Excel can connect a construction progress register to the elements in an IFC model. Use the model to identify the work and locate it in 3D. Record installation status from site observations, inspections, or another approved reporting source.
Prepare the model and workbook
Choose the model revision and reporting scope before extracting data. For example, a weekly review might cover structural walls in a named building and storey. Use the storey names recorded in the model and confirm their meaning with the team.
The Excel viewer guide recommends loading geometry through the Power Query supplied with the Power BI sample. Keep the resulting IFC Chunks, valid IFC identifiers, and an Excel table for the working data. Refresh the query before opening or refreshing the add-in.
Extract a defined set of elements
Select the relevant elements and export the properties needed for the register. Copilot for IFC can assist with finding elements and preparing tables, as described in the Copilot guide. Review its selection and output against the model before using them.
A useful request specifies the exact scope and asks for missing data to remain visible:
List the IfcWall elements assigned to storey Level 01. Include GlobalId, name, and storey. Report missing storey assignments separately. Do not modify the model.
Keep a model identifier, model revision, and extraction date with the results. Property availability depends on the source export; an empty field is not evidence that the value is zero.
Keep site observations separate from imported data
Use a separate table for observations so that a model refresh does not overwrite manually entered status. Join it to the element register using the model identifier and GlobalId.
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Model and GlobalId | Identify the element being reported. |
| Status and observation date | Record the agreed progress state and when it was observed. |
| Recorded by | Identify the person responsible for the observation. |
| Evidence reference | Link to the inspection, photograph, or site record. |
| Review outcome | Distinguish an observation from an accepted progress claim. |
Define statuses with the delivery team. An element visible in the design model does not establish that it has been installed or inspected.
Review the rows in 3D
The documented Excel selection workflow uses the first table on the active worksheet or supported PivotTables connected to workbook data containing IFC GUIDs. For table selection, filtered-out rows are excluded. Keep the identifier column intact and test a known element after changing the workbook structure.
Reconcile revisions before reporting
Compare each new model revision with the previous register. Identify added, removed, and unmatched elements before carrying progress forward. GlobalIds are intended to identify objects, but an authoring or export process may change them. Resolve unmatched records explicitly instead of silently discarding their observations.
Label the measure accurately. Completing 40 of 100 elements represents 40 percent by element count; it does not necessarily represent 40 percent of installed quantity, cost, or effort. Keep the denominator and any weighting rules visible.
Publish the reviewed workbook with its reporting date and model revision. Editing a worksheet value does not write that change back to the original IFC file in the documented Excel workflow.