What is worksharing?

Worksharing is a work process available in Revit, which allows several team members to work on the same project at the same time. By enabling worksharing, Revit creates a central model from an existing Revit file. The central file stores changes, current worksets and element ownership information by synchronizing to local user files. 

When using the worksharing work method, all team members have to save their own copy of the central model on their local machine. This is called the local file. Cloud services can also be used for storing the central file. Every user will edit the project by accessing their own local file and then synchronizing it to the central model. The central model will hold every changes made through the local files and users can load each others work at any time from the central file.

Worksharing is also available in IMPACT Revit, which enables precast designers to work on their own local IMPACT Revit files, synchronizing to one central file. 

Setting up the server

As the central file needs to be shared with other users, it should be saved into server from where other users can access it. For example, the central file can be saved in a shared folder. All users that are going to participate in the worksharing should be given full read/write access to the shared folder. 

In IMPACT Revit, the user will activate Worksharing in a IMPACT Revit file, which will become the Central file. If other users in you company would like to participate in the worksharing process, then the path for saving IMPACT projects must be modified in Server Connect. That would mean that IMPACT will save the IMPACT projects, i.e. the Central file in a shared folder, where all users, participating in the worksharing  can access it. 

Figure 1 - Edit Server Conner configuration

IMPACT Worksharing features in Revit

IMPACT16 for Revit supports standard Revit Worksharing;

IMPACT16 for Revit supports BIM360 Revit Worksharing. 

• IMPACT will no longer trigger automatic synchronization with the central file after elements have been saved to the database to allow the designer to save time on their project routine. 
• To enable tighter integration within the IMPACT database and BIM360 collaboration tool in Revit, essential IMPACT Project related information will now be stored in the Revit project file. 
• To secure IMPACT database entries, precheck for the "Save Element" command will be performed in collaboration enabled Revit projects. IMPACT will now check if the designer is running the latest local file before attempting to "Save Element" command in IMPACT if the designer runs older version, IMPACT will automatically Reload Latest version and save the element to the IMPACT database. (New feature in 2020 - Q4 Release)