Workflows

Guidelines for using Data Enrichment

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 Introduction
This workflow outlines the steps to effectively enrich the BIM model with data, empowering users to streamline their projects.
BEXEL Data Enrichment Add-in is an add-in for BEXEL Manager designed to enrich certain model elements with new properties or editing
existing ones. This Add-In uses standardized, customizable Excel Templates based on an attribute rule set.

The selection of elements to be enriched with the concrete property value is done based on existing property values. Data enrichment
add-in is great for making a knowledge base for all further projects of the same type.

After finalizing steps bellow you will be able to easily enrich BIM models using templates or customizing them according to specific needs.

• S01_Installation
• S02_Steps for import
• S03_Manage Knowledge Base templates
• S04_Types of templates
• S05_Template overview
• S06_Rules for creating new/modifying existing template.
• S07_Check added properties
• S08_Check enriched elements with Color-coded CBS
• S09_Template customizing
• S10_Tips & Tricks For more Data Enrichment tutorials check links

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 BASIC
S01
Installation
BEXEL Data Enrichment Add-in is installed automatically. Immediately after running BEXEL Manager, the notification about the installation of the
latest versions of BEXEL Manager Add-ins will be shown. After installation confirmation, the latest version of BEXEL Data Enrichment Add-in will be
successfully installed.

Bexel Data Enrichment Add-in could be found inside the Add-Ins tab

BEXEL Data Enrichment Add-in

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 BASIC
S02
Steps for import
To add new properties and property values with Data Enrichment, the following steps should be followed

4
1. Click on Add-In section within the main ribbon at the top of the screen
Click on the Import properties from Excel add-in
After pop-up window is opened:
2. Choose the proper Excel spreadsheet from the Knowledge Base folder
or import custom created one as input for data
3. In pop up window, choose:
• If data enrichment will be performed at all elements or only selected
elements.
• Do you want automatically created Selection set with Data enrichments
results
4. Finish the process by clicking OK.

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 BASIC
S02
Steps for import
Notes
Notes
If the option Create a Section Set
The newly added attributes will be with Data Enrichment results is
visible in the Properties tab when selected, a selection set will be
enriched elements are selected. generated in the Selection Sets
module, named with the property
If new properties are not visible, they name containing elements to
should be enabled in the filter by which Data Enrichment was
clicking on Property → Options and applied
Filters → Check all.

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S03
Manage Knowledge Base templates
To access the folder containing the BEXEL Knowledge Base templates, simply click on the "Manage Template" icon located in the Ribbon.

Notes
For creating a customized template, the recommended
workflow involves copying a template from the Data
Knowledge Base and placing it in the following
directory:

C:\Users[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\BEXEL\
Bexel Manager 23\Custom Templates

and edit it by project needs.

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S04
Types of templates
In the latest version of BEXEL Manager, a range of template types in Knowledge Base is available,
each one strategically aligned with specific Cost Classification recommendations listed below:

Name Source Used Classification Used Depth Level Country of Origin

Data Enrichment Template OmniClass(Same Level) Revit (bx3) OmniClass 4 levels USA

Data Enrichment Template OmniClass_(IFC)_(Same Level) IFC OmniClass 4 Levels USA

Data Enrichment Template_DIN276_Basic Revit (bx3) DIN 276 1 Level Germany

Data Enrichment Template_DIN276_Levels Revit (bx3) DIN 276 3 Levels Germany

Data Enrichment Template_UniClass_Basic Revit (bx3) UniClass 4/5 Levels UK

Data Enrichment Template_UniFormat 2010_Basic Revit (bx3) UniFormat 2010 4 Levels USA

Data Enrichment Template_UniFormat 2010_Basic_(IFC) IFC UniFormat 2010 4 Levels USA

Data Enrichment Template_UniFormat II_Basic Revit (bx3) UniFormat II 4 Levels USA

Data Enrichment Template_UniFormat II_Basic_(IFC) IFC UniFormat II 4 Levels USA

Data Enrichment Template_UniFormat II_Detailed Revit (bx3) UniFormat II 4 Levels USA

Data Enrichment files and recommendation

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 BASIC
S05
Template overview
A sample of the excel file comes with an add-in in the Knowledge Base folder. It should be used as a template,
but custom template can be created based on the specific project needs following the rules on next slides.

Existing template contains four main parts:

1 3
1. Existing property names - property names
already defined in the model and will be used as the
2 4 basis for new data
2. Existing property values - property values already
defined in the model and will be used as the bases
for new data
3. Property definitions to be added or updated;
4. Values for properties to be added or updated.

Example of the Excel worksheet used as the Data Enrichment input (Data Enrichment Template_UniFormat II_Basic)

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S06
Rules for creating new/modifying existing template.

Names for any number of existing properties in the

4th row should be defined

Based on the values of those properties, elements

will be selected for processing. Without defined
names, template is not working.

Desired values should be defined in the

same column that the property is defined
in, starting from the 5th row.

For defining conditions for property values, the

rules from the picture below should be used. Please
note that the symbol \c is required for the case
sensitivity.

Notes
The algorithm assumes that elements having all the
listed properties will be enriched, and if a value is
left empty, it will simply skip that property.
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S06
Rules for creating new/modifying existing template.
Properties that are needed to be added/updated should be
defined starting from the first available column following the
listed existing properties (column E in this case).

The Group Name of the property to be added/updated

should be defined in the first row. (BEXEL Added in this case).

The Type of the property to be added/updated should be

defined in the second row. Supported property types are
Numeric, Length, Area, Volume, Angle, Mass, TimeSpan,
DateTime, Boolean, Color and Text. (Text in this case).

Property Unit to be added/updated should be defined in

the third row (e.g., for Length m, ft, for Area m^2, ft^2,
Volume m^3, ft^3, etc.).This field is not required, it is there
just for information.

The Name of the property to be added/updated should be

defined in the fourth row (Uniformat Assembly Code and
Uniformat Assembly Description in this case).

The Value of the property to be added/updated should be

defined in the same column as desired property, starting
Notes
from the 5th row.
For all numeric types, it's important
to set up the column and all the cells
within it to be of a numeric type
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QUALITY
BASIC
S07
Check added properties- quality control
In order to verify the proper enrichment of specific elements (following the import of a Data Enrichment file), the added property can be searched for within the properties palette.

1. Select elements that you want to check if it is enriched properly

2. Go to Properties palette.
3. Search for added property with clicking on CTRL+F
4. Value of added property is visible.
If you do not see new properties, ensure they are enabled in the
filter by clicking on Property → Options and Filters → Check all.

2 3

4
1

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BASIC
S08
Check enriched elements with CBS - quality control
To ensure clear visual distinctions, it is recommended to create a CBS using a rule based on a new property.
To create CBS based on properties added with Data Enrichment, follow the steps bellow:

Activate the Custom Breakdowns palette on the left side of the screen
1. Click on the arrow beside the New command and choose the Blank Custom Breakdown… option
2. In the Create Custom Breakdown window, define the name of the structure
Under the Type choose option Buildings and check the box in front of all listed buildings in the
project in order to include all model elements.
Click on the Use Selection button
Click on the Add Breakdown Rule and in the drop-down menu choose option Group by Property
3. In listed properties (use search option) choose one that you added with Data Enrichment
template (Uniformat Assembly Code in this case) and click ok
4. When rule is visible, click on it and select Color Coding rule icon
Finish the process by clicking ok.

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BASIC
S08
Check enriched elements with CBS - quality control
Notes

After setting up the CBS, users can see

elements in Perspective Color Coded
View that are color-coded according to
the values of the added property.
All elements can be selected and
isolated within the CBS.

CBS in Perspective Color Coded View

Notes
User can see elements that weren’t
enriched by selecting those with
Undefined value

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 INTERMEDIATE
S09
Template customizing

Notes
If for some rules there are no valid elements applicable to defined
conditions, Excel table can be customized and more columns can be • You can add unlimited numbers of existing property
added to specify more rules according to the project needs names and values that are already defined in BIM
model to trigger specific element

• You can add unlimited numbers of new group

names, property names and values to enrich the
model

• Keep in mind that columns with populated rows 1,2 and 3 are
considered as new properties to be added to the model, and
ones with empty first three columns are existing properties
based on which model will be enriched.
• Be careful to keep existing properties grouped on the left, and
properties to be added on the right side of the sheet.

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S09

basic
Template customizing

Tips and tricks

When enriching models with classification system codes, it is highly
recommended to implement uniform code length for all elements.
For example, if the Uniformat code format is defined as “D + 7
digits," each element in the code should follow this pattern, such as
“D3040300."

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 INTERMEDIATE
S09
Template customizing Notes

If some categories in a BIM model have defined desired values for any
property and some don’t, put those without the values on the top.
The template follows the Last Value rule. On this example:
• if a System group name is not given, it gets Code D3040100;
• if a System group name = Exhaust Air, it gets Code D3040200.
Notes

If model contains elements that have same existing properties but needs different extra properties,
you can use an additional criteria to separate and manage them.
e.g.: with defining Storey elevation criteria, it’s possible to separate same Category by rule bellow:
• Structural Columns that are positioned on -0.1000000 level or above will receive
Uniformat Assembly Code B1010240 and Description Columns - CIP
• Structural Columns that are positioned bellow -0.1000000 level will receive
Uniformat Assembly Code A1020100 and Description Pile Foundations
*Rules explained in S06

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 INTERMEDIATE
S10
Tips & Tricks
1
Tips and tricks

If some of BIM elements doesn’t receive

new property values after data enrichment, 2
additional existing properties should be
found for them in properties window
(System Group Name on this example) and
added to the Data Enrichment template. 3

To find additional existing properties and add them the

Data Enrichment Template, follow the steps bellow: 4
1. Select Category with Undefined Value in CBS
2. Open Property window and find property that is not
existing in Data Enrichment Template. With right click
choose View Values of Property option
3. Copy to Clipboard Property Values
4. Add chosen Property Name to defined place and paste
property Values

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 INTERMEDIATE
S10
Tips & Tricks

Tips and tricks

If we add additional properties in template to
enrich Insulation elements, after importing
customized Data Enrichment file (e.g., with
defined System Group Name property), all
Insulations Category elements will receive
new properties.

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Thank you for attention

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