An Information Delivery Specification (IDS) is the buildingSMART standard for writing a BIM project's information requirements as a file that software can read. Each rule in an IDS says which elements of an IFC model it applies to and what information they must carry, so a checking tool can tell you, element by element, whether a model delivers what was asked.
This guide covers what IDS is, how an IDS file works, how to create one and how to check IFC models against it, with six short videos. Want the hands-on steps? See how to create an IDS XML file. Prefer to watch a full demo with Solibri? Start with understanding IDS, with the webinar slides.
What Is an Information Delivery Specification (IDS)?
An Information Delivery Specification (IDS) is a buildingSMART standard that defines how information requirements for BIM projects are documented in a computer-interpretable format. Unlike spreadsheets or PDFs that describe what data is needed, an IDS is a machine-readable XML file that can be used to check automatically whether an IFC model meets the requirements.
IDS 1.0 became an official buildingSMART standard in 2024, after several years of public drafts and testing. It removes the ambiguity that has long plagued information delivery on BIM projects: teams define what information is requested, what the allowed values are and where in the model it should sit, so every stakeholder knows exactly what is expected of them.
An IDS marks a shift from manual, document-based requirements to computer-readable ones. Write the requirements once as an IDS instead of a document, and every team can check its work against the same rules at every project phase.
Want a quick visual overview of IDS and how it connects with the buildingSMART Data Dictionary (bSDD)? Watch this short introduction:
Why the Information Delivery Specification Matters for BIM Projects
In any BIM process, getting the right information at the right time is critical. Traditionally, information requirements have lived in long text documents that are open to interpretation, which leads to misunderstandings, rework and costly delays.
The IDS standard solves this with a structured, computer-interpretable way to say exactly what information is needed. When you create an IDS, BIM tools and IDS editors can read your requirements and check them automatically, so a team can test its IFC models for every requested piece of information before it submits them.
For owners managing a large asset portfolio across many BIM projects, IDS brings consistency to what used to be a manual, error-prone checking process: the same requirements, checked the same way, on every project.
The Business Case for Implementing IDS in Your BIM Process
The business case is simple: less rework, faster approvals and fewer arguments about whether a model is "done". When requirements are clearly defined and checked automatically, the whole construction project runs more smoothly.
It also gives you a measurable answer. Instead of a reviewer's opinion, you get a pass or fail for every requirement, so project managers can track compliance as models arrive and catch issues before they become expensive problems.
The numbers can be large. JTC Corporation in Singapore moved its model requirements out of 11,000 Excel rows and into automated checks in Plannerly, and cut model validation time by 95% - read the JTC case study (PDF) (opens in a new tab).
How IDS Works: The Technical Basics
At its core, an Information Delivery Specification is an XML file that follows the buildingSMART IDS schema, usually saved with the .ids extension. It contains a set of specifications, and each specification defines requirements for specific elements in IFC models:
- Applicability: which IFC elements the specification applies to (for example, all walls, all doors or all spaces in the model).
- Requirements: what those elements must carry - properties, classifications, materials or attributes - and which values are allowed.
- Validation: software that supports the IDS standard checks each IFC model against the requirements and reports a pass or fail for every specification and every element.
Because the requirements are structured data, nobody has to check them by hand. A checking tool can test thousands of elements in one run and point to exactly which element is missing which piece of information, which makes IDS a powerful quality assurance tool on any construction project.
Each specification also names the IFC version it was written for. IDS 1.0 covers IFC2X3, IFC4 and IFC4X3_ADD2 (IFC 4.3), so check which version your models are delivered in before you share the file.
IDS vs. Traditional Information Requirements
Before IDS, teams used spreadsheets, PDF documents or text-based BIM Execution Plans to define their information requirements. They work, up to a point:
- Manual checking: someone has to check by hand that each IFC model meets the requirements, which is slow and error-prone.
- Ambiguity: text leaves room for interpretation. What one team calls "complete" may not match another team's expectations.
- No automation: BIM tools can't read a PDF, so there is no way to automate the checking.
| Spreadsheet or PDF requirements | An IDS file | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can read it | People only | People and software |
| How it's checked | By hand, a sample at a time | Automatically, every element |
| Room for interpretation | Plenty | Allowed values are spelled out |
| The next project | Copy, paste and hope | Reuse the same file |
The Information Delivery Specification addresses all of these issues: requirements encoded in a computer-interpretable XML file can be checked automatically, leave no room for interpretation, and make the information structure of every deliverable match the project's specification.
Moving to IDS changes how teams define and communicate requirements, but it pays for itself on the first project where nobody has to check a model by hand.
Key Components of an IDS File
Every Information Delivery Specification (IDS) file is built from a few components:
Specifications in an Information Delivery Specification
A single IDS file can contain many specifications. Each one targets a set of elements in the IFC models and says what information they must contain. For example, one specification might require every wall to carry a fire rating, while another requires every space to carry its area. Together they form the backbone of your delivery specification.
Facets and Properties
Facets are the building blocks of an IDS. IDS 1.0 has six, and each can pick out elements (applicability) or say what they must carry (requirements):
- Entity: the IFC class, such as IfcWall or IfcDoor.
- Attribute: a built-in IFC attribute, such as Name or Description.
- Classification: a classification reference, such as a Uniclass or OmniClass code.
- Property: a property in a named property set, such as FireRating in Pset_WallCommon.
- Material: the material assigned to the element.
- PartOf: a relationship, such as an element being part of an assembly or contained in a storey.
Each facet can constrain its value: an exact value, a list of allowed values, a pattern or a numeric range. With facets, teams write precise specifications for the IFC models they need delivered.
Optionality and Flexibility
IDS lets you say how strict each rule is. A requirement can be required, optional or prohibited, and a specification can say whether matching elements must exist at all. Not every piece of information matters equally at every stage, so you can make a property required at handover and leave it out at concept design, which makes IDS particularly useful for phased BIM projects.
Creating an Information Delivery Specification: Step-by-Step Guide
Creating an IDS does not require programming. Several BIM tools and IDS editors let you write IDS files through a normal interface. A typical workflow:
- Identify your information needs: review the project's information requirements, including what data is needed from each discipline and at what stage.
- Define specifications: for each requirement, say which IFC elements it applies to and what information they must contain.
- Set allowed values: where it matters, define the permitted values. For example, fire ratings might be limited to a set list.
- Export and share: save your IDS file and give it to every project team, so they can check their models before they submit them.
Tools like Plannerly build IDS creation into the wider BIM management workflow. You write the information requirements in Scope (picking properties straight from the bSDD if you like), assign them to elements and milestones, then export an IDS file for a milestone, filtered by team, tag or requirement type. The free lessons Defining your information requirements database and Connecting to bSDD from buildingSMART show each step, and the IDS XML how-to walks through the export and what's inside the file.
In the video below, we walk through creating an IDS and a responsibility matrix from scratch - no coding required:
The best IDS is one your delivery teams understand. Tell them early how it will be used to check their work, and give them the file before they model, not after.
Using IDS with IFC Models for Quality Assurance
One of the most powerful uses of an Information Delivery Specification is automated quality assurance of IFC models. Once you have an IDS file, you can use it to check any IFC model for compliance.
An IDS checker reads the XML file and compares the requirements with the data in the IFC model. For each specification, it checks whether the applicable elements carry the requested information and whether the values are allowed. The result is a report of which requirements pass and which fail, down to the element and the property.
That catches errors early, before they become costly problems on site, and gives you an objective, repeatable way to assess model quality across teams and disciplines. Teams spend far less time on manual BIM checking, and the IDS itself gets better from project to project as you learn.
Plannerly's Verify module checks the delivered model against the same requirements you exported, element by element: the property exists, its value meets the requirement (unit included), and it sits in the right property set. Start with the free lesson Model checking intro.
To see IDS-based quality assurance in action, here is how Plannerly and Solibri work together to check BIM models against an IDS - and the slides from that session are a free PDF download (opens in a new tab):
IDS and Non-IFC Data
IDS 1.0 is written for IFC models: its facets describe IFC classes, properties and relationships. Many projects also need information that lives outside the model, such as documents, schedules and cost data. You can't check those with an IDS file, but its way of thinking - what's needed, where, with which allowed values - is a good template for the requirements on every deliverable.
buildingSMART continues to develop the standard, and future versions may reach beyond IFC. Until then, keep the non-model requirements in your EIR and track them alongside the model checks.
IDS in the Context of ISO 19650 and BIM Standards
The Information Delivery Specification fits naturally into the ISO 19650 framework for information management. ISO 19650 compliance asks teams to define their information requirements at the start of a project and to check that deliverables meet them throughout. IDS is a technical way to do exactly that for the model.
In ISO 19650 terms, an IDS is a natural machine-readable companion to the exchange information requirements (EIR): the EIR says what the appointing party needs and why, and the IDS says it in a form software can check. The free lesson (EIR) Exchange Information Requirements covers the EIR itself.
When teams use IDS as part of their ISO 19650 workflow, they can automate the checking of information deliveries, track compliance across many projects and keep auditable evidence that requirements were met - particularly valuable for owners managing a large asset portfolio.
The relationship between IDS and BIM standards is simple: the standards define the framework, and IDS is one of the ways to put it into practice.
Popular IDS Editors and BIM Tools Supporting IDS
A growing list of editors and BIM tools support the IDS standard. The main kinds:
- Plannerly: a BIM management platform that builds IDS creation into the requirements you already manage: write them once, export an IDS file per milestone, and check the delivered models in Verify. For teams in particular tools, see IDS Revit and buildingSMART IDS Archicad.
- buildingSMART's own resources: buildingSMART publishes the IDS standard with its documentation, examples and an audit tool that checks an IDS file is written correctly, all free.
- Open-source tools: IfcOpenShell's IfcTester can read, write and check IDS files, and costs nothing.
- BIM checking tools: model checkers such as Solibri, and authoring tools such as Archicad, can check IFC models against an IDS, so teams test their work in the tools they already use.
So whether you work in Revit, Archicad or another platform, there is an IDS editor or checker that fits your current setup.
Wondering how Plannerly fits into the IDS ecosystem? This video explains how we tackled the common challenges teams face when adopting IDS on real projects:
Getting Started with IDS on Your BIM Projects
Ready to use the Information Delivery Specification on your projects? Four steps:
- Learn the fundamentals: get to know the IDS standard, its structure and how it fits your BIM process. Understanding Information Delivery Specifications and the buildingSMART documentation are a good start.
- Choose your IDS tools: pick an IDS editor and a checker that fit your team's workflow. How to implement IDS from buildingSMART can help you decide.
- Start small: write IDS requirements for a single discipline or a pilot project, so your team builds confidence before rolling it out. See buildingSMART IDS export availability for your options.
- Iterate and improve: refine your specifications as you learn. Each IDS file can be reused, adapted and improved from project to project, and the IDS XML how-to helps your team along the way.
The Information Delivery Specification is fast becoming the standard way to hand over model requirements. Adopt it, and your team checks models automatically, stops arguing about what was meant, and delivers better outcomes on every project.
Ready to create your first IDS file? This tutorial shows how to build a buildingSMART IDS file in Plannerly, from start to export:
Additional Resources for IDS Implementation
To go further, learn about creating a responsibility matrix, IDS and RACI to make clear who delivers what. See how BIM model quality checks in the Verify module complement your IDS, and how simplifying BIM model checking with automation takes the effort out of every new model version. For the whole route - requirements, IDS file, accepted models - follow model checking with IDS.
Structured training helps too. Our free BIM training course (Level 1, BIM Management Basics) covers information requirements, the bSDD and model checking, and ends with a certificate. The help resources on how Plannerly supports BIM and ISO 19650 workflows worldwide give practical guidance for implementation.
For a deeper dive into the full workflow, including how to bring bSDD classifications and IDS checking together in one platform, watch our step-by-step guide:
The Future of Information Delivery Specifications in Construction
As the industry digitises, IDS is set to become central to how BIM projects are managed. The standard will keep evolving, and buildingSMART's work on IDS and the bSDD points the same way: requirements that are shared, reused and checked by software rather than retyped.
Organisations that learn IDS now get ahead: clear requirements, automatic checks, fewer costly errors and better results on every project.
Ready to try it? Try Plannerly for free and see how easy it is to create, manage and check your Information Delivery Specifications. You can also explore using Plannerly as a common data environment (CDE) to keep your requirements and project documents in one place.
