Uploading documents
When uploading documents, BIMcollab requires document details, which can be filled in automatically using a special upload list. This is especially useful for large batches of files. The upload list links each file name to its document details, ensuring consistent and accurate information. By uploading the list along with the files, the details are copied automatically. With a document naming convention (DNC) active, the Document Name is generated from that details (metadata).
Create upload list
Most drawing and modelling software allows you to export data from a drawing’s title block directly into an Excel file. You can then use this data to fill in the BIMcollab upload list. Setting this up may take some effort, but it saves time when uploading files and ensures the document info in BIMcollab matches the drawing exactly, while also eliminating typos.
You can select one of the options below to make use of our upload list, which is available in different languages:
To create an upload list, follow the steps below:
Step 1:
Open the Excel file you have downloaded. The sheet is arranged in four main categories: Document Name (1), File Name (2), Document Details (3), and Version Details (4).
Step 2:
In column A, enter the document name that will be used for this file in BIMcollab. Note that if a document naming convention has been enabled for your project, it should be followed. If you have not filled in the Document Name or it is not compliant with the DNC that is active, the Document Name in the upload list will be discarded and the name will be automatically generated. Only the free field part of the Document Name in the upload list will be copied in this case. BIMcollab will notify you when this happens.
Step 3:
In column B, fill in the name of the document to be uploaded, including its extension. See in the image below: "test.pdf" where ".pdf" is the file extension.
The file name is only used to find the right row in the Excel. Metadata is not taken from it.
Step 4:
In columns C-L, fill in the required document details including the Spatial Structure, Document Type, Discipline, Author, Document Date, Descriptions 1-3, Labels, and Work package codes.
If the required metadata is missing or doesn’t match BIMcollab, those fields aren’t filled while uploading. With a DNC active, the Document Name can’t be finalised until the metadata is known. BIMcollab doesn’t fall back to the name in column A.
Step 5:
In columns M-S, fill in the version details which include the Version number, Version Date, Status, Version Description, Scale, Paper Size, and Attachments. Fields with an asterisk in the upload list should be filled in; alternatively, they can be filled while the document is still in the Drafts tab or via the edit drawer. For a next version, only the version fields (number, date, status, etc.) are used. Document-level metadata from the list does not overwrite the existing document.
The Game Rules
Using a document list comes with specific rules. This ensures BIMcollab reads the Excel file only as an upload list, not as a document to be stored. The list should be updated for each new file version and always uploaded together with the corresponding documents. If it meets the requirements below, BIMcollab will process it correctly:
The file name of the upload list contains the word “upload list”. Text may be placed in the front or at the end.
The file extension is .xlsx .
Use the same column names as in the template.
These column names must always be on the 4th line of the Excel file.
The order of the columns does not matter, so this may be adjusted compared to the example.
Lines 1 to 3 are not read, project data, logos, or own explanations may be placed here.
Each line with a document name is considered a file. So do not place subheadings in the lines.
The file name column must also contain the file extension, for example: drawing.pdf .
The contents of cells must be an exact match with the metadata set on BIMcollab.
Next versions keep the existing document identity and metadata. Whether an upload counts as a new document or a new version depends only on the Document Name.
BIMcollab looks up the file names in the upload list when uploading. Only the files that are uploaded together with the upload list are read. The upload list may therefore contain additional lines for other files, but these will not be read. BIMcollab reports files that have not been found.
The upload list may contain additional information and can be formatted with, for example, colors and subheadings. Make sure that this information is always in its own column, which is not read by BIMcollab.
Upload with upload list
📝 Note: This flow applies to the Advanced upload document setting. Uploaded documents are first saved as drafts, so you can review them before sharing.
To upload your documents with an upload list, follow the steps below:
Step 1:
Select the level you want to save your documents on (location, project or project phase). Go to the Documents page and click Add to project. Depending on the level you selected, this button may say Add to location or Add to project phase. Then select Upload list.
💡 Tip: You can’t drag and drop an upload list into the Drafts table. Always use the “Upload list” option to upload documents with an upload list.
Step 2:
Drag and drop, or choose the file(s) together with the upload list to be uploaded and click Upload.
Step 3:
Review the notifications, if any. BIMcollab tells you when:
A file is not found in the upload list.
A Document Name in the upload list doesn’t match its metadata. When a document naming convention is active, BIMcollab ignores the name in the list and builds the Document Name from the metadata instead.
Required metadata is missing or doesn’t match the values set in BIMcollab.
Step 4:
Go to the Drafts tab. Your uploaded files are listed there as drafts, with the metadata from the upload list already filled in. In the Drafts tab you can add columns, search, edit and delete drafts.
Step 5:
Review and complete the metadata. Fields with an asterisk (*) are mandatory. If they weren’t filled in through the upload list, add them manually:
One document: open the draft to edit it.
Multiple documents: select the drafts and edit them together. Fields with different values show “Multiple values”.
📝 Note: You can’t edit multiple documents together if:
you don’t have permission to edit one or more of the selected documents.
your selection mixes project documents and project phase documents.
one or more of the selected documents are frozen.
If more than one of these applies, only the first reason in this list is shown.
Step 6:
Select the drafts you want to share and click Share.
⚠️ Attention: If any selected draft has an error, none of the selection can be shared. Deselect the drafts with errors to share the rest.
Step 7:
Your documents now appear in the Shared tab.
Placeholder Upload List
When uploading documents to BIMcollab, you can also use placeholders as temporary stand-ins for documents you’ll upload later.
You can create placeholders in bulk through an upload list. Follow the same steps and game rules as above, but upload only the upload list, without any files. Each row in the list becomes a placeholder for a future file
❗ Warning: When creating the upload list, the metadata fields related to the latest version should be left blank, since this information cannot be predicted in advance. All of the light blue columns in the Excel list, including the File Data, Document Date and all Version Details fields should be left blank. These will be added when the actual models are uploaded as well.