Incremental Job Numbers

[kevin.mendenhallZD7B3]

I'm wondering if there is a way to create a shared parameter or something similar to automatically generate job numbers. Much like Revit assigns marks, sheet numbers, etc. Currently, I do it manually, i.e. 24-001, 24-002, etc. The problem being is that I save in a few different locations so it's easy enough to lose track of the last number. Ideally, that field would update dynamically in the title block such as a date stamp does. 

[jay_colcombe]

The easiest way to do this would to be use Placeholder Sheets, these can be defined in a Template and have present numbering as suggested.

View Tab > Schedule > sheet List > Pick your Parameters > Edit first Cell and then keep adding new rows

When you then create a Sheet you can pick from the List and those already used will be omitted

Alternatives are Dynamo or Third-Party Addins such as DiRoots (Sheet Manager)

[handjonathan]

Hi @kevin.mendenhallZD7B3 

Thanks a lot for posting your question to the forums!   Has the solution suggested by @jay_colcombe helped with your issue?
 
We look forward to hearing back from you with more information so we can help you as a community! 

[kevin.mendenhallZD7B3]

Good morning @handjonathan and @jay_colcombe, thank you for the replies. I will try this solution shortly. I have not delved into placeholder sheets yet but it's another thing that I have been meaning to do, so this will be a good opportunity to learn a bit about them. I'll report back with my results or any questions I may have. Thank you both for your time.

[kevin.mendenhallZD7B3]

Hi @jay_colcombe. I am experimenting with this solution. Correct me if I have this wrong. Would I need to create all the job numbers (i.e. 24-001 thru 24-050) in the data rows within my template? Once I reach the last sequential job number, I'd have to go back into the template and create a bunch more starting from where I left off?

[mhiserZFHXS]

It seems odd that this is something you would need done in Revit, and not a project log in Excel or something. What is the benefit of having this single number generated automatically within Revit?

[jay_colcombe]

Hi,

Yes this would be the process additional sheets would need to be added.
It’s still manual but allowa some control.

Alternatively if you highlight a sheet in the Project Browser > Right Click > New Sheet it will add the next incremental value

[jay_colcombe]

Keeping Sheet Numbering in Revit is normal practice!

You can do it anyway you wish but having them with one platform reduces errors and extra work!

I personally use DiRoots Sheet Manager which can utilise excel spreadsheets which is especially useful for ISO 19650 Sheet Naming Conventions 

[mhiserZFHXS]

He wants to generate a JOB number, not sheet numbers. Its right in the thread title.

[jay_colcombe]

It seems I may have misread the post - apologies all!

It threw me with Job No. and not Project No.

Unfortunately there is no way to create incremental Job/Project numbers in Revit without an addin like DiRoots which can use spreadsheets or some Dynamo script to search a Spreadsheet with incremental preset numbers and link it to the Project Number.

[kevin.mendenhallZD7B3]

@mhiserZFHXS, because it seems like it should be easily doable. Much like when you save and Revit numbers the backups. Revit sequential numbers everything. When I start a new job, my first action is to start a new Revit Project, it makes sense to me that the source of the job/project number is the job itself. When I save the drawing for the first time, I save with the job number in the file name. I can't think of a cleaner, more efficient way to handle project numbers than to have the source (the actual project itself) handle the assigning of the numbers. I'm not familiar with the process of using Excel to create job numbers. I understand Excel, just not the process that you're speaking of.

[jay_colcombe]

What you describe is how most people do it and how most would expect to apply it.

We had a blank Project Folder which had sub folders, copy and paste and rename where the number and name were taken from a register and then renamed/numbered and all files stored would follow this convention.

[kevin.mendenhallZD7B3]

Where things have gone kind of sideways for me is that I have builders that I do work for and need to have their projects in one location. I was doing as you indicated with a predefined folder with subfolders, copy, paste, rename, number, etc. So rather than having to look back through a million folders to find a project that I did for a builder, I have all their files in one place. At the same time, I do work for home owners who will only build once. I don't know, I'll figure it out somehow. It's more my problem than anything and my quest to be more organized than I currently am. I was just hoping there was an easy way to generate a sequential number to sort and search by. 

[ToanDN]

I am on board with @mhiserZFHXS here.  It appears you are overcomplicating this simple task with the attempt for automation.  But to each their own.

[mhiserZFHXS]

I understand needing to be organized. But I don't understand why you expect Revit to do this? Our jobs exist before they are created in Revit, so job/project numbers are already defined before a model starts. It seems odd that starting a Revit model is the very first thing you do when you get a new job.

[kevin.mendenhallZD7B3]

You guys are wild man. A simple question goes to "I don't understand why you would expect Revit to do this". Nobody said it was expected, I asked if it were possible. A program that literally does this function in almost everything it does and I'm asking too much of it? I estimate a job, I take a deposit, I start the job. Where is the odd part? Every job is unique, correct? Every job has a unique identifier. numbers are sequential, Revit is built on a database, it's not that far of a stretch of the imagination. 

[mhiserZFHXS]

Its a Revit forum, but folks will generally try to help beyond Revit if it seems beneficial. We question the very premise of the post because it doesn't make much sense.

And Revit does all of those things within a single project, where it knows what else exists. What you're wanting to do goes from project to project. There is no connection from one project to the next, so Revit wouldn't know what the last number was, nor would it know the specific sequence you desire.

And you ARE doing things prior to starting a Revit model. Why are you not assigning a job number at that point, and keeping your estimates and billing info within a numbered folder? It really seems like organization is the root of your problem. You can take that advice or ignore it. Up to you.

[kevin.mendenhallZD7B3]

Which is why I asked about "if it's possible through a shared parameter or similar". Shared parameters exist between projects.

And yes, this being a forum, I came here for knowledge and help, not opinions or condescending remarks. "seems odd", "doesn't make much sense", "why would you expect". 

Does assigning a job number when you estimate a job make sense? It absolutely does not. Why assign a job number to a job you don't have? Sure I could do that when I invoice, but it's not my goal to organize my invoices, it's my drawings that I'm organizing.

Even by default, Revit starts the naming as "Project1", " Project2", etc. If I save "Project2" it remembers that and suggests "Project3" even though there is no link between those files. Wouldn't it be odd if it were "24-001", 24-002", etc? I don't think so, I think it would be incredibly useful. And the function is already there in some form.

There is value here, in the ability to create a job number at the very core of what can be considered "the job", but for some reason it "doesn't make much sense". Your comment this morning was opinion and added nothing to the conversation. There was no honest inquiry into what my process or reasoning was in order to help me with a solution. The forum should be strictly information and the sharing of knowledge. 

[mhiserZFHXS]

Sorry that you feel raising concerns about your routine is condescending.

We've answered the root of your question. Since you're not interested in anything else, I suppose we're done. Best of luck.