Introduction

build.works for Revit is a plug-in for synchronizing model element parameter values between a Take-off in build.works and a Revit model. The plug-in detects changes in build.works parameter data and enables the user to update the corresponding Revit model elements’ parameters.

Prerequisites

• You have a valid build.works account.
• You are a member of an existing project. To create a new project, use My Projects app. Add users to your project using Project Members app.   
• You have defined a repository in Repositories app. 
• You have created a take-off in Take-Off app based on a model located in Autodesk Construction Cloud® (Autodesk Docs).
• You have Revit (version 2022 or later) and the corresponding version of build.works for Revit plug-in installed.
• Your active view in Revit is the same cloud model that was used to create the take-off. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

1.Authentication and Starting the Plug-In

At any time after starting Revit and having at least one project opened you can start the build.works for Revit plug-in from the Add-Ins tab in Revit.

Click on "Log In" button.

You will be presented with a log-in dialogue where authentication to build.works can be done in the same way as in the build.works web application (Google account, Microsoft account, build.works log-in credentials).

Select your preferred method of authentication, enter your credentials and click the "Log In" button.

In order to use the build.works for Revit plug-in open the Add-Ins tab in Revit and locate the build.works section. Log out and future functionalities can be found under the drop down menu from the button.

Click on ”Synchronize parameters” button.

2. Select Project Page

The plug-in will first present you with an dialogue to choose a project. The list shows projects that have declared usage of the same Revit model that is currently open inside Revit.

If the projects list is empty, make sure you are a member in a build.works project and have access to the Take-off application. The project must have declared the same Revit model for usage in the Repositories application and must be using that model in the Take-off application.

After selecting a project, click on “Next” to proceed to the take-offs selection page.

3. Select Take-Off Page

You are shown a list of take-offs from that project. The list shown consists of build.works take-offs that are based on the cloud model currently open in Revit.

After selecting a take-off, click on “Next” to proceed to the parameters selection page.

IMPORTANT! If the take-off list is empty or the desired take-off version is not visible, make sure your build.works take-off is based on the same Revit cloud model and you have selected the correct project.

4. Select Parameters Page

The plug-in will collect and list all the parameters of elements that have a different value in comparison to the Revit model. You will be presented with a drop-down tree structure where you can select the parameters you wish to update (pull data from build.works). The tree has three levels: a grouping level (e.g., Doors), an Element level (e.g., DR01 Plastic door), and a parameter level (e.g., Product code). You can choose to update the entire element or only specific parameters from that element.

If some parameters do not appear in the list or are greyed-out please find further instructions in the “Troubleshooting” section below.

After selecting the parameters, click on “Import parameters” to execute the synchronization.

IMPORTANT! Revit allows adjustments to Family Type parameters but also Family parameters and changing those may cause unexpected events in the model! - build.works doesn’t explicitly limit importing these parameter values but urges you to act with caution!

IMPORTANT! This will not autosave your Revit model after changes. Manual save is required!

Additional Functions

The parameters page has the “Highlight elements” button that enables the user to highlight and select objects from the Revit model. If you are unsure which elements you are selecting for synchronization, you can press the “Highlight elements” button to get a visual confirmation. Pressing the button with nothing selected will center the whole model and zoom out, essentially resetting the camera.

Troubleshooting

If something unexpected happens, you can find a reason or a solution in this section.

“Parameter change not supported”

Your parameters may be shown in the “Not supported” section of the parameters tree on the Parameters page. This happens if you are trying to import Selection (ElementId) type parameters, including most built-in Revit parameters, which cannot be updated with the plug-in.

“Parameter not found in model”

Your parameters may be shown in the “Not found” section of the parameters tree on the Parameters page. This happens if there are some parameters that are correctly mapped and assigned in build.works but do not exist on any of the elements in the Revit model.

“Parameter value is read-only”

Your parameters may be shown in the “Read-only” section of the parameters tree on the Parameters page. This happens if you have changed a value of a parameter in the build.works Take-Off application and that change is detected by the plug-in but the parameter is marked as “read-only” in the Revit model.

“Parameter values not comparable”

Parameters are not comparable and cannot be changed if the parameter units and data types do not match or cannot be converted.

Conditions when parameters are not comparable:
1) Revit "boolean" (Yes/No) data type parameter is compared to parameter in build.works with other data type than "boolean".
2) Revit "integer" data type parameter is compared to parameter in build.works with other data type than "integer".
3) Revit "float" data type parameter is compared to parameter in build.works with other data type than "integer" or "float":
     a) Revit "float" data type parameter with a convertible unit (except unit type 
     "currency") is compared to parameter in build.works without a default unit.
     b) Revit "float" data type parameter with a non-convertible unit or with unit
     "currency" is compared to parameter in build.works with a default unit.

Parameter does not show up in the Parameters page

If the parameters you have applied changes to do not show up at all, the issue can most likely be fixed in the build.works web platform.

• Invalid parameter mapping – check that you have done the parameter mapping correctly in the Parameters and/or Project Parameters app.
• Non-existent parameter – check that the parameter you are looking for is assigned to this element in build.works web platform and the value has indeed been changed.
• Wrong model version – this could be for many reasons: you have selected a wrong take-off version in the plug-in; your take-off version is not based on the same version of the Revit model as the one you are using; you have not saved your take-off elements.