Create Links to Model Objects

Creating links between schedule activities and model objects lets the team see where work is happening in the project.

After you add a model to a schedule, you can create links manually or automatically with autolink or filters. Autolink and filters create links and a rule for the affected activities. Rules persist when the model is updated, and Schedule 4D rechecks the updated model for matching objects and automatically creates links.

See About Links and Rules to learn how different actions affect rules and links.

In this article:

• Limitations
• Create Links Manually
• Autolink - Create a Rule and Links
• Filters - Create a Rule and Links
  • Create rules and links
  • Create links only

Limitations

• You can select up to 10 activities each time you create links manually or with filters.
• You can link a maximum of 10,000 objects per activity.
• A project can have up to 50,000 links between activities and model objects.
• Autolink performs best on schedules with up to 1,500 activities.

Create Links Manually

Manual linking creates links between specific activities and model objects without creating a rule.

1. Select one or more model objects in the viewer, or check one or more activity rows. You can start from either side.

2. Repeat until you've selected the activities and objects you want to link.

3. Click Link in the floating action bar.

   

Autolink - Create a Rule and Links

Autolink matches an activity attribute to a model property, so you can link a large schedule in minutes instead of linking activities one at a time.

Creating links with autolink creates a rule. When the file version updates, objects and activities that match the rule link automatically.

1. Click Autolink in the toolbar.

   

2. Select an activity attribute and a model property.

   

3. Click Match to find objects with matching values. Autolink matches exact values only.

   Note: Select a different activity attribute if the one you selected has no values.

   

4. Review the results.

   

   Select an activity's links to see the matched objects. Activities with no matching objects get no links, but the rule still applies. When the file version updates, any matching objects link automatically.

5. Click Link to create the rule and any matching links.

   Important: Replacing the model deletes all autolink rules, so you need to recreate them for the new model. See About Links and Rules for more details.

Filters - Create a Rule and Links

Use filters in the Model browser to select many filtered objects at once, without selecting each object individually. Creating links this way creates a rule. When the file version updates, objects and activities that match the rule link automatically.

You can use filters to select filtered objects first, then refine the selection by selecting specific objects. Links created this way are manual and have no rule.

Create rules and links

1. Click Model browser in the toolbar.

2. Apply filters to isolate the model objects you want to link.

   

3. Select one or more activity rows.

4. Click Link.

Create links only

1. Click Model browser in the toolbar.

2. Apply filters to isolate the model objects you want to link.

3. Select individual objects to narrow the selection.

4. Select one or more activity rows.

5. Click Link.

   Note: To reset the model to its original view and remove all filters, click the X next to Reset viewing changes and filters.