Golden Rules
Rule 01 - Don’t Explode DWG’s
Never explode a DWG file in your Revit file or this will be the Company Revit Admin!
Rule 02 - Don’t Load Non-compliant Revit Families
Do not load your own Revit Families unless they have been approved by the Model Manager or Company Revit Admin. If you require a family that is not already loaded into the project or in the Company Revit Library, place a request.
Rule 03 - Review your work in 3D
Always review your modelling work in 3D to ensure what you are creating is what you intended in all dimensions. Utilise the Section Box application to isolate parts of your model for easier review.
Rule 04 - Don’t login as another User
Never login as another user. Multiple users logged in as the same name will corrupt the Revit model!
Rule 05 - New Local File & Restart Revit Each Day
Create a New Local file daily and restart Revit. This will ensure you have the maximum amount of memory available on your PC and it will run stable. It also ensures you are running the most up to date version of the model and reduces the risk of losing work.
Rule 06 - Communicate Syncs with the Team
Communicate with your team. Particularly syncs to central. If everyone hits sync to central at the same time, many peoples' machines will be locked up until the central file becomes available again, reducing productivity for all involved. This communication can be down through systems like Microsoft Teams, or simply standing up and announcing to the team “I’m syncing”.
Rule 07 - Check your Active Workset
Ensure your Active Workset, is appropriate for the work you are doing. Make a habit of checking Worksets in a 3D view to ensure you haven’t accidentally placed elements on the wrong Workset using the Worksharing Display Settings.
Rule 08 - Close Hidden Windows
Close Hidden Windows regularly to ensure that only the views you are using are open. This will improve the performance of the machine and reduce memory usage.
Rule 09 - Save Regularly
Nobody likes losing work! Reduce the chance of this by saving and syncing regularly, particularly before doing any intensive task like Printing/Exporting/Rendering or running Dynamo or some other complex Add-in. Basically when there is an increased risk of failure.
Rule 10 - Turn off “Drag Elements on Selection”
If you Left Click and move your mouse slightly in the process, the object might move. Just turn this option off all together and avoid this happening.
Rule 11 - Do NOT put Constraints on Elements in the Project
The only elements that should have constraints on them in the model would be Grids & Levels. You can Pin elements, but do not start going around locking dimensions everywhere. This will result in unexpected changes elsewhere in the model For example, that one spot you didn’t constrain is where the change will occur which might now be on the other side of the model out of view…
Rule 12 - Never Copy In Place Families
In Place Families should be avoided unless there is absolutely no other option. Their use case is;
There is only 1 of them,
The geometry is highly dependent on the elements (system families) around it, complex and subject to change,
It is not linear and can’t be achieved with a line based family, slab edge, wall sweep, structural framing or similar.
ERROR:
Copying an In Place family is not the same as copying a normal loadable family. Instead of creating a new instance, it creates a new family. That is, editing one of these copies does not update the others. If it needs to repeat, it must be created as a loadable family.
Rule 13 - If in doubt, ASK!
You don’t need to struggle in the dark. Asking is not a sign of weakness. In fact, your Model Manager or Revit Admin will be glad you asked.