At Ideate Software, we believe in empowering our users to streamline their workflows. One such workflow that may have flown under the radar is our capability to utilize Project Information parameters as variables within Ideate Automation scripts. This feature becomes very useful when trying to process multiple Revit files across multiple projects, enabling project-specific export folder locations.

One use case of this workflow came to us as a request directly from one of our customers, Jan Leenknegt, BIM Director at BIG stating: “We would like to push different pdf exports to different project folders for ultimate ease by the teams.” We understand that this feature is a game changer for project organization, efficiency, and workflow management. 

So, how does it work? It's elegantly simple. 

You need to create a custom project parameter in your Revit model—in this example below: “Project-Folder” —and place the desired PDF export path in that field per image: 

 
This parameter and value will always reside within the Revit model in Project Information. Users can now specify exactly where they want their PDF exports to go. 

The magic happens when running Ideate Automation and utilizing the proper syntax for Export Folder field to call that value that exists in the Revit model.  The value when creating the automated task will be: ${Revit.CurrentFile.ProjectInfo.Project-Folder}

 
Utilizing this method enables the creation of tasks that utilize multiple models as input. Upon the execution of the export to PDF task, Ideate Automation seamlessly directs the output to the designated export folder of the respective model, ensuring organization without additional manual intervention.  This workflow finds application in various scenarios, including:

1. Automated exports of PDF/DWG/IFC/NWC files, with export destinations residing within the Revit project
2. Automated project Save-As operations, leveraging project information parameters for specifying Save As locations
3. Automated Health-Check exports, with export destinations managed within the Revit project parameter

Below is a practical task setup demonstrating the utilization project information to define paths for Save As operations for a list of Revit models. Additionally, this example incorporates the creation of subfolders corresponding to the project name, thereby streamlining the placement of exports within the designated directories.

1. File list is a .txt file containing a list of Revit models utilized in this task
2. SaveAs variable name identified in this task to be the file name
3. Remarks is a Project Information parameter setup in each model in the list, facilitating save as to designated locations
4. An option to include subfolders into the location parameter, which can serve both as a parameter and a standalone entity. In this demonstration, it is represented by the Revit filename parameter.

Here is a diagram illustrating the output resulting folder structure:

 
Please note, with this workflow, folders will get generated by the task in the event they do not already exist. 

We're excited to deliver this solution to our customers, helping them streamline processes and achieve even greater success in projects. Try it out today and experience the difference firsthand. If you love the idea of using Project Information parameters for export locations, you will find this blog post on using Project Information for export file naming useful. 

For additional training tips, check out more posts in our Training blog series.

Browse our website to learn more about how Ideate Software add-on products help Revit users save time, increase model accuracy, improve deliverables, and elevate design. You can give them a try by downloading trial versions or purchasing the bundle for access to the Revit plugin solutions Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, Ideate Sticky, Ideate StyleManager, and IdeateApps for six months. 

About the Author

Nivin Nabeel, Customer Success Manager, Americas

Nivin has a background in architecture, visual arts, and computer science and has extensive experience in managing and manipulating BIM data, developing and implementing BIM standards and workflows, and applying BIM workflows to ancillary project components for improved efficiency. Before joining Ideate Software, Nivin worked at several architecture and design firms where she learned about Ideate Software products, used them, advocated for them, implemented them, and trained others on how to use them. She earned her Bachelor of Architectural Science degree from Toronto Metropolitan University. Follow Nivin on LinkedIn.

San Francisco, CA, March 12, 2024 - Ideate Software, an Autodesk® AEC Industry Partner and Autodesk Authorized Developer, is pleased to announce that Ideate Automation now integrates with Autodesk Construction Cloud®, a portfolio of software and services that combines advanced technology, a builders network and predictive insights for construction teams.

With the new no-cost Ideate Cloud Connector, project teams can now seamlessly integrate with Revit® models managed in Autodesk® Build, Autodesk® Docs, or BIM 360®, enabling Ideate Automation’s powerful scripting capabilities to run time-intensive BIM tasks in the background. Examples of tasks that can be started in Ideate Automation manually or scheduled to run at regular intervals include:

• Opening large Revit software files
• Running the Revit “audit and compact” process
• Exporting data from Revit into PDF, DWG, NWC, and IFC file formats
• Publishing files to Autodesk Construction Cloud

Existing Ideate Automation customers that have completed their BIM 360/ACC integration do not need to take any action. The new Ideate Cloud Connector app should only be used by those who have not yet completed the (previously) manual integration process.

“Since we started developing add-ins for Revit software in 2007, we have focused on helping companies spend less time on data management and more on their areas of expertise,” said Glynnis Patterson, Director of Software Development, Ideate Software. “Now, our customers and their consultants who store Revit models in Autodesk Construction Cloud can use Ideate Automation to save even more time while reducing the chance of human error and ensuring the delivery of consistent and predictable outcomes.”

“To drive efficiency, construction teams must constantly look for ways to automate repetitive tasks,” said James Cook, Director of Integrations and Technology Partnerships at Autodesk. “Now, customers use Ideate Automation to save time and reduce errors and rest assured that they are running these automations on the most up-to-date 3D models in Autodesk Construction Cloud.”

In addition to Ideate Automation integrating with Autodesk Construction Cloud, all Ideate Software Revit add-ins (Ideate Explorer, Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Sticky, IdeateApps, and Ideate StyleManager) are designed to be integrated with Autodesk Desktop Connector, where possible, to provide the best possible collaborative environment between ACC Revit models and other non-Revit documentation.For more information about Ideate Software products, visit www.ideatesoftware.com.

About Ideate Software – Ideate Software, an Autodesk® AEC Industry Partner and Autodesk® Authorized Developer, empowers Revit users to gain unprecedented control over their data. They developed Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, Ideate Sticky, IdeateApps, and Ideate StyleManager to solve persistent problems in architecture, engineering, and construction, and owner-operator (AECO) workflows. They developed Ideate Automation as a scripting solution to easily automate repetitive Revit and Ideate Software tasks for consistent and repeatable results.

Autodesk, Revit, and Autodesk Construction Cloud are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective owners.

People who spend a lot of time waiting for Revit to export data into IFC files, will want to watch the recording of this webinar on Ideate Automation, our scripting solution that allows you to schedule and run time-consuming, repetitive BIM tasks in the background at convenient times, including overnight.

In just 30 minutes, you’ll learn how Ideate Automation addresses the problem caused by file exporting processes that consume computer resources and can negatively impact end-user productivity when performed during working hours. In the webinar, we demonstrate how to:

• Automate IFC exports from Revit using Ideate Automation
• Control the export setup options in Revit and Ideate Automation
• Schedule batch-exports of IFC files using Ideate Automation

Exporting to IFCs is just one of the many capabilities of Ideate Automation. Tasks include:

• Opening large Revit files
• Exporting data for COBie, QTO, or health check metrics
• Exporting document deliverables in PDF, NWC, IFC, or DWG formats

It can also be used to automate time-consuming tasks within Ideate Software addins for Revit, including Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, Ideate StyleManager, and IdeateApps. 

We are pleased to share this article written by our Australian consultant partner Modmation on how they benefit from using Ideate Automation, our scripting solution that runs time-consuming BIM tasks in the background. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------

In the dynamic field of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC), maintaining the health of building information models is paramount. At Modmation, we leverage automated workflows and tools like Ideate Automation to enhance model maintenance, ensuring projects run smoothly and adhere to industry standards.

Modmation, an independent BIM and Digital Engineering consultancy based in Australia, stands at the forefront of BIM innovation. With more than 30 years of combined experience in digital project delivery worldwide, our team provides consulting services on BIM and Digital Engineering.

Model maintenance ensures that projects remain on track, fostering collaboration and aligning with industry standards and principles. At Modmation, we recognise the pivotal role of model health in the success of any project. Our vision is to develop innovative strategies and solutions, and implementing tools like Ideate Automation is part of our mission to increase the efficiency and productivity of our clients and their project teams.

In leveraging Ideate Automation, Modmation has taken proactive steps to enhance model maintenance, addressing the critical issue of neglecting Revit model health, which can lead to productivity loss for the entire project team. Ideate Automation seamlessly integrates with Ideate Software's suite, including Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, IdeateApps, and Ideate StyleManager.
 
Whether it is automating data extraction with Ideate BIMLink or auditing with Ideate Explorer, our team utilises Ideate Automation in combination with our internal workflows to run Revit silently in the background, auditing, and compacting Revit files to ensure that they remain optimised and efficient.

In addition, project teams have access to the Ideate Automation Power BI dashboard. This dashboard offers valuable insights into their model health, making it easier for the teams to understand what needs to be reviewed and fixed.

These proactive measures contribute to the overall health of our clients' models, empowering project teams to make informed decisions for enhanced productivity. Ideate Automation not only helps our clients save time but also improves accuracy in data extraction and enhances their model quality, resulting in increased efficiency and productivity for their project teams.

In conclusion, Modmation's strategic use of Ideate Automation for model maintenance reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality BIM practices. By addressing the critical issue of neglecting Revit model health, we do not only help our clients to optimise their models but also empower project teams with valuable insights and tools for enhanced productivity.

Therefore, Ideate Software's suite has become an integral component of our workflows, contributing to the overall efficiency and success of our projects. As the AEC industry continues to evolve, Modmation remains dedicated to developing innovative strategies and implementing software solutions such as Ideate Automation that modernize how projects are designed, developed, delivered, operated, and sustained.

Are you ready to elevate your BIM practices and enhance your project efficiency? Modmation is here to help. Let us unlock the full potential of your models and drive success in your digital project delivery journey. Reach out to our team to discuss your specific needs and take the next step toward optimised BIM practices.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you, Modmation!

Ideate Automation is available for purchase as a stand-alone product or with the Ideate Software bundle, and it is included in the cost of an Enterprise subscription. Visit our website for more information.

San Francisco, CA, January 24, 2024 – On the recommendation of a staff member who spoke highly of Ideate Software, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (BBB) reached out to learn more about the Autodesk® Revit® software add-ins developed by Ideate Software, an Autodesk Authorized Developer and member of the Autodesk Developer Network. 

“To get to know the software, we started with Ideate Sticky,” said Matthew Breau, Design Technology Specialist at BBB. “We were impressed that it did just what it was supposed to do, and it was easy to learn and use. We added another Ideate Software product, then another. We now subscribe to the entire Ideate suite and encourage all designers at BBB to leverage those offerings in their day-to-day work.”

In 2022, BBB added Ideate Automation to their toolkit, and in 2023, they started to explore ways to customize several of the scripts that ship with the software to meet their specific needs. When discussing these customizations, Matthew mentioned:

• Structuring PDF Exports to Meet Teams’ Requests – People from various teams across BBB requested one PDF per type of drawing series. “Although Ideate Automation does not come with a script that can structure PDFs in that particular way, it comes with a lot of editable examples. We were able to study the many scripts as references and then we pulled in the pieces we needed and created a hybrid script that performs perfectly,” said Matthew. 
   
• Model Health Reports – BBB developed a firm-standard model health dashboard by customizing several of the Data Export scripts that ship with Ideate Software tools. The exported data includes information about file-open times, model-in-place families, component family size and naming conventions, view organization, and model warnings.
   
• Scaling Overnight Automations – To fully integrate Ideate Automation into BBB’s data-centered processes, BBB developed a workflow using Microsoft Power Automate to capture front-end Ideate Automation command line arguments and send them to the backend to run on a specific schedule. This allows for additional tasks to happen before or after Ideate Automation’s data export, beyond the Revit environment. “The flexibility of Ideate Automation’s task engine and its ability to work independently of the front-end UI is a huge plus for us,” said Matthew.

Read Spotlight on BBB for more information.

Visit www.ideatesoftware.com to learn how Ideate Software add-ins for Revit help users save time, increase model accuracy, improve deliverables, and elevate design. Give them a try by downloading trial versions or purchasing the bundle.

About Ideate Software - Ideate Software, Autodesk® AEC Industry Partner and Autodesk® Authorized Developer, empowers Revit users to gain unprecedented control over their data. They developed Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer, Ideate Sticky, IdeateApps, and Ideate StyleManager to solve persistent problems in architecture, engineering, and construction, and owner-operator (AECO) workflows. They developed Ideate Automation as a scripting solution to easily automate repetitive Revit and Ideate Software tasks for consistent and repeatable results.

Autodesk and Autodesk Revit are trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries