Explore the sample keynote text file, and add an entry for a category that you need for your model.
This video demonstrates the following:
Revit uses keynote text files to associate a keynote value with an element in your model.
The Keynotes dialog displays the text file used for keynoting in a tree structure, and you can navigate to the location and assign the keynote. To make changes to the tree structure, you need to edit the keynote text file associated with the model.
First, locate the text file being used for keynoting. On the Annotate tab, use the drop-down arrow under Keynote and select Keynote Settings. The location of the text file is displayed at the top of the dialog. The path can be "absolute", so the location specified must match exactly. When the path is "relative", the keynoting file can be located anywhere on the network, but must reside in the same folder as the model file. "At Library Locations" is the default location for keynoting files. Make a note of the path or copy it to the clipboard for use later.
The keynoting file path settings in Revit are model-specific, but all projects pathed to the same keynoting file will include any changes. The keynoting file is a tab-delimited text file and must be edited with a text editor such as Notepad or in a spreadsheet tool like Excel.
In this example, the edits are made using Excel because it is easier to read the formatting of the file. Open the file from Excel and follow the default prompts to open the tab-delimited file. Make adjustments in Excel to make the fields more readable.
The first column represents the number used for the keynote. The second column is the text description of the keynote. The third column is used to control the nesting of the row when displayed in the tree view in Revit. The main headings of the keynote are listed first and have no value for the nesting control. Sub-categories are listed together with the nesting control value referencing to the main heading.
Individual items in a sub-category are listed after all of the sub-categories for a heading, and have a nesting control referencing to the appropriate sub-category. For example, you can add an entry for a pre-fabricated freezer wall panel.
This keynote is part of Division 13 - Special Construction, so you do not need to add a heading. You will need to add a sub-category and an individual item for the freezer panel.
In the Excel spreadsheet, locate the sub-categories for Division 13. Insert a row and add a sub-category 13038, Cold Storage, Insulated/Wine Rooms. Make sure to add the nesting key of 13000 so it will be positioned correctly in the file. Below all of the division 13 sub-categories, insert the item 13038.A1 Pre-Fabricated freezer wall panel, and add the nesting key of 13038. Save and close the Excel file.
Now in Revit, reload the keynoting file and click View. Navigate the tree structure to see the change. You can also use controls here to browse to a different keynoting file. This may be useful if you have more than one keynoting standard in your office.
Use this technique to alter the sample keynoting files included with Revit, or create your own custom keynoting files.