How to Create Room Data Sheets in Revit
Room data sheets (RDS) are used to convey the requirements of the client for a specific space to the design team and are usually created during the briefing or architectural planning stages. The information they provide can include general requirements and guidance notes as well as detailed specifications for fixtures, finishes, (F&F) and mechanical and electrical equipment.
The information is typically presented on a single sheet for each room (hence the name) but, depending on the scope, it may be spread over more than one sheet. The sheets are usually provided to contractors with specifications and drawings.
There are a variety of software programs which can assist you in creating RDSs. Some are designed to connect to Revit models to ensure that the model’s contents and the room data sheet correspond. This makes the document easier to manage and eliminates duplicate entries in both.
Layer is a highly efficient management tool for room data. It has an easy-to-use interface to capture room data and produces multiple sheets for each type of space. It can also backfill existing Revit projects with room types and create custom reports. Layer also permits users to define naming conventions and views on sheets and alter properties like scale, browser organization and naming.
The Layouts panel allows you to manage the layout of views on a page including margin values and the position of the titleblock. The option of excluding view titles from estimating the size of the sheet’s overall view can also be turned on. This will stop titles from appearing in multiple views on the sheet. It can also allow for more elevation views to be created on a single sheet.