Preparing the Excel File

Review these steps for preparing your Excel file prior to creating a new Sticky with Ideate Sticky for Revit.

  1. Set the Print Area(s)
  2. Review Worksheet Naming
  3. Review Gridline Settings
  4. Review Font Settings
  5. Review Image Positions

Related topics: Use Font Size Mapping Chart in Ideate Sticky for Revit and Editing in Excel for Revit Modeling with Ideate Sticky

Set the Print Area(s)

Ideate Sticky uses Excel's Print Area as a way defining the data that will be imported
into Revit. If you do not set a Print Area, Ideate Sticky will automatically define a print area based on the extents of the file. To explicitly set the Print Area in Excel:

NOTE: The Print Area is saved when the file is saved.

It is recommended that you limit the size of your Print Area to a size that will fit within the boundaries of your Revit sheet size. For reference, an imperial "E1" sheet using 9 point font will hold approximately 152 rows within Excel while a metric "A1" sheet using 8 point font will hold approximately 143 rows. Sample metric and imperial Excel templates are provided within the Ideate Sticky Samples Files for Revit Modeling folder. If you need to split your Excel worksheet into multiple pages, refer to the Help topic: Manage the Size of a Sticky with Ideate Sticky for Revit.

Review Worksheet Naming

If you are using multiple worksheets (a.k.a. 'tabs') within Excel, make note of the worksheet from which you intend to import the data. It is useful to give the worksheet a logical name. The name of the worksheet will become the default name of the Sticky. If you change this name after the Sticky is created, it will fail on an update or auto-update process. Use the ‘Update From’ button to fix this issue.

Review Gridline Settings

Ideate Sticky will show gridlines (which are different than Borders) according to the Page Setup>Gridlines setting within Excel. This setting is typically turned off. To turn on the gridlines in Excel, use the Page Setup dialog as shown...

Page setup in Ideate Sticky for Revit

... OR, from the Page Layout Tab check the Print checkbox within the Sheet Options panel as shown below.

Page Layout tab in Ideate Sticky for Revit

 

Review Font Settings

Ideate Sticky is optimized to work with these fonts: Arial, Arial Narrow, Calibri, and Times New Roman. This means you will have best results if your Excel file is utilizing these fonts. This is particularly important if you intend to use the Auto-update feature.

You can change all the fonts at once, without impacting the font size, by selecting the cell where Column A and Row 1 meet, as shown, and then changing the font style from the Font panel on the Home page.

Font Settings in Ideate Sticky for Revit

Review Image Positions

Review the topic: Import Revit Images into Excel Files with Ideate Sticky for important details related to placing the images wholly within a cell for best results.

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