Revit template choices set the tone for every AEC project. Tight schedules, local standards, and ever-evolving BIM content demand a starting point that just works, whether you are coordinating clash detection on a city tower or updating Revit models for a regional school.
A solid template saves you time and effort by storing important settings, designs, and layouts. This allows your team to follow a well-trodden path and avoid having to create a new one every time.
At Interscale, we build and refine Revit templates for practices across Australia. So we’ve seen the headaches caused by ad-hoc setups.
But don’t worry. In the next few minutes, you’ll learn exactly what goes into an effective template and what flavours exist. Also, you can see how to craft one that matches your workflow and where to download Revit template resources that already speak the local dialect.
What is a Revit Template?
A Revit template (.rte file) is the starting line for any new Revit project (.rvt). It’s like a pre-set blueprint that keeps things consistent from the get-go. Unlike a project file, a template won’t let you accidentally overwrite it.
You can still save prompts for a new file name or keep your BIM content safe. For additional perspective, ideally, in Australia AEC scenes, a well-crafted Revit project template aligns with local practices.
The main benefits of the Revit template is to lock in standards, such as units, line styles, view scales, and maybe some basic Revit content like families. This saves hours of setup, update, cuts down on errors, and ensures everyone’s on the same page.
Types of Revit Template Files and Components
Now, while we often just say Revit template, the Revit ecosystem uses several template components to manage standards effectively. Here’s the breakdown:
- Project Templates (.rte): The big one. This Revit project template sets up your entire project environment. From views, schedules, sheets, to families, like walls or doors. It’s the core of consistent BIM content delivery.
- Family Templates (.rft): These kickstart Revit family template creation for components like windows or furniture (.rfa files). An RFT is the skeleton; an RFA is the finished, loadable piece. Using the right Revit family template ensures your custom families play nice in projects.
- Title Block Templates (.rfa): Not true templates but annotation families for sheet layouts. A revit title block template includes your logo and project fields, pre-loaded into your .rte for seamless documentation.
- View Templates: Saved settings within an .rte, controlling how plans or sections look, the scale, visibility, and filters. They standardise your drawings fast, keeping the architectural design consistent.
- Annotation Families: Tags, symbols, and text styles pre-set in your .rte. These annotations are usually set up and saved within the main project template (.rte), so they’re ready to go.
How to Create a Custom Revit Template
Building a Revit template involves either starting fresh or refining an existing project.
Fresh Build
Start from scratch with File > New > Project, selecting ‘None’ as the template. Set units to millimetres and tweak line weights to match AS 1100 standards. Add your company info for consistency. Load only must-have families—think basic walls, doors, windows—to keep things snappy.
Next, bring in your polished Revit title block template, then set up working, documentation, and coordination views. Lock their appearance with view templates for quick reuse. Finally, pick a lightweight drafting view as the starting screen to ensure fast project loading.
Refine an Existing Project
Open a solid .rvt file, detaching it if it’s a central model. Strip out project-specific geometry (walls, floors, etc.), purge unused families, and rename generic views for clarity. Confirm the file links to your latest Revit content libraries. Save it as a new .rte via File > Save As > Template.
Whichever route you choose, keep it lean—too much clutter slows things down. Document naming conventions upfront and schedule a yearly update Revit review to refresh tags, settings, and graphics.
A clean template also sharpens Revit clash detection, as tidy categories and view filters spot issues early, cutting rework. Your Revit project template should always speed you up, never hold you back.
Or, if you would like to understand Revit in more depth, you can read this Revit learning guide.
Where to Find Revit template?
- Default Revit Location: Check: C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT ####\Templates\ for core templates. For Revit template Australia content, peek in the English\Australia subfolder. Revit family templates (.rft) live in C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT ####\FamilyTemplates. ProgramData might be hidden, so toggle that in Windows. If that Australia subfolder is missing, log in to Autodesk Account, select download Revit template content packs, and run the installer.
- Autodesk Content Packs: Download Revit template packs from your Autodesk Account or content pages. Australian-specific Revit content often needs a separate install and update, so double-check it lands in the right spot.
- Online BIM Libraries: Sites like BIMobject, ARCAT, and BIMsmith host heaps of BIM content, mostly families. Always verify they meet Australian standards before using.
- Manufacturer Websites: Great for product-specific .rfa files, but they won’t have project templates.
- Third-Party Sources: Marketplaces or consultants offer templates, but vet them for quality and local fit. Many firms build their own over time.
Use Custom Revit Templates to Increase Efficiency
One of the biggest problems when creating Revit templates is time. Creating just one template is already quite time consuming, imagine if you need a lot of them.
Custom Revit template services like those provided by Interscale can be a solution to increase efficiency and speed up project work.
Our template is tailored to Australian firms’ needs. We ensure compliance with Australia’s local standards and seamless workflows. Take advantage of our special offer and book a free consultation with our Revit experts today.
Your Next Step
A well-executed Revit template gives your team a running start on every model while upholding Australian standards. If your current setup feels cobbled together or you’d simply rather focus on design than template maintenance, our Interscale specialists are ready to help.
At Interscale, we know refining a Revit template isn’t always straightforward, especially with tight deadlines. That’s why we’re offering a special deal for Australian firms to get their templates spot-on.
