Common Uses of Productivity Tools by Contractors

Spreadsheet Link, in the BIM Project Suite. This tool can push and pull data to and from Revit and spreadsheets. Very useful in estimation processes, and also if they ever need to push commissioning/installation/facility management data back into Revit objects in a project.

Fab Sheets, in the BIM Project Suite. This tool was actually created specifically for contractors who self-perform concrete work. If they do, or create any type of construction sequencing drawing/pour sets, this tool could be a huge time saver.

Project Cleaner, in the BIM Manager Suite. This tool is free. It helps to clean up models coming in from other parties, blowing away things like working views, or “all views, not on a sheet” which is a common desire of general contractors. This solves a few things. One, it makes the Revit project file faster performing. Two, by blowing away all the “junk” the designers left behind, it makes navigating the project in Revit easier.

Dim Checker, in the BIM Manager Suite. This is a really cool tool. It finds out where designers might be “lying” in a dimension.

1. Sometimes designers and engineers do not feel they have time to properly coordinate modeled object positions
2. Too frequently this leads to overriding dimension values in very dirty ways, mimicking the days of AutoCAD workflows
3. Unfortunately, these are rarely found and more rarely repaired, and can cause HUGE headaches for contractors and increase risk.
4. The DIM Checker allows these dimensions strings to be found and reports generated to allow the team to easily repair and coordinate these dimensions where appropriate

Plotter & Exporter, in the BIM Batch Suite. This tool runs on a nightly, or specified schedule to do all your exports for you. NavisWorks, PDF, DWG, whatever else you might need, automatically.

1. Sure, generating PDFs can happen from Bluebeam, but what about everything else
2. DWGs, Navisworks files and others often must be exported for other consultants and partners
3. Instead of doing this from multiple places, use Plotter/Exporter to single click export all the needed files
4. Have them exported where you want, named how you want with the exact settings you want.
5. Instead of manually triggering exports, try scheduling this so it can happen after hours and be ready for you when you walk in the office

Last but not least:

Import & Link Manger, in the BIM Manager Suite. Loading, and reloading links and imported files for coordination happens all the time. Waiting for Revit to link in everything, or to find where a link or import may, or may not be working is a pain.

1. All too frequently files are improperly linked or imported into production models
2. While Revit does allow minimal management of links, there is no easy way to find and fix imported AutoCAD files
3. ILM is critical to the regular maintenance of models by finding and fixing imports and update link settings in a simple interface

To watch our previous webinars on BIM Project Suite click here!