ReferenceIntermediate16 min

Choose an export format and compatible settings

Compare Prism output formats, plan availability, packaging, coordinate conventions and the most important interoperability limits.

Format matrix

Format table
Format	Best suited to	Minimum plan
IFC4 STEP	Open BIM coordination and structured exchange	Free
OBJ + MTL	Broad mesh exchange with color and opacity	Free
IFC2X3 STEP	Legacy IFC coordination requirements	Core
ifcZIP	Compressed IFC delivery	Core
STL ASCII or binary	3D-print and triangle-only workflows	Core
ifcXML	XML-based IFC interchange	Pro
FBX 7.5	DCC, visualization and real-time import pipelines	Pro
glTF 2.0 or GLB	Web, real-time and portable PBR scenes	Pro
DXF ASCII or binary	CAD-oriented 3D coordination mesh exchange	Pro
OpenUSD	Structured scene composition and USD pipelines	Ultra
3D Tiles 1.1 or 3TZ	Large web/geospatial streaming with BIM feature metadata	Ultra

IFC4 ADD2 TC1 is the default. Use IFC2X3 TC1 only when the receiving requirement explicitly needs the older schema.
IFC4X3 is recognised by the interface but is not supported for export. Selecting it stops the export with an error; Prism does not substitute another schema.
STEP is the most broadly interoperable container. ifcZIP wraps STEP. ifcXML is available when the native path supports the requested scope and does not include STEP-only deep checks.
Set project, site, building, model view, coordinate mode and optional map conversion from Target. Test manual CRS values against a project control point.
The IFC result carries spatial structure, stable identity where available, mapped semantics, selected properties and geometry according to the resolved profile.

Target table
Target	Keep together	Critical checks
OBJ	.obj, sibling .mtl and requested attribute companions	Import unit, up axis, origin, material loading; bitmap textures are not supported in this release.
STL	The .stl and its report	STL is unitless; verify millimetre interpretation, build-volume fit, watertightness and normals.
FBX	The .fbx and requested report/companions	Consumer profile, FBX 7.5 support, origin, instances, hierarchy and material behavior.
glTF	.gltf plus same-base .bin when not using GLB	Metres, right-handed Y-up, origin, hierarchy, optional compression support and metadata privacy.
DXF	The .dxf and requested attribute companions	Receiving-software profile, units, origin, mesh/entity policy, layers and encoding.

OpenUSD writes .usd, .usda or .usdc according to the selected physical encoding and can organize a single layer, source payloads, storeys or a fuller hierarchy.
The current OpenUSD exporter does not support bitmap textures, animation, cameras, lights, physics, volumes, live collaboration or automatic publication to another platform.
3D Tiles defaults to a portable .3tz archive with Web Balanced tiling, local coordinates, public-delivery metadata redaction and validation enabled.
Use projected 3D Tiles only with a verified horizontal EPSG definition, optional vertical CRS, origin and true-north values. Local mode is deliberately not globe-positioned.
3D Tiles exports selectable stable feature identity and optional allowlisted metadata. It does not upload or host the result.

Start with the receiver
Record its supported format version, units, axes, extensions, object limits and metadata behavior.
Choose the closest target profile
Use a target-specific consumer profile when that workspace provides one; otherwise record the current settings. Change advanced values only for a tested requirement.
Export a representative sample
Include repeated geometry, transparency, lines, large coordinates and at least one object from every discipline you need.
Validate in the destination
Check appearance, scale, location, selection identity, hierarchy and properties in the actual receiving version.
Freeze the configuration
Record the accepted settings and report; retest after either application changes version.