BoQ Export Help

Setup guidance, workflow instructions, and update notes for Revit users working with TiMBIM BoQ Export.

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Compatibility Notice

If you are using BoQ Export v4.2.1, please update before working in Revit 2025 or 2026

BoQ Export v4.2.1 can produce an error in Revit 2025 and Revit 2026. The latest release is confirmed to work with Revit 2024, Revit 2025, Revit 2026, and Revit 2027.

  • Check which BoQ Export version is installed.
  • If you are on v4.2.1, uninstall it and install the latest release.
  • If the problem continues, contact TiMBIM and include your Revit version, BoQ Export version, and a screenshot of the error.

Before You Start

  • Install the plugin and confirm the BoQ Export command is visible in the TiMBIM ribbon.
  • Open an existing BoQ setup or start a new one from the BillOfQuantities tab.
  • Keep in mind that only leaf chapters retrieve data from the model.
  • Check your custom parameters and units if you are opening an older settings file.

Main Workflow

  1. Open BoQ Export from the TiMBIM ribbon.
  2. Create main chapters and subchapters for the BoQ structure.
  3. Select a leaf chapter and choose the measurement type.
  4. Add one or more measurement groups, including measurement expression, grouping expression, and filters.
  5. Optionally add a post-total formula when the final chapter quantity should be calculated after summing the measured values.
  6. Configure units and chapter numbering in the Settings and Units tabs.
  7. Open Export (Preview), choose the scope, and select the chapter you want to verify.
  8. Review the preview tree and included elements before exporting.
  9. Export the checked chapters to Excel, JSON, or CSV.

Unit Settings

  • Open the Units tab to configure display units and rounding for each measurement type.
  • Set the display unit for Length, Area, Volume, Mass, Time, Count and any other supported measurement types.
  • Set the rounding increment so exported values follow the required project convention.
  • Unit settings are saved together with the BoQ setup, so different projects can use different output conventions.

Chapter Numbering

  • Open the Settings tab to define chapter numbering per level and choose the delimiter.
  • Use numeric starts, alphabetic starts, or explicit comma-separated sequences depending on the required specification.
  • In the BillOfQuantities tab, you can edit the selected chapter number directly.
  • Only the last numbering segment is overridden. The following sibling chapters are renumbered from that point onward.
  • Invalid backward numbering is blocked so duplicate or regressing chapter codes are avoided.

Custom Parameters

  • Use the Custom Parameters area in Settings to add project-specific or company-specific parameters that are not available by default.
  • Enter the parameter name and type so it becomes available in measurement expressions, grouping expressions, and filters.
  • These parameters can then be used for filtering, grouping and result structuring in the BoQ setup.
  • Review custom parameters when opening older setup files to make sure the expected names and types are still correct.

Starting a BoQ Setup

  • Add main chapters from the Edit menu or with the keyboard shortcut.
  • Select a chapter to rename it and edit its details on the right.
  • Add subchapters beneath the selected chapter when you need more structure.
  • Only leaf chapters should contain measurement groups and filters for retrieving model data.
  • Create separate measurement groups when different element sets need different filters, measurement expressions, or grouping logic.
  • Use a chapter-level post-total formula when the final result must be calculated from the summed total, for example pipe lengths divided by a stock length.
  • Use the delete action to remove obsolete measurement groups or filter rows quickly.

Measurement Expressions and Post-Total Formulas

Measurement expressions let you calculate the base quantity directly in each measurement group. Post-total formulas then let you transform the summed result for a chapter or group, which is ideal for cases such as converting total pipe length into the number of 3 m stock pipes.

How It Works

  • Measurement Expression: calculates the base value per element or per row.
  • Post-Total Formula: runs after the measured values have been summed.
  • Total: use this special variable inside the post-total formula to refer to the summed result.
  • Use the post-total formula when the final quantity should be calculated on the total instead of on each element separately.

Pipe Example

For stock pipes, use a measurement expression such as Length and a post-total formula such as Ceil(Total / 3).

This first sums the full pipe length and only then rounds up to the number of stock lengths required.

Example: if the total length is 17.2, the result becomes Ceil(17.2 / 3), so you need 6 pipes.

Function Reference

Parameters and numbers: you can use any available parameter name and numeric values directly in the expression.

Operators: +, -, *, /, ^. Example: (ParameterA + ParameterB) / 2

Rounding: Round(value, increment), RoundUp(value, increment), RoundDown(value, increment), Ceil(value), Ceiling(value), Floor(value). Example: RoundUp(Total, 0.5)

Math: Abs(value), Min(a, b), Max(a, b), Sqrt(value), Pow(value, exponent). Example: Pow(ParameterA, 2)

Text: Upper(text), Lower(text), Trim(text), Split(text, delimiter, index), Before(text, delimiter), After(text, delimiter), ExtractNumber(text). Example: ExtractNumber(Type Name)

Range: Range(value, step) or Range(value, step, mode) with InclusiveLower, InclusiveUpper, and UpTo. Example: Range(ParameterA, 100, "InclusiveUpper")

Case-insensitive: function names are not case-sensitive, so Sqrt(25) and sqrt(25) both work.

Examples

  • Simple conversion: Length / 3
  • Total-based stock count: Ceil(Total / 3)
  • Square root: Sqrt(25) returns 5
  • Power function: Pow(5, 2) returns 25
  • Power operator: 5 ^ 2 returns 25
  • Absolute value: Abs(-5) returns 5
  • Custom combined expression: RoundUp((ParameterA + ParameterB) / 3, 0.5)
  • Waste after total: Total * 1.12

Preview

  • Open the Export (Preview) tab and choose the desired scope: Selection, Active View, or Model.
  • Select a leaf chapter to preview only that chapter’s result.
  • Review the grouped result tree and the included elements before export.
  • For Model scope, the app uses a dedicated preview view for chapter highlighting.
  • For Active View scope, temporary highlighting is applied only in the current view.
  • For Selection scope, no graphical override is applied.

Write-Back to Parameter

  • In Settings, open the Chapter Write-Back area.
  • Enable write-back when you want export to write chapter data back into a Revit instance parameter.
  • Choose the target parameter and optionally let the app create it if it does not exist yet.
  • Select a preset such as Chapter Number, Chapter Name, Chapter Number - Name, or ClassificationCode.
  • For IFC-oriented workflows, use a parameter such as ClassificationCode and a format like [ClassificationName] Code:Description.

New Features

  • Modeless window: keep BoQ Export open while checking the model in Revit.
  • Model scope preview: use the dedicated preview view for full-model checking.
  • Active view preview: use temporary highlighting only in the current view.
  • Selection scope: preview results without graphical overrides.
  • Measurement expressions: calculate quantities with formulas instead of being limited to a single parameter and factor.
  • Post-total formulas: apply logic such as Ceil(Total / 3) after the measured values have been summed.
  • Expanded math support: use functions such as Sqrt, Pow, Abs, and the power operator ^.
  • Text filter fixes: text operators such as Contains now behave correctly even when the value looks numeric.
  • Delete actions: remove groups and filters directly from the UI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Revit versions are supported?

The latest BoQ Export release supports Revit 2024, Revit 2025, Revit 2026, and Revit 2027. BoQ Export v4.2.1 however has a known issue in Revit 2025 and Revit 2026, so please use the latest release instead.

Can I reuse my BoQ setups across projects?

Yes. BoQ setups can be saved and reopened, including chapter structure, numbering settings, units, custom parameters, and newer write-back settings.

What is the easiest way to verify a chapter before export?

Go to Export (Preview), select the appropriate scope, and then select the leaf chapter. Review the preview tree and use the Revit highlight to confirm the included elements.

How do I calculate the number of 3 m pipes instead of total length?

Use a measurement expression such as Length and a post-total formula such as Ceil(Total / 3). This sums the full length first and then converts it into the number of 3 m pipes needed.

Does the chapter highlight affect all results at once?

No. Highlighting is applied only to the currently selected chapter so the check remains readable and focused.

Can I change chapter numbers manually?

Yes. The selected chapter number can be overridden locally in the BillOfQuantities tab. The override is validated against the numbering pattern and later sibling chapters renumber from that point.

How does write-back behave if an element belongs to more than one chapter?

The last processed chapter wins. This keeps the behavior simple and predictable during export.

Support Checklist

  • Revit version
  • BoQ Export version
  • Short problem description
  • Screenshots if available
  • BoQ setup file if relevant

Recommended First Checks

  • Confirm the selected chapter is a leaf chapter.
  • Check the chosen preview scope.
  • Review filters and measurement groups for the chapter.
  • Verify custom parameters and unit settings after opening older files.
  • Use preview before exporting the full checked set.