UPDATE 8.24.2020 - We've upgraded our upgrade post! For additional tips and information on Revit Model Upgrades, read our recent post: Revit Project File Upgrade Strategies and Tips.
There can be all kinds of reasons you decide it's time to upgrade your Revit model from one version to another. Maybe you're on the cutting edge and the new software just dropped; maybe you're a sub and the prime is upgrading so you need to follow suit; maybe you are bringing an old project back from the dead and your team really likes a new feature and wants to use the new software.
Whatever your reason, you may want to get that Revit model up to date. There are some great articles that walk you through the specific mouse clicks, but we have collected a handful of our favorite tips and things to consider, or you might not think about doing, during a Revit model upgrade.
Things to think about when upgrading a Revit model
- If possible, don’t upgrade. Keep the Revit model in the same version as long as possible. A good reason to make sure BEPs are in order.
- Be aware of difference between versions to plan for them. For example, the change in how Revit handles Text and then Tags in Revits 2017 and 2018 was easy to deal with if you knew it was coming.
- Always keep an archive/backup copy of the original model, just in case.
- Don’t skip versions – if you need to upgrade from 2016 to 2019, go to 2017 first, then 2018, and finally 2019.
- Clean up the model as much as possible before upgrading – purge, resolve warnings, etc.
- We have heard of Model Groups and Detail Groups get particularly angry during upgrades. Explode and delete if possible.
- If you have trouble upgrading a model, it might be a corrupt family. Save your families from your model before your upgrade. Often a corrupt family will not save successfully letting you ID that bad component. Deal with that component and then try upgrading the model again.
- Print out a PDF set before upgrade. Then after upgrade print out the same PDF set. Use a tool like Bluebeam Revu to compare and review for differences to target model issues.
- Unload linked Revit files before upgrading. Upgrade each individual file should be one at a time and then reload the link.
- Make sure that the Revits you are upgrading to/through are fully patched and up to date.
- When you open the model in the new version, check the Audit box.
- When working in a standalone file, after it is upgraded do a Save As and save it with a new file name. Don’t overwrite the old file.
- In workshared project files, have everyone sync with central and then close their local files. Open a detached copy with worksets preserved, then save as a new central with a new name. This will force users to get new local files. Follow best practices and get out of the central model once the upgrade is done.
We are here to help you with your Revit and additional Autodesk software upgrades. If you have any questions or need assistance, you can contact us here.