Excel Spreadsheets

[pdavis]

Anyone have a good work-around for bringing in Excl spreadsheets? Autodesk really needs to add that support. The new table features are an improvement, but Excel is still easier and more efficient for staff in my office.

[John Anderson]

Import excel to autocad using paste-special as autocad entities.
For a better import see Toolpac at dotsoft.com

Then link autocad into REvit.

[GuyR]

Out of curiousity, can you give an example of what sort of Excel data you're trying to import?

Guy

[DanielleAnderson]

Yes, a good point, what exactly are you wanting to import?
BUT...here's (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=21694&highlight=excel+schedule) a fairly exhaustive thread on importing schedules... 8)

[GuyR]

BUT...here's a fairly exhaustive thread on importing schedules

I think Leonid sums it up here:


For example in case of Excel it may be better to dynamically read the data from Excel but use Revit own mechanisms to format and display it.

And FWIW, the current API allows you import and export spreadsheet data. Just not dynamically. So like I said, what do you want to do?

HTH,

Guy

[pdavis]

Some of the architects want to import spreadsheets to use a tables. Because those tables are continuously being updated and they are comfortable with Excel, that is what they want to use.

[DanielleAnderson]

Some of the architects want to import spreadsheets to use a tables. Because those tables are continuously being updated and they are comfortable with Excel, that is what they want to use.

Well, keep in mind a couple of things:
1) Every time a table is updated, it will have to be re-imported through the whole Excel to PDF to JPG thing (as mentioned in the thread I made mention to)
2) The quality of the JPG table is not great at full size. Usually, no matter how high the resolution, the tables still look a little grainy and gray.

[andrekanaan]

Yes, a good point, what exactly are you wanting to import?
BUT...here's (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=21694&highlight=excel+schedule) a fairly exhaustive thread on importing schedules... 8)

I have the same problem, i have calculation sheets on excel that i wold like to submit as autocad drawings. and plus i wold like to know if we can keep them as a link. when we update the ecxel file the autocad will be automatically updated.

[guy.messick825831]

A slightly different perspective - We are no longer using Excel "in front", but are using Revit to contain virtually all data from pre-design forward. We then portray that data in schedules and/or tags, from very complex space programming, to department summaries, etc. After looking deep, we discovered that if we thought about it, we could begin the project in Revit, before any spaces were defined - then if need be, export to Excel from schedules. It does require a re-think of what "efficiency" means, similar to transitioning from Autocad. It sure looks faster the old way at first glance, but consider what the data represents, and how it will behave in the long run. Note: all of our principals and PA's used to use Excel as a matter of course, but it's swinging around rapidly.