Import Excel Into Revit

[Irich]

I am reasonably certain that you cannot directly import an Excel Spreadsheet into a Revit drawing so what could I do as a work around?

We used a spreadsheet similar to the screen shot below to show elevations of embeds. There is not a lot of intelligence built into it (maybe some simple formulas) but I not sure how to create this table or something similar inside of Revit.

 Beyond that, if I can find a way to make the table more intelligent and pull information from the model- floor elevations, form elevations, etc. then I would be golden!

Thanks for the help!

[jwinkler8A6WX]

My 2 cents here....

The main purpose of Revit is to consolidate buildling information in a single central location so it can be displayed in various ways while changing.  This is the advantage of using Revit.  This is also the main idea of BIM.   Using multiple softwares to manually duplicate the same information defeats that purpose.

With this in mind I made a personal decision to invest time learning the Revit schedule interface and morphing my workflow.  I've found Revit schedules to be capable of most of the things that architects and engineers do in excel, with the exception of fancy graphics.  Revit's schedule graphic capabilites are being improved and there are workarounds.  But overall, I am willing to let go of fancy graphics in return for a more efficient, accurate and automated workflow.  If you are going to enter data, enter it into Revit - ONCE.

[luisPDAN6]

My two cents :

[hoda.ganji]

How about using Dynamo? "Revit, Dynamo and Excel interactions 2": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snmxnCwEhgQ&list=PLnQTukI1DJvz1tWmFTbx0UqdDPnAEVDoZ&index=2

This video shows how we can import and replace the data from an Excel file with the data in Revit file.

[Michael_HansonV6ZQ6]

I've created 'schedules' in Revit that reported all the vertical elevations (Control Points) for structural connections for the arch steel of a skylight. It wasn't easy, and it's been a while since I did it. The basic workflow involved creating 'Shared Parameters' that could be reported to a schedule. In order to define the geometry of this skylight, a number of parameters were mathematical results of formulas between parameters based on the Patheagram Theorem. The benefit of this method, albeit tedious, was that I could change the slope of the skylight and the schedules would update. 

Getting the syntax of the formulas correct was a little tricky, some of it had to do with how I named the parameters. The formulas didn't like parameters names with gaps (i.e. Low Eave, High Eave). A trick I learned was to initially use a single letter for the parameter to build the formula, then rename the parameters afterwards. Revit tracked the name change. 

  

  

[HVAC-Novice]

I only use Excel for very few things. But for the few things, the format of the table is not like a Revit schedule (merged cells etc., highlighted cells, different borders etc.). I tried the above AutoCAD method. Uggh, it completely ruins the format, line weight and cant deal with merged cells, different borders or colors. I even installed AutoCAD just to try that method. 

I ended up just making the table "look nice" in Excel and screenshot it. Then save the image, and link it in Revit, and place it on a drafting view.  When the Excel file updates, I have to re-screenshot it and save the image under the same name and re-load the linked image. Not a great method. But for me it beats the alternatives. YMMV. 

I'm on a mission to have 100% of design done in Revit. But there are some unsurmountable design methods that require flexibility of Excel. 

[ToanDN]

I used to have export from excel to pdf and import the pdf in revit. When excel file is updated, i just export again to overwrite the pdf and reload. 

Now I use Diroots tablegen to link excel tables to legends or drafting views.  Formats are kept and data are automatically updated. 

[HVAC-Novice]

this one?

https://diroots.com/revit-plugins/revit-to-pdf-dwg-dgn-dwf-nwc-ifc-and-images-with-prosheets/

I watched the video and read the description, but it only talks about exporting and not Excel linking. Anyway, it is very rare for me to need Excel in a way that I need to show the table on  a plan sheet. But I like your old PDF route. This gives a bit more control over the size since screen-shotting will give varying results based on zoom in Excel. But it seems to lock me into certain sheet sizes. 

[ToanDN]

Sorry, tablegen.

[HVAC-Novice]

The video seems to show a standard table. Can it also handle tables with merged cells, maintain the borders (thicker and thinner ones etc.) and highlighted cells? Can it also just link part of the sheet?

Below is an example of an Excel sheet I use for plumbing calculations. The only thing I show on a plan (Revit)  is the table (red-circled). Not anything outside that area (that is just for me, not AHJ). The table is modelled after the form the AHJ and should look very close to their form. This includes the merged cells (blue circled) and the yellow highlighted fields (because the form AHJ uses also is yellow highlighted and i want them to be most likely to accept my form). And making it look like that is where the AutoCAD method fails (it can't handle merged cells etc.). So far screenshot is the best method to make it look like the below. I suppose printing to PDF also works well. but is suspect any true link to Excel will ruin formatting.