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Newforma Project Information Link Quick Reference
Guide
This topic provides a reference for Newforma Project Information Link.
Purpose
Newforma Project Information Link enables you to make a connection between your Revit
®
models
and elements and Newforma building models and elements and other project information. Once the links
are created, you can synchronize information back and forth between Newforma Project Center and Revit.
Audience
Internal project team members.
Key Features
• Newforma Project Information Link connects Revit models and elements to Newforma project
information.
• See and track your list of registered Revit models and elements in the Newforma Building
Models and Elements activity center.
• Sync elements, spaces, and record documents from Revit into Newforma Project Center and edit
extended properties.
• Mass update elements, spaces, and record documents data using Newforma’s Edit in
Spreadsheet tool, then sync changes back to Revit.
• Create action items and markups linked to a Revit model.
Register an Autodesk
®
Revit Model
Before you can connect your Revit model to project information inside Project Center and sync data back
and forth, you must register your models within Project Center. You can register multiple models with a
single Newforma project. The two options for registering your models are explained below.
When registering an Autodesk Revit model, it is best to utilize a central model since it
functions as the central organizing model for all team members.
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Option 1: Register a model from Project Center:
1. To register a model from within Project Center, go to the Building Models and Elements activity
center and select Register Model from the Tasks panel.
2. Fill in the Name, and browse to locate the Model File in the Register Building Model dialog box.
Fill in any other information as desired and click OK to save.
Option 2: Register a Model from within Revit:
1. To register a model from within Revit, select Register Model on the Newforma Project
Information Link add-in located on the Newforma portion of Revit’s ribbon, and select the project.
The model record is automatically created, linked to the model, and appears in the Building Models
and Elements activity center.
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Synchronize Newforma Elements
Newforma elements are used to organize and track information related to objects in your models and can
be seen in the Building Models and Elements activity center. Elements can be any building component
such as windows, walls, piping, or room tags. Once the elements are created in Newforma you can use
various tools to mass update information, and then sync those changes back to Revit.
1. To synchronize elements from Revit to the Building Models and Elements activity center in Project
Center, go to the Newforma Project Information Link add-in, located on the Newforma portion of
Revit's ribbon, and select Building Elements > Synchronize Elements.
2. In the Synchronize Building Elements dialog box, click Add Revit Elements to select the
elements you want to synchronize.
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3. Select individual elements in the model or drag to select multiple elements. Once you’ve selected the
elements you want, click Finish.
4. The selected elements appear in the Synchronize Building Elements dialog box. Use the column
filters to isolate the elements you want, then mark the checkboxes of the items you want to
synchronize. To create additional matching extended properties between Revit and Newforma Project
Center, click Sync Settings.
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5. Highlight the Revit property and click Create Matching Extended Property. The property is created.
6. Select the group for the extended property and select OK. You will now see the new element in the
Items to Synchronize list.
7. Use the edit buttons to edit any Newforma properties. Select OK when complete. The Elements appear
in the Building Models and Elements activity center.
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Create Record Documents and PDFs from Sheets in Revit
You can easily create record documents and attach PDFs in the Document Control activity center from
the sheets in Revit. Once the record documents are created and the files are attached, you can track
revisions and issuance of your important construction documents.
To publish sheets to PDF(s)
1. To create PDFs from Revit, go to the Newforma Project Information Link add-in located on the
Newforma portion of Revit's ribbon and select Document Control > Publish Sheets.
Publish Sheets – To create PDFs only
Synchronize and Add Revisions – Sync & Create PDFs in Document Control
Synchronize Sheets – Sync sheets into Document Control
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2. Select Add Revit Parameters if there is a need to include custom Revit parameters for custom
sorting of a multi-page PDF.
3. Select Publish Settings to control PDF print location, print driver settings and PDF naming
conventions.
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4. Control the naming of Combined PDFs (similar to individual PDF files). The name may also contain
hard coded information.
5. Click Publish to publish the sheets to PDF.
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To synchronize sheets and publish PDFs
The Synchronize and Add Revisions process described here is the recommended method
for synchronizing revision data, as it is specifically intended to be used for synchronizing
revision data between Revit and Project Center.
1. To sync and create PDF sheets from Revit to create Newforma record documents, go to the
Newforma Project Information Link add-in located on the Newforma portion of Revit’s ribbon and
select Document Control > Synchronize and Add Revisions.
2. After changing any needed settings, select Synchronize and Add Revisions in the Synchronize
and Add Revisions dialog box to synchronize sheets and create PDFs.
Use to customize
additional parameter
mappings
There are four required
Revit parameter
mappings for syncing
Quick glance at current
settings
Publish Settings control
PDF print, location, and
naming settings
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3. The record documents appear in the Document Control activity center along with the linked PDFs.
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To synchronize sheets
It is recommended that you do NOT synchronize revision data using Synchronize
Sheets, as this could cause data inconsistencies between Revit and Newforma. To
synchronize revision data, use Synchronize and Add Revisions, as it is specifically
intended to be used for synchronizing revision data between Revit and Project Center.
This option synchronizes only the sheet data from Revit to Document Control. This
function does not publish PDFs.
1. To sync sheets from Revit to create Newforma record documents, go to the Newforma Project
Information Link add-in located on the Newforma portion of Revit's ribbon and select Document
Control > Synchronize Sheets.
2. In the Synchronize Sheets dialog box, click Sync Settings to create extended properties to be
synchronized. The Edit Settings for Document Control Properties dialog box opens:
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3. Highlight a Revit property and click Create Matching Extended Property to create a corresponding
Newforma property.
4. Highlight the Newforma property to change options such as Mapping Behavior and Group Name.
Click OK.
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5. In the Synchronize Sheets dialog box, review the information and select the items you want to
sync, then click Synchronize to create the record documents.
Create Newforma Spaces
You can take Revit rooms and areas and sync them to Newforma to create spaces in the Spatial Index
activity center. Spaces are needed in Newforma if you plan to use the Punch List app. In addition, you can
easily mass update items like finishes and other properties once they are in Newforma, then sync that
data back to Revit.
1. To sync spaces from Revit, go to the Newforma Project Information Link add-in located on the
Newforma portion of Revit’s ribbon and select Spatial Index > Synchronize Spaces.
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2. In the Synchronize Rooms, Spaces, and Areas dialog box, click Sync Settings if you want to
add, edit or remove any extended properties as described above. Click OK when done.
3. Use the column filters to isolate the spaces you want, then mark the checkboxes of the items you
want to synchronize. Click Synchronize.
4. The spaces appear in the Spatial Index activity center.
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Use Edit in Spreadsheet to Mass Update Elements, Sheets, or Record
Document Data
You can use the Edit in Spreadsheet task in Newforma when editing elements, sheets, or record
documents to utilize Excel’s streamlined copy/paste functionality to expedite editing. You can also utilize
formulas within Excel to quickly generate various calculated totals. This tool is especially helpful if you
want to utilize office staff to edit element, sheet, or record document data who may not be well versed in
Revit.
The Edit in Spreadsheet task can also be run from the Newforma Project
Information Link add-in located on the Newforma portion of Revit's ribbon.
If you are using Synchronize and Add Revisions to synchronize record document data
between Revit and Newforma, you should NOT also edit record document data in a
spreadsheet. Mixing synchronization methods can cause data misalignment for your
record documents.
1. To mass update space data, go to the Spatial Index activity center and select Edit in Spreadsheet
from the Tasks panel.
2. When prompted, navigate to a location in which to save the exported data. After saving the file, it
opens in Excel. Edit the data as desired, then save and close the file. A message appears prompting
you to click OK to re-import the modifications. If you are not ready to import changes, click Cancel to
re-import later.
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Add Action Items from Revit Model
If you are working in a Revit model and want to add a to-do item for yourself or someone else, it is easy
to add an action item. Once added, it can be accessed from Newforma in the Action Items activity
center.
1. To add an action item, go to the Newforma Project Information Link add-in located on the
Newforma portion of Revit’s ribbon and select Action Items, then one of the following:
• Select Identify if you want to add an action item related to the model in general; or
• Select Identify for Element if you want to add an action item related to a specific
element.
2. Fill out the action item details as desired in the Identify Action Item dialog box. Modify the
Subject if needed. If you know who to assign the item to, fill out the Assigned To field, or it can be
assigned later. Add any details in the Description as needed. Note the model appears on the Related
Items tab. Select Create when done.
3. If the action item is assigned, and the Send change notification email box is checked, an email is
created. Review the email and click Send and File in Action Item to send it.
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Create Newforma Markup Sessions from Revit Model
You can use the Newforma Markup tools while working in a Revit model. Once added, markups can be
accessed from the Markup Sessions activity center.
1. To mark up a drawing, zoom into the area of the drawing you want to markup. Go to the Newforma
Project Information Link add-in located on the Newforma portion of Revit’s ribbon and select
Markup Sessions, then one of the following:
• Select Markup Snapshot if you want to do a markup related to the model in general; or
• Select Markup Snapshot of Element if you want to do a markup related to a specific
element.
2. Click and drag the Newforma Snapshot camera to select the rectangular area you want to capture
for the markup. It appears in the Newforma Viewer. Use the markup tools to mark up the drawing.
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3. To save a markup session in Newforma, click Save. Modify the Name and/or add Remarks if desired
in the Save Markup Session As dialog box. Note that the model appears on the Related Items
tab. Click OK when done.
