SOURCECAD LEARNING

REVIT
TIPS AND TRICKS
Introduction
The collection of tips in this eBook is from our content
authors Paul Muhindi and Varun Nair.

They have compiled a list of tips and best practices that

they use in their workflow regularly.

This eBook is also updated quite frequently so you can

check the latest version of this eBook on SourceCAD.

If you have questions, suggestions or more tips for this

eBook then let us know at [email protected]

SourceCAD Editorial
Team of Authors at SourceCAD
Table
of Contents

01 Revit Architecture tips

Page 5-36

02 Revit Structure Tips

Page 37-45

03 Revit MEP Tips

Page 47-52
O1

REVIT
ARCHITECTURE
TIPS
Tip 1: Working with multiple
views

You can create multiple views in a single window to see how

the design looks from different perspectives.

For example, if you are preparing a plan view of your design, it

will be helpful if you could see how the drawing looks in 3D
isometric view.

This will allow you to fix any issues in real time.

To get multiple views type WT and press enter key to tile the
window and type ZA to zoom all.

The tiled view will look like the image shown above.

Page 05
Tip 2 : Use pin to lock the
drawing

As you build the design the drawing will become more and more
complex.

Due to this complexity, it is easy to unknowingly move any

object from the drawing which may cost you time and money
down the road.

So, you can avoid this issue by locking your drawing.

To do that you can use the Pin option to lock parts of the
drawing or objects in the drawing space.

This will restrict the unwanted movement of the objects.

As in the example shown below the grids drawn are pinned into
the drawing.

Page 06
To pin down the drawing, select the object(s) from the drawing
area then on the ribbon palette under modify tab you can find
the option PIN in the modify panel as shown in the image below.

Alternatively, you can also use the shortcut “PN” then select the
object from the drawing area to pin it in the drawing.

Tip 3 : Use visibility and

graphics settings

When the drawing gets complex you should start using the
Visibility and Graphics setting.

With this setting you can control the visibility of all the objects in
the drawing.

You can turn off the unused or unwanted objects from the
drawing so that you have a clear workspace to work with.

If the list of objects feels longer you can use the filter to filter the
objects based on discipline as shown in the image below.

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 You can access the visibility graphics option in Revit by
using the following three methods:

1. Click on the edit icon near the Visibility/Graphics

override option in the properties panel as in the image
below.

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2. Click on the Visibility/Graphics icon under graphics panel from
the view tab in the ribbon palette as given in the image below.

3. You can type the short cut VG to open the Visibility/Graphics

override menu without selecting any object.

Tip 4: Creating view template

Changing the view settings every time for a new view you make
is not practical and obviously a time-consuming thing.

So, you should make a view with all your settings and then save
it as a template with a custom name.

The next time you need to create a view, you can simply use this
template and all its settings will apply to it.

To create a view template, you need to go to the ribbon palette

then click on the view tab and click on the View templates drop
down from where you can access Create Template from current
view option as shown in the image below.

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You can enter the required name for the View Template and click
OK.

The new view template will show up on the list as shown in the
figure below.

Page 10
As you have created with the view template, you can now apply
the view template to any views in Revit.

To set the view template, you can select the view template
option in properties palette of a view then select the required
view template, then press apply and press okay as shown in the
figure below.

Tip 5: Linking Revit and CAD

models

Revit has an exceptional feature to link CAD and other files like
DWG and IFC from different software directly into Revit.

After linking the files, you can use them as a reference in Revit
and draw your designs on top of it.

To insert the external files click on the Insert tab in the ribbon
palette and select the file type you want to link from available
options as shown in the following image.

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You can manage the links that are attached in a drawing from
the Manage link icon available under Insert tab in the Ribbon
Palette as shown in the image below.

Tip 6: Using Filter

When the complexity of your Revit drawing increases with
several objects in it, selecting a specific object(s) becomes quite
difficult.

This is where you can use object selection filter to help you with
making correct selections.

To use the filter select all the objects that might contain your
specific type of drawing entities.

Then click the filter option in the modify tab as shown in the
following image.

Page 12
From this filter option uncheck the objects you don't want in
your selection set and then click Apply and the OK button.

You will now have a selection that contains only your selected
type of objects.

Tip 7: Use View Range

Lets assume you have a complex design with various objects
placed on a floor plan like toilet fixture, sink, wall fittings, piping
systems, ceiling light fixtures and more.

As you can see most of the objects don’t rest on just the floor.
Some objects like Piping system, Underfloor sewage system is
below the floor.

Page 13
Similarly objects like lightings fixtures are on the ceiling.
Some piping system may be over the ceiling and even inside
the wall at an elevation from the ground.

If a normal view rage is applied to a plan these objects may

not be visible.

So, in such a scenario you need to change the view range so

that all the objects are visible in a single view.

To do so, you can click on the edit button near to the view range
option on the properties panel, or you can simply type VR to get
the view range dialogue box as shown in the image above.

Tip 8: Use Selection Box

In a project if you want to only see the objects like furniture

then you may need to hide all the other objects like walls and
floors to make it visible.

But there is a quick way to do just that without hiding anything

and its called selection box.

To use it select the object you want to see from the project
browser and then from the modify tab select the Selection Box
option as shown in the following image.

Page 14
A new preview with only your selected object inside a box will
show up as shown in the following image.

Now you can save this view with a new name, make changes to
the objects in it and you can even add it to the sheet.

If you want to exit from the selection box, you can simply
uncheck the selection box option from the properties palette as
shown in the following image.

Page 15
 Tip 9: Autosave and Backup
setting
Autosave and backup can save countless hours in the event of a
system crash and it is an important thing to configure in Revit.

If Autosave is active and you are busy working on your project

Revit will remind you to save the project at fixed intervals.

The duration of this notification can be changed from options

window as shown in the following image.

Page 16
 When options window shows up select the General tab and there
you can select the duration when the autosave reminder will pop up.

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 Once a Revit file is saved it creates a backup in the same
location as the original file which contains the unsaved version
of your project.

You can recover your project data from this backup in the
worst case scenarios.

If you want Revit to create several backups then you can

change that setting too from the options button as shown in
the following image.

Just be mindful that each backup will take space on your storage drive
so you should only keep reasonable number of backups for your
project.

Tip 10: Use the right hardware

Revit is quite a demanding software and as the project
complexity increases the performance of Revit PC may start to
suffer.

So, its important to have hardware that can handle large

projects and complex workflows easily.

And to help you select the best hardware for we have created
an article listing the best laptop for Revit and all the hardware
specs that you should consider when selecting a laptop or PC
for Revit.

Page 18
Tip 11: Set double click action
Several people double click to make selections in other
software and that habit can easily pass on to Revit.
But in Revit double clicking on an object will take you to its
editing mode.

This can be annoying and can create errors as you may end up
modifying objects that you don't want quite accidently.
So, you can change the double click action in Revit as per your
preference.

To do that go to Application button (Revit logo at the top left

corner) then select the option button as shown in the first
image of tip 9.

From the Options window that shows up select the "User

Interface" tab and select the "Customize double click setting"
as shown in the following image
.

Here you can set double click action to something else for different
elements.

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Tip 12: Add frequently used
folder in open menu
When you are working on a large project for days it quickly
becomes annoying when you have to navigate to the folder
every time you want to open its files.

You can make this process quick by adding the project folder
as a shortcut in the "Open" window.

As you can see in the image below I have added a folder

named “Source CAD” into the menu.

To do that click on the “Open” icon from Application menu bar

or quick access toolbar.

The browse to the location you want to add in the shortcut and
then right click in the left panel and select "Add current folder"
from the menu.

This will add the folder into the quick list which you can access
easily later.

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Tip 13: Use Copy monitor

The Copy/Monitor tool will help you duplicate objects from

the linked Revit file.

This feature will be very helpful when you are working with
large drawings or collaborating with other designers on their
designs.

This feature also keeps monitoring for any changes that

happen and alerts the user about the changes made.
You can access the copy/Monitor option from the Collaborate
tab in the ribbon palette under the Coordinate panel as
shown in the image below.

From the Copy/Monitor dropdown select the drawing by

browsing to its location using Select Link option or select "Use
Current Project" option if the drawing is open.

A Copy/Monitor tab will show up when you select the drawing

and from this tab select "Coordination settings" option as shown
in the following image.

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 The Coordination setting will list all the categories of
equipment from the selected link and in this setting, you can
change the behavior of individual equipment as shown below.

Then you can click "Save and Close" button.

You can also click either on Copy or Batch copy option to copy
the equipment or element from the linked drawing.

Below shows an example where individual elements are selected

to copy and you can see a monitor logo been shown near the
copied object.

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Tip 14: Using Linework tool
When you have a multistory building design as shown in the figure
below, you may find lines that shows up to separate each floor.

As you can see the line that runs around the building after each
floor may not always be required.
So, you can hide these lines.

In Revit we do not have any direct method to hide those lines so

we will do it using a workaround.
We will create a line style with the color white so that they get
merged with the design.

To do that, go to the Manage tab in the ribbon palette and select

the Additional setting drop down to select line Style as shown in
the following image.

Page 23
Once you are in the line style dialog box you can click on the
new icon under modify subcategory and give any custom name
to identify the created line style.

Here I will give a name as “White Line-Custom” and press OK as

shown below.

Now that the new line style with the custom name is created you
can simply click on the color icon near to line style and select the
color white so that it is merged with the wall.

Then click OK to accept the changes as shown in the following

image.

Page 24
 As the line style is created, you can change the line style of
the existing lines by clicking on the “Linework” icon under the
modify tab or simply type “LW” from the keyboard.

Once the command is activated, you can select the line style
from the dropdown under the modify tab as shown below:

Now select the lines which we want to convert into the new line
style.

After that when we click on the lines that used to show the
separation between walls it now changes to white, ultimately
making it invisible from the drawing.

Page 25
 Tip 15: Wrapping the wall ends
You may have noticed that when you create any specific type
of wall with some details the layers assigned to the wall will
only be directed along the width of the wall.

Consider the example shown in the image below.

Here you can see that in the wall on left, the details are assigned
in layers towards the width, but the same layer pattern is not
followed at the end points of the wall.

We can make it to look like the wall.

To make the endpoints of the wall wrapped with the same

pattern, you can select the wall, then go to edit type from the
properties panel.

In the "Type Parameters" palette select the edit option for the
structure as shown below.

Page 26
 In the edit assembly dialog box, select “Exterior” from the drop
down available under the option "At Ends:" under default
wrapping properties as shown in the image below.

Now you can click OK on both the dialog box and you will see
that the end points of the wall are wrapped in the same layer
structure as per the wall type.

Tip 16: Combine two types

of Walls with elements
Consider an example where we made a normal brick wall with a
door and windows as elements added to it.

Page 27
To give the design more polished look I would like to add
another layer of wall in front of the existing wall with a
different material as well as a custom height.

So once I add that custom made layer wall the design may look
like the image given below:

Here you can see that the newly added wall as a layer to the
existing wall doesn’t identify the door or windows thus it doesn’t
break at the required positions.

So, to make this correct, we can go to the modify tab in the

ribbon pallet and click on the Join Icon under the geometry panel
and then select both the walls to join them together as shown in
the following image.

Page 28
After joining both the walls, you can see that the elements or
components reflects correctly on both the layers of wall as
shown below.

Tip 17: Remove gaps in

curtain wall frame
In some scenarios when we insert a curtain wall, you can see
gaps in the curtail wall frame on the mullions as shown in the
following image.

Page 29
This happens as the curtain wall will have a different dimension
for the mullions at the boundary as well as in the interior.

You can check that by selecting the curtail wall and clicking on
the edit type icon in the properties panel.

In the "Type Parameters" dialog box, scroll down to Vertical and

Horizontal mullions section and there you can see different sizes
assigned as shown in the following image.

To remove the gaps in the border or the boundary of the curtain

wall, you need to select any one mullion in the panel and click on
the icon that pops up at the junction which says “Toggle Mullion
Join” as shown in the left side of the following image.

Page 30
This will join the border to give a seamless design as shown
on the right side of the image above.

You can repeat the same process at all the joint locations to
merge the gaps.

Tip 18: Editing the profile of a

curved curtain wall
If you want to edit the profile of a wall in Revit you can simply
click on the object and select the icon "Edit Profile" from the
modify tab.

But that is not the case with a curved curtain wall as the "Edit
Profile" option is not available for curtain walls.
So, to have a custom shape for a curved curtain wall, you need
to follow the steps explained here.

Consider the example below where you have a design with a

curved curtain wall as shown in image A below and you want to
make it look like image B.

Page 31
To add a custom profile shape to the curved curtain wall, we
need to first go to the floor plan view and click on the
reference plane icon from the architecture tab as shown
below.

Insert the reference plane in such a way that it lies parallel to the
design.

Once the reference plane is inserted you can rename it to a

custom name.

Here we named it as “Reference plane_Curtain Wall”.

Page 32
Now you need to open up the elevation view which is
perpendicular to the reference plane.

In my case it is the West elevation view, just make sure the

Curtain wall is visible in the view.

Now click on the Roof by extrusion icon which you can find
under the Architecture tab under the roof dropdown as shown
below.

In the Work plane dialog box click on the name option and select
the custom plane that you have created earlier and click OK.

Revit will show one more dialog box where you can select any
level, after selecting the level click OK as shown in the following
image.

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Now create the custom shape that you want as a profile for the
curtain wall by using any tool under the modify tab.

I have used the spline tool to draw a custom shape.

Please do note to extend both the sides so that the created

extrusion will cover the curtain wall completely as shown
below.

Now that you have created the extrusion, you can go to the 3D
view and extend the extrusion in such a way it completely
crosses the curtain wall as shown below.

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Now you can select the curved curtain wall and select the icon
"Attach Top/Base" from the modify tab and select the
extruded wall.

If any warning appears you can select the delete element

option as shown below.

Now that you have the profile created over the curtain wall,
you can hide the extruded wall by selecting the wall then
right click to find the option "Hide in View" then "Elements" as
shown below.

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Now you have a complete design with a custom profile
made for the curved curtain wall as shown in the image
below.

Page 36
O2

REVIT
STRUCTURE
TIPS
The tips in this section are related to Revit Structural
software.

Tip 19: Rotate with spacebar

Rotating elements in Revit is made simple with the spacebar
shortcut.

Select the element you wish to rotate, press and hold the
spacebar, and move the mouse to rotate the element freely.

This intuitive shortcut saves time and allows for precise

adjustments to element orientation.

This trick can come in handy in situations where you have a

rectangular column, and you want to change it's orientation, as
illustrated below.

Click to check the animated GIF

Additionally, you can use it by selecting multiple columns and

rotating all of them at once.

Page 38
 Tip 20: Using Character Map
to Type Symbols

When adding symbols or special characters to your Revit

project, the Character Map tool comes in handy.

Simply open Character Map by either searching for it in the

Windows search or the Windows Accessories menu, select the
desired symbol, and copy-paste it into your Revit project text
fields or annotations as illustrated below.

Click to check the animated GIF

This trick comes in handy if you want to communicate and

show some information like volume symbol, diameter, etc.

Use a Starting View to Show Important Information

Starting views in Revit serve as the initial viewpoint when

opening a project, making them ideal for showcasing important
information or project highlights.

To set a starting view, navigate to the Manage tab under the

Manage project panel, click on the starting view command, then
a popup window with a list will be shown.

Click to check the animated GIF

Select your desired view and click on OK, as illustrated above.

Page 39
Tip 21: Using Section Box to
Create a Detail 3D View

The section box tool in Revit allows you to create detailed 3D

views by isolating specific portions of your model.

Simply activate the section box, adjust its dimensions to

encompass the desired area, and navigate to a 3D view to see a
detailed representation of the selected section.

You can achieve this by first opening your 3D view, then

navigate to the Properties view on your left hand side, then to
Extents, you will see the section box option.

Make sure to check the box and apply, then the section box will
be shown on your 3D model space.

If you left click on the box, it will be active and some grip adjust
points will be visible, use them to create our section
appropriately as illustrated below.

Click to check the animated GIF

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Tip 22: Create an Exploded
View

Creating an exploded view in Revit is a useful technique for

visualizing complex assemblies or components.

To do so, first open your 3D view, then select the item you
want to displace.

Then navigate to the Modify tab (if does not get activated
automatically) and under the view panel, you will see the
"Displace Elements" command.

Click on it and a move gizmo will be shown on the object that

you selected as illustrated below.

Click to check the animated GIF

You can move your object either in the X, Y, or Z axes.

This usually creates a clear representation of the assembly's

construction sequence or component relationships.

You can also show your displacement path or reset the

displacement option just by using the contextual menu that
pops up when you select the displaced object.

To exit from the command, simply click on the ESC key on your
keyboard.

This trick comes in handy when showcasing your complex Revit

structural model in a simplistic way to comprehend.

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Tip 23: Purge Unused items in
the Model

Regular maintenance of your Revit model is essential for

optimal performance.

Use the "Purge Unused" and "Audit" functions under the

"Manage" tab to remove unnecessary elements and ensure the
integrity of your model's database.

You can access this command by navigating to the Manage tab

and under the settings panel, you will find the “Purge Unused”
command.

If you left-click on it, a list of all items loaded within your project
will be shown in a tree format and you can expand the list to
see the particular items.

If you click on OK, Revit will purge (remove) all the unused items
from your project thus making it lighter as illustrated below.

Click to check the animated GIF

You can be in any view while using this command.

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Tip 24: Temporary View and
Isolate
ITemporary view and isolate options in Revit enable you to
focus on specific elements or areas within your project.

Use these tools to temporarily hide or isolate elements, making

it easier to work on complex assemblies or navigate cluttered
views.

You can use it to isolate a particular category or element or

hide a particular element of a category within the temporary
view and once you are done, you simply disable it and the
changes made will be applied to your model.

You can use it to temporarily isolate all of your columns in your

structural model, changing their properties then applying them
back to the model as illustrated below.

Tip 25: Creating Polygonal

Roofs

Revit's roof tool offers flexibility in creating polygonal roofs with

a circle shape.

Under the Architecture tab, select the roof command under the
Build panel, once the context menu pops up, select the circle
option to draw your roof’s footprint.

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Once you have your circle in place, press on the ESC key to exit
from the command, then select the footprint, and under the
Properties options on your left-hand side, navigate to the
constraint options.

You can set the vertices under the "Number of Full segments"
option of properties and click on Apply to define the vertices to
form the desired shape as illustrated below.

Click to check the animated GIF

You can also adjust parameters like slope and overhang to

customize the roof to your specifications.

This is especially helpful when you want to change number of

sides later.

You can change the number of sides from properties and Revit
will automatically redesign your roof as illustrated above.

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Tip 26: Using View Cube to
Find Objects

The view cube in Revit provides a quick and intuitive way to

navigate your model in 3D space.

You can use it to find objects that are obstructed from your
general view.

For instance, if you have your floor plan open, you can select
the item you are interested in.

As an example go across the member beam, then navigate to

your 3D view, then using the 3D View cube, click on your “Top-
Left” corner and it will zoom the selected item into place as
illustrated below.

Click to check the animated GIF

This command can be used to view specific columns that you

need to work on.

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O3

REVIT MEP TIPS

AND TRICKS
This section contains tips and tricks that are related to Revit
Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing part.

Tip 27: Using View Cube to

Find Objects

If you started your design using the Architectural or Structural

template and you have designed all the components required
apart from the MEP system, then it is still possible to apply the
MEP template later.

To do that go to the “Properties” palette, navigate to the

“Graphics” settings and click on the “Disciple” option as shown
below.

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From the available list, select the pre-set template that you
require, mechanical, electrical, Plumbing, etc.

Click to check the animated GIF

It makes designing components of multiple disciplines

seamless without having to save different versions of the same
project.

Tip 28: Selecting Routing

Preferences

Before starting your design, customize routing preferences to

align with industry standards and project requirements.

This includes defining preferred angles, offsets, and connection

rules to ensure consistency in your MEP system layout.

Just in case you are wondering, routing preferences dictate how

ducts and pipes are routed within your Revit MEP model.

As an example, if you are designing the plumbing system for a

high-rise residential building where space is limited, by setting
routing preferences to prioritize vertical runs and minimize
offsets, you optimize the layout to maximize space efficiency
and streamline the installation process.

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To specify your routing preferences, navigate to the “Systems”
tab, and click on either the pipe or HVAC system that you want
to create.

In this case, click on the pipe, then under the “Properties”

palette, click on “Edit type” then “Type Properties” window and
under the “Type Parameter” locate the “Segment and Fittings”
option, and under it, you will find the “Routing Preference”
setting.

Then click on it to launch it as shown in the following figure.

Once launched, you can load the specific family you prefer to
use, in this case, use the “PVC” family, then click OK.

Click to check the animated GIF

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Tip 29: Transferring Project
Settings

To maintain consistency across multiple projects or collaborate

with team members, transferring project settings is essential.

Use the "Transfer Project Standards" feature in Revit MEP to

copy project settings, including annotation styles, view
templates, and parameter settings, from one project to
another.

It ensures uniformity and efficiency in your MEP design

workflow.

If you are working on a series of similar projects, such as a

chain of retail stores, hotels, schools, etc. with identical MEP
requirements, by transferring project settings from a
completed project to a new one, you can ensure consistency in
design standards and streamline the setup process.

You will find the “Transfer Project Standards” under the

“Settings” panel in the “Manage” tab.

You first need to have the baseline project (the project that you
will be copying the standards from) open before clicking the
command as shown in the following image.

Click to check the animated GIF

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 Tip 30: Setting the Elevation
for Ducts or Pipes
Precise elevation settings for ducts and pipes are crucial to
ensure proper system performance and clearance
requirements.

Use the elevation parameter in Revit MEP to set the correct

elevation for ducts or pipes, taking into account factors such as
ceiling height, structural elements, and accessibility for
maintenance.

As an example, if you are designing the HVAC system for an

underground parking garage, by accurately setting the
elevation for ducts to align with the slab height and clearance
requirements, you ensure proper airflow distribution and
facilitate ease of installation and maintenance.

To do that, first select the “Duct” command, under the “HVAC”

Panel under the “System” tab.

Once the command is active, you can either adjust your elevation
parameters from the “Properties” palette or the Contextual ribbon as
shown below.

Click to check the animated GIF

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Tip 31: Use of Slopes in MEP Designs

In MEP designs, incorporating slopes in piping systems is

essential for efficient drainage and gravity flow.

Use the slope parameter in Revit MEP to define the desired

gradient for pipes, ensuring proper drainage and preventing
water accumulation or stagnation.

If you are designing a sanitary drainage system for a

commercial kitchen with multiple sinks, by applying a slope to
the drainage pipes, you ensure that wastewater flows efficiently
towards the main drain, preventing clogs.

If you select the “Pipe” command located under the “Plumbing

& Piping” panel under the “Systems” tab, the “Place Pipe”
contextual ribbon will show up.

Navigate to the “Sloped piping” panel and pipe on the type of

slope you desire, either slope up or slope down.

Page 52
Once the command is active, you can either adjust your
elevation parameters from the “Properties” palette or the
Contextual ribbon as shown below.

Click to check the animated GIF

Page 52
An eBook by

SourceCAD
Editorial
SourceCAD editorial contains
architects, engineers, and
designers who are best at what
they do. Apart from being
industry professionals they
also help us create content for
our website and this book is a
collective effort by Paul
Muhindi and Varun Nair.

Contents of this eBook are taken from an article on SourceCAD with the same title. All
the contents of this eBook are protected by copyright. If you have questions, suggestions
or complaints about this eBook then reach out to us on [email protected]