Applicability
Which elements it's about: every wall (IfcWall), say, or every element with a given classification.
Information Delivery Specification
IDS: what it is, and how to make your first IDS file
IDS, the Information Delivery Specification, is the buildingSMART standard for writing a project's information requirements as a file software can read. Each specification says which elements it applies to and what they must carry, so anyone can check an IFC model against the same rules, automatically.
IDS export is on every plan, the Free plan included. No card.
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What's in an IDS file
An IDS file is XML, made of specifications. Each specification has two halves:
Requirements
What those elements must have: a property in a property set, a value or a range, a classification or a material.
Six facets
Both halves are built from the same six facets: entity, attribute, classification, property, material and part of.
A worked example
Say every wall must state its fire rating and whether it's external. In plain English, that's two requirements:
| Applies to | Requires | In the property set |
|---|---|---|
| Every wall (IfcWall) | FireRating, with a value | Pset_WallCommon |
| Every wall (IfcWall) | IsExternal, true or false | Pset_WallCommon |
And here is the specification in the IDS file, slightly simplified:
<ids:specification name="Walls" ifcVersion="IFC4">
<ids:applicability minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
<ids:entity>
<ids:name><ids:simpleValue>IFCWALL</ids:simpleValue></ids:name>
</ids:entity>
</ids:applicability>
<ids:requirements>
<ids:property dataType="IFCLABEL">
<ids:propertySet><ids:simpleValue>Pset_WallCommon</ids:simpleValue></ids:propertySet>
<ids:baseName><ids:simpleValue>FireRating</ids:simpleValue></ids:baseName>
</ids:property>
<ids:property dataType="IFCBOOLEAN">
<ids:propertySet><ids:simpleValue>Pset_WallCommon</ids:simpleValue></ids:propertySet>
<ids:baseName><ids:simpleValue>IsExternal</ids:simpleValue></ids:baseName>
</ids:property>
</ids:requirements>
</ids:specification>You don't have to write the XML by hand. Plannerly writes it from your scope: each element becomes a specification, and each of its requirements a property. See a full exported file.
When you need IDS
- Models are delivered as IFC and more than one party checks them.
- The EIR asks for properties, not just geometry, and you want the requirement and the check to be the same thing.
- Authors should check their own work before they share it, in the tools they already use.
- Requirements are reused from project to project, and need to move between tools without retyping.
IDS works alongside the buildingSMART Data Dictionary: the bSDD defines what a property means, and IDS says which elements need it.
Which tools read IDS
Create the file once, then check against it wherever your team works:
- Solibri, to check IFC models against an IDS file;
- IfcTester, a free, open-source checker from IfcOpenShell;
- Archicad, with this simple workflow;
- Revit, with Plannerly's IDS connection;
- Plannerly Verify, which checks delivered models against the same requirements, with no file to pass around.
IDS covers one kind of check, the information in the model. BIM checking, explained covers the rest.
In Plannerly
Write the requirements once, export the IDS file
Scope
Requirements as data, ready to export
In Plannerly Scope each requirement is data: the property, its property set, the rule, the value and the unit, against the elements and milestones it applies to. Pick properties from the buildingSMART Data Dictionary, then export a milestone's requirements as an IDS file. Already have an IDS file? Import it into Scope instead.
- IDS export on every plan, the Free plan included
- Import an existing IDS file
- Properties from the bSDD, built in
Verify
Check delivered models against the same rules
Give the IDS file to every author to check before they share. When the model arrives, Verify checks every linked element against the same requirements automatically, and counts what's correct, incorrect or missing.
See model checking with IDS
Look closer
Watch an IDS file exported from Plannerly
Free lessons
Set up requirements worth exporting, one short lesson at a time
Level 1 lesson - requirements
Defining your information requirements database
Set up the requirements your IDS file is made from.
Level 1 lesson - the bSDD
Connecting to the bSDD from buildingSMART
Pick classifications and properties from the bSDD as you write requirements.
Level 1 lesson - quick assign
Quickly assigning requirements and status
Give hundreds of elements their requirements in a few clicks.
Level 2 - free certificate
Advanced BIM Workflows
Requirements, tracking and model verification before handover, with a free certificate.
Free download
Check your first model against an IDS: a starter project and three free PDFs
Free download
Model Checking Survival Kit: a starter project and 3 PDFs
Everything to check models the way this page does: a starter project with example requirements ready to check, the IDS checking guide, the model checking slides from BIM Boot Camp and the ISO 19650 tracking and compliance step.
- 1 starter project
- 3 PDFs
- Free
Model checking starter project
Example requirements in Scope, ready to export as an IDS file and to check your first model in Verify.
Open in Plannerly (opens in a new tab)
Free account, no card needed.
Read more
IDS guides and workflows
IDS: the complete guide
What an IDS file is, what's inside one and which tools read it.
GuideHow to create an IDS file
Turn your requirements into IDS XML in a few clicks, and see the file.
How-toIDS with the bSDD and Solibri
A demo: requirements from the bSDD, exported as IDS, checked in Solibri.
DemoIDS in Archicad
A simple, effective IDS workflow with Archicad and Plannerly.
WorkflowIDS in Revit
Bring the IDS requirements into Revit with Plannerly's connection.
WorkflowCheck every model with IDS
The whole job, step by step, with a free starter project.
Use caseBIM checking, explained
The four kinds of model check, and who checks what, and when.
GuideFrom the blog
Every post about IDS
EnglishInformation Delivery Specification (IDS): The Complete Guide to Automating BIM Validation
Learn what an Information Delivery Specification (IDS) is and how this buildingSMART standard automates BIM model validation using machine-readable XML files. Discover how IDS removes ambiguity from information requirements, integrates with ISO 19650 workflows, and helps teams deliver compliant IFC models on every construction project.
EnglishImplementing the buildingSMART IDS Standard (A Simple, Effective Workflow Using Plannerly + Archicad)
Embarking on the buildingSMART IDS journey promises smoother BIM projects, better team coordination, and fewer headaches. Implementing this standard may sound daunting, but fear not – it's simpler than you think with the right tools! Let’s journey together, shall we?
IDS xmlCreating a Responsibility Matrix for Effective BIM Project Management
The most simple approach to create a responsibility matrix and export filtered IDS (Information Delivery Specification) files!
EnglishbuildingSMART and Plannerly Partner to Drive Standardization in the AEC Industry
Learn how Plannerly, a proud partner of buildingSMART, collaborates to support integrated workflows and create intuitive software for AEC teams worldwide.
EnglishUnderstanding Information Delivery Specifications (IDS)
buildingSMART introduced the standardised IDS framework for communication in a machine-readable format for teams to move away from error-prone spreadsheets! The article and video show you how to create and check an IDS using Plannerly and Solibri.
EnglishHow to implement IDS from buildingSMART
Discover how openBIM standards established by buildingSMART empower BIM workflows through the utilization of the data dictionary (bSDD) and Information Delivery Specifications (IDS). Uncover the ways in which these tools elevate communication, guarantee data coherence, and refine project processes within the construction sector.
BIM execution planMastering BIM Project Management with Plannerly: Simplifying Project Collaboration and Standardization
The secret weapon for successful BIM management: How an online BIM collaboration platform can simplify BEPs and IDS to improve information management and streamline BIM workflows.
BIM managementIDS buildingSMART - using bSDD and Plannerly: The Ultimate Duo for Seamless IDS Creation
Simple creation of an IDS (Information Delivery Specification) using the bSDD (buildingSMART Data Dictionary). Learn about the workflow, element classification, information requirements, and exporting the IDS in XML format.
Questions
IDS questions, answered
What is IDS in BIM?
IDS, the Information Delivery Specification, is a buildingSMART standard for writing information requirements as a computer-readable XML file. Each specification in it says which elements it applies to and what they must carry, so software can check an IFC model against it automatically. The complete guide to IDS.
What's the difference between IDS and the bSDD?
The buildingSMART Data Dictionary defines things: what a property or a classification means. IDS uses those definitions to say what a project requires: which elements must carry which properties, with which values. They work best together.
Which software can check a model against an IDS file?
Solibri, the free IfcTester from IfcOpenShell and Archicad among others, and Revit through Plannerly's connection. Load the .ids file and the IFC model, and each specification passes or fails. See the demo.
Can I create an IDS file for free?
Yes. IDS export is on every Plannerly plan, the Free plan included. Write your requirements in Scope, or start from the library, then export them as an IDS file. Start free and follow how to create an IDS file.
Does IDS replace the EIR?
No. The EIR says what information the client needs and why, in words people agree to. IDS turns the checkable part of it into a file software can test. Keep both, and keep them in step by writing the requirements once. Set the information requirements.
Which IFC versions does IDS work with?
IDS 1.0 is defined for IFC2X3, IFC4 and IFC 4.3 (IFC4X3_ADD2). Match each specification to the version your models are delivered in. More in BIM and IFC.
Write the requirements once, check them everywhere
Start free, write or import your requirements in Scope and export them as an IDS file for every author on the project.
Free plan · No card · IDS export included