Overview

IFC-based data exchanges enable the sharing of specific subsets of openBIM projects as granular data. This data can be easily loaded into other connectors, such as Power BI and Revit. These Data Exchanges can be easily created from IFC files uploaded to Autodesk Docs.

Sign Up for the Data Exchange IFC Connector Public Beta

You can join the Data Exchange IFC Connector Public Beta through our Feedback Community. To participate, you need to create a dedicated project specifically for the creation of IFC-based Data Exchanges. This process requires different handling of IFC files in the background, which may interfere with other ACC processes such as version comparison, issues, or design collaboration. Therefore, this feature cannot be enabled in active projects. However, using ACC Bridge, you can easily share the Data Exchanges created in this dedicated project.

To join the public beta, follow these steps:

1. Create a dedicated project in your ACC Hub exclusively to create data exchanges of IFC files. Do not upload any IFC files until we confirm your successful enrollment in the Beta.

2. Apply to join the IFC Beta through the provided link and submit your project ID as requested.

3. You will receive a confirmation from us within 24 hours, after which you can start uploading your IFC files and creating Data Exchanges.

   Note: Data Exchanges should be created on newly uploaded IFC files to ensure correct processing. IFC files used to create Data Exchanges should not be copied versions created by manual copying from other ACC folders or by using ACC Bridge.

Share Data Exchanges through ACC Bridge

To use Data Exchanges created in the dedicated Beta project with other projects, please follow these steps:

1. In the IFC Beta project on ACC, select the folder containing your Data Exchange. Click on the three dots next to it and choose Share from the context menu.

2. In the Share dialog box, select the option to share this folder with Another Project and enable Automatically sync updates to target project. This ensures that any updates to your Data Exchange will also be propagated to the target projects.

3. Finally, give your folder a name and select the target project.

   

By following these steps, you can efficiently share Data Exchanges across different projects using ACC Bridge.

More information about Data Exchange support for ACC Bridge can be found in this blogpost and video.

Create IFC-based Data Exchanges on ACC

To create a data exchange from IFC files (IFC 2x3, IFC 4, IFC 4.3) ACC, follow these steps:

1. Once you receive confirmation that your project has been added to the Data Exchange IFC Connector Public Beta, upload an IFC file.

2. After the file has been processed, select the IFC file and open it in the viewer. In the viewer, select the Data Exchange tab.

   

3. Use the filters to define which elements should be included in the data exchange. The predefined filters include IFC Class, IFC Type, and IFC Name. You can add other properties by clicking on Edit filters. To export the entire IFC file, open the first filter for IFC Class and choose Select all.

4. Select Create Data Exchange.

   

5. In the pop-up dialog, specify the location where you would like to save this exchange. You can also update the name of the exchange according to standard naming conventions and select a dedicated folder in the same ACC Project before clicking Create Exchange.

   

6. After the exchange is created, it will be available in the specified folder. Whenever the source IFC file is updated to a new version, the Data Exchange will update automatically.

   

By following these steps, you can efficiently create and manage Data Exchanges from IFC files in ACC.

Load IFC-based Data Exchanges

A Data Exchange is a neutral data format that can be loaded into applications equipped with a Data Exchange connector.

As part of the beta program, the following connectors have been optimized for IFC-based data exchanges. While you can load IFC-based data exchanges with other connectors, there may be some limitations, particularly regarding the available properties.

• Microsoft Power BI

  You can retrieve data from Data Exchanges and feed it into Microsoft Power BI to create comprehensive reports and dashboards. This capability allows you to access detailed exchange data for generating custom reports tailored to specific audiences. For more information, see Data Connector for Power BI - Load Data Exchanges.

  

• Revit

  The Autodesk® Revit® 2024 and 2025 Connectors facilitate seamless sharing of design data across various applications, eliminating the need to import and export entire models. These connectors enable collaborative workflows by exchanging object-level design data with both Autodesk and non-Autodesk applications. For more information, see Revit Connector - Load and Unload Data Exchanges.

  

GraphQL Queries for IFC-Based Exchanges

Apart from using the IFC connector to create and load IFC-based exchanges, you can also utilize the Data Exchange GraphQL API to create and retrieve (load) IFC-based data exchanges.

The Data Exchange GraphQL API provides a powerful way to access and retrieve Data Exchanges stored on ACC. With this API, you can read the data of various exchange elements and properties, and apply filters to customize the results to suit your specific requirements.

For detailed guidance and examples on how to use the GraphQL API, refer to the Data Exchange GraphQL documentation.

To explore and run queries, you can use a range of GraphQL tools. While our custom Data Exchange Explorer is the recommended tool, you’re also free to use other compatible tools like Postman, Insomnia, or any application that supports GraphQL queries.

We offer detailed tutorials on how to create and retrieve IFC-based data exchanges using GraphQL API. For more information, check out the following resources:

• Create an Exchange Using IFC Filters.
• Retrieve Windows from IFC Exchange.
• Retrieve Fixed Windows of a Specific Type from IFC Exchange

Known Limitations

Following are some of the known limitations of the IFC connector.

• Viewing Issues in ACC Viewer

  The viewable content shown in ACC Viewer may not always be accurate due to the inherent limitations of the viewer. For instance, certain elements such as IfcSpace, IfcOpeningElement, and IfcGrid may not be visible in ACC, even though they exist in the exchange. Consequently, there may be discrepancies between the view shown in ACC and the corresponding view of the exchange. For a more accurate comparison, it is recommended to use any external IFC viewer available online, such as Open IFC Viewer.

• Missing Geometries and Property Display Issues

  There may be instances where certain geometries, like void elements, are missing in the exchange.

  Revit 2023/2024/2025

  • Revit 2023/2024: IFC-related properties are not supported when loading IFC-based exchanges into Revit 2023/2024 using Revit Connector. Additionally, geometry appears as a single block in Revit 2023.

  • Revit 2025: Most properties are displayed, but there can be instances of missing properties when loading IFC-based exchanges. Issues with Opaque/Solid Blocks When IFC-based exchanges are loaded into Inventor, Rhino, Tekla, and other software through their corresponding connectors, there might be cases where geometries appear as solid or opaque blocks, potentially hiding actual geometries beneath.

• Issues with Filtering/Subset

  While creating an IFC exchange using filters on ACC, some "IFC Class" selections may not show the corresponding geometry in ACC Viewer. Although an exchange can still be created, ACC Viewer will not display the viewable. This behaviour is specific to the IFC file.

• Issues with Opaque/Solid Blocks

  When IFC-based exchanges are loaded into Inventor, Rhino, Tekla, and other software through their corresponding connectors, there might be cases where geometries appear as solid or opaque blocks, potentially hiding actual geometries beneath.