1. Configure Thumbnail Preview Settings
Before uploading a RVT model, make sure your Thumbnail Preview settings are configured, since these will determine how every extracted family is visually displayed in Pirros.
Select the dropdown arrow on the top right corner of the page and click the
gear icon to open the Settings page:
On the left sidebar, open the Uploads tab and select Thumbnail Previews.
These settings control how the system generates thumbnails for each family extracted from your RVT file.
Thumbnail Options to Customize
Visual Style
Choose the appearance of the thumbnail image:
Detail Level
Controls the complexity of the geometry shown in the thumbnail:
3D View / Angle
Select the standard view that Pirros will use for all thumbnails:
Custom Appearance By Revit Family Category
In addition to setting global thumbnail preferences, the Custom Appearance by Revit Family Category section allows you to configure thumbnail previews for individual categories. This means you can assign different 3D view angles, visual styles, or detail levels to specific categories, useful if certain families (e.g., casework, doors, or furniture) need a different visual representation than your default settings.
Important Notes
These settings apply only to families uploaded after the setting change.
Families extracted from previous RVT uploads will not update automatically.
You can adjust the preview settings anytime and re-upload the RVT to regenerate new thumbnails.
2. Configure Upload Settings (Important for RVT Uploads)
Next, you’ll want to configure your Upload Settings, which determine which family categories are imported when uploading an RVT model.
Within the same Uploads tab in Settings, select Content
Scroll down to the Families Uploads section.
What These Settings Do
By default, the toggles for Loadable and System Families are turned on. Therefore when uploading a RVT model, these will be uploaded automatically. You can disable these settings at any time before any upload if you don’t want families uploaded.
Select the dropdown button next to Revit Family Categories. The Revit Family Categories checkboxes control which categories of families Pirros will extract from your RVT model during upload.
For example:
If “Doors” is checked, all Door families inside your RVT model will be imported.
If “Plumbing Fixtures” is unchecked, families in that category will be skipped during extraction.
Recommended Setup
Most firms begin by selecting all categories they expect to use, and then refine as needed over time.
You most likely do not want ALL of the family categories uploaded from the models depending on what disciplines your firm works in
You can modify these settings anytime before uploading additional RVT files.
Important
Unlike RFA uploads, category settings matter greatly for RVT workflows because they directly determine which families will be extracted from the model and uploaded into Pirros.
3. Uploading Your RVT Model
Once your Thumbnail Preview and Upload Settings are configured, you’re ready to upload your RVT model.
Steps to Upload
Navigate to the Families page and select + New Family in the top-right corner.
Locate the RVT model that contains the families you want to upload, and drag and drop the model into the drop zone on the left side of the upload screen.
You can drag and drop the model or connect via Autodesk (ACC) from the left-hand panel.
You will then see the RVT model(s) appear on the right side of the upload page
Assigning Families Before Upload
Before uploading families, you'll want to decide the specific location where the extracted families will be stored:
Click the checkmark at the top-left of the list to select all families and click Assign Project.
You can review each model individually if needed.
Choose whether they should go into Typical or a specific Project, and click Save
Finish Uploading
Click Upload at the bottom.
Upload and extraction time can vary depending on the size of the RVT model and number of families inside.
You're Ready to Go!
Once the upload finishes, all extracted families will appear in your Families module, complete with thumbnails generated based on your chosen preview settings.