How do I import a Revit template into a project?

Learn the standard way to use a Revit template by starting a brand-new project file based on your desired template settings and standards.

In Autodesk Revit, you don't typically "import" a template file (.rte) into an already existing project file (.rvt) in the way you might import other file types. Instead, Revit templates are primarily designed to serve as the foundation for creating a new project. When you start a project from a template, all the predefined settings, families, views, and standards contained within that template are loaded into your new project file right from the beginning.

This process is the standard and most common method for utilizing Revit templates to ensure consistency, speed up setup, and maintain company or project standards.

Starting a New Project Using a Revit Template

Based on standard Revit workflows, here is how you initiate a new project using a chosen template file:

1. Open Revit: Launch the Autodesk Revit software on your computer.
2. Start a New Model:
   • Look for the 'Models' section on the Revit Home screen.
   • Click on the New... button located under 'Models'. This action opens the 'New Project' dialog box.
3. Select or Locate Your Template:
   • In the 'New Project' dialog, review the list under 'Template file'. Standard templates included with Revit are usually listed here. Select the desired template from this dropdown list if it's available.
   • Alternatively, if your template is not in the list: Click the Browse... button next to the template file field. Navigate through your computer's folders to find the specific template file (.rte) you wish to use. Select the file and click 'Open'.
4. Confirm Template Selection: Ensure the correct template file name is displayed in the 'Template file' field. Also, confirm that 'Create new' is set to Project (which is the default for this action). Click OK.
5. Revit Creates the Project: Revit will now process the request and open a new, unnamed project file (.rvt). This new file is populated with all the settings, content, and organization defined in the template you selected. You are now working within a new project environment based on that template.
6. Save Your New Project: It is critical to immediately save this newly created file. Go to the File menu, select 'Save As', then 'Project'. Choose a location on your computer or network, give your project a meaningful name (this will create your .rvt file), and click 'Save'. This saves your work as a distinct project file separate from the original template.

By following these steps, you effectively use a Revit template to establish the initial setup and standards for your new project, which is the intended workflow for templates.

What's Inside a Revit Template?

A well-configured Revit template can contain a wide range of elements that define project standards and speed up workflows:

• Project Units: Measurement systems (feet/inches, meters, etc.)
• Object Styles: Line weights, colors, and patterns for model elements.
• Line Styles, Line Patterns, Fill Patterns: Definitions for 2D graphic elements.
• Text Styles, Dimension Styles: Standards for annotations.
• System Families: Pre-defined types for walls, floors, roofs, ducts, pipes, etc.
• Loadable Families: Components like doors, windows, furniture, fixtures, etc., already loaded into the template.
• View Templates: Pre-set configurations for view appearance and visibility settings.
• Schedules and Quantity Take-offs: Pre-defined schedules.
• Sheets: Title blocks loaded and potentially some sheets already set up.
• Starting View: A specific view that opens when the project is first opened.
• Visibility/Graphic Overrides: Default display settings for categories and elements.

Transferring Standards to an Existing Project

While creating a new project from a template is the primary method, if you need to adopt specific settings (like line styles, family types, view templates, etc.) from a template into an already existing project file, you would use the Transfer Project Standards tool. This tool (found on the Manage tab > Settings panel > Transfer Project Standards) allows you to selectively copy various definitions from a source file (which can be a template or another project) into your current project. This is a different operation than starting a new project from a template.

The most straightforward way to incorporate a template's standards into your work is by using it as the base for creating a new project from the start.