Navisworks Quantification Advanced Catalog Options

This is a continuation of the previous Quantification tutorial. The topics in here are somewhat nerdy in nature and will hopefully work for you. Some of the things done in this tutorial, if done incorrectly, may render Navisworks inoperable. Proceed at your own risk.

To limit the risk, please make backup copies of the XML file prior to editing them, so if needed, you can return Navisworks back to working state.

Catalog Excel Template

A catalog is an organizational structure that can be used inside of Navisworks to organize the takeoff. The CSI MasterFormat structure is available in the 16 and 48 divisions. Uniformat is also available. The default catalogs consist of the main divisions only. If you would like to add more depth to the structure or create your own structure, it may be easier to do this using the Excel Template.

If you would like to use Excel to build your catalog for Naviswork Quantification 2015 you can. The template can be found at:

As you open the document in Excel, Editing should be Enabled as well as Macros.

When all the changes have been made to the catalog, go to the ADD.INS ribbon and select . Browse the location you would like to save the catalog and select Save.

Creating Custom Data fields in Quantification workbook

This portion of the tutorial should only be attempted by those who are comfortable editing XML. If you are not, you may want to skip this section.

To create custom data fields in Quantification an XML file needs to be edited. An easy way to edit XML files is to use a program like NotePad ++ ( If you do not already have an editor installed, you can download and install NotePad ++ to accomplish the instructions below.

Navisworks should be closed while you are editing the XML file.

The file that is going to be edited is located at:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2015\Quantification\templates (The location could be different on your computer).

Before editing the file make a backup copy of the file TakeoffConfigurationTemplate.xml. Copy and paste the file in the same folder. When you paste the file, the name will be something like, TakeoffConfigurationTemplate - Copy.xml. Change the extension to .xmlorg or something like that. The reason to change the extension is to eliminate the possibility of Navisworks reading the wrong file. Also, if for some reason the XML gets messed up, there is a starting point to go back to. If something does get messed up in the XML file, delete the file that is being edited and rename the backup file to the original name.

Text Fields

The easiest way to create another data field in quantification is to find a similar field, duplicate the code in the file and change the name of the copied text. In this tutorial, the Description1 will be duplicated to create a LOD field.

Copy and paste the text below.

And then pasted to look like this:

And change it to

Repeating the same copy, paste and renaming process as above to the following locations below

And again

When a new project is created in Navisworks, an LOD field is now available to enter information in with each object on the Quantification Workbook. If you plan on using the new field with a catalog that has been exported, an additional step needs to be taken. This step is outlined below under the heading of Prepping Catalog to be used on a New Project.

Numeric Input Fields

I’m going to make a field named Height2. The Height2 field will be mapped to Unconnected Height, which is the same height as the Height field. However, sometimes the height of Gypsum board will be different than the height of the painting, so if needed, I can override the Height of the painting. This will allow me to generate 2 different areas based upon the same length with different heights. The Numeric Calculation section below, describes how to create an additional Area2 field for the second area calculation. I don’t know that this is the right workflow, but it is great to have the ability to customize the fields and play around with finding the right workflow.

Make a backup copy of the file

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2015\Quantification\templates\TakeoffConfigurationTemplate.xml

Edit the following file

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2015\Quantification\templates\TakeoffConfigurationTemplate.xml

3.In the <GlobalConfiguration> node add a new node like this. Replace Area2 with whatever you want to call the property throughout.

<Type>Number</Type>

<Purpose>Input</Purpose>

<Formula</Formula>

</Column>

4.Add a reference in <Table Name=“ObjectResource“> and <Table Name=“Object“>

5.Restart Navisworks

Remember that this template is only used when creating new projects, so it will not added to properties in existing projects.

Numeric Calculation Fields

This section creates the Area2 field that is described above. Once the field is created, then in Quantification, a custom formula can be created which will allow for multiple areas to be calculated from the same length.

If the Purpose is Input you can only map data to it, and use it downstream.

If you want to calculate things with the field, the Purpose needs to be set to Rollup and placed in different areas.

1.Globalconfiguration node

<Type>Number</Type>

<Purpose>RollUp</Purpose>

</Column>

2.Reference it as follows in the following sections

a. <Table Name="ObjectResource">

b. <Table Name="Object">

c. <Table Name="Resource">

d. <Table Name="Item">

e.Reference to be added to these tables:

<Purpose>Calculation</Purpose>

</ColumnRef>

Exporting a Catalog

If you have been using a catalog in Navisworks and have made customizations to the catalog that you would like to reuse the changes to the catalog, you can export the catalog by doing the following:

On the Quantification Workbook, at the top right of the window, select Import/Export Catalogs and export Quantities tool.

Then select Export Catalog to XML.

Browse to the location that you would like to save the catalog and save the catalog.

When a new project is created in Navisworks and you want to use the exported catalog do the following.

Press the Project Setup… button on the Quantification Workbook.

On the first screen of the setup, select Browse to a Catalog and then press the Browse button.

Now browse to the location of the exported catalog.

A couple of limitations that exist with this process.

If you create any custom fields as described above after the catalog, these fields will not be in the catalog. A work around for this is below in the Prepping Catalog to be used on New Projects section below.

Custom Mappings are not exported. Custom Mappings need to be created for each project.

Prepping Catalog to be used on New Projects

To cause Navisworks to reread the data fields from an exported project catalog, some simple editing to an XML file needs to happen.

This portion of the tutorial should only be attempted by those who are comfortable editing XML. If you are not, you may want to skip this section.

An easy way to edit XML files is to use a program like NotePad ++ ( If you do not already have an editor installed, you can download and install NotePad ++ to accomplish the instructions below.

Navisworks should be closed while you are editing the XML file.

The file that is going to be edited is located at the location where the catalog was exported to.

Before editing the file make a backup copy of the exported catalog. Copy and paste the file in the same folder. Change the extension to .xmlorg or something like that. The reason to change the extension is to eliminate the possibility of Navisworks reading the wrong file. Also, if for some reason the XML gets messed up, there is a starting point to go back to. If something does get messed up in the XML file, delete the file that is being edited and rename the backup file to the original name.

Open NotePad ++

In NotePad ++ open the XML catalog file.

Using the – signs, summarize the sections of the XML file to look like the image below.

Now, completely delete the <ConfigFile> section to look like the image below.

Save the XML file and exit NotePad ++

Open Navisworks, create a new project and setup a new Quantification Workbook using the edited catalog. Now any additional fields that have been added will be incorporated into the catalog and you will be able to go through all the setup screens for the project.

Creating Custom Catalog in List

If you would like for a custom catalog to appear in the list of catalogs rather than browsing to a custom location each time, copy the XML to C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2015\Quantification\catalogs. The location may be different on your computer but should be somewhat similar.