Harnessing the I in BIM – taking schedules to the next level

Synopsis:

Schedules are a powerful tool in Revit beyond just cataloging your modeled elements. Learn how to push the features of schedules to the next level, creating data within them to aid in design, make them prettier, and help you more fully harness the database side of Revit.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how to use the main types of schedules, their benefits/limitations, and how they can be used in non-traditional ways
2. Use the various features available in schedule parameters – including calculated values, percentages, and units.
3. Understand how schedules can be used for model management and design, not just as catalogs of information in the drawings.

Body:

Schedules are an integral part of conveying the information that is required to construct a building – doors, windows, finishes, materials, furniture, fixtures, etc. With some simple formatting tricks and creative thinking, schedules can also be used to help plan out the space in a building, quantify the amount of materials used, verify if design and code requirements (space planning, egress, code, etc.) are being met, help to quickly standardize graphics across multiple views, control the sheets in a drawing set, and so much more.

In this session, we are really going to harness the “I” in BIM, covering different functions with schedules that are not as widely known such as calculated values, conditional formatting, and editing units. I will cover the 4 main types of architectural schedules – schedule/quantities, note blocks, sheet lists, and view lists – and some outside-the-box uses for each, along with some limitations and quirks that we have to deal with. I will also show you some tips and tricks to make the graphics better and more readable, including using view templates with schedules. The presentation will wrap up with examples of creative ways to use schedules, some building- related, and some not, since, after all, Revit is a database and if you can think creatively, you can do it!