How to Open a New Project in Revit & Set Project Units (Beginner’s Guide)

How to Open a New Project in Revit | Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Introduction

If you’re new to Autodesk Revit, one of the first things you’ll need to learn is how to create a new project and properly configure project units. These steps are critical because they define how your entire BIM (Building Information Model) will be structured, ensuring accuracy and consistency across drawings and construction documents.

In this guide, we’ll walk through:

• Opening a new project in Revit
• Setting up project units
• Using shortcut keys to speed up your workflow

How to Open a New Project in Revit

1. Open Revit on your computer.
2. Go to the File Menu → New → Project.
3. A New Project dialogue box will appear.
4. Select the Architectural Template (or another template if needed).
5. Click OK to create your new project.

💡 Pro Tip: Choosing the right template at the start saves you time later. For architectural design, the Architectural Template is the most common starting point.

How to Set Project Units in Revit

Accurate units are essential for precision in design.

Steps to Set Units:

1. Go to File → Manage → Settings.
2. Click the Project Units icon.
3. Select the desired unit type (Metric/Imperial).
4. Adjust precision as needed (e.g., mm, cm, m, or feet/inches).
5. Click OK to save.

Shortcut key: UN → Quickly opens the Project Units dialog box.

• Project unit icon is placed.
• Inside the project units set the desired units and click ok.

Shortcut Keys in Revit (Boost Your Productivity)

Shortcut keys are powerful time-savers in Revit. Instead of navigating multiple tabs, you can type a two-letter code to instantly access a function.

👉 Example:

• UN → Opens Project Units
• LL → Creates Levels
• WA → Wall Tool

How to Find Shortcut Keys:

• Go to File → View → Windows → You’ll find a list of predefined shortcut forms.
• You can also customize shortcuts in Revit to match your workflow.

Shortcut keys are short form of the function you want to apply on the project

Where can we find these shortcut forms?

• File – Views -windows
• To know the keyboard shortcut for various functions

Final Thoughts

Starting a new project in Revit may seem simple, but setting it up correctly with the right units and templates is crucial for long-term project success. Combine that with shortcut keys, and you’ll notice a big boost in speed and efficiency.

If you’re just beginning with Revit, practice these steps regularly—you’ll be navigating Revit like a pro in no time!