Revit - Linking Model or Sharing the Same Model

It seems as though linking a model between Arch and SE is the preferred way to go when the Arch and SE are not in the same company. However I was wondering if anyone uses a shared model with worksets when you are acting as a consultant to the Arch located in a different office?


Thanks!

A couple things affect this decision; technology and culture.

The IT infrastructure has to be configured to support it. Separate firms do not usually share a common IT system so it is necessary to decide how to deal with that. It can be done via Remote Desktop, a shared server domain (Private Cloud) or a hosted cloud service. Autodesk provides Revit Server to help deal with this if you go the private cloud route.

Culture and process affects it because deliverable deadlines may not support concurrent access to the model. It may also be unacceptable to one firm or both to let users from the other firm have such immediate access to each other's data. If your firm doesn't allow another firm to alter your CAD files then this is the same issue.

If the architectural team works right up to their design submission deadline it doesn't leave you much time to produce your work for your deadline because they will start in on their next deadline while you are reacting to their previous work still. The design may never settle down enough to let you print a static progress set. The established habit of working on a set of progress prints they provide is more "normal". Are you prepared to stay on the job every day instead of for a full week after they submit their progress set?

There is a lot to gain from working along side one another in the same model. You will have to be prepared to work through the issues that arise.

Thanks for the reply, sorry I didn't notice it sooner. Very good points.
I am not very familiar with worksets, but can you use worksets to solve some of these issues? When using worksets can you somehow save locally then update the central model when you would like or do I have this wrong.

Thanks again.

Worksets are an important part of the process but they don't solve technology or cultural issues. They actually bring issues with each to light quicker.

Each local file needs live access to its related central file at all times. That's where IT comes in. It is imperative to sort out how the project will be shared so that worksets can work. This is why Autodesk is developing Cloud based services. It won't be too long before your project could be hosted on a server you access through Autodesk 360 and even run Revit in your web browser instead.

I see, very interesting. Thank you.

Would have to say from varied experiences, that linking is the only way to fly.
Using one model causes a lot of slowdown in the work process, and then there are often ownership issues, and element borrowing issues even if the other discipline isnt moving or altering your element, its touching something they own and they "borrow" the element until saved to central.
If youre working in seperate offices or even far enough to be out of voice range this can be a serious pain in the backside.

Secondly, it means a smaller file, more maleability in what you see in your views, and more controlability. Also means more security for both disciplines because you "own" your own models, the other person only links it in and doesnt edit anything you dont want them to, either accidentally or because they think they dont need to ask any more (you would be surprsied how often this happens).

This can be resolved by worksets, and checking them out etc, but then again, you dont even need to add this if youre linking so why complicate things?

Also think about this situation - Architect modifies their model significantly 2 days before issue is due. You know that the changes will take you 4 days to incorporate and alter your design but now the deadline is looming. If the models arent seperate, your drawings are issued with the outlines changed but your design doesnt match anything. A seperate linked file means you can issue for the deadline with the design you had been issued previously. Sometimes changes are simply not possible to get done for the deadline and you need to provide another issue to match the architects new design. You need to not only consider the implications for modelling, but the implications for documentation, and in my experience seperate models allows you some wriggle space on tight deadlines, and shared models mean you are shagged.

Personally and from experience, I much prefer linking with seperate disciplines than sharing one model, its by far, less complicated.