How to Edit IFC Properties in Excel and Import Them Back
Export your model data to a spreadsheet, make bulk edits, and push the changes back into the IFC file.
Editing properties one element at a time in BIM software is slow. BIMCamel lets you export all property data to Excel, make changes in bulk, and import them back into the model.
The export-edit-import workflow
- Upload your IFC file.
- Open the Export to Excel tool and run it. This creates a spreadsheet with every property set and quantity in the model.
- Open the Excel file. Each row is an element, and each column is a property. Edit values, fill in missing data, or add new columns.
- Save the Excel file and upload it back to BIMCamel.
- Open the Import from Excel tool and run it. BIMCamel reads the spreadsheet and updates the IFC model to match.
What you can do in the spreadsheet
- Fill in room numbers, fire ratings, or cost codes across hundreds of elements in minutes.
- Fix typos or inconsistent naming (for example, standardize "Concrete" vs "concrete" vs "CONCRETE").
- Add new properties that were not in the original model.
Tips
- Do not change the element GUIDs in the spreadsheet. BIMCamel uses them to match rows back to elements.
- If you need to add entirely new property sets (not just values), use the Add Custom IFC Properties tool first.
- Always keep a backup of the original Excel export in case you need to compare.
This workflow is especially popular with project managers and facility managers who are comfortable with Excel but not with BIM software.