Let’s dive into each aspect of customizing a Revit template one by one, starting with project setup and gradually moving to more advanced topics.

1. Setting Up Project Information

• Units: Setting units correctly ensures that your dimensions, areas, and volumes are consistent across all elements of your project.
• Coordinate System: Revit uses a coordinate system based on two key points—Project Base Point (where your building model starts) and Survey Point (used to align with real-world coordinates).
• Project Browser Organization: The Project Browser is where all views, schedules, and sheets are organized.

2. Line Weights, Styles, and Colors

• Line Weights: Revit uses different line weights for different elements (like walls, roofs, and details) depending on the view scale. Customizing this can improve the clarity of your drawings.
• Line Patterns and Styles: In Manage → Additional Settings → Line Styles, you can create custom line patterns such as dashed lines, centerlines, and dotted lines.
• Colors: The use of color is important, especially for MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) systems, to visually differentiate between components.

3. Annotation Styles

• Text Styles: Text is essential for dimensions, notes, and annotations. Customize the font, size, and style to match your company’s standards.
• Dimension Styles: Dimensioning is crucial for clear communication in construction drawings. In Manage → Additional Settings → Dimensions, you can control the appearance of dimensions, such as arrowhead styles, text alignment, and units.
• Tags and Keynotes: Tags are used to label elements like doors, windows, and rooms. Keynotes can assign predefined notes to these elements.

4. Families

• Loading Essential Families: Families are pre-built components like doors, windows, furniture, etc. You can load common families into your template so they are always available.
• Creating Custom Families: Custom families allow you to create parametric elements tailored to your projects. For instance, you can design a custom window that adjusts its size based on parameters.
• Standardizing Family Naming Conventions: A clear and consistent naming convention for families will make them easier to find in your projects. Use a system like Category_Type_Size (e.g., Door_Single_FullHeight_2100x900).

5. View Templates

• View Standards: View templates control how different views (plans, sections, elevations, 3D views, etc.) appear. They manage settings like visibility, graphic overrides, and level of detail, ensuring that your views maintain a consistent look.
• Filters: Filters are used to control the visibility of elements based on properties such as material, phase, or discipline (e.g., only showing structural elements or MEP systems).
• Level of Detail: Adjusting the level of detail in view templates allows you to switch between coarse, medium, and fine display settings. This ensures that details are visible where needed, while simplifying views that don’t require such fine granularity.

6. Detailing

• Detail Components: Custom detail components (such as bolts, insulation, or concrete reinforcement) allow you to build out standard details that can be reused across projects.
• Line Styles for Detailing: Customizing line styles for detailing helps differentiate between various elements in your detailed views.
• Standard Details: Revit templates can include standard detail drawings like wall sections, door details, and typical junctions. These details can be stored in the template file so they are easily accessible for any project.

7. Sheets and Title Blocks

• Title Blocks: Title blocks hold essential project information (project name, client details, drawing title, revision history, etc.) and appear on all sheets.
• Sheet Templates: Similar to view templates, you can create standard sheet templates that include the title block and predefined view locations.
• Revision and Issue Settings: Consistently track revisions and issues within the title block.

8. Schedules

• Pre-Configured Schedules: Schedules display information about the elements in your model, such as quantities, sizes, and materials. Having pre-configured schedules in your template saves time and ensures consistency.
• Custom Fields: You can add custom fields to schedules to include information that is specific to your project or company.
• Formatting and Appearance: Adjust the appearance of schedules to ensure they look professional. For instance, you can adjust column widths, header styles, and text sizes in the Formatting tab of the schedule properties.

9. Phasing and Worksets

• Phasing Setup: Phasing allows you to show the progression of a project over time, such as demolition, existing conditions, and new construction.
• Worksets: Worksets allow multiple users to work on the same project simultaneously. Each user can “check out” different parts of the model to avoid conflicts.

10. Project Templates and Standards

• Saving as a Template File: Once all your customizations are complete, save your project as a Revit Template File (.rte). This will ensure that every new project you start uses the same standards and settings.
• Ongoing Updates and Quality Control: Over time, you may need to update your template as your standards evolve or new practices emerge. Regularly review and refine your template to keep it up to date.

11. User Training and Documentation

• Provide Guidelines: To ensure everyone on your team uses the template correctly, document the settings, standards, and workflows you’ve established.
• Train Your Team: Conduct training sessions to ensure all users are familiar with the template. This ensures consistency across all projects and makes sure your team follows the standards set in the template.

12. Custom Parameters

• Project Parameters: Custom parameters can be added to track specific project information that’s not covered by default Revit parameters.
• Shared Parameters: These parameters are used across multiple projects or families and are stored externally in a shared parameter file.

13. Materials and Appearance

• Material Libraries: Create a custom material library to standardize materials like concrete, steel, wood, etc. for your projects.
• Customizing Material Appearance: Adjust the appearance of materials for both realistic renderings and technical drawings.

14. Custom Keynotes

• Keynote Files: Revit uses keynotes to label elements with predefined notes. You can create custom keynote files that are project-specific or company-wide.Create a .txt keynote file with a list of predefined notes for various elements. For example, each material or assembly could have a corresponding keynote code.Use Insert → Keynote Settings to link this file to your project.Keynotes ensure consistency in annotation and reduce repetitive note writing.

15. Rendering and Visualization Settings

• Default 3D Views: Set up standard 3D views that offer the best perspectives of your model. This can include axonometric views, perspectives, or even preset camera angles.
• Lighting and Sun Settings: Customize your template with preset lighting and sun positioning for rendering purposes.

16. Custom Phases and Phase Filters

• Advanced Phasing: For complex projects that span multiple construction phases (e.g., demolition, existing, new construction), create custom phases to manage the visibility and graphical representation of different building stages.
• Phase-Specific Views: Create views specifically for each phase (e.g., Demolition Plans, New Construction Plans, etc.) and link them with the appropriate view templates.

17. Custom Legends and Annotations

• Custom Legends: Legends provide an overview of symbols, materials, or key elements in a project. Create door legends, window legends, or material legends that show standard components across the project.
• Custom Annotation Symbols: Annotation symbols like north arrows, scale bars, and section markers can be customized to match your company’s standards.

18. Creating a Detail Library

• Detail Library: Over time, you’ll likely create many typical details, such as wall sections, roof connections, window installations, etc. Store these in a Detail Library within your Revit template.Create a folder of Drafting Views that contain these typical details. When needed, you can easily transfer them to a new project using the Insert → Insert from File → Insert Views from File command.Keeping a detailed library in your template saves time and ensures consistency across projects.

19. Coordinate with Other Software

• Interoperability with AutoCAD, SketchUp, and IFC: Your Revit template should be set up to easily work with files from other software like AutoCAD or SketchUp, especially if you’re collaborating with other disciplines.Set up standard import settings (for DWG, IFC, etc.) so that imported files align with your project’s coordinate system.Customize object styles for imported categories under Manage → Object Styles → Imported Categories to control the appearance of imported AutoCAD layers or IFC objects.

20. Template Maintenance and Version Control

• Version Control: As your Revit template evolves, make sure you keep backups and maintain version control. This is crucial as you add new families, schedules, or standards.
• Feedback Loop: Encourage your team to provide feedback on the template. Real-world use may reveal areas that need improvement or features that could be added to streamline workflows.

21. Custom Browser Organization

• Project Browser Organization: The Project Browser can get cluttered with multiple views, sheets, schedules, and legends as your project grows. Organizing it well is key to improving navigation and efficiency.
• View Naming Standards: Establish a clear and consistent naming convention for views, sheets, and other elements in the Project Browser. For example:

22. Coordinate Systems and Grids

• Project Base Point and Survey Point: Properly configuring the Project Base Point and Survey Point ensures accurate geolocation and coordination with other disciplines, especially in large-scale projects.
• Grid and Level Standards: Establishing a standard for grids and levels is critical for both documentation and coordination.

23. Worksharing and Collaboration Setup

• Worksharing Setup: If you’re working on projects that require multiple users to access the same file, setting up Worksharing in your template is essential.
• Shared Coordinates: If you are coordinating with other teams using external models (like structural engineers using AutoCAD or IFC models), set up Shared Coordinates in your template.

24. Custom View Tags and Section Heads

• View Tags: Standardize your View Tags (the tags that appear on plans or sections to indicate linked details or callouts). This is an important step to make sure your documentation stays clean and readable.
• Callout and Elevation Markers: Similarly, customize callout and elevation markers to suit your standards.
• Text Styles for Tags: Set up text styles for annotation tags. Ensure all your section heads, view titles, and callouts use the same font, size, and color to maintain consistency throughout your drawings.

25. Dimension Styles

• Dimensioning Standards: Customizing dimension styles ensures consistency across your documentation. Dimensions are a key element in architectural and structural drawings, so maintaining clarity is crucial.
• Dimension Text Options: You can customize how the dimension text behaves. For example, enable or disable the option to show zeroes (e.g., 4.000 vs. 4), or configure the rounding settings.

26. Custom Annotation Families

• Specialized Annotations: Custom annotations like spot elevations, spot coordinates, or datum points can be set up for specific projects or types of elements.Go to Create → Annotation Symbol to design a custom annotation family. This allows you to control how certain elements are labeled and provide unique symbols for certain notes or details.For instance, you can create a custom symbol to indicate the center of a circle for structural elements or special MEP connections.

27. Energy and Sustainability Settings

• Energy Settings: For projects focused on sustainability, set up energy analysis settings in your Revit template.
• Green Building Standards: You can also load specific green building parameters, such as LEED or BREEAM requirements, into the template.

28. Template Documentation and Guidelines

• Template Guidelines: Create a detailed guide or handbook that explains how to use the template properly. This helps new team members and ensures everyone on the team is following the same procedures.
• BIM Execution Plan (BEP): A formal BIM Execution Plan (BEP) should be tied to your template. The BEP defines modeling standards, LOD (Level of Detail), and the workflows for coordination, clash detection, and information exchange between stakeholders.

29. Revit Add-ins and Automation Tools

• Revit Add-ins: Explore and integrate useful Revit add-ins that can enhance your workflow and save time. Tools like Dynamo, Enscape, BIMLink, or Ideate Software can be set up to automate repetitive tasks or improve visualization.
• Automated Workflows: Use automation tools like Dynamo to set up automatic model checking, parameter updates, or data exports.

30. Feedback and Iteration

• User Feedback: Encourage project teams to provide feedback on how well the template is functioning. This can include feedback on view templates, annotations, schedules, or how effectively custom parameters are being used.
• Continuous Improvement: As technology evolves and projects become more complex, continuously refining the template is essential. Incorporate lessons learned from past projects, new family content, and updated standards.

31. Custom Clash Detection Settings

• Clash Detection: If you’re working on projects with other disciplines (like structural, mechanical, electrical), ensuring that elements don’t interfere with each other is crucial.Use Revit’s Coordination tools or integrate with Navisworks for advanced clash detection.Predefine clash sets in your template to automate the checking of clashes between critical systems (e.g., structure vs. MEP, architecture vs. structure). You can configure these by setting up specific visibility/graphics overrides for worksets or linked files that highlight problematic intersections.This helps maintain clean, conflict-free models, reducing issues during construction.

32. LOD (Level of Development) Setup

• Level of Development (LOD): Depending on the stage of the project, your model might require different levels of detail (LOD). Set up LOD standards in your template to ensure consistency and clarity in deliverables.You can define LOD 100 (Conceptual), LOD 200 (Design Development), LOD 300 (Construction Documents), and so on, for each model element.Create LOD filters that control the visibility of elements based on their LOD. This allows for streamlined presentations or documentation that shows only the relevant level of detail for the current project phase.

33. Construction Sequencing and 4D Simulation

• 4D Construction Simulation: If you work on large-scale projects with complex construction phasing, setting up your Revit template to handle 4D simulation (time-based modeling) is valuable.
• Phasing Filters for Construction: For complex projects with multiple construction stages, pre-define phasing filters in your template to distinguish between existing, demolished, and new elements. This setup will automatically generate correct construction documents without repetitive manual adjustments.

34. Standardized BIM 360 and Collaboration Settings

• BIM 360 Setup: If you’re using BIM 360 for cloud collaboration, set up the template with predefined collaboration settings.Ensure that model synchronization settings, publish settings, and access controls are aligned with your company's workflows. This prevents issues during collaborative work and ensures that all team members are using the correct project data.Establish folder structures and permission settings within BIM 360 that reflect how different disciplines interact with the project files.

35. Custom Object Styles and Overrides

• Object Styles: In Revit, Object Styles control how different categories of elements (walls, doors, furniture, etc.) are displayed in all views.
• Graphic Overrides: To improve the clarity of your drawings, you can use Graphic Overrides to control the visibility of certain elements based on parameters like phase, status, or classification.

36. Custom Family Types for Different Project Phases

• Phase-Specific Families: Some families may behave differently depending on the project phase (e.g., construction vs. renovation). You can create family types that automatically adjust their appearance or behavior based on the phase they are placed in.For instance, a family representing doors might have different settings (e.g., demolished, existing, or new). When a phase changes, the family adjusts automatically.This can be achieved by setting phase filters within the family itself and aligning it with the project’s phasing setup.

37. Custom Reporting and Model Audits

• Model Health Audits: As your project evolves, performing regular audits of the model’s health can prevent issues like file corruption or inefficient workflows.
• Custom Reports and Schedules: You can set up reports that track project data, such as model performance metrics (e.g., file size, number of warnings) or material quantities.

38. Family Version Control and Updates

• Family Version Management: As you continually update your families, it’s important to maintain version control so that all team members are using the latest and most efficient families.
• Performance Optimization for Families: Some families may be unnecessarily detailed, slowing down your model. Ensure that complex families (e.g., furniture or equipment) are simplified, especially if they are heavily repeated throughout the model.

39. Template Standard Testing and Feedback Loop

• Testing the Template: Once you’ve set up your Revit template, it’s important to test it rigorously on a real project. This ensures that all customizations (like view templates, families, annotations) work as expected and that the template is intuitive for team members to use.
• User Training and Documentation: Develop clear documentation or hold training sessions for your team to introduce them to the new template.

40. Final Quality Assurance and Deployment

• Final QA Review: Before rolling out the template for general use, perform a thorough quality assurance check.
• Deploying the Template: Once the template is finalized, deploy it across your team or firm. Place the template in a centralized network location or cloud environment (e.g., BIM 360) where all team members can access it for future projects.

41. Integrating External Data and Standards

• Industry Standards: Depending on your location and project type, various industry standards must be adhered to, such as ISO 19650 for BIM or local building codes for architectural design. Integrating these standards into your Revit template will help ensure compliance from the beginning.
• Third-Party Data Integration: If you use external data sources, such as GIS data or energy analysis results, you can integrate this information into your template.

42. Standardized Sheet Layouts and Title Blocks

• Title Block Customization: Title blocks in Revit are essential for organizing project information and maintaining consistent documentation. Customizing them in your template allows you to standardize how project data (like project name, client, drawing number, revision history, etc.) is presented across sheets.
• Sheet Layouts: Predefine sheet layouts in your template to standardize the arrangement of views (e.g., plans, sections, elevations) across different types of sheets (architectural, structural, MEP).

43. Predefined View Filters for Construction Documentation

• View Filters: View filters are an efficient way to control the visibility of certain elements based on parameters like material, phase, or workset. This is particularly useful for creating specialized documentation such as demolition plans or construction drawings.
• Colored Filters for Design Reviews: Set up view filters that apply color overrides for quick visual analysis during design review meetings. For instance, apply different colors to different worksets (architecture, structure, MEP) or to highlight critical elements like load-bearing walls or accessible routes.

44. Custom Legends and Keynotes

• Custom Legends: Legends are useful for documenting the materials, symbols, or components used throughout the project. In your template, you can pre-configure custom legends for frequently used elements, such as wall types, door schedules, or material finishes.
• Keynotes: Keynoting is a way to label elements on your drawings with reference numbers that correspond to detailed descriptions in a schedule. You can set up standardized keynotes in your template to improve efficiency.

45. Custom Rendering and Presentation Settings

• Rendering Styles: To speed up the rendering process and maintain a consistent look for presentations, set up custom rendering settings in your template.
• View Templates for Presentations: Establish a set of view templates specifically for presentation views, with predefined settings for realistic display, shaded with edges, or sketchy lines.

46. Template Performance Optimization

• File Size Management: Large template files can slow down Revit’s performance, particularly on larger projects. To keep your template efficient, ensure that it doesn’t contain unnecessary families, views, or links.
• Modeling Best Practices: Establish best practices in your template that minimize performance bottlenecks. For instance, encourage the use of detail lines instead of highly detailed 3D geometry for elements that won’t be seen in every view.

47. Template Versioning and Updates

• Template Version Control: As your template evolves with new projects and standards, it’s important to maintain version control. Keep a system in place for tracking changes to your template over time.Use a versioning system (e.g., Template_v1.0, Template_v1.1) and keep a changelog that documents each update (e.g., new families added, view templates updated). This ensures that team members

48. Standardized Tagging and Annotation Systems

• Custom Tags: Create custom tags in your template for various model elements like doors, windows, and walls. Tags should be consistent across all projects and convey the necessary information quickly.
• Annotation Styles: Standardize annotation styles (text, dimensions, symbols) in your template to ensure that all documents maintain a professional and consistent appearance.

49. Predefined Area Plans and Space Planning

• Area Schemes: Revit allows for the creation of area schemes to manage different types of areas in a project (e.g., gross area, rentable area, or usable area). Predefine these schemes in your template based on the project’s requirements.
• Space Planning: If you’re working on large commercial projects, space planning can be complex. Predefine space templates to manage this effectively.

50. Custom Key Schedules and Specifications

• Key Schedules: Key schedules allow you to assign data to multiple elements of the same type without manually editing each one. Set up key schedules in your template for frequently used elements like doors, windows, or finishes.
• Custom Specification Templates: You can integrate specification workflows into your Revit template. Set up custom parameter groups in your families that allow for easy export of model data into specification software (e.g., NBS Chorus or MasterSpec).

51. BIM Execution Plan (BEP) Integration

• BIM Execution Plan Setup: If you’re working in a collaborative environment with other consultants or contractors, incorporating a BIM Execution Plan (BEP) into your Revit template is essential.
• BIM Collaboration Tools: Configure collaboration tools like worksharing and cloud collaboration (e.g., BIM 360 or Revit Server) in your template. Set up worksharing settings, including worksets and syncing preferences, to ensure that multiple team members can work on the same model simultaneously without conflicts.

52. Custom Material Libraries

• Material Libraries: Revit allows you to create custom material libraries for use across multiple projects. A well-organized material library can save time and ensure consistency in how materials are applied and rendered.Build a company-specific material library that includes predefined materials with accurate physical properties (e.g., thermal conductivity, reflectance) and visual appearances (e.g., color, texture).Set up materials with the appropriate rendering settings, ensuring that they look realistic in visualizations and are accurately represented in analytical models.Use shared parameters to link materials with specification systems (e.g., NBS, MasterSpec), improving the workflow between design and documentation.

53. Custom Analytical Model Settings for Structural and MEP Engineers

• Structural Analysis Setup: If your projects include structural components, set up custom analytical model settings in your template to streamline structural analysis workflows.
• MEP Analytical Models: For MEP engineers, Revit can also handle analytical models for systems like HVAC, electrical, and plumbing.

54. Advanced Energy and Sustainability Features

• Energy Analysis Setup: If energy performance is critical in your projects, configure your template to include advanced energy modeling features.Use Energy Settings to set predefined values for things like building location, climate data, and target energy standards (e.g., ASHRAE, LEED). This makes it easier to run energy simulations directly from Revit or export data to tools like Insight or Green Building Studio.Incorporate custom parameters that track sustainability metrics, such as energy usage intensity (EUI), carbon footprint, or water consumption. These parameters can be added to model elements like windows, walls, and HVAC systems to quickly generate reports for green certification or sustainability targets.

55. Creating a Template Maintenance Plan

• Ongoing Template Updates: Even after deploying your template, it’s essential to have a plan in place for regular maintenance and updates. As your company adopts new workflows, standards, or tools, the template must evolve.
• Testing and Feedback Loop: Before rolling out template updates, test them on live projects or pilot projects. This helps catch potential issues early and ensures that the template functions as expected across different project types and workflows.

Conclusion

A high-quality Revit template is one of the most important investments you can make to improve project efficiency, consistency, and quality. By carefully customizing each element—families, view templates, annotation standards, schedules, and collaboration settings—you can build a template that not only saves time but also ensures compliance with industry standards and client expectations.

This thorough, strategic approach will make your Revit workflows more streamlined and scalable, leading to better project outcomes, reduced errors, and enhanced collaboration across your team.