Ideate, Inc. Publishes Ideate Software Presents: Spotlight on ZGF

SAN FRANCISCO, California, 03/17/2015–Ideate, Inc., a multi-decade veteran Autodesk Developer Network member and Autodesk Platinum Value Added Reseller today announced the publication of its latest “Spotlight on” customer success profile featuring ZGF Architects LLP and its use of Ideate Software including Ideate BIMLink and Ideate Explorer for Revit.

Ideate Software is a set of far-reaching Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) data management tools that help the Revit community clean up models, delete problem items, analyze files quickly, enhance data flow speed and accuracy, increase collaboration, minimize workflow interruptions, improve project deliverables, and elevate design.

Trevor Taylor, BIM Director, ZGF Portland, Oregon, acknowledges the place Autodesk Revit holds in helping the firm meet contemporary challenges and compete in a changing world of design, and the importance of Ideate Software as projects grow more complex. As Taylor explains, “We used to share drawings; now we share data. And that data doesn’t sit still. Ideate BIMLink improves on Revit’s ability to constantly review and adjust project information.”

Taylor uses Ideate Explorer for model auditing, power selection and model maintenance. He says, “A Revit model can be a bit of a Black Box, thus making forensics and problem-solving difficult. With Ideate Explorer for Revit, we can quickly locate, modify and even remove items that would be otherwise invisible to even the most persistent Revit expert.”

Bob Palioca, President, Ideate Inc., says about the trend within the AEC community toward increasing complexity and demands for shared data, “Our customers depend on our Revit-based solutions to enhance, improve and streamline their Revit workflows. It is our delight to fulfill and consistently exceed these customer expectations.”

Ideate has published “Ideate Software Presents: Spotlight on ZGF” online. Download the Customer Spotlight Success Study.

Ideate BIMLink and Ideate Explorer for Revit each carry a five star rating on the Autodesk Exchange Apps Store, and are available with a non-commercial free trial. For more information, call 888.662.7238, or contact sales@ideatesoftware.com.

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM). As an Autodesk solutions provider, Ideate has offered quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in California, Oregon and Washington, Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Platinum Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Autodesk’s highest level of authorization.

About Ideate Software
Ideate Software allows Revit users to have unprecedented control over their data. Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer for Revit, and Ideate Sticky were all developed to solve persistent problems in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) workflows. Ideate Software solutions enable Revit users to save time, increase accuracy, improve project deliverables, and elevate design.

Autodesk and ATC are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates, in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

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Ideate, Inc. Publishes Ideate Software Presents: Spotlight on Aperte Design

San Francisco, CA, 11/25/2014–Ideate, Inc., a multi-decade veteran Autodesk Developer Network member and Autodesk Gold Value Added Reseller today announced the publication of its latest “Spotlight on” customer success profile featuring Aperte Design and its use of Ideate Software. Of specific focus is the firm’s use of Ideate BIMLink. 

Ideate Software is a set of far-reaching Building Information Modeling (BIM) data management tools that help the Revit community clean up models, delete problem items, analyze files quickly, improve speed and accuracy in data flow, increase collaboration and overcome repeated workflow interruptions. 

San Francisco, California-based Aperte Design, headed by Revit Specialist BIM consultant Nancy McClure, CSBA, LEED AP, works with multiple design teams to define workflow processes that leverage software tools to streamline tasks, which in turn allows teams to spend more time focusing on their designs. On projects ranging from government research labs to grand scale transit-oriented housing developments, McClure integrates Ideate BIMLink into many workflow processes, from early stage Programming through to documentation data management. 

McClure notes that with the help of Ideate BIMLink, she is shifting teams away from isolated design tasks to workflow methods that leverage data more globally. She explains, “Ideate BIMLink breaks down key category barriers in Revit, allowing project data to be broadly referenced without duplication and risk of error.” 

Bob Palioca, President, Ideate Inc., says about the shift away from tedious, error-prone data entry toward higher value design tasks, “It is a source of great delight to know our Revit-based solutions are helping our customers continually improve and enhance their Revit workflows. “ 

Ideate has published “Ideate Software Presents: Spotlight on Aperte Design” online. Download the Customer Spotlight Success Study.

Ideate BIMLink carries a five star rating on the Autodesk Exchange Apps Store, and is available with a non-commercial free trial. For more information, call 888.662.7238, or contact sales@ideatesoftware.com.

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM). As an Autodesk solutions provider, Ideate has offered quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in California, Oregon and Washington, Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization. 

Ideate Software is a comprehensive set of far-reaching BIM data management tools. Ideate BIMLink powers the “I” in BIM, allowing users to pull data from an Autodesk Revit file into Microsoft Excel for fast and precise editing, and push the data back into Revit with equal ease. Ideate Explorer for Revit lets users search, filter, quantify and select to easily manage the 100,000+ elements in a Revit model. Both solutions help Autodesk Revit users solve problems in AEC workflows and help the Revit community leverage BIM to its fullest advantage.

Autodesk, Autodesk Revit and ATC are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Microsoft Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

This post was originally published on the Ideate Software Blog.

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Ideate Software Reception at Autodesk University 2014

Register For the Reception Here! 

Customer Appreciation Reception:
As an Ideate customer, you are invited to attend our Ideate Software user group meeting and customer appreciation event during AU 2014.

Please join us for a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception the evening of Tuesday December 2nd, at the beautiful Aureole Las Vegas in the Mandalay Bay Resort. We look forward to spending the evening celebrating a great and productive 2014, with plenty of BIM chat as well. 

Tuesday, December 2nd 2014 
8:00pm-10:00pm 

Aureole Las Vegas (map) 
Mandalay Bay Resort 
3950 Las Vegas Blvd South 
Las Vegas, NV 89119 

Come See Ideate Software Booth at Autodesk University 2014: 
Thank you for your continued support of Ideate Software. We look forward to seeing you at AU in December. Join us at booth 164 to check out the new developments with Ideate Software and how it can enhance your Revit workflow. 

Event: Autodesk University (AU) 2014 
Where: Booth 164, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada 
When: December 2–4, 2014 

For more information: View the full invitation. Register here. 

Ideate Software keeps you on the leading edge of BIM.

This post was originally published on the Ideate Software Blog.

Added Features and Performance Improvements in Ideate BIMLink for Revit 2015 & 2014

Ideate, Inc. is pleased to announce the availability of Ideate BIMLink 2015.1 and Ideate BIMLink 2014.4. These Ideate Software solutions bring an array of enhanced features (video) customers have requested and are designed to work with Autodesk Revit 2015 and 2014 respectively. 

• Get going with Ideate BIMLink 2015 today. Download the 30-day trial. 

RECENT ENHANCEMENTS: 
Customers have asked and we have listened. This version contains often-requested enhancements: 

• Get only the data you need with extensive filtering 
• Make light work of comprehensive take-offs with support for linked Revit files
• Enhance QC with newly editable properties. Just a sampling: Workset, Scope Box, and Phase 
• Go BIM»field or field»BIM with XYZ editing and publishing 
• Create NEW Areas and Masses to facilitate space and code calculation tasks
• Make collaboration easier by creating Schedule Keys for Door Hardware, Rooms Style, and other Key Schedule work. 

Ready to adopt BIMLink? Check out the newly updated prices and bundles. 

For additional questions email: sales@ideatesoftware.com.

This post was originally published on the Ideate Software Blog.

Ideate, Inc. Announces New Ideate BIMLink for Revit Improvements

San Francisco, CA, 11/05/2014–Ideate, Inc., a multi-decade veteran Autodesk Developer Network member and Autodesk Gold Value Added Reseller today announced the availability of Ideate BIMLink 2015.1 and Ideate BIMLink 2014.4. These Ideate Software solutions bring an array of enhanced features [video] customers have requested and are designed to work with Autodesk Revit 2015 and 2014 respectively.

Ideate Software is a set of far-reaching Building Information Modeling (BIM) data management tools that help the Revit community clean up models, delete problem items, analyze files quickly, improve speed and accuracy in data flow, increase collaboration and overcome repeated workflow interruptions.

This recent Ideate BIMLink update lets BIM and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) managers, project leaders, facility managers and other users access, analyze, extract and edit BIM data with speed, ease and accuracy. Users can quickly pull volumes of information from a Revit file into user-friendly Microsoft Excel and round-trip the data with equal ease.

Ideate Director of Software Development Glynnis Patterson says, “These new releases encompass the performance improvements industry professionals have requested. We make sure our BIM data management solutions are robust and our updates meaningful and frequent.”

Bob Palioca, President, Ideate Inc. says of the new Ideate BIMLink release, “As our AEC customers encounter heightened needs for collaboration across disciplines and greater client demands, we respond. This point release is evidence of our ongoing commitment to our customers’ success.”

Customers who tested the new features offered comments on the most valuable aspect of Ideate BIMLink to their workflows. Tay Othman, Job Captain for Gensler, noted greatest value in “Automation and extending Revit capabilities.” Erica Spicer, Project Coordinator at PDR said, “Having the model be the central up-to-date single point of truth for all schedule-related information.” And Dan Morrison, VDC Engineer for BPi - BGC POS International acknowledged, “Being able to manipulate data in ways that can’t be done within Revit.”

Ideate BIMLink carries a five star rating on the Autodesk Exchange Apps Store, and is available with a non-commercial free trial. For more information, call 888.662.7238, contact sales@ideatesoftware.com, and for support, contact support@ideatesoftware.com.

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM).  As an Autodesk solutions provider, Ideate has offered quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in California, Oregon and Washington, Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization. 

Ideate Software is a comprehensive set of far-reaching BIM data management tools. Ideate BIMLink powers the “I” in BIM, allowing users to pull data from an Autodesk Revit file into Microsoft Excel for fast and precise editing, and push the data back into Revit with equal ease. Ideate Explorer for Revit lets users search, filter, quantify and select to easily manage the 100,000+ elements in a Revit model. Both solutions help Autodesk Revit users solve problems in AEC workflows and help the Revit community leverage BIM to its fullest advantage.

Autodesk, Autodesk Revit and ATC are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Microsoft Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

This post was originally published on the Ideate Software Blog.

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Ideate, Inc. Publishes Spotlight Success Study Featuring NBBJ Seattle and Ideate Software

SAN FRANCISCO, California – 03/25/2014 – Ideate, Inc., a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer and Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry with a special focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM), today announced the publication of its latest “Spotlight on” customer success profile featuring NBBJ Seattle and its use of Ideate Software.

NBBJ is a design practice of worldwide scope with locations in Beijing, Boston, Columbus, London, Los Angeles, New York, Pune, San Francisco, Seattle and Shanghai. The firm’s comprehensive, end-to-end services include architecture, environmental graphics, interior design, landscape architecture, lighting design, planning and urban design. Important projects in the US Pacific Northwest have included the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington, the Seattle Children's Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center, Bellevue, Washington, and Amazon.com at Denny Triangle, Seattle, Washington.

The firm has been using Ideate Software, a comprehensive set of Autodesk Revit tools, to maximize its BIM advantage by improving information flow, facilitating collaboration and making the management of BIM data faster and easier. Richard Sachs, Project BIM Coordinator, NBBJ, Seattle, Washington says of Ideate Software, “I have been using both Ideate BIMLink and Ideate Explorer for Revit heavily.” He adds that without these advantages, “I would not be able to do my job as project BIM lead.”

The firm has used one Ideate Software solution, Ideate BIMLink, for the sequential labeling and scheduling of 9,000 curtain panels. The fact that the solution is automated and accurate via Microsoft Excel has saved the firm valuable time.

NBBJ has used a different Ideate Software solution, Ideate Explorer for Revit, to create selection sets for the panels. As Sachs explains, “Revit allows you to select all Instances by Type, but it’s more difficult to select all the Types of one Family; Ideate Explorer makes short work of it.” 

BIM project auditing is another Ideate Explorer for Revit use. With it, Sachs says, “I can easily find CAD imports that Revit gives you no easy way to find. I can select all the room separation lines and move them to the correct workset.”

Bob Palioca, President, Ideate Inc., says, “Our customers are relying on our robust, resilient Revit tools to power them through their most complex, sophisticated BIM projects. We are delighted with the success of our Ideate Software customer, and gratified to learn of our role in making data management on a vast scale much easier for NBBJ.”

Ideate has published “Ideate Software Presents: Spotlight on NBBJ Seattle” online. Download the Customer Spotlight Success Study at http://ideatesoftware.com/ideatebimlink/success/

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM). As an Autodesk solutions provider, Ideate has offered quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in California, Oregon and Washington, Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization. 

Ideate Software is a comprehensive set of far-reaching BIM data management tools. Ideate BIMLink powers the “I” in BIM, allowing users to pull data from an Autodesk Revit file into Microsoft Excel for fast and precise editing, and push the data back into Revit with equal ease. Ideate Explorer for Revit lets users search, filter, quantify and select to easily manage the 100,000+ elements in a Revit model. Both solutions help Autodesk Revit users solve problems in AEC workflows and help the Revit community leverage BIM to its fullest advantage.

Autodesk, Autodesk Revit and ATC are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Microsoft Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.    

# # #

Ideate, Inc. Publishes Spotlight Success Study Featuring CSI Global Services and Ideate Software

SAN FRANCISCO, California – 03/12/2014 – Ideate, Inc., a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer and Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry with a special focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM), today announced the publication of its latest “Spotlight on” customer success profile featuring CSI Global Services and its use of Ideate Software.

CSI Global Services Building Information Modeling (BIM) consultants, with main offices in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and Republic of Singapore, are available across multiple locations throughout the world for clients seeking best practice systems and processes for their AEC projects. Client services include Facility Management (FM) or Lifecycle BIM, BIM Management, Modeling Services, BIM Audit, Clash Detection Services and BIM Training. 

CSI Global Services teams incorporate Ideate Software, a far-reaching set of Autodesk Revit tools including Ideate BIMLink and Ideate Explorer for Revit, as integral components in the firm’s consulting practice. 

The CSI Global Services team has been using Ideate BIMLink to export multiple parameters into a Microsoft Excel format, and that in turn allows the entire project team to access model data for more efficient project management. The shared parameters enabled by Ideate BIMLink effectively ensure that the Revit model can become the focal point for the resolution of design and construction issues, and they also assist in aligning the project’s deliverables so that they may be used for facilities management. 

The team uses Ideate Explorer for Revit so they can diminish the need to manually select items in the model, and for filtering as well. 

Greg Gudgeon, Chief Executive Officer, CSI Global Services, sums up the relationship when he says, “Working with the Ideate Software team and their superior BIM tools has been essential to the success the CSI Global Services BIM subject matter experts have achieved as we drive the adoption of BIM across the world in our major hospital projects, road and rail infrastructure projects, and large resource projects. Without the support and solutions provided by the Ideate Software team, our projects would not be the success they are today.” 

Bob Palioca, President, Ideate Inc., says, “We delight in knowing that our robust, resilient Revit tools are helping global BIM leaders such as CSI Global Services power through projects of vast scope and consequence. We are proud to contribute to their notable and well-deserved success.” 

Ideate has published “Ideate Software Presents: Spotlight on CSI Global Services” online. Download the Customer Spotlight Success Study at http://ideatesoftware.com/ideatebimlink/success/


About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM). As an Autodesk solutions provider, Ideate has offered quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in California, Oregon and Washington, Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization. 

Ideate Software is a comprehensive set of far-reaching BIM data management tools. Ideate BIMLink powers the “I” in BIM, allowing users to pull data from an Autodesk Revit file into Microsoft Excel for fast and precise editing, and push the data back into Revit with equal ease. Ideate Explorer for Revit lets users search, filter, quantify and select to easily manage the 100,000+ elements in a Revit model. Both solutions help Autodesk Revit users solve problems in AEC workflows and help the Revit community leverage BIM to its fullest advantage.


Autodesk, Autodesk Revit and ATC are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Microsoft Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.   

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eLearning - Upcoming Revit and Ideate BIMLink Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education. 

2.11::Revit 201:
Scheduling 201

2.13::Ideate Software - Ideate BIMLink:
What's New in Ideate BIMLink

2.14::Ideate Software - Ideate Explorer:
Revit Auditing with Ideate Explorer

2.19::Ideate Software - Ideate BIMLink:
Revit Project Management with Ideate BIMLink

2.20::Ideate Software - Ideate BIMLink:
What's New in Ideate BIMLink

2.21::Ideate Software - Ideate BIMLink:
What's New in Ideate BIMLink

2.24::Revit 201:
Conceptual Design

2.25::Revit 201:
Working with Roofs in Revit

3.4::Revit 201:
Worksharing Best Practices

3.5::Revit 201:
Working with Wall Types in Revit Architecture

3.11::Revit 201:
Creating Custom Curtain Walls, Panels, Storefronts and Mullions

3.17::Ideate Software - Ideate Explorer:
Revit Auditing with Ideate Explorer

3.18::Revit 201:
Documenting Your Project in Revit MEP

3.26::Ideate Software - Ideate BIMLink:
Revit Project Management with Ideate BIMLink

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

eLearning - Upcoming Revit and Ideate BIMLink Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education. 

2.3::Revit 201:
Working with Parts in Revit

2.11::Revit 201:
Scheduling 201

2.13::Ideate Software - Ideate BIMLink:
What's New in Ideate BIMLink

2.14::Ideate Software - Ideate Explorer:
Revit Auditing with Ideate Explorer

2.18::Revit 201:
Wall Types

2.20::Ideate Software - Ideate BIMLink:
What's New in Ideate BIMLink

2.21::Ideate Software - Ideate BIMLink:
What's New in Ideate BIMLink

2.24::Revit 201:
Conceptual Design

2.24::Revit 201:
Working with Roofs in Revit

3.4::Revit 201:
Worksharing Best Practices

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Your Ideas, Writ in Code – Annual Ideate BIMLink Survey

A big thanks to everyone who graciously gave us their input last month for the third annual Ideate BIMLink survey. Our winner from this year’s Ideate BIMLink survey is Trent Best of Rosendin Electric. Enjoy that iPad mini Trent! 

When you purchase Ideate BIMLink you’re buying not only a piece of software, but also the email support, online classes, and development efforts that are on-going. For example, your past input has resulted in the following “point” releases:

2013.0 :: March 2012, Revit 2013 ships, and so do we, with new and improved workflows!

2013.1 :: August 2012 – improvements for ease of network deployments

2013.2 :: December 2012 – Top 3 user requests added plus many improvements.

2014.0 :: March 2013 – Revit 2014 ships and so does Ideate BIMLink 2014.0

2013.4/2014.1 :: July 2013 – We provide improvements for both 2014 and 2013 users. What’s New Video

2013.5/2014.1 :: Give us a bit of time, we just got your feedback!

In addition to some great ideas about how to make Ideate BIMLink even more useful, users are reporting an average of ***23.7 hours saved per project***, meaning that for most customers they re-coup their initial investment within the first project. Sign-up for online training to learn how you can make the most of Ideate BIMLink.

Missed the survey? You can always provide your input from within the Help menu.

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Glynnis Patterson is a registered architect and the Director of Software Development at Ideate, Inc.

Ideate BIMLink and Facilities Management 101

1. Your engineer/architect has modeled your new facility in Revit and the building is done
2. Get your hands on the Building model, you own it, right?
3. Open up Revit (trial version works fine – get it here).
4. You launch Ideate BIMLink and you export the COBie_Type and COBie_Components to an Excel file. Whether you intend to do COBie or not these links are a great way to quickly get all of the asset list that you need to get started.

 

5. If your budget permitted, you required the model to be updated to reflect as-built conditions. Congratulations, you get to skip ahead to Step 7.
6. If the model does not reflect the as-built conditions then you should pay your architect and engineers to fill out the Excel files from step 4 above or have your own staff fill out any missing info. This can be done with a tablet as outlined in this earlier post.
7. Congratulations, you now you have a complete list of all the building assets for use in managing the building’s maintenance and operations. That was easy!

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Glynnis Patterson is a registered architect and the Director of Software Development at Ideate, Inc.

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education. 

Upcoming classes include:

6.25.13::Revit 201:
Converting Blocks to Families

6.27.13::Ideate Software 101:
Revit Project Management with Ideate BIMLink

7.2.13::Revit 201:
Scheduling 201

7.9.13::Revit 201:
Design Options

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education. 

Upcoming classes include:

6.20.13::Navisworks 201:
Clash Detection

6.25.13::Revit 201:
Converting Blocks to Families

6.27.13::Ideate Software 101:
Revit Project Management with Ideate BIMLink

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education. 

Upcoming classes include:

6.20.13::Navisworks 201:
Clash Detection

6.25.13::Revit 201:
Converting Blocks to Families

6.27.13::Ideate Software 101:
Revit Project Management with Ideate BIMLink

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Ideate, Inc. Publishes New Study in Success Featuring Kasian and Ideate BIMLink

SAN FRANCISCO, California – 5/28/2013 – Ideate, Inc., a leading Autodesk® Authorized Developer and Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the AEC industry, today announced the publication of its latest Study in Success, “Kasian Sets a New Facilities Planning Standard using Ideate BIMLink.” 

The study reveals how Kasian Architecture, Interior Design and Planning, with offices in Canada, China and the Middle East, is eliminating information bottlenecks and easing workflows by using Ideate BIMLink for Autodesk Revit®. The Kasian office in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, developed and spearheaded the use of Room Data Sheets (RDS) which enable the firm to harness all relevant BIM data for project stakeholders. The practice is fast becoming facilities planning policy for the firm worldwide.

The Ideate BIMLink-facilitated approach came out of a need to overcome escalating costs in time and prospective software purchases. To formulate and verify a single large project’s program/spatial requirements via traditional methods, Kasian estimated a cost of $400,000 Canadian (CA$). By revising workflows with Ideate BIMLink, those anticipated expenditures were reduced to $5,000 CA$. 

Kasian BIM Support Specialist Laura Kay Smith says, “In the past, we did all the Room data and qualifications by hand, which cost us expensive time. With our new standard that brings in Ideate BIMLink at the beginning of every Integrated Project with Strategic Facilities Planning, we save an immeasurable amount of time and money. And designers are apt to have less re-design.”

Brigid Barriscale, Kasian Associate, adds, “When the Strategic Facilities Planning Department used to check data sheets by hand, it took two to three weeks. With Ideate BIMLink, it takes more like two to three hours.” 

Along with examples of savings, the Study in Success also details several Kasian projects and the role Ideate BIMLink had in the project’s success.

Bob Palioca, President, Ideate Inc. says of this latest Study in Success, “When we see our Ideate-developed software become integral to a firm’s standards, we are especially gratified. We consider changed workflows a demonstration of the value of our solutions.”

Ideate has published “Kasian Sets a New Facilities Planning Standard using Ideate BIMLink” online. Download the Study in Success at http://www.ideateinc.com/ideas/case.html.

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and is an Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the AEC industry since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating five Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in the northwestern U.S., Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization.

Ideate BIMLink lets users pull data from an Autodesk Revit file into user-friendly Microsoft Excel and push Excel data into Revit with equal ease. www.ideatebimlink.com

Ideate Explorer for Revit is a simple, powerful Autodesk Revit add-on to explore, quantify and manage the 100,000+ building elements in a Revit model. www.ideateexplorer.com

Autodesk, ATC, and Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

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eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education. 

Upcoming classes include:

5.14.13::Revit 201:
Roof Framing in Revit Structure

5.16.13::Ideate Software 101:
Revit Project Management with Ideate BIMLink

5.28.13::Revit 201:
Making Titleblocks

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education. 

Upcoming classes include: 

5.7.13::Revit 201:
Stairs and Railings in Revit

5.9.13::Ideate Software 101:
Revit Auditing with Ideate Explorer for Revit

5.14.13::Revit 201:
Roof Framing in Revit Structure

5.16.13::Ideate Software 101:
Revit Project Management with Ideate BIMLink

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education. 

Upcoming classes include: 

4.30.13::Analysis for Master Planning

5.2.13::Ideate Software 101:
Ideate BIMLink for Revit MEP Projects

5.7.13::Revit 201:
Stairs and Railings in Revit

5.9.13::Ideate Software 101:
Revit Auditing with Ideate Explorer for Revit

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Ideate, Inc. Announces 2014 Release of Ideate-Developed Software Concurrent with Autodesk Launch

SAN FRANCISCO, California – 04/23/2013 – Ideate, Inc. announced today the delivery of Ideate BIMLink and Ideate Explorer for Revit 2014. The release of both Ideate-developed solutions takes place as it traditionally does within 30 days of the Autodesk Revit product launch. Ideate BIMLink 2014.0 and Ideate Explorer for Revit 2014.0 have been ported to the 2014 Revit platform so that Ideate customers can begin their own software migration and testing processes for the Autodesk Revit 2014 platforms. 

This year Revit 2014 has several improvements that relate to the information, the “I,” in Building Information Modeling (BIM). See Ideate’s blog post on this topic: Revit 2014 Feature Review: More Data Liberated! Ideate has ensured that both Ideate Explorer for Revit and Ideate BIMLink support any changes to the data structures within the Revit file format. Further support of new workflows for Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (A/E/C/O) customers is currently in development for Ideate 2014.1 releases. Both Ideate BIMLink and Ideate Explorer for Revit have five star ratings on the Autodesk Exchange Apps Store. 

Ideate BIMLink is being released with new improvements including multi-category Area, Length, and Volume data for all Revit model categories, including system families. This improvement, along with other customer requests, is available for both the Revit 2013 and Revit 2014 version of Ideate BIMLink. A 30 day non-commercial trial is available: http://www.ideatebimlink.com/index.php/free-trial/

Ideate Explorer for Revit enables users to catalog or “index” all the elements within a project, including elements not found within the Project Browser and elements that are invisible. A 30 day non-commercial trial is available: http://ideateexplorer.com/free-trial/

Bob Palioca, President, Ideate Inc. says of Ideate BIMLink and Ideate Explorer for Revit 2014, “We are seeing our Ideate-developed software become integral to the standards of firms large and small. Changed workflows are an indicator of the value of our solutions to our customers. Being concurrent each and every year with the Autodesk launch is an important commitment. It is one of the ways we make sure our customers get maximum productivity from their software solutions.” 

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and is an Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the AEC industry since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating five Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in the northwestern U.S., Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization.

Ideate BIMLink lets users pull data from an Autodesk Revit file into user-friendly Microsoft Excel and push Excel data into Revit with equal ease. ideatebimlink.com

Ideate Explorer for Revit is a simple, powerful Autodesk Revit add-on to explore, quantify and manage the 100,000+ building elements in a Revit model. ideateexplorer.com

Autodesk, ATC, and Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. 

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Revit 2014 Feature Review: More Data Liberated!

As the developers of Ideate BIMLink we’ve been very focused on the data that our customers are embedding within their Revit Building Information Models, so as always when a new version of Revit ships, we carefully scrutinize all the new features and how they relate specifically to information management. Here’s a brief synopsis of what to look for and why you should care.

Revit 2014 Supports New Schedules Types
On the View tab, under the Schedule tool, find these new kinds of schedules. 

New Schedule Category	Value 1-5 (5=Best)
(Arch) Columns	1
Feature: These are the architectural columns; the structural columns are already being scheduled. Benefit: Questionable value unless you are using the column family in some atypical way. Structural columns are generally the ones to schedule for takeoff work.
Detail Items	5
Feature: 2D detail components, including fill patterns, are included in this new schedule type. Benefit: This has been a user request for some time, which is why it’s been in Ideate BIMLink since version 2011. Oddly, the repeating details and filled region elements appear to be lumped in with the more conventional items, so you may need to filter them out. Editing the keynote assignment will be the most practical use of this new functionality. Take Detail Items farther with Ideate BIMLink.
Entourage	1
Feature: These are the 2D stick people that when rendered look slightly less 2D. YinYin – where are you?! Benefit: I see no practical use of this feature, so email me if you can figure it out. I guess if you had 100+ Entourage components and you wanted to use this schedule as a way of knowing which Rooms they were in, that might be useful, but that seems like a bad use of a schedule.
Generic Models	4
Feature: All those items that otherwise defy categorization can now be scheduled. Benefit: This was another early Ideate BIMLink request that was implemented in 2011, so no doubt this will prove useful to some who are managing uniquely modeled elements. The absence of level and host information is why this is not marked as a 5.
Grids and Levels	5
Feature: The name says it all. Benefit: Why not schedule these? While this hasn’t been a strong user request, having a summary of this information is a great way for a project manager to understand the project at a glance. I particularly like the fact that you can see and modify the Scope Box assignment for these items. Auditing Grids and Levels are part of Ideate’s Revit Audit Tips.
Pads	1
Feature: The building pad object that is used to create a topography “cut” and place a slab-like object at the same time. Benefit: If used at all (it has an issue, still, with being properly managed by phases) the pad is unlikely to be needed as a scheduled object.
Roof Soffits	3
Feature: Roofs, Roof Fascia, and Roof Gutters have always been able to be scheduled; now Roof Soffits join the mix. Benefit: This is a long-standing Revit request related to the delivering a more complete quantity takeoff. Glad to see that it’s been included.
Structural: Beam Systems, Area Reinforcements, Path Reinforcements, and Fabric Areas	2
Feature: As with Roof Soffits, the addition of this data rounds out the Structural elements that can be modeled. Benefit: Unclear to me whether this has value. I think this information may be a bit ahead of the curve for most structural/construction firms, but it’s nice to see Autodesk expose this information to be leveraged as customers see fit.

Revit 2014 Schedules Include New Properties
In addition to the new schedule categories several bits of data have been exposed for your use. What will you leverage?
 

New Property Added To Schedules	Value 1-5 (5=Best)
Phase Created/Phase Demolished	5
Feature: Now your takeoff schedules can include the name of the Phase in which the element was created. I’m assuming that the Demolished field has negligible value when it comes to schedules. These two fields can also be used as a Filter within the schedule. Benefit: As we have documented in this blog called “Avoid Takeoff Blunders,” not having the phase info could cause significant issues within a quantity takeoff. In a multi-phase project these fields should be required as part of a QC process.
Analytical and Physical Element Data Merged	3
Feature: When you schedule the structural framing category (or any other category with associated structural analytical model categories) you can now find both the physical and analytical properties available within the same schedule. Benefit: Being able to edit some of the analytical structural properties, in-line with its physical properties is part of a larger improvement related to the analytical model which will help solve round-tripping issues between Revit and structural analysis software.

It’s great to see all this newly liberated data – it will be fun to see the new and creative ways in which Revit users put this data to work.  

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2014 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2014

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Glynnis Patterson is a registered architect and the Director of Software Development at Ideate, Inc. Glynnis is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon and has worked in the commercial, residential, and healthcare markets as an architect and has also worked in the construction industry as a construction estimator and project manager. Follow Glynnis on Twitter: @GVPinNJ

Get it. Know it. Use it.