Revit Worksharing

Introduction
Worksharing is a design method that allows multiple team members to work on the same project
model at the same time.
On many projects, team members are assigned a specific functional area to work on.

Team members share a central model

Revit projects can be subdivided into worksets to accommodate such environments. You can
enable worksharing to create a central model so that team members can simultaneously make
design changes to a local copy of the central model.
When worksharing is enabled, a master project model is created (the central model) from an
existing Revit project file. The central model stores all the ownership information for all the
worksets assigned to the model, and is the main distribution point for all changes made to the
model by all the local users. A user saves their own local copy of the central model, edits this
local copy, then synchronizes with the central model to update the central model with their
changes so that other users can see their changes.
A workset is a collection of elements in a workshared project.
You can create worksets based on functional areas, such as the following:
For architecture and structural engineering: interior, exterior, and site
For systems: HVAC, electrical, or plumbing

The important distinction when working with ownership of objects in a workset is between
making a workset editable and borrowing from a workset.
When you make a workset editable in Revit, you are taking exclusive ownership of all objects in
it. Only one user can exclusively edit each workset at a given time. All team members can view
worksets owned by other team members, but they cannot always make changes to them. This
restriction prevents potential conflicts within the project.
It is possible to borrow an element from a workset that you do not own.

Worksharing Terminology
Here some of the important terms that are particular to worksharing in Revit.
Term

Definition

worksharing

A design method that allows multiple team

members to work on the same project model
at the same time.

central model

The master project model for a workshared

project. The central model stores the current
ownership information for all elements in the
project, and acts as the distribution point for all
changes published to the file. All users save
their own local copies of the central model,
work locally, and then synchronize with central
so that other users can see their work.

local model

A copy of the project model that resides on the

computer system of the team member who is
working on the model. When worksharing is
used to distribute project work among team
members, each member uses a local model to
work on his or her workset (functional area).
Team members periodically save their
changes to the central model so that others
can see the changes and update their local
model with the latest project information.

workset

A collection of elements in a project.

For architecture, worksets typically define
discrete functional areas, such as interior,
exterior, site, or parking.
For building systems engineering, worksets
can delineate functional areas such as HVAC,
electrical, plumbing, or piping.
When you enable worksharing, you can divide
a project into worksets, with different team
members responsible for each workset.

Term

Definition

active workset

The workset to which new elements are

added. The active workset name displays on
Collaborate tab Manage Collaboration panel
or the status bar.

element borrowing

Allows you to edit an element that you do not

own. If no one owns the element, permission
to borrow is automatically granted. If another
team member is currently editing the element,
that team member is the owner, and you must
place a request or wait for it to be relinquished
so that you can borrow it.

workshared file

A Revit project for which worksets have been

enabled.

non-workshared file

A Revit project for which worksets have not

been enabled.

collaboration

Multiple team members working on the same

project. These team members may be from
different disciplines and working in different
locations. Methods of collaboration can
include worksharing and using linked models.

server-based worksharing

A method of worksharing in which the central

model is stored on a Revit Server, which
communicates with team members across a
WAN either directly or through a Revit Server
Accelerator.

file-based worksharing

A method of worksharing in which the central

model is stored in a file at a network location.

Revit Server

Any of the servers that host central models in

server-based worksharing. Revit Server is also
the name of the application that controls
communication between team members and
central models in a network of Revit Servers
and Accelerators.

Accelerator

A local server that can aggregate data from

multiple Revit Servers. Though team members
can connect directly to Revit Servers,
connecting through an Accelerator optimizes
performance.

Worksharing Workflow
The following steps provide the general workflow for setting up and using workshared projects.
1. Select the project to share. A workshared project is one that several team members
need to work on at the same time.
2. Enable worksharing. When you enable worksharing, Revit creates the central model for
the project. The central model is like the project database. It stores all changes made to
the project and stores all current workset and element ownership information. It is
recommended that after the central model is created, all work be done in local copies of
the central model. All users will need to save a copy of the central model on their local
network or hard drive. All changes can be published to the central model and all users
can load other users changes from the central model at any time.
3. Optionally, you can set up additional worksets. A workset is a collection of elements,
such as walls, doors, floors, stairs, ducts, air terminal, or air handlers. When you enable
worksharing, several default worksets are created (2 default user-created worksets, and
worksets for the families that are loaded in the project, project standards, and project
views). You can create worksets based on functional areas, such as interior, exterior,
site, HVAC, electrical, or plumbing.
4. Begin worksharing. Each team member creates a copy of the central model on the local
network or hard drive to begin using worksharing.

Creating the Central File

Enabling worksharing involves creating a master project model, known as a central model, from
an existing model.
The central model stores the current ownership information for all worksets and elements in the
project, and acts as the distribution point for all changes made to the model. All users should
save their own local copy of the central model, edit locally in this workspace, and then
synchronize with central to publish changes to the central model so that other users can see
their work.
To enable worksharing and create a central model
1. Open the project file (RVT) to use as the central model.
2. Click Collaborate tab

Manage Collaboration panel

(Worksets).

Note: If you have installed the A360 Collaboration for Revit add-on, then:
a. Click Collaborate tab

Manage Collaboration panel

Collaborate.

b. In the Collaborate dialog, select Collaborate within your network and click
OK.

The Worksharing dialog displays, showing the default user-created worksets (Shared Levels
and Grids, and Workset1).

3. If desired, rename the worksets.

4. In the Worksharing dialog, click OK.
The Worksets dialog displays.

5. In the Worksets dialog, click OK.

You do not need to create worksets at this point.

6. Click

Save As

(Project).

7. In the Save As dialog, specify a file name and directory location for the central model.
When specifying a name for the central model, use a naming convention that identifies it as the
central model (for example, OfficeBuilding_CentralModel.rvt).
Note: Because legacy versions of Revit appended backup file names with a decimal point and a
numerical string, you should not end your file name in this manner. Otherwise, a proper backup
directory will not be created. For example, if you want to name your central model
hotel.2010.rvt, consider naming it hotel_2010.rvt.
Attention: When you save the central model, be sure that it is saved to a network drive to which
all team members have access. If you are using server-based worksharing, Revit Server must
be installed on any machine hosting a central model, and the Host role must be enabled in the
RSN.ini file on that machine.

8. In the Save As dialog, click Options.

9. In the File Save Options dialog, select Make this a Central Model after save.
Note: If this is the first time you have saved after enabling worksharing, this option is selected by
default and cannot be changed.
10. Select a default workset for local copies. For Open workset default, select one of the
following.
Workset Default

Description

All

Opens all worksets in the central model.

Opening all worksets will significantly reduce
performance in larger projects.

Editable

Opens all editable worksets. Depending on

how many editable worksets are in the central
model, this option may significantly reduce
performance in larger projects.

Last Viewed

Opens worksets according to their state from a

previous Revit session. Only worksets open in
the last session open. If you are opening the
file for the first time, all worksets open.

Specify

Opens specified worksets. When you click

Open, the Opening Worksets dialog displays.

Workset Default

Description
Initial status is based on when the file was last
opened. Specify different worksets or click OK
to confirm the default.
Press Ctrl+A to select all worksets in this
dialog.

11. Click OK.

12. In the Save As dialog, click Save.
The file is now the central model for the project. Revit creates the file in the directory you
specified and creates a backup folder for the file.
For example, if your central model is called OfficeBuilding_CentralFile, you see the project file
and the backup folder (OfficeBuilding_CentralFile_backup) in the directory.

The backup folder contains the backup information and editing permission information for the
central model.
The Revit_temp folder contains files that provide progress information on operations (such as
Synchronize with Central) to the Worksharing Monitor.
The visibility of Individual Worksets can now be controlled through the Worksets tab of the
Visibility/Graphics Overrides dialog for each view.

All the Worksharing options are now available for use in the Collaborate tab.

Making a local file

It is good practice for users to create a local copy of the central model every day. Creating a
new local copy ensures a local copy is always on your hard drive each time you begin modifying
a project.
Tip: For server-based worksharing, the Revit administrator can use the Revit Server Model
Creation command line utility to automate the creation of local models.
To open a model and create a local copy
1. Click

Open.

2. In the Open dialog, navigate to the folder where the central model resides and select it.
To navigate to a central model that is connected to the Revit Server:
a. In the Open dialog, in the left pane, select

(Revit Server Network).

b. Double-click the Revit Server Network folder.

c. Select the Revit Server that hosts the central model.
d. Select the central model.
This procedure cannot be used for multiple files at one time.

3. Under Worksharing, verify that Create New Local is selected.

Note: If you select Detach from Central, then Create New Local will be cleared. Clear both
options to open the central model itself instead of a copy.

4. Click Open.
If you are already working in the central model, use Save As to create a local copy.

Synchronizing with the Central File

When working on a workshared project, save your work often, synchronize with the central
model at least daily, and Reload Latest to get updates from other users.
When saving the changes in your local workshared file, you can do either of the following:
Synchronize with Central
Save locally
When you Synchronize with Central, the changes you made to your local copy are saved to the
central model. In addition, any changes made by other team members to the central model
since the last Synchronize with Central or Reload Latest are copied to your local model. Any
elements you borrowed are relinquished by default when you Synchronize with Central.
Between synchronizations with the central model, you should save changes to the local model
frequently. You might want to establish specific times throughout the day when each team
member will be synchronizing with central. This practice ensures that team members are not

trying to Synchronize with Central at the same time. At the end of the day, you should relinquish
the elements you borrowed and the worksets you own.
You save your local model the same way you save a project model that does not use
worksharing. By default, you automatically save the changes in your local model when you
Synchronize with Central.
You can specify save reminders for saving local models and saving to central.
You cannot use Save As to overwrite a server-based workshared central model, but you can
use Save As to overwrite a file-based workshared central model on a file system.
When working on a workshared project, use the Synchronize with Central tool to save your local
changes to the central model.
To Synchronize with Central: Click Collaborate tab
Central drop-down

Synchronize panel

Synchronize with

(Synchronize Now).

If you want to modify the Synchronize with Central settings before you synchronize with central:
Click Collaborate tab Synchronize panel
Synchronize with Central drop-down
(Synchronize and Modify Settings). The Synchronize with Central dialog displays.

1. In the Synchronize with Central dialog, verify the location of the central model.
If necessary, click Browse to specify a different path for the central model. Specify the new path
in the Central File Location dialog, and click OK.
2. Select Compact Central Model to reduce file size when saving.
Note: Selecting this option increases the time needed to save.

3. Under After synchronizing, relinquish the following worksets and elements, select from the
following options:
To make your changed worksets and elements available to other users, select the
appropriate check boxes.
To synchronize the changes to central but keep the worksets and elements editable, clear the
appropriate check boxes.
4. If desired, enter a comment that is saved to the central model.
You can see all comments using the Show History tool.
5. Verify that Save local file before and after synchronizing with central is selected to ensure
your local file remains synchronized with central.
6. Click OK.
Your changes are saved to the central model and any changes from other team members are
copied to your local model.
Editable Elements
If you have saved all changes to the central model, but still have editable elements when you
close the local file, the Editable Elements dialog displays.
If you do not want to keep ownership of the checked out worksets and borrowed elements, click
Relinquish elements and worksets; otherwise, click Keep ownership of elements and worksets.

Reloading the file

When working on a workshared project, you can see the changes that other team members
have made to the project after they synchronize with the central model. You can load updates
from the central model without publishing your changes to the central model.
Click Collaborate tab

Synchronize panel

(Reload Latest).

Relinquishing Elements
When working on a workshared project, use this procedure to return elements for which you
have editing permissions without synchronizing with the central model.
1. With the local model open, click Collaborate tab Synchronize panel
(Relinquish All
Mine).
Revit checks for any changes that require synchronizing with central:
If there are no changes to the model elements, ownership of the worksets and borrowed
elements is relinquished. A dialog does not display.
If there are changes, ownership status does not change. You still own any model elements
you modified. A dialog displays telling you that you made changes and suggests
synchronizing with central.
2. Click Close to close the dialog, if one displays.
If you do not mind discarding your local changes, you can relinquish permissions and borrow
elements. Open the central model directly or create a new local file from the central model, and

choose Relinquish All Mine. Best practice is to discard your original local file so that you do not
accidentally work on an outdated file or the wrong local file. If you retain your original local file,
be aware that if other users have modified elements that you used to own, the original local file
will be incompatible with the central model.

Show history
You can view a list of all the times a workshared project (the central model or a local copy of the
central model) was saved and who saved it.
The list also shows any comments entered in the Synchronize with Central dialog.
1. Click Collaborate tab

Synchronize panel

(Show History).

2. In the Show History dialog, navigate to the shared file, select it, and click Open.
3. In the History dialog, click the column headers to sort alphabetically or chronologically.
4. If desired, click Export to export the history table as delimited text. The delimited text can then
be read by a spreadsheet program.
5. When finished, click Close.

Restore Backup (rollback)

If you need to revert to an earlier version of a workshared project, roll back to a backup file of
the project.
Important: Rollbacks cannot be undone. When you roll back a project, all backup versions
subsequent to the selected version are lost. Ensure that you want to roll back the project before
continuing, and save any later versions, if necessary.
1. Click Collaborate tab

Synchronize panel

(Restore Backup).

2. In the Browse for Folder dialog, navigate to the backup folder for the project.
To see the central model backups, browse to the central backup folder.
To see the local file backups, browse to the local backup folder.
3. Click Open.
4. In the Project Backup Versions dialog, select a version.
5. Click Rollback.
6. Click OK to continue the rollback, or click Cancel.
Note: If your local copy of the central model has a version number greater than the version
number the central model was rolled back to, you will need to open the central model

Editing Requests
To streamline the process of working on a workshared project, you can use the status bar. The
Worksets button and the Active Workset drop-down provide the same functions as the
corresponding tools on the Collaborate tab Manage Collaboration panel.
The status bar always displays the active workset, and it provides one-click access to the
Worksets dialog.
The Editing Requests icon displays the number of pending editing requests that involve you.
Click (Editing Requests) to open the Editing Requests dialog.

The Worksets button and drop-down list and the Editing Requests icon display in the status bar
by default. If they are turned off, turn them on by clicking View tab Windows panel User
Interface drop-down Status Bar - Worksets.
When you borrow an element from a workset, your name is listed in the Worksets dialog as a
borrower. Your name also displays on the Properties palette for the Edited by parameter.
The simplest way to borrow an element is to make a change to the element. If the workset to
which the element belongs is not owned by another user, you automatically become the
borrower of the element and can make changes.
To borrow an element:
1. Select an element that is not editable by you. Be sure that the Editable Only option on the
status bar is not selected.
Elements that are not editable by you display the Make element editable icon, when you select
them in the drawing area.

2. Click (Make element editable) in the drawing area, or right-click the element, and click
Make Elements Editable.
If no one else is editing the element, it opens for you to edit.
If another team member is editing the element or has ownership of the workset to which the
element belongs, a message displays indicating that you cannot edit the element until the other
team member (the owner) resaves the element to central, relinquishes it and you Reload Latest.
Note: If you try to make a change to an element that is being editing by another team member,
the same message displays, allowing you to place a request to borrow the element.
3. In the Error dialog, click Place Request.
The Editing Request Placed dialog displays.
4. The owner receives automatic notification of your request.
Note: Your request is granted automatically if the owner synchronizes with central and
relinquishes the element.
5. You can leave the Editing Request Placed dialog open, so that you can check to see if your
request has been granted, or you can click Close to close the dialog and continue working. If
you tried to edit the element, click Cancel in the error dialog to cancel the edit.
If you make no other changes to the file and close it without saving, you do not receive a
Grant/Deny notification when you re-open the local file. To receive a notification, save the file
before closing it.
Note: Closing the Editing Request Placed dialog does not cancel your request. You will receive
a notification message when the request is either granted or denied. To check the status of your
request, in the status bar click (Editing Requests) or click Collaborate tab Synchronize
panel
(Editing Requests) to open the Editing Requests dialog.
When you synchronize with central, borrowed elements are relinquished by default. You can
keep them by clearing Borrowed Elements in the Synchronize with Central dialog.

You can find what Workset any building element belongs to by opening its Properties and
finding the Workset listed under Identity Data.

Managing Worksets
When working with a team project that is enabled for worksharing, use the Worksets dialog to
manage worksets of elements.
When you enable worksharing, several default worksets are created (two default user-created
worksets, and worksets for the families that are loaded in the project, project standards, and
project views).
The following image shows the Worksets dialog, with the two default user-created worksets,
Shared Levels and Grids and Workset1.

The Worksets dialog provides the following information:

Active workset designates the workset to which new elements are added. The active
workset can be a workset that is editable by you or one that is owned by another team
member. You can add elements to worksets you do not own.
Note: The active workset name also displays on the Collaborate tab Manage Collaboration
panel and the status bar.

Gray Inactive Workset Graphics. Displays all elements in the drawing area that are not part
of the active workset as gray. This has no effect on printing.

Name. Indicates the name of the workset. You can rename all user-created worksets.
Editable. Indicates the editable status of a workset. You cannot change editable status until
you synchronize with central.
Owner. Indicates the owner of the workset. If the Editable status of the workset is Yes, or you
change the Editable status of the workset to Yes, then you are the owner of the workset.
The Owner value is the user name that is listed on the General tab of the Options dialog.
Borrowers. Lists the users who are currently borrowing an element from the workset. If there
is more than one borrower, you can view the list of borrowers from the drop-down list.
Opened. Indicates if a workset is open (Yes) or closed (No). Elements in open worksets are
visible in the project, elements in closed worksets are not.
Show. Allows you to show or hide the different types of project worksets (User-Created,
Families, Project Standards, Views) that display in the Name list.
When creating worksets for a workshared project, use these guidelines.
Planning Worksets
Use worksets when you want to reserve parts of a project so that only the assigned user can
edit the elements in that workset.
Also consider these benefits for creating worksets:
Convenience for editing
Dividing a project into worksets makes it easier to make whole sections of a project editable at
once.
Visibility control
You can control overall visibility in a project when you link Revit models into other Revit projects.
For example, it is often convenient to turn off visibility of the Shared Levels and Grids workset
when linking models so that you do not have to turn off levels and grids individually in each
view.
You can assign a display mode to worksets so that you can visually identify and differentiate
them in your model.
Check Out a Workset to Prevent Changes to Certain Elements
In file-based workshared projects, checking out a workset may occasionally be of use if certain
model elements, such as the building grid or linked files, need to be protected from accidental
change. In that event, BIM managers or team leaders can check out a workset containing
project elements that should not be casually edited or relocated.
Avoid Overlap
Avoid interaction between worksets by creating worksets that dont overlap functionality.
Project Size
The size of the project may affect the way you enable worksharing for the team. In general,
elements that are edited together should be in one workset. You do not need to create a
workset for each floor of the building.
In a multistory structure, however, you may want to create a workset for a set of building
elements that only appear on one floor, such as a boiler or tenant interior.

If the floor plate of a project is too large to fit on a sheet and you need to split it up, you may
want to consider creating a workset for each side of the building.
Team Member Roles
Typically, designers work in teams, with each assigned a specific functional task. Each team
member has control over a particular portion of the design (for example, interior, exterior, site,
HVAC, electrical, or plumbing). The workset structure for the project can reflect this breakdown
of tasks, and you can name the worksets accordingly.
Worksets and Templates
Worksets cannot be included in project templates.
Default Workset Visibility
The performance of Revit improves if some worksets are not visible by default. This visibility
control eliminates the time required to draw additional views of the project.
To identify visibility requirements, determine the frequency with which the elements in the
workset display in the project. Under this guideline, you might have an exterior workset visible
by default, while a specific furniture workset would not be visible.
Display Worksets in Multi-Discipline Workflows
When creating new worksets, select the Visible by default in all views option. Clearing this
option renders the workset invisible and problematic in multi-discipline workflows where feature
visibility can be of paramount importance.
Groups and Families
Groups and families have a type workset and an instance workset that do not have to be the
same.
All elements in a group are in the group instance workset. To edit the group, make the group
type workset editable or borrow the group type. To modify the elements inside a group, make
the group instance workset editable. To determine the worksets in which the elements reside,
select elements and check the Workset property on the Properties palette. If you use element
borrowing to check out a group instance, Revit automatically borrows all elements in the group.

Worksharing Display Settings

Use worksharing display modes to visually distinguish workshared project elements.
You can use worksharing display modes to display:
Checkout Status. The ownership status of elements.
Owners. The specific owners of elements.
Model Updates. Elements that are out of sync with, or have been deleted from, the central
model.
Worksets. Which elements are assigned to particular worksets.

Note: The worksharing display mode commands are available on the View Control Bar after
worksharing has been enabled in the project.
In the example shown here, the view displays model elements that need to be synchronized
with the central model. Views with the worksharing display mode enabled display a colored
border and the name of the applied display mode (Model Updates) as shown here. You can turn
off or change the display mode at any time.

When you enable worksharing display modes, the following occurs to display styles:
wireframe remains as wireframe
hidden line remains as hidden line
all other display styles switch to hidden line
shadows are turned off
When you turn off worksharing display modes, the original display style settings are
automatically reset.
Note: While in worksharing display mode, you can change the display style or turn shadows
back on. Note that if you do this, the worksharing display colors may not display as expected.
Worksharing display modes work with ghost surfaces as well as edit modes. Note that in edit
modes, elements such as sketch lines may display according to the color enabled in the
worksharing display mode. You can turn the worksharing display mode on or off as needed to
avoid confusion with edit modes.
Worksharing display modes can be used with Temporary Hide/Isolate. If you are in both modes,
the color of elements is determined by the worksharing display colors and the visibility of the
elements is affected by Temporary Hide/Isolate.
Printing with Worksharing Display
You can print drawings with the worksharing display mode turned on or off. When you print a
drawing and any worksharing display modes are on, the Print with Worksharing Display dialog

lists the views in which these modes are enabled. Specify whether to print the display mode
color.

Best Practices
When working on a team project that is enabled for worksharing, use these guidelines to
improve productivity and performance.
Worksets and Element Borrowing
Generally, it is recommended that you work in your local copy of the central model and not
make worksets editable. When you edit an element that is not being edited by another team
member, you automatically become the borrower of the element and can make the changes you
need.
It is recommended that you synchronize with central frequently as you work. Synchronizing
relinquishes borrowed elements by default, allowing other team members to edit them.
Use Worksharing Display Modes
Use worksharing display modes to visually distinguish element checkout status, element
owners, model updates, and worksets.
Worksets Dialog
Close worksets from the Worksets dialog to globally turn off element visibility, instead of turning
them off in the Visibility/Graphics dialog box.
Use Reload Latest
Use the Reload Latest command to update your copy of the project without changing the central
model. This practice saves time by eliminating the need to reload the model during the save-tocentral process.
Compact Central Model
Periodically synchronize with the central model with the Compact Central Model (slow) option
selected. This option reduces file size when saving workset-enabled files. The process of
compacting rewrites the entire file and removes obsolete parts in order to save space. Because
the Compact process takes more time than a normal save, it is strongly recommended that you
only do this when workflow can be interrupted.
Release RAM
Close unneeded worksets to release allocated RAM for use in memory-intensive tasks such as
printing and exporting.

Worksharing Monitor Add-in

For workshared projects, the Worksharing Monitor answers questions like the following:

Who is currently working on this project?

Is my local copy of the project up to date?
When will my Synchronize with Central operation finish?
Has my request to borrow elements been granted?
Are any issues interfering with my work on a Revit project?
Note: Worksharing Monitor is not available when working with server-based workshared
projects. For server-based worksharing, use Autodesk Bluestreak to monitor project activity.
You can also track submission history in the Revit Server Administrator.
Note: Worksharing Monitor is not useful for standalone Revit projects, which do not use
worksharing to divide the work for a project among several people.
The main window is organized into 3 panes: Central File Access, Editing Requests, and
Notifications.

Central File Access pane shows information about project files in which you are currently
working, and identifies other users who are also working on those projects.
Editing Requests pane shows information about requests that you have issued, asking
others for permission to work on part of a project. It also shows requests that others have sent
to you, asking for your permission to work on a part of a project that you currently control.
Notifications pane displays warnings and notices, providing information about issues that
may interfere with your work on a Revit project.

Desktop Alerts
You can configure Worksharing Monitor to display desktop alerts when certain issues arise
related to Revit workshared projects. A desktop alert is a message that displays near the
Windows system tray. To specify the desktop alerts that you want to see, use the Options
dialog.

Note: When the Worksharing Monitor window is active, desktop alerts do not display, because
the same information displays in the window.
Central File Access
To determine who is currently working on a project on which you are also working, check the
Central File Access pane in Worksharing Monitor.
For each workshared project that you have open in the Revit software, Worksharing Monitor
displays a corresponding tab in this pane. Click a tab to access information about that project.

The tab displays one line for each project user. Your information line is highlighted. If you are
working with a local copy of the project file, the top of the tab indicates how long ago you saved
changes to the central file. Red text indicates that someone is working in the central file.
Check the Action column to see what other users are doing in the project:

Working in local: The user is working in a local copy of the project file.
Opening central file: The user is opening the central file to work in it directly.
Working in central: The user is working directly in the central file for the project.
Synchronizing with central: The user is saving changes to the central file.

Reloading latest: The user is updating the local copy of the project file with the most recent
version of the central file.
A user name displayed in gray indicates that the user is working in the project but is not
currently using Worksharing Monitor. As a result, this user is not able to receive information
about editing requests through Worksharing Monitor. If you want to borrow elements from this
user, you must contact the user directly, rather than relying on Worksharing Monitor to do so.
The Central File Access pane displays only current activities related to a project. To see the
recent history (up to 5 days) of central file access for the project, use the following procedure.
To view the Central File Access history

1. In the Central File Access pane, click the tab for the desired project.
2. Click (History) in the upper-right corner of the pane.
3. In the History dialog, for Show me up to, indicate the number of days of history to view.
The History dialog displays information about each action involving the central file for the
Revit project. If a central file access operation failed, click for information about the failure.
To export history to a file
1. In the History dialog, click Export history shown.
2. In the Export dialog, navigate to the desired folder, specify a file name, and click Save.

When you are working with a local copy of a project file, check the corresponding tab of the
Central File Access pane to see whether the central file has been updated by others.
If other users have changed the central file, the icon displays next to the local file name.
Move the cursor over the icon to see a tooltip indicating who has updated the central file.
When you use Collaborate tab Synchronize panel Reload Latest in the Revit session to
bring your local copy of the project file up to date with the central file, the icon disappears
from the project tab on the Central File Access pane of the Worksharing Monitor.

If desired, you can configure an option to receive a desktop alert whenever someone updates
the central file.

The Synchronize with Central process loads changes from other files to the central file, and then
saves local changes to the central file, which are saved by default.
In a Revit session, you use Collaborate tab
start saving changes.

Synchronize panel

Synchronize with Central to

The Central File Access pane of Worksharing Monitor displays the progress of the Synchronize
with Central operation, which involves several distinct steps. These steps are tracked in the
Step/Time Remaining column.

A Synchronize with Central operation involves the following steps:

1. Querying Changes: Determines whether the central file has changed since the local file
was last updated.
2. Updating Local File: Updates the local copy of the project file to match the most recent
version of the central file (if the central file changed after the local file was last updated).
3. Saving Changes when Synchronizing with Central: Saves changes made in the local
copy of the project file to the central file.

4. Saving Local File (optional): Saves changes to the local copy of the file, if this option is
selected by the user when initiating a Synchronize with Central operation.
If the Step/Time Remaining column displays Waiting , the Synchronize with Central operation
is on hold because it is blocked by other concurrent actions involving central file access.
Editing Requests
Use the Editing Requests pane in Worksharing Monitor to review pending requests for
borrowing elements and for granting access to elements.
The Editing Requests pane lists the following:

Requests that you have made to other users to borrow elements that they currently control
Requests from other users to you for access to elements that you currently control

When a request is granted, denied, or retracted, its information moves to the Editing Requests
history. If a request is sent to multiple recipients, it displays on the Editing Requests pane as
long as it has not been fully granted and none of the recipients has denied it.
Note: To receive a desktop alert when your editing request is granted or denied, or when
someone is sending a request to you, set options for editing requests.

For each pending request, the Editing Requests pane shows the sender, recipient, status,
related Revit project file, and time when the request was initially sent.
If a user name is listed in gray, that user is not currently using Worksharing Monitor or does not
have the requested project file open. As a result, Worksharing Monitor cannot notify the user of
pending requests. You must use another method to contact the user about the request.
Worksharing Monitor issues a notification when it cannot contact a user about an editing
request.
The Status column shows the following:

Request for a single recipient:

o Pending: The request is waiting for a response.
o Redirected, pending: The request was redirected to another user.
Request for multiple recipients:
o Granted by: Recipients who have granted the request.

o
o

Waiting for responses: Recipients who have not responded to the request.
Redirected to: Recipients to whom the request was redirected and who have not
responded.

Editing Request History

The Editing Request History pane in Worksharing Monitor lists requests that have been granted,
denied, and retracted.
To see the list of requests, click
pane.

(History) in the upper-right corner of the Editing Requests

The Editing Request History dialog can display up to 5 days of information about editing
requests.

Notifications
In Worksharing Monitor, an active notification informs you of a current issue that impacts (or
may impact) your work in Revit.
The Worksharing Monitor lists these messages in the Notifications pane. It may also display
desktop alerts about these issues.

To see the details of a notification, click its summary in the left list. The notification description
appears on the right side of the pane.
Worksharing Monitor displays 2 types of notifications.
Icon

Type

Description

Warning

The situation may cause worksharing or Worksharing Monitor for

Autodesk Revit to stop working. Take action to resolve the issue.

Notice

The situation may hinder your Revit activities.

When an issue has been resolved, its notification moves to the Notification history.
In Worksharing Monitor, the Notifications pane lists only active notifications, that is, issues that
have not yet been resolved. When an issue is resolved, its notification is moved to the
Notifications history.
The Notifications history is discarded when you close the Worksharing Monitor.
To view the Notifications history
1. Click (History) in the upper-right corner of the Notifications pane.
2. In the Notifications History dialog, click a notification in the list to see its details.
To export the Notifications history
1. In the Notifications History dialog, click Export history shown.
2. In the Export dialog, navigate to the desired folder, specify a file name, and click Save.

If Worksharing Monitor detects a situation that may affect your work in a workshared Revit
project, it issues a notice.

In the Notifications pane, notices are indicated with the

notices and suggested solutions.

icon. The following table lists possible

Notice

Description

Suggestion

Expected delay
during your
central file
accesses

Your access to the central file

may delay or be delayed by
other concurrent accesses to
the same file.

You can wait while Revit completes

all operations involving the central
file, or cancel your request, wait until
others finish, and access the central
file later.

Slow network

The network connection is slow.

Your access to the central file
may be affected.

Check the network connection

between your local computer and the
servers that host the central files.

Unable to
deliver editing
request

An editing request is directed to

a user who is not working in the
requested Revit file.
Worksharing Monitor displays
this user in gray. It cannot notify
the user about the request.
Please contact the user by
other means.

Use another method (such as

telephone or email) to contact the
user about your request.

Users not
informed of
editing requests

Some editing requests are

directed to or from users who
are not using Worksharing
Monitor . Worksharing Monitor
displays these users in gray. It
cannot notify them about the
request. Please contact them
by other means.

Use another method (such as

telephone or email) to contact the
users about your request. Ask the
user to install and use Worksharing
Monitor.

If Worksharing Monitor detects a situation that impacts your work in a workshared Revit project,
it issues a warning.

In the Notifications pane, warnings are indicated with the

possible warnings and suggested solutions.

icon. The following table lists

Warning

Description

Suggestion

Critical file
unavailable

A critical Worksharing Monitor

file is unavailable. Please
contact customer support.

Contact customer support for help.

Incompatible
Revit version

Your Revit version does not

fully support Worksharing
Monitor for Autodesk Revit.

Install the latest release of the Revit

software.

Insufficient disk
space

You are running out of disk

space on disk <disk name>.
Your available space is <size>.
The desired space is <size>.

Delete old and unnecessary files to

make room for saving Revit files.

Low physical
memory

The available physical memory

is low. Your available physical
memory is <size>. The desired
memory is <size>.

Close unimportant applications.

Low virtual
memory

The virtual memory available for

Revit is running low. Your
available virtual memory is
<size>. The desired virtual
memory is <size>.

Save your work, and restart the Revit

software. If needed, use the Windows
Control Panel to increase the amount
of virtual memory on your computer.

Multiple
sessions for
user ID

Your user ID is used for multiple

Revit sessions. This can create
incompatible local files and
confuse Worksharing Monitor.

Abandon all but one version of the

Revit project. You may copy and
paste changes from a version of the
project to be discarded into the
version of the project to keep.
To work simultaneously in multiple
Revit sessions, use a unique user
name for each session.

Network
disconnected

Your network has been

disconnected. You are not able
to access editing request
information and any central files
that are stored on the network.
Please check your network
device and settings.

(If you are using a workshared file)

Without network access, Worksharing
Monitor cannot provide information
about editing requests or access a
central file that is stored in a network
location. Check your network device
and settings, and try to reconnect.

Warning

Description

Suggestion

Network
disconnected

Your network has been

disconnected. Please check
your network device and
settings.

(If you are not using a workshared

file) Check your network device and
settings, and try to reconnect.

Setting Worksharing Monitor Options

Use Options to specify how you receive information about events related to your current Revit
project.
You can specify the following:

Whether Worksharing Monitor window always stays on top of other application windows. This
option makes sure that you see new information as it becomes available.
Whether desktop alerts display near the Windows system tray to inform you of events as they
occur. Use options to indicate whether you want to receive alerts regarding central file
access, editing requests, and notifications.
To specify options for Worksharing Monitor, click
on the toolbar.
General tab
Use options on the General tab to specify the following:

Whether the Worksharing Monitor window always stays on top of other application windows.
This option makes sure that you see new information as it becomes available.
If you use desktop alerts (specified on the other tabs), how long they display on the Windows
desktop.

Central File Access tab

Select an option to indicate that you want to receive desktop alerts about central file issues.
Clear an option to avoid receiving these desktop alerts.

Editing Requests tab

Select an option to indicate that you want to receive desktop alerts when someone sends you
an editing request, or when one of your editing requests is granted or denied. Clear an option to
avoid receiving these desktop alerts.

Notifications tab
Select an option to indicate that you want to receive desktop alerts when Worksharing Monitor
issues a notification or a problem is resolved. Clear an option to avoid receiving these desktop
alerts.

Summary Worksharing
A workshared project is one that several team members need to work on at the same time. For
example, a team may have different members assigned to work on specific functional areas,
such as the interior layout, the exterior shell, the furniture layout, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing
systems.
When you enable worksharing, Revit creates the central model for the project. The central
model is like the project database. It stores all changes made to the project and stores all
current workset and element ownership information. It is recommended that after the central
model is created, all work be done in local copies of the central model. All users will need to
save a copy of the central model on their local network or hard drive. All changes can be
published to the central model and all users can load other users changes from the central
model at any time.
When worksharing begins, each team member creates a copy of the central model on the local
network or hard drive to begin using worksharing.
TodStephens,BSEE,MSEd|SoftwareApplicationsEngineer|AdvancedTechnologiesSolutions
CertifiedProfessional:AutoCAD,RevitArchitecture,RevitMEP,RevitStructure,Inventor,3dsMax,Maya

(t)800.327.3035|(p)904.363.2223|(c)904.349.6904|
tstephens@atsiCAD.com|www.atsiCAD.com