Prepare the file and its context
Keep the original delivery unchanged and work from a review copy. Record the sender, date, revision, file size and intended use. If the package includes a manifest or checksum, compare it after download so a partial transfer does not become an apparent modelling problem.
- Confirm that the file is the intended revision and that you have permission to access it.
- If the delivery is an archive, extract it using your organization's approved tools. Renaming a file extension does not convert its contents.
- Keep the sender's coordinate notes, issue list and delivery report beside the model.
- Before using a web viewer, confirm that uploading this project's information is permitted. Use an approved local application when the model must stay on the workstation.
Select an application for the required workflow
Match the application's documented importer support to the supplied IFC schema. A general claim of IFC support does not establish compatibility with every release or representation. Use the official schema directory to identify the version, then check the publisher's documentation for your installed application.
| Your task | Capabilities to confirm |
|---|---|
| Review model content | Object selection, model tree, property inspection, measurement and sectioning. |
| Coordinate disciplines | Multiple model loading, controlled transforms and issue references. |
| Check a delivery | Validation reports and support for the project's information requirements. |
| Edit the model | Explicit IFC authoring support and a tested save/export workflow. |
Obtain software through the publisher or your IT team's approved distribution channel. Check operating-system requirements and available memory. Avoid choosing a tool solely because it previews the file in a browser; the review may also require precise measurements and searchable properties.
Official references
Open and inspect in six steps
Start an empty review session
Use the application's documented IFC open or import command. Record any unit, origin or geometry options you change.
Read the import messages
Save warnings about unsupported content, missing references or geometry failures. A completed import can still be incomplete.
Find the model
Use fit-to-model and inspect the model tree. Clear hide/isolate states and section planes if the view appears empty.
Check scale and orientation
Measure a known length, inspect a vertical element and compare a documented control point.
Inspect representative objects
Review at least one item from each required discipline or category. Include properties, openings and a difficult geometric example.
Record the result
Save the application version, import settings, issues and review status. Keep acceptance separate from the fact that the file opened.
Diagnose common problems
| Symptom | Check first | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| File is rejected | Schema support and transfer completeness | Compare the delivered file size or checksum; ask for the export log and a compatible sample. |
| Tree exists, view is blank | Hidden objects, clipping and camera extent | Reset the review view and select a known item from the tree. |
| Model is too large or small | Declared units and import override | Measure a known dimension before changing scale. |
| Parts are missing | Import warnings and agreed export scope | Compare affected identifiers with the sender. |
| Properties seem absent | Selected object, type properties and inspector filters | Ask for one expected property and its exact location. |
| Loading is slow | Model complexity and available memory | Try an agreed smaller sample and capture the importer log. |