Accessing Revit Files During BIM 360/ACC Outage

Revit version(s):  Applies to all versions

When BIM 360 or Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) projects become inaccessible due to a service outage, a common question from customers (especially when the outage last longer than a couple of hours) is, 'How can I access my Revit models so I can keep working?'

There is a solution for those using cloud workshared models to get to their files when the service is unavailable.  (Disclaimer:  the following workaround is not ideal or recommended, but it can provide a way for customers to take action in an emergency.)

Here's the concept:  Since the local files for cloud workshared models are cached to each user's workstation, anyone who had synched with central prior to the outage may have the most current version of the model saved on their hard drive.  If that is the case, a user can locate the local files, detach them from central, and save them locally or to a file server that can be accessible by others on the team.

Instructions:

1. Follow the steps here to find the local copies of the model, including linked models.
2. Save a copy of the local files to different location (i.e. Desktop or File Server directory).
3. Open the models individually with "Detach from central" checked.
4. Save the detached copies with new name.
5. Create new central models from the copies to allow others on the team to access the project and sync their changes to central

When the service is restored, the files that exist on BIM 360/ACC can be renamed, and the latest versions that have been worked on per the above steps can be detached from central again and re-initiated as cloud workshared models in the project.

Please be aware that if project consultants don't have access to the temporary location where the files are stored, such as your local file server, they'll have to follow the same steps to work locally and eventually upload their latest models back up to the cloud.

About the Author

Sr. Technical Support Specialist, AEC<br><br>Jeremy has been delivering service and technical support to customers in the AEC industry for over 25 years. He gained much of his AutoCAD/Revit experience serving as CAD Manager at multiple MEP/FP engineering firms in the Greater Boston Area. He then worked at Autodesk as a Technical Support Specialist, eventually becoming a manager overseeing the Revit and Vault support teams. Jeremy is excited to be in his current role as Sr. Technical Support Specialist at IMAGINiT, as it allows him the opportunity to work directly with customers every day and help them successfully leverage Autodesk’s solutions to achieve their business goals.

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