Quantity and Material IDs in Buildingbook

Learn about Quantity and Material IDs and how they are displayed in your project.

Quantity IDs

The Quantity ID is a unique identifier assigned to each quantity or element. They display as tags in the project drawings with a leader to the center of the related surface.

Each ID cannot be changed manually. On the next quantity calculation, IDs display unchanged. This occurs to maintain continuity regardless of what happens in the project. This safeguard occurs when:

• The ID is deleted from the drawing.
• The ID is modified in the Revit Properties palette.
Note: When referenced elements are moved, the position of the quantity ID is updated on the next calculation process.

The quantity IDs display

• as graphical information in the project,
• as a property of the room surface or element in the room quantity dialogs,
• in the Excel output form,
• in the QTO export file.

You can later compare export files with the source project and identify the calculated quantities.

Material IDs

Material IDs are a detailed subdivision of Quantity IDs.

• Quantity IDs are created on each Buildingbook calculation and identify each calculated element.
• Material IDs are identifiers for each calculated material per element and are only created if explicitly specified.

The creation of Material IDs is required only, if:

• the Buildingbook data is to be exported into a Schedule, or
• for exporting to DWF/DWFx for Autodesk Quantity Takeoff.

Note: Only generate project data if necessary. This has a significant effect on performance and visual clarity of the project due to the many generated Material IDs.

For each calculated building part one Material ID is created and placed in the project as a tag.

The bigger number is the Quantity ID which identifies the calculated element. This is always created. The smaller text and number tag is the Material ID identifying each calculated material per element.

Each ID cannot be changed manually. On the next quantity calculation, IDs display unchanged. This occurs to maintain continuity regardless of what happens in the project. This safeguard occurs when:

• The ID is deleted from the drawing.
• The ID is modified in the Revit Properties palette.
Note: When referenced elements are moved, the position of the quantity ID is updated on the next calculation process.

The material IDs display

• as graphical information in the project,
• as a property of the room surface or element in the room quantity dialogs,
• in the Excel output form,
• in the QTO export file.

You can later compare export files with the source project and identify the calculated quantities.

Click on any Buildingbook ID and all calculated Buildingbook data for that room surface quantity is listed in the Properties palette. This information is used for filling the Revit schedules, and is also transferred to the DWF/DWFx file for further use in Autodesk Quantity Takeoff.