IN THIS ARTICLE:

You want to leverage information that you have collected within Layer Fields to update Instance Parameters for your REVIT Objects. Learn how to utilize Automations so every time you update a Layer Field a REVIT parameter gets updated.

For the full release video of this feature click here.

With the launch of Automations, that allow users to create Autonomous workflows, we are now transferring the data sync to Revit there.

In this example I will take us through how to set up a Revit Automation for updating the Floor Finish of all my Instruction Rooms using Layer.

1. Log in to Layer or create a new account.

2. Publish a REVIT model to Layer

☝️ IMPORTANT:

For a parameter to be updated from within Layer, it needs to exist in REVIT before publishing a model.

Currently, Layer supports writing to any Instance, Shared or Project Parameter. The parameters that are NOT supported are Type Parameters and Family Parameters.

In order to sync Layer data back to a REVIT model, first publish the model to Layer.

3. Identify which Layer Fields you want to use in order to update the REVIT parameters.

For this example, using the Room Data Sheet Template I have created a Category where I am tracking my Room Typologies for my Project.
In here under my Classroom Element I am collecting various information about this Room Typology such as the Materials for each room.
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By now, you know that I can use the Room Type Text Field and a Lookup Field to connect my Classroom Element to all my Instruction Rooms from Revit.
In case you need a refresher on that workflow, our Tutorial on “Categories: When and how to use Layer vs Models” is a great resource.

4. Creating a Lookup in my Rooms Category.

Since I have now connected my Classroom Data Sheet with all of my Instructions Rooms I need to select what data I want to push back to Revit.
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For that I will go under my Rooms category. I will create a Lookup Field that I will name Floor Finish. I will use that to pull the Floor Finish that I am tracking in my Classroom Element.
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This will be an Automatic Lookup.
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In order for me to create the connection I will choose:
the Revit Parameter “Name” to match with the
Layer Field "Room Type" from my Room Data Sheets Category.
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Lastly, as a Field to Look Up I will choose the "Floor Finish" from the Drop Down.

Those are my Fields from the Room Data Sheets Category.

Ok now I can see that all of my Instruction Rooms have adopted the value Floor Finish from my Classroom Element.

(Tip: Our Room Data Sheets Template has Steps 3, 4 and 5 already set up for you✌️)

5. The next step is to set up an Automation for passing data back to Revit.
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The automation will automatically queue up the update of the Floor Finish for all of my Instruction Rooms every time my Floor Finish gets updated.
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On the left panel I will scroll down to Automations and click on Create an Automation.
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I will name this Floor Finish Sync.

Now I want to select a Trigger.
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For this example I want every time that the Floor Finish in a Classroom gets updated to update my Revit Model with the change.
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I will select When an Element in a category is Updated Trigger.
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The Category will be Rooms and I will choose the Lookup Field Floor Finish.

Then the action will be Update a Revit Parameter.
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The Revit Parameter will be where I want to store the value that comes from my Lookup Field. By typing I can get to the Floor Finish Parameter quickly and will select it.
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Lastly I will select the Floor Finish from my Layer Fields.
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The checkbox on the bottom is verifying that I want to run the Automation now to all of the Rooms that apply to that rule.
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That will queue up the changes for Revit but I will still need to click Sync Parameters using the Revit Add-in for the values to be passed on.
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I will leave this checked and hit Create Automation.

Woohoo! We did it!

Now every time we update the Layer Field so will do the REVIT Parameter.

6. Show off what you did from within REVIT!

Lastly from the Revit side by clicking on the Sync Parameters I can see the changes being queued up.
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Once I accept the changes I can see my Floor Finish schedule reflecting the values from my Floor Finish for all of my Instruction Rooms.

Did we miss something?

Not to worry! Just email our support team at help@layer.team ✌️