Types of Parameters in Revit

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Note: This article was written and published in a different language and is a translated version of the original published here.

While there are three main types of parameters in Revit (project parameters, global parameters, and shared parameters), we can also add native parameters or family parameters, for example. You will be interested in knowing not only what each one is or does, but what differences there are between them and when to use them.

Native Settings

These are the parameters that are embedded within the program. I'm sure you know a few, such as Top Offset (on walls, for example) or Type Comments (in almost all categories).

• They are the only ones that are automatically translated between Revit languages.
• They do appear in schedules.
• They are, for the most part, labelable.

Family Parameters

These are parameters that we create to parameterize or add information to a family; "Crank height", "Number of shelves" or "Scale visibility" are created manually.

• They do not appear in schedules.
• They are not taggable.

Project Parameters

They appear when we create them (Manage > Project Parameters) specifically for one or more categories within a project or template. They usually complement basic Revit information. "Surface computability coefficient" in rooms or areas, "Thermal break Yes/no" for doors or windows, or "Group"/"Subgroup" when organizing the project navigator, are clear examples.

• They do appear in schedules.
• They are not taggable.

Global Parameters

Need to snap information for many items at once? For example, defining the height of a false ceiling in many rooms; or match the depth of cabinets or the spacing of a door to partition wall. For this recurring information, you can use global parameters (Manage > Global Parameters) and thus establish standards in your project. Of course they can have more uses than this one. These aren't parameters as such, but are standard values that you can apply to the parameters of your project elements (such as the "Height offset from tier" on ceilings, or by assigning a certain value to one or more parameterized dimensions).

• They do not appear in schedules.
• They are not taggable.

As you can see, none of the non-native Revit parameters are taggable. Can you guess what shared parameters are for?

Shared Parameters

These are parameters that we create manually, and they have an ID card assigned internally (such as a very long cadastral reference), so that they can be identified even if two people have created two shared parameters with the same name. They are stored in a text file and so can be used to create labels. Therefore:

• They do appear in schedules.
• Yes, they are taggable.
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In addition, editing the text file can achieve additional effects:

• That they are not modifiable by the user
• That they are not visible

Lights and shadows in shared parameters

Companies that have their catalog in Revit format have not agreed on what information to include in their families. If they are coating companies, they will have many different regulatory characteristics (slippery, roughness...) those for plumbing appliances will want to include their flow or materiality data; and those of air conditioning equipment, all the mechanical and thermal information.

If these additional parameters are of family, they are not labellable and they do not appear in tables. But if they are shared, they will appear in all schedules; And since they are called differently, you will have many parameters from different companies collecting the same information. Dirtying your project and making it difficult to read and understand the information itself.

What can you do?

There are standards that try to regulate the parameters to be placed to equalize them all; but apart from the fact that they are not mandatory, covering all possible casuistry is very, very difficult.

By making full use of native Revit settings (such as manufacturer, model, code, and URL) and supplementing additional information with family parameters you want to incorporate, you'll be keeping your model cleaner, even if they don't appear in tables.