to announce the launch of our newest Revit add-in, Ideate Sticky.

What's a Sticky?

Did you ever want to link an Excel file into a Revit project? Ideate Sticky is the answer.

The name "Sticky" harkens back to the ancient (i.e. late 20th century) technique of duplicating printed tables or details onto translucent adhesive-backed plastic film ("sticky back paper") and applying it to a drawing sheet.

Why did we create Ideate Sticky?

Back in 2009, we had an inkling that many of our clients were using or trying to use Microsoft Excel as part of their BIM toolkit.

Researching our past support issues, we confirmed that many of our clients were looking for tools that could connect an Excel spreadsheet with a Revit project. Looking closer, we realized that there was two broad use cases for these tools.

In late 2010 we released Ideate BIMLink , which handles the first use case - linking data in an Excel spreadsheet to the data in a Revit model. Think of this as using Excel to extend and edit the Revit building information model.

Newly released Ideate Sticky handles the second use for connecting Excel and Revit - linking formatted text in an Excel spreadsheet to formatted text in a Revit project. Think of this as creating and formatting tabular text in Excel, then displaying the results on a Revit sheet.

Creating and linking a Sticky is somewhat akin to linking a DWG drawing into a Revit model - the information is created and stored in a file external to the Revit project, but the results are linked and displayed in the Revit project.

Ideate Sticky - Formatted Code Requirements

What will you Sticky?

Ideate Sticky can be used to display many types of non-BIM tabular text in Revit including:

• building codes
• specifications
• general notes
• consultant data
• abbreviation lists
• document issue records

How did we do it?

With lots of hard work! Ideate Sticky has been in development for over a year and builds on all the technology and knowledge gained by the Ideate Software team over the past 8+ years of developing add-ins for Revit.

Under the hood, a Sticky is actually a Revit schedule - with a twist.  The Ideate Sticky add-in creates an empty Revit schedule (i.e. a schedule with no body text) and then manages the cells, formatting, and text within the schedule header. The result? A lightweight, native Revit object that supports formatted tabular text as in Excel.

Ideate Sticky Help 

What are the features?

• Excel spreadsheets rendered with native lightweight Revit schedules
• Excel formatting preserved with high fidelity
• Revit updated automatically or manually when Excel spreadsheet changes

How can I learn more?

• View helpful overview videos, 
• See the detailed help files 
• Get the overview on our website, or,
• Contact sales today!

About the Author

Ben Bishoff, Senior Software Engineer Ben has been a software engineer for over 25 years. With a Bachelor's degree in Physics, he has worked at several software companies developing applications for the AEC industry including Sage Timberline (construction accounting and estimating) and ArchT (architectural drafting for AutoCAD). He also worked at Microsoft creating AEC and other diagramming solutions for Office Visio. Ben has been with Ideate Software for over 8 years developing add-ins for Revit including Ideate Explorer and Ideate BIMLink.

SAN FRANCISCO, California, 03/3/2015-Ideate, Inc., an Autodesk Platinum Value Added Reseller, today announced that Richard Taylor has joined Ideate Software as a Technical Evangelist. Richard comes to Ideate Software after being employed by Autodesk for more than a decade, his most recent position there was as Revit Platform Feature Product Manager. His vast expertise in Building Information Modeling (BIM) and 3D visualization software, combined with his extensive knowledge and experience in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industries will help to expand the Ideate Software business and its BIM-focused solutions.

Ideate Software is a set of far-reaching Building Information Modeling (BIM) data management tools that help the Revit community clean up models, delete problem items, analyze files quickly, improve speed and accuracy in data flow, increase collaboration and overcome repeated workflow interruptions.

All Ideate Software, from the first release for Revit 2011, undergoes rigorous testing to ensure that it is robust and stable, and all Ideate Software BIM data management solutions updates are meaningful and frequent.

Ideate BIMLink lets users pull information from a Revit file into user-friendly Microsoft Excel and push volumes of precise, consequential BIM data from Excel into Revit with speed, ease and accuracy. Ideate Explorer for Revit allows users to extensively manage Revit models. Ideate Sticky for Revit combines the ease and flexibility of Excel spreadsheet editing with the convenience of a sticky note.

Bob Palioca, President of Ideate, says of the addition to the Ideate Software team, "Richard Taylor brings significant experience as a facilitator and presenter in the global AEC software and design industry. His notable ability to demonstrate and teach sophisticated technical software solutions in a highly relatable way across many different disciplines, cultures, and levels of experience makes him a valued technical evangelist for Ideate Software. We are delighted to welcome him."

About Ideate, Inc.

Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years' experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM). As an Autodesk solutions provider, Ideate has offered quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in California, Oregon and Washington, Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Platinum Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Autodesk's highest level of authorization.

About Ideate Software

Ideate Software allows Revit users to have unprecedented control over their data. Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer for Revit, and Ideate Sticky were all developed to solve persistent problems in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) workflows. Ideate Software solutions enable Revit users to save time, increase accuracy, improve project deliverables, and elevate design.

JUPITER'S GOLD COAST QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA:  

RTC Australasia 2015 || May 14 - May 16

Ideate Software will be at RTC Australasia 2015 from Thursday, the 14th of May to Saturday the 16th of May. Please stop by our booth (#1) to meet us in person and discuss all things BIM and Revit related.

Glynnis Patterson, our Director of Software Development, will be presenting an advanced class on parameters titled: "I ♥ Revit Parameters" during Session 11. If you will be attending, be sure to check out the sessions and see Glynnis' presentation.

ANNOUNCING OUR NEWEST SOLUTION, IDEATE STICKY:

Customers have asked and we have listened. Our newest Ideate Software solution, Ideate Sticky was launched in February 2015. See it in-person at RTC Australasia or download the trial today. Ideate Sticky for Revit Connects and Formats non-BIM Data:

• Stick a code compliance worksheet onto the cover page
• Update non-BIM consultant data from MS Excel into Revit
• Represent subtotaled data or matrix data
• Stick a non-Revit Electrical Panel onto a Sheet
• Place the same Sticky on multiple Sheets

To find out more about Ideate Sticky, Ideate BIMLink or Ideate Explorer for Revit, we will be happy to chat when we see you at RTC Australasia, or, any other day by contacting [email protected]

RTC Information & Online Registration

A record of your Revit sheets and their related issuance dates is a critical component of any delivery set - one that frequently needs to be updated, yet Revit does not support matrix-style data. Ideate Software makes it simple to publish Document Issue Records in Revit. STEP 1 - Learn how to automatically create a Document Issue Record with Ideate BIMLink. STEP 2 - See how Ideate Sticky can be used to display your Excel-based Document Issue Record inside of Revit. For more helpful Ideate Software workflows, see the following playlists on our YouTube channel:

• Ideate BIMLink - Project Management Workflows
• Ideate Sticky - Latest Updates and Workflows

About the Author

Glynnis Patterson, NCARB - Director of Software Development Glynnis is a Registered Architect and has worked within the BIM industry since 1998. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, she has worked as an architect, educator and construction site manager. Glynnis is currently the Director of Software Development Services at Ideate, Inc. and continues to work with AEC clients worldwide, developing, and consulting on solutions to Building Information Modeling challenges. In her spare time Glynnis does volunteer work for eclcofnj.org and growitgreenmorristown.org @GVPinNJ

Everyone is a builder and creator of some sort -- only the medium changes. Revit (being a 3D modeling tool) provides the A/E/C community the means to build and create their ideas in the form of buildings and structures. An author uses the written word to express and create the stores that turn into novels. A coach uses people and players to build and create a team. As a Software Engineer, I use programming to build and create applications that others use. I have always been a craftsman at heart and software is just another way to express the builder and creator within me.

Some time ago, a friend of mine (an avid bow hunter) wanted to build long bows. Having been a woodworker for many years, I was intrigued. We set off to build long bows -- just another way to express the builder and creator within us. The first bow we built was a 28 lb. laminated bow for my 11-year-old son. As with any project, there is more to it than what is seen from the surface.

A close look at the bow shows there are 4 layers of wood, the inner two layers are of Osage which has properties that help the bow retain its shape and provides compression of energy to be released when firing the bow. The outer two layers are of Ash, helping add strength and giving the bow an artistic look. The handle, called the riser, is Zebra wood. The riser has to be a very hard wood so that it retains its shape, allowing the energy of the bow to build in the limbs. The tips of the limbs where the string connects has been strengthened with deer antler to give the tip its needed strength to withstand the tension put on it from pulling back the bow.

Finely Crafted 28 Pound Laminated Longbow[/caption] As with building design, the parts of the bow provide specific aspects of the design. The riser has to have the structural integrity supporting the other parts of the bow. The limb tips have to meet the structural needs for the poundage of pull the bow is designed for. The limbs must be able to compress and hold energy to be released, all while retaining its shape over the years of use. And yet the zebra wood of the riser, the deer antler at the tips, and the ash wood on the limbs all have an artistic look, making the bow functional -- but a piece of art at the same time. Not unlike architecture, some parts of the bow are for structure, others are for aesthetics and some are for both. Whatever the medium, the things we produce make us all builders and creators.

Here at Ideate Software, our desire is to build applications that allow the A/E/C community to be the builders and creators they want to be, helping them be more effective as they express their ideas with their medium.

About the Author

Hank DiVincenzo - Senior Software Engineer
Hank has been a Software Engineer for over 18 years. With a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, he has developed applications for a variety of companies including Sequent Computers, IBM, Intel, and iMove. The application domains developed range from Computer System Control, Wireless Networks, and Immersive 360° Video, developing in both Linux and Windows environments. Most recently before coming to Ideate, Hank worked on Immersive 360° Video applications used for Situational Awareness within the National Security Agency and Department of Defense. Hank is currently working to further develop Ideate's Ideate Explorer for Revit and Ideate BIMLink applications, along with any expansion to Ideate's application suite.