📖 IB-BIM ScheduleLink — User Guide
Table of Contents
- 1. Overview
- 2. Installation
- 3. The Main Dialog
- 4. Exporting a Schedule
- 5. Understanding the Excel File
- 6. Editing in Excel
- 7. Importing Changes
- 8. Import Results Dialog
- 9. Sheet Number Handling
- 10. Supported Data Types
- 11. Error Handling
- 12. Log Files
- 13. Tips and Best Practices
- 14. Uninstallation
1. Overview
ScheduleLink is a Revit add-in that creates a live bridge between Revit schedules and Excel. It allows you to:
- Export any Revit schedule to a professionally formatted Excel file
- Edit parameter values in the familiar Excel environment
- Import changes back into Revit with full validation
- Handle unique parameters (like Sheet Numbers) safely
All changes are applied in a single Revit transaction, so you can undo everything with Ctrl+Z.
2. Installation
From the Autodesk App Store
- Visit the Autodesk App Store and search for ScheduleLink
- Download the installer for your Revit version
- Close all running Revit instances
- Run the installer and follow the prompts
- Launch Revit
Verifying Installation
After launching Revit, go to the Add-Ins tab. You should see the ScheduleLink button in the ribbon.
If the button does not appear:
- Ensure Revit was fully closed before installation
- Check that your Revit version is supported (2023–2026)
- Try restarting your computer
Supported Versions
| Revit Version | Status |
|---|---|
| Revit 2023 | ✅ Supported |
| Revit 2024 | ✅ Supported |
| Revit 2025 | ✅ Supported |
| Revit 2026 | ✅ Supported |
3. The Main Dialog
Click the ScheduleLink button in the Add-Ins tab to open the main dialog.
Layout
The dialog is divided into two panels:
Left Panel — Schedule List
- Displays all schedules in the current Revit project
- Search box at the top filters schedules by name in real-time
- Shows the total count of schedules found
- Click any schedule to select it
Right Panel — Parameter Preview
- Shows all parameters of the selected schedule
- Each parameter is color-coded by editability:
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 🟢 Green | Editable — can be modified via Import |
| 🔴 Red / Pink | Read-only — exported for reference only |
| 🟡 Yellow | Calculated — cannot be modified |
Bottom Bar
- Export button — exports the selected schedule to Excel
- Import button — imports changes from an Excel file
Search
Type in the search box to filter schedules by name. The list updates instantly as you type. Clear the search box to show all schedules again.
4. Exporting a Schedule
Step-by-Step
- Select a schedule from the left panel
- Review the parameter preview in the right panel
- Click Export
- Choose a save location and filename in the Save dialog
- Wait for the progress bar to complete
What Gets Exported
- All elements in the schedule, including those hidden by filters
- All parameters shown in the schedule view
- Element IDs — a hidden column used to match rows during import
- Metadata — schedule name, ID, export date, and Revit version (in the Instructions sheet)
Export Progress
A progress bar shows real-time export progress. For large schedules (1000+ rows), export may take several seconds.
5. Understanding the Excel File
The exported file contains two worksheets:
Data Sheet
Named after the Revit schedule (e.g., “Sheet List”, “Room Schedule”).
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| A — Element ID | Unique Revit element identifier. Do not modify. |
| B, C, D… | Schedule parameters in the order they appear in Revit |
Instructions Sheet
Contains export metadata:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Schedule Name | Name of the exported schedule |
| Schedule ID | Revit element ID of the schedule view |
| Export Date | Date and time of export |
| Revit Version | Version of Revit used |
| Row Count | Number of data rows |
| Column Count | Number of parameter columns |
Column Colors
| Cell Background | Meaning | Import Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| White | Editable parameter | ✅ Changes will be applied |
| Pink | Read-only parameter | ⛔ Changes will be ignored |
| Gray | Read-only parameter | ⛔ Changes will be ignored |
Formatting
The Excel file includes professional formatting:
- Green header row with white text and auto-filter
- Auto-fit column widths
- Thin borders around all cells
- Frozen header row for easy scrolling
6. Editing in Excel
Rules for Safe Editing
✅ Do:
- Edit values only in white (editable) columns
- Keep the Element ID column (column A) intact
- Save as .xlsx format
- Use correct data types for each parameter
- Close the file before importing
❌ Don’t:
- Delete or modify the Element ID column
- Add or remove rows
- Add or remove columns
- Rename the data sheet
- Change column order
- Save as .csv or .xls
Data Type Reference
| Parameter Type | How to Enter |
|---|---|
| Text | Type any text value |
| Number (Integer) | Enter a whole number (e.g., 42) |
| Number (Decimal) | Use period as separator (e.g., 3.14) |
| Yes/No | Enter Yes / No, 1 / 0, True / False, or כן / לא |
| Length | Enter the numeric value (automatic unit conversion) |
7. Importing Changes
Step-by-Step
- Click Import in the ScheduleLink dialog
- Select the modified Excel file
- Wait for the progress bar to complete
- Review the results dialog
What Happens During Import
- ScheduleLink reads the Excel file and validates the data
- All parameters are updated element by element
- A single Revit transaction is committed
- The results dialog shows a complete summary
Undo
All changes are wrapped in a single Revit transaction. Press Ctrl+Z in Revit to undo all changes at once.
⚠️ Undo works only before saving the Revit file. After saving, changes are permanent.
8. Import Results Dialog
After every import, a results dialog shows:
Rows: 23
Updated: 21
Unchanged: 115
Read-only (skipped): 0
Not found: 0
Failed: 2
Errors:
Row 10: Excel value 'ABC-123' is duplicate → kept Revit value 'ABC-123'
Row 24: Excel value 'ABC-123' is duplicate → kept Revit value 'DEF-456'
Field Descriptions
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Rows | Total data rows in the Excel file |
| Updated | Parameter values successfully changed |
| Unchanged | Values identical to Revit (no change needed) |
| Read-only (skipped) | Edits in read-only columns (ignored) |
| Not found | Elements with invalid or missing Element IDs |
| Failed | Values that could not be applied (with details) |
Error Messages
If errors occurred, they are listed with:
- Row number — corresponding to the Excel row
- Error description — what went wrong
- Action taken — what ScheduleLink did to recover
9. Sheet Number Handling
Renaming Sheets
You can freely rename Sheet Numbers in Excel — including swapping numbers between sheets. ScheduleLink handles all scenarios automatically without conflicts.
Duplicate Detection
ScheduleLink checks for duplicate Sheet Numbers before applying changes. If duplicates are found:
- The duplicate values are not applied
- The original Revit values are restored for the affected rows
- A clear error message is shown in the results dialog
- All non-duplicate changes proceed normally
Example
If your Excel file contains two rows with the same Sheet Number ABC-01:
| Row | Excel Value | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | ABC-01 | ⛔ Not applied — restored to original Revit value |
| 12 | ABC-01 | ⛔ Not applied — restored to original Revit value |
💡 Tip: Use Excel’s
COUNTIFformula to find duplicates before importing:
=COUNTIF(B:B, B2)— values greater than 1 indicate duplicates.
10. Supported Data Types
ScheduleLink handles all standard Revit parameter types:
| Revit Type | Storage | Import Format |
|---|---|---|
| Text | String | Any text value |
| Integer | Integer | Whole number |
| Number | Double | Decimal number (period or local separator) |
| Yes/No | Integer | “Yes”/”No”, “1”/”0”, “True”/”False”, “כן”/”לא” |
| Length | Double | Numeric value (auto-converted to internal units) |
| Area | Double | Numeric value (auto-converted to internal units) |
| Element ID | ElementId | Valid element ID number |
Unit Conversion
For parameters with units (length, area, volume), ScheduleLink automatically converts between display units and Revit’s internal units. Enter values as they appear in the schedule — the conversion is handled automatically.
11. Error Handling
Design Philosophy
ScheduleLink is designed for resilience:
- A single error does not cancel the entire operation
- Successful changes are preserved
- All errors are clearly reported
Failure Handler
ScheduleLink includes a built-in Revit failure handler that:
- Captures warnings — Deletes them silently and logs them (e.g., duplicate Mark values)
- Captures errors — Attempts to resolve them for partial commit
- Reports everything — All warnings and errors appear in the results dialog with element names and IDs
Common Errors
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Element not found | Element deleted after export | Re-export the schedule |
| Duplicate Sheet Number | Two rows have the same Sheet Number in Excel | Fix the duplicate in Excel |
| Failed to set value | Invalid value for parameter type | Check data type (number vs. text) |
| Commit error | Revit rejected the transaction | Check Revit warnings |
Revit Warnings vs. Errors
| Type | Behavior | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | Change is applied, warning is logged | Duplicate Mark value |
| Error | Change is blocked, error is logged | Duplicate Sheet Number |
12. Log Files
For advanced troubleshooting, ScheduleLink creates log files at:
C:\ProgramData\IB-BIM\ScheduleLink\Logs\
| File | Description | Lifecycle |
|---|---|---|
ScheduleLink.log |
Main application log | Resets each Revit session |
ExportImport.log |
Detailed operation log | Resets each operation |
Log Format
[14:32:15.123] [INFO] [Import] Pass 1: Setting 23 Sheet Numbers to temp values
[14:32:15.456] [INFO] [Import] Pass 2: Setting 23 Sheet Numbers to final values
[14:32:15.789] [INFO] [Import] ImportToRevit: Committed - Updated=21 Failed=2
Each entry includes timestamp, severity level, category, and message.
13. Tips and Best Practices
Before Exporting
- Save your Revit file as a backup
- Ensure the schedule view shows all the parameters you need
While Editing in Excel
- Use Find & Replace for bulk changes across many rows
- Use Excel formulas to generate values (copy-paste as values before importing)
- Conditional formatting can help identify duplicates (especially for Sheet Numbers)
- Don’t forget to save and close the Excel file before importing
After Importing
- Review the results dialog carefully
- Open the schedule in Revit to verify changes visually
- If something went wrong, Ctrl+Z immediately — all changes are reverted in one step
💡 No backup needed. Unlike other tools, ScheduleLink uses a single Revit transaction. If anything goes wrong, simply press Ctrl+Z to undo all changes instantly. Your project is always safe.
Working with Sheet Lists
- Always check for duplicate Sheet Numbers before importing
- Use Excel’s
COUNTIFformula to detect duplicates:
=COUNTIF(B:B, B2)— values > 1 indicate duplicates
14. Uninstallation
Via Control Panel
- Go to Control Panel → Programs and Features
- Find ScheduleLink and click Uninstall
- Restart Revit
Via Autodesk App Store
Use the Autodesk App Store desktop app to manage and remove installed add-ins.
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