Material Passports and Ideate Software
One specific area of digital transformation, regulatory shifts, or market demands is the Circular Economy - which aims to eliminate waste and keep materials in use for as long as possible.
In construction, this means:
- Designing for disassembly and reuse
- Using materials that can be recycled or repurposed
- Tracking material flows to enable future recovery
Material Passports or Digital Product Passports are a key enabler of this shift they make it possible to know what’s in a building and how it can be reused.
A Material Passport is a structured digital record of all materials used in a building or product, including:
- Material type and origin
- Recyclability and reuse potential
- Embodied carbon and environmental impact
- Manufacturer and certification data
It’s like a “nutritional label” for buildings enabling smarter decisions about reuse, recycling, and sustainability.
Within Revit, this may mean the addition of additional data into the model to meet the requirements of the Material Passport. This data would need to be added by the way of the creation of new parameters either within the model, the elements (Revit Families) themselves or the Materials.
The parameter data will then have to be completed by the architects or manufacturer.
Ideate BIMLink allows you to export huge amounts of parameter or properties data, such as Material data to Microsoft Excel. Excel can be utilized to review, make changes then seamlessly push back changes into the Revit model.
Ideate BIMLink
You can edit existing parameter data as well as creating new Revit parameters. You can find a help file for that here.
These can be added to the elements within the Revit model or to the materials themselves. An Example link definition is shown below.
The data can be exported to Excel, completed, and then reimported back into the model using Ideate BIMLink
Ideate Automation
This scripting solution runs time-intensive BIM tasks in the background during non-business hours or while your staff does more meaningful work. Either started manually or scheduled to run at night. Ideate Automation allows users to schedule scripts to pick a file, perform a task, and create an output file, so they can come into work with a time-consuming task already complete.
Combine Ideate Automation with Ideate BIMLink to manage all of your material data needs. For example, you could create a task with Ideate Automation to create new material parameters and edit existing parameter data.
You can take a look at our help file for that here.
This could be run on multiple Revit models or families and scheduled outside of normal business hours to gain further time and cost savings.
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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