Revit MEP Tip - Single Column Panel Schedules

When Revit MEP introduced the concept of panel schedule templates that enable you to control the appearance of electrical panel schedules. By default, Revit MEP will display the panel schedules in a style that has two columns, with odd numbered circuits on the left and even numbered circuits on the right, to emulate the physical layout of panels:

In order to display the circuits in a single column with each row representing an individual circuit there are a number of changes that need to be made.

Modifying the Panel Family

The panel family controls which style of panel schedule will be used in the report. To change, this, select the panel in the project, right-click and select Edit Family:

Within the Family Editor, change the value of Panel Configuration in the Properties palette from Two Columns, Circuits Across to One Column:

Use the Load into Project tool to push the family definition back into the main project.  

Creating New Panel Schedule Report

Then before you can use the new configuration, you’ll have to delete existing panel schedules based on that panel family – to do this, locate them in the Project Browser, right-click and select Delete:

Then simply create the panel schedule again with the Create Panel Schedules tool:

This time the panel schedule will have a single column, as illustrated in this example:

Editing Panel Schedule Template

In this example, there are a couple more adjustments that need to be made. For example, you may want to replace the phase column headers from “A,” “B” and “C” to “L1,” “L2” and “L3” respectively, and we can increase the number of circuits from 21 to 24, to match the slots/ways on our panel.

These changes need to be made in the panel schedule template. To know which template is being used, select the appropriate schedule in the Project Browser:

Then note the Template setting in the Properties palette (in this example “Branch Panel 1”):

Then from the Panel Schedule Templates tool on the Manage ribbon, select Edit a Template:

From the Edit a Template dialog, select the appropriate Panel Configuration (e.g. “One Column”) and then choose the Template from the list (e.g. “Branch Panel 1”), and choose Open:

This will then take you into the Modify Panel Schedule Template interface:

To change the column headers, simply select them and enter new values:

To change the number of circuit rows, select the Set Template Options tool from the ribbon, and change the value for Number of slots shown (e.g. 24):

The additional rows will be added to the template, then select Finish Template from the ribbon to save the changes. In order to see the changes, it is then necessary to delete the original panel schedule report (via the Project Browser) and then once again use Create Panel Schedule to re-write the panel schedule with the new template.

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Bill Johnson
Ideate Senior MEP Application Specialist

Bill has over 20 years experience in applying AEC design solutions for large commercial companies. A graduate of Pasadena Institute of Technology, he has worked for TEECOM Design Group, GTE/GTEL, Greg LeDoux and Associates, and Scottish Power in England. Bill has also had the opportunity to act as Lead AutoCAD Designer for multimillion dollar communication sites which have included structural, electrical, HVAC, conduit, cable plans and equipment layouts. He has a Sustainable Design Certification from the University of California at Berkeley.

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