Revit Worksharing: 7 steps to sync with the central model

In a Revit project using Worksharing, team members use “Synchronize with Central” to send local changes to the central model and receive updates from other team members. Autodesk’s Revit 2024 Help documentation recommends checking the central model’s location, the elements to relinquish, and the option to save the local file during this process. This guide is based on that documentation and Autodesk’s support article on ownership issues.

What to check before syncing

Before you begin, make sure the central model is in the correct location. Check the location shown when you open the synchronization settings; if necessary, use Browse to specify a different path for the central model. Continuing with the wrong central model path risks sending changes to a project file other than the one you intended.

Autodesk recommends selecting “Save local file before and after synchronizing with central” in the synchronization settings. This option saves the local file both before and after synchronization. If you’re using cloud collaboration, the operation’s progress appears in the status bar.

Sync with the central model: 7 steps

1. Open the synchronization tool. In Revit, start a sync directly via Collaborate tab › Synchronize panel › Synchronize with Central › Synchronize Now. To review the settings first, choose Synchronize and Modify Settings from the same drop-down menu.

2. Verify the central model’s location. Check the central model path in the settings dialog. If you need a different location, use Browse to specify the new path. This helps ensure your changes are sent to the correct central model.

3. Decide whether to reduce the file size. Compact Central Model is available to reduce the file size when saving. Autodesk notes that this option increases save time. Choose between a smaller file and a shorter synchronization time based on your project workflow.

4. Set ownership for modified elements and worksets. Selecting the appropriate boxes under After synchronizing, relinquish the following worksets and elements makes modified worksets and elements available to other users. Leaving the boxes unchecked keeps the relevant elements editable by you after your changes are sent to the central model. Make your selection in line with how work is divided across the team.

5. Add a comment if needed. According to the Revit 2024 documentation, a comment saved to the central model during synchronization can be up to 1000 characters long. You can view these comments later using Show History. Use them to help team members understand the context of a change.

6. Confirm that the local file will be saved. Check that Save local file before and after synchronizing with central is selected. Autodesk recommends this option to keep the local file synchronized with the central model.

7. Confirm the settings and complete the operation. When you click OK in the dialog, local changes are saved to the central model, and changes made by team members are copied to your local model. In a cloud-based workflow, you can monitor progress in the status bar.

Managing ownership and conflicts in a team

When a team member edits an element, they may take ownership of it. According to Autodesk’s support article, if another user tries to modify the same element, the person holding ownership may need to sync their changes to the central model and relinquish ownership. The other team member is then asked to use Reload Latest.

To reduce these issues, team members are advised not to sync at the same time. Simultaneous operations can make synchronization take longer; if people are working on the same model elements, conflicts may need to be resolved before the operation completes. It can also help for each team member to use separate workset views: Autodesk notes that Revit views can also be owned by a specific team member and may not be editable by others until they are relinquished.

If editable elements or worksets remain when a file is closed, Revit may display the Editable Elements dialog. If you don’t need to retain ownership, relinquish them using Relinquish elements and worksets; if you need to keep editing, choose the option to retain ownership.

Common mistakes and their impact on architectural workflows

• Starting syncs at the same time: The operation can take longer, and conflicts may arise on the same elements. Coordinate sync timing across the team.

• Keeping ownership unnecessarily: Elements other users need may remain uneditable. When you’re done, relinquish the relevant elements and worksets.

• Not checking the central model path: Verify the location in the synchronization settings; if you need to connect to a different file, update the path using Browse.

• Overlooking the option to save the local file: Confirm that the recommended option is selected in the synchronization dialog.

These checks can help keep project handoffs organized, especially in teams where architecture, interior design, and other disciplines work together in the same Revit model. Team members taking over the model for visualization also need the latest version; however, the source documents provide no information about render settings, hardware requirements, or licensing terms. For that reason, this guide should be considered limited to model sharing and ownership management.