Although Revit is the leading BIM software in the world, it simply was not designed to enable users to edit large amounts of data quickly and easily.
Because complex Revit models have massive amounts of data, using Revit to verify, manipulate, and update that data can be incredibly time consuming and error prone. It’s not uncommon for architects, engineers, designers, and contractors to spend hundreds of hours on data entry tasks, double handing data, and fixing work done incorrectly. Spending time on these tasks can frustrate the users, who generally prefer to spend their time on more innovative and creative activities. It can also lead to missed deadlines or incorrect deliverables, which can frustrate customers and can damage a business’s reputation.
Ideate BIMLink eliminates the need for time to be spent on manual, repetitive tasks by enabling users to export Revit data to Excel, use the powerful tools in Excel to easily manage, manipulate, and edit the data, and then push the updated data back into the Revit model, saving hours of manual data editing. Excel doesn’t even need to be installed for Ideate BIMLink to read and write Excel files.
Ideate BIMLink supports the following file formats for both import and export for Revit projects:
Excel is the ideal choice for these workflows because it is the most popular spreadsheet software in the world. More than 750 million people around the world use it, and the vast majority of business use it for data entry, data management, accounting, financial analysis, charting and graphing, and more. Most people already know how to use the software, and those who aren’t familiar with it can gain a basic understanding of its interface and core functions in just a few hours, and most people can fully learn the application and master its more complex capabilities in just 18 – 20 hours.
Like all Ideate Software products, Ideate BIMLink is easy to learn and use. Below are a few examples of how to export/import data from Revit to Excel. You can get step-by-step workflow instructions, information on troubleshooting, and details on customizations from our website in the Ideate BIMLink Help files.
NOTE: If any of the above information changes, Ideate BIMLink won’t be able to associate the Excel spreadsheet with the link used to create that spreadsheet. Learn more here: Import Messages when importing Revit to Excel
Tip: The name of the Excel file is arbitrary; it can be changed to identify different spreadsheet tabs created by the same link
To export elements from Revit to Excel, open Ideate BIMLink and:
Publish the data specified within the selected link definition to Excel, by clicking “Export…”
Select an Excel spreadsheet file (new or existing) to receive the exported Revit properties.
Default Units - Ideate BIMLink will export numeric property values from Revit to Excel by using the default units defined in Revit.
Imperial Units - Fractional Inches - Microsoft Excel doesn’t support imperial format for length values in the same way as Revit with both the feet and inches syntax. Instead, when working with imperial length units:
Even though the values are exported using numerical values, these number formats are acceptable for importing purposes: 6'1 or 73" or 6'-1"
Formatting Dates – Microsoft Excel will convert certain types of text string data into a Date format when an edit is made. E.g., “3-03-12” will change the cell format from "General" to "Date," and it will change the underlying cell value. This also alters how the information is imported back into Revit via Ideate BIMLink. If you don’t want this to happen, we have two workaround options:
Using Ideate BIMLink along with Ideate Sticky, our application that enables users to place non-BIM data within Revit files, you can easily automate document issue and revision records. This workflow addresses the challenge of dealing with revision information in the Revit model when there is a need to schedule all of the sheets and all the revisions that exist on that sheet. Revit only displays the current revision in a sheet list, and it does not have a built-in solution to schedule every revision on each sheet. Here’s a recording of a webinar in which we ran through the entire process.
Visit our website to learn more about Ideate BIMLink for Revit as well as our other Revit data management tools. When you’re ready to take the next step, contact us, get 30-day trial versions, or choose the subscription option that best meets your needs.
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If you have any questions, reach out to us. We are here to help you understand and use our add-ins for Revit.
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.
Yes. Going forward, Ideate Suites replace Ideate Software Bundles.
Both include the same five tools: IdeateApps, Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, Ideate Sticky and Ideate StyleManager.
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.
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.
No. Bundles are no longer available for purchase. New purchases are offered as follows:
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.
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.
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.
Your existing Ideate Software subscription is moving to our new licensing system at no cost. Your license quantities and expiration dates stay the same.
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.
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.
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.
Watch the Graitec Advantage walkthrough
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.
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.
