Importing a spread sheet

[amindez9667]

n Revit is it possible to import a linked spread sheet.

I would like to have a linked spread sheet containing an index sheet

Of consultant drawings – as they will not be using revit.

Or is there a better way to have the indexed updated pretty easy

By anyone.

Thanks

[Scott Womack]

n Revit is it possible to import a linked spread sheet.
I would like to have a linked spread sheet containing an index sheet
Of consultant drawings – as they will not be using revit.
Or is there a better way to have the indexed updated pretty easy
By anyone.

No it is not possible to link a spreadsheet into Revit. You'd OLE it into AutoCAD, then link that file into Revit.

Revit Has a schedule called a Drawing List. We create a separate file called Consultants Drawings, and create a dummy sheet for each of the Consultants drawings. Then this is linked into the main Revit File, and the Drawing List is set to read from linked files. Works link a champ. Also, once created, this consultants file can be copied from Project to Project, and simply edited, to save time.

[amindez9667]

Thanks

That will work!!

[saeborne]

No it is not possible to link a spreadsheet into Revit. You'd OLE it into AutoCAD, then link that file into Revit.

Revit Has a schedule called a Drawing List. We create a separate file called Consultants Drawings, and create a dummy sheet for each of the Consultants drawings. Then this is linked into the main Revit File, and the Drawing List is set to read from linked files. Works link a champ. Also, once created, this consultants file can be copied from Project to Project, and simply edited, to save time.

Wow Scott. That's great! Up until now, we had been creating a key schedule for consultant drawings list, and manually typing it in. Sort of like a table in AutoCAD.

I like this method much better. Gonna try in on our next job.

EDIT...

To clarify, what I really like is the way the consultant drawings are linked from a separate Revit file. In the past, I know we had contimplated creating dummy sheets for the Consultants. But I didn't like the way our Revit file would get cluttered with all these other extra sheets. Putting it into a link is nice and clean.

[ppirtle]

n Revit is it possible to import a linked spread sheet.
I would like to have a linked spread sheet containing an index sheet


We use a little app called XL2Revit (from DotSoft.com) that runs within Excel and creates a DXF that can then be linked into Revit. We've only used it for a few weeks, but it works great!

[Scott Womack]

We use a little app called XL2Revit (from DotSoft.com) that runs within Excel and creates a DXF that can then be linked into Revit. We've only used it for a few weeks, but it works great!

I understand the desire to link Excel data into Revit. I too am considering the application mentioned for certain information on a segment of our work. However, it is still unclear what happens to this data when we are working with another Architectural firm in collaboration on large projects, especially when the central file is on a remote server.

Using the Revit Drawing list is safer in that it is a part of Revit, and you then only have to transmit/place the consultant's file on that server as well. By extension, there are several other types of data that we may choose to place in that consultant's file as well that may assist us in other types of schedules as well.

[cliff collins]

Better yet, get all of your consultants using Revit.
Link their projects into yours.
Have them create / update List of sheets.
Done.

cheers...

[AUGI Strangelove]

I have the drawing list schedule in my project, but am unclear on how I can get the list to self number the drawings in sequence, and how this would work with filters of different disciplines that don't fall in alphabetical order. Any help?

[Scott Womack]

I have the drawing list schedule in my project, but am unclear on how I can get the list to self number the drawings in sequence, and how this would work with filters of different disciplines that don't fall in alphabetical order.

We created a shared parameter for Sheet Discipline and a Sheet Discipline# parameters, and applied them to drawing Sheets. These can be added to to the Drawing List as hidden columns, but then you can sort on them.

The Sheet Discipline is Text, like ARCHITECTURE, then the Sheet Discipline# parameter is an integer. We sort on the number first, and then the discipline, with a header for the discipline. This puts the ARCHITECTURE, or GENERAL, etc. as an intermediate header for each "group" of drawings. This if used in two or more Revit files, and the drawing list is set to span Revit files, will pick up the sheets in the linked file(s) as well.

[AUGI Strangelove]

Hmmm. OK. I'll give that a go. Thanks.

[sfaust]

We use a slightly modified version of this. The second shared parameter is a text field instead of an integer, and we use "1-General", "2-Civil", "3-Architectural", etc. That way it still sorts in any numerical order you want, but you can sort your project browser by this parameter and it will be in the same order as your sheet index, and you will be able to tell the discipline without having to know what #1 is.

[AUGI Strangelove]

Cool. I'm just now getting into this wild world of parameters and schedules. That's a big help.

[DaveP]

We use a Shared Parameter called SortOrder.
It's an integer & we number all of our Disciplines by 100s.
In other words, Title & General is 100, Civil is 200, Structural is 300, Arch is 400, etc

We use the 100 series because we've had several projects where within a Discipline (can you hear me, Landscape?) their Sheet "Numbers" were not alphabetical, so we needed to be able to further sort within. Normally, you'd just assign all of the discipline the same (say 200) & your schedule would sort first by SortOrder & then by Sheet Number. But if your consultant gets cute, you can still go 200, 210, 220, 221, 222, 230, etc.

Or maybe it's a hold-over from my MSBasic programming days.

[JohnASB]

In Autocad 2009 you can link an excel file right into an Autocad table, then link that dwg into revit.

[Scott Womack]

In Autocad 2009 you can link an excel file right into an Autocad table, then link that dwg into revit.

Why bother with a double link work-a-round, when with one or two parameters, you can use what is built right into Revit?

[arqt49]

Why bother with a double link work-a-round, when with one or two parameters, you can use what is built right into Revit?

...if you want to relate different categories and it's not allowed inside revit, or use other functions (formulas) with the parameters.

[dhurtubise]

If you really wanna use that excel file. Link it in a table in acad and link that acad file in Revit.