Linking - grouping - what are your ideas on this question with Central files

[donnia.tabor-hanson]

Here is the scenario:

Large Central Model with lots of “projects” linked in. Each project is a Floor Level that could be for multiple buildings. The projects are being used for Facility Management only, not a new building.

The project is currently on Revit Server but needs to be moved to the cloud, that is the easy part. There is a need to share with outside contractors.

They need a way to have a project related to one or more floors.

Once the project is completed, they want to save that project and then take the model changes back to a file without all the documentation, sheets, etc. and have it link back into the Large Central Model.

Brainstorming here:

Save the “Floor” model if only working on a singular floor, as a new name and maybe put an extension to the name related to the current workflow. Import Sheets, Schedules, Detail Views from a seed project and complete the work. After the work is completed, save a copy of the project, and remove all documentation, set all model items to existing, and save back as original name to relink into the Large Central Model. Archive the project that was created for this update.

Another idea, working with one or more linked floors could be the use of converting links to groups, doing the work within each floor’s group. Again, import Sheets, Schedules, Detail Views from a seed project and complete the work. After the work is completed, export the groups, and save back as original name to relink into the Large Central Model. Archive the project that was created for this update.

Yet another idea, open each “Floor” and do the modeling there. Import links into a project to do all the documentation. The problem is that that you need all the documentation done in the project where the floor is linked in and you can’t have both open at the same time unless you run two Revit sessions.

Open to discussion and any other ideas.

[RSomppi]

I'll take door #1.

[Jason.P]

Let me think on this for a bit and I will get back to you. 

[ToanDN]

That is an easy answer.

Don't need to change any phase to any building components. Just add a new phase after the last phase then name it Facility Management phase.

eTransmit the model include all links, but exclude all documentation. Give them that folder.

[donnia.tabor-hanson]

They want the collective building to be kept in the Existing phase when they are done. They also want to archive each project. 

We are looking at "saving as" for each linked floor and doing the project, then "saving as" back to the original name and putting everything back to existing.

[ToanDN]

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@donnia.tabor-hanson wrote:

They want the collective building to be kept in the Existing phase when they are done.

Combining all previous phases into a single phase is not as simple as you may think because all demolished elements will be showing again and you will need to manually split/delete them.  We were requested the same by our client then after I explained the benefits of keeping all previous phases instead of combining them, they were onboard all the way.  The benefits for them are 1 - they pay much less T&M; 2 - they have the full history of all previous renovations living in the model; 3 - set the phase filter to show complete then they see a complete as-built model.

They also want to archive each project. 

Where do you document (view and sheet) for each project?  In the central file or in the link?

We are looking at "saving as" for each linked floor and doing the project, then "saving as" back to the original name and putting everything back to existing.

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[donnia.tabor-hanson]

Demo and new are done in the linked floor model to clarify the phasing. That is why we are looking at a detached duplication of the floor linked model with a name related to the current edit, edit demo, and new in a this detached model. This project is where all the documentation is done for the project. Then the project can be archived with the updated floor project. 

Next they will detach the updated floor model from the current project, take all in the New phase, move that now to existing, then save and replace it in the overall campus model. Demo will stay demo.