Autodesk Revit LT 2023 – Revit LT & Workshared Files

By Dennis Collin

Question:

What are the implications of opening a Work-shared File that has been setup by a full Revit user? What is the recommended workflow in dealing with central files, linked data etc?

Answer:

A design team can use Revit to create a work-shared project and then pass the project to another team member or a consultant to continue work using Revit LT. Using Revit LT, only one user can work on a project at one time.

To start things off, a work-shared project is developed in Revit, allowing multiple users to work on the project simultaneously. Then the project can be revised using Revit LT and later opened in Revit again. However, these steps must be sequential. Users cannot open a work-shared project in Revit and Revit LT simultaneously.

Recommended workflow:

1. The design team creates the project in Revit, creates worksets and develops the project to the desired level of detail.

• When the project is ready to pass to the Revit LT user, all Revit users must exit the work-shared project and refrain from working on it.
• Recommended: To prevent further changes to the work-shared project, the BIM manager or the Revit administrator can block editing capabilities, for example, by changing the editable status of all worksets in the project.

2. The Revit LT user does the following:

• Opens the central model, which causes Revit LT to create a new central model named <project_name>_LT.rvt. (See more information below.)
• Makes desired modifications or refinements to the design.
• Saves changes to the model.
• Passes the updated model back to the Revit team.

3. If additional work needs to be performed in Revit:

• The Revit administrator renames the updated model to its original file name.
• Revit users create new local copies of the project and resume work.

4. When you open a work-shared project using Revit LT:

• Revit LT renames the project as <project_name>_LT.rvt. For example, when you use Revit LT to open Hospital.rvt, the project is renamed as Hospital_LT.rvt.
• The LT version of the project loses any association with the original central model. If you save changes to the model and exit Revit LT, resume work on the model by opening <project_name>_LT.rvt, not the original central model. Use this version of the model as the new central model.
• The Revit LT version of the workshared project is accessible by one user only. Other users cannot access the project while it is open in Revit LT.
• You cannot synchronise with the central model (Sync with Central) from Revit LT.
• Project views display in Revit LT using the same workset visibility settings that were configured in Revit.

5. Worksets:

• When working in the model, the Revit LT user can modify any element in any workset.
• Aside from editing elements in any workset, the Revit LT user cannot modify worksets in the project. For example, the Revit LT user cannot move elements between worksets, or add, delete or even see workset properties.
• When the Revit LT user adds elements to the project, those elements are added to a workset named Revit LT User, with the following exception: If the Revit LT user adds elements that should belong to other worksets, those elements are added to the appropriate worksets. For example, if the Revit LT user adds elements to a group, the elements are added to the group's workset.
• Revit LT preserves workset information. When a team member later opens the project in a full copy of Revit, all workset information is available.

6. Revit Server: If the Revit project uses server-based work-sharing:

• The Revit LT user does not have access to Revit Server.
• The Revit LT user cannot locate linked files that are stored on Revit Server.
• The Revit LT user can use the Reload From function on the Manage Links dialog to reload links from a local copy of the work-shared project.

7. If Project is Work-shared on the Cloud:

• The Revit LT User cannot access either the central or ‘local copies’ as the Collaboration for Revit environment is API based and Revit LT simply cannot see the files.
• A Project admin can invite the Revit LT user to an ACC project.
• The Revit Project Admin can publish a copy of the central model which the LT user can see and access.
• The LT user is notified that they are accessing a published version of the model and they have a choice to either set the model as a detached version or view it temporarily.
• If opened as detached, a copy of the model is made with an LT suffix (like the conventional work-sharing scenario).
• Once open, LT users can either save this file as a ‘New central model’ or work with the model temporarily.
• Once updated a Full Revit user can ‘Adopt’ the modified file and migrate the file back into the Collaborate for Revit Environment making it the new Central Model.

If you want to find out if Revit LT, the Autodesk LT Suite is the right product for you, contact us on our chat facility at www.cadline.co.uk and we will be happy to help.