Trying to document existing and usability electrical info into Revit is nearly impossible and needlessly time-consuming as compared to Autocad; yet this lack of flexibility will seriously limit Revit into the electrical contractor community and eventually might even lead to it's overall rejection unless the software is given more flexibility to document existing electrical systems. Much of construction is done within existing bldgs and this electrical info needs to be entered quickly and easily, but at this point I've not seen how to do it without tiresome tricks.
Much of this seems to be centered around the premise that one is starting with a new electrical system and that's hardly ever the case. Question for Autodesk: Why can't I spot the receptacles and then assign the circuits as I see fit? To a circuit of my choosing? Currently appears the software TELLS me what circuit is going where! And I can see workarounds to a point-but that's not how it should work if it's going to be accepted into the vast majority of electrical contractors; which means Building owners, GC's and FM personnel aren't going to be getting the BIM models so glowingly promised by Autodesk and other BIM proponents that seem to design software for architects and engineers but forget it's the contractor that really gets the work executed and documented.
Better fix this Autodesk! Right now BIM is getting a reputation as show-and-tell and NOT as a serious solution to design/build construction. I've been pushing 3D into bldg. construction since the early 1990's and while 3D modeling certainly is helpful, the elusive BIM dream is not being helped by software that doesn't reflect reality on how things are done. Actually prefer Revit over Autocad MEP, but right now the Revit philosophy seems to be counter-intuitive to what I need to be able to hand over to electricians and ultimately the owner.
