Downloading Revit Content Office Policy

[techsupport.161645]

Can anyone share their office policy on using downloaded revit content in a project?

I need to develop a policy for my users on the use of downloaded revit content. I am trying to figure out what criteria the content must meet/pass before it is publically used throughout the office.

For example, does it need to be scheduled, if so, does it schedule correctly?

Part of the policy would include certain sites to download content from. My main concern is developing a set of tests the content must pass before being used publically.

If anyone can share their current policy and provide some suggestions on developing a policy of this nature that would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You

[mwenta]

Because the content quality is all over the board and some manufacturers are even including legal disclaimers in the family itself. We tend to not download much content, we develop it ourselves. The reason behind this is as you printed out, there are a lot of questions regarding how the family is created. Does it have the proper assembly code? Are parameters labeled/categorized correctly? Has it been flexed in the project environment? Are you using E-specs, if so is the proper keynote assigned to the family? Does it meet you companies naming convention and is it saved in the correct location? It's because of these questions and many more that if someone downloads a family that I review it prior to it going into any library. I also have a committee in place that reviews all new family content as well, this ensures that other sets of eyes are looking at the content to double check me as well.

[tcatana]

A simple policy is to have them submit it to you (Or whom ever is in charge) to get approval for its use. You can change or update to meet your needs, or you can create your own to meet the needs of the user. I wouldn't get overly strict or people will use work arounds or other lazy methods which may cause you more headaches.

[twiceroadsfool]

Simple policy here: Dont do it. Come to me if you need something, LOL.

[eric.piotrowicz]

Simple policy here: Dont do it. Come to me if you need something, LOL.

Well said! Far too often somebody comes to me complaining that Revit isn't working right and after 30 seconds of looking into the problem I find that its due to a family that somebody got from somebody that came from some website. While the name on it might have sounded like it was a good family the actual guts of it were horrible.

[twiceroadsfool]

Thats where it starts. The 30 seconds looking in to the family, the ten or fifteen minutes redoing parameters and constraints and visibility seconds to make the family viable. Then you change something and it breaks, or doesnt behave as expected, and you spend another ten minutes fixing THAT.

So i just tell them, if you want something, come to me. Will *I* download something from revit city or here? Sure. But im doing it and immediately intending on spending time deconstructing and altering it for them.

Case in point: A traffic light. I grabbed one from RC, but immediately knew how i wanted it to work for the user, so i KNEW i would have to add parameters, mirror some parts, tag some material labels, etc.

[mthurnauer]

We have a folder in our Library called _Inbox where if someone downloads something or even if they make it themselves, it gets saved to the inbox and then it gets cleaned up and reviewed before putting it into the library

[twiceroadsfool]

We have a folder in our Library called _Inbox where if someone downloads something or even if they make it themselves, it gets saved to the inbox and then it gets cleaned up and reviewed before putting it into the library

We have a similar folder for if they make stuff. Downloaded stuff shouldnt be in PROJECTS or the library, here....

[jeh.212740]

I would aggree with aaron's procedure in regards to this, all families should come from the approved directory, if not they should always go through an approval process before making it into a project, saves on headaches down the road

[twiceroadsfool]

I would aggree with aaron's procedure in regards to this, all families should come from the approved directory, if not they should always go through an approval process before making it into a project, saves on headaches down the road

And you know allll about those headaches, LOL.

Why werent you at our dinner last night??? Shoot me a msg, gotta talk :)