Pirros has two core workflows that move content between Revit and the cloud: Sync and Download. They go in opposite directions, and confusing them is one of the most common mistakes new users make.
The short version:
• Sync = push content from Revit to Pirros via the plugin (updates the cloud library)
• Download = pull content from Pirros into Revit (brings details into your project)
Sync isn't the only way to push to Pirros. You can also push content from a Revit file to Pirros via a web upload from the Source Files page — useful when you want to add a Revit file (or update an existing project) without opening it in Revit. The plugin Sync workflow described below is one of two valid push methods. See Uploading Projects and Source Files for the web upload flow.
Downloading: Pulling Content into Your Revit Project
This is the workflow most members use daily. When you find a detail or family in Pirros that you want to use in your project, you download it.
Which plugin do you have? Look at the Pirros tab in the Revit ribbon. A single Pirros button that opens a docked panel with Browse, Updates, Sync and Settings tabs means you have Pirros in Revit. Separate Sync, Download, Settings, Pirros and Live Link buttons mean you have the classic plugin. Don't go by the version number alone: on Revit 2020–2023 the classic plugin can show a 4.x version number.
Option A: Pirros in Revit (v4.x, docked panel)
In Revit, open the Pirros tab and click the Pirros button. The panel opens docked to the side of the Revit window.
On the panel's Browse tab, find the detail or family using search or filters
Click Insert on its row (list view), or drag it into Revit
If a detail is already in your project, choose Skip, Replace existing or Keep both for it, then click Apply
If the model isn't linked to a Pirros project yet, Pirros asks you to link one first, then carries on with the download. You can also stage items on the Pirros website: with Live Link on (on the panel's Settings tab; on by default), staged items import into the active model automatically. Otherwise, open Stashes on the Browse tab and click Download in the Staged for download banner. For more detail, including families that are already in your project, see Get Details and Families into Your Revit Project.
Option B: Classic plugin (v3.x)
Find the detail on the Pirros website using search or filters
Select the detail(s) and click Stage for Download
Open Revit with your project file active
In the Pirros plugin, click Download
Confirm the details in the Download Items window and click Confirm
If the website button reads Insert instead of Stage for Download, Pirros can see your open Revit model through Live Link and the download starts in Revit on its own — you don't need to click Download.
Downloaded details appear under --PIRROS IMPORTS-- in your Revit Project Browser when your Project Browser organization groups views into folders. The Use Pirros Imports for View Sorting checkbox controls this and is on by default — on the panel's Browse tab in Pirros in Revit, and in the Download Items window in the classic plugin (if you don't see it there, your classic plugin version doesn't have it and sorting is always on). Pirros automatically upgrades them to match your current Revit version.
Who can download: Any member or admin (unless the detail is marked Reference Only — then you need to request permission).
Syncing: Pushing Updates from Revit to Pirros (via Plugin)
By default, syncing is an admin-only workflow. It pushes content from your open Revit model up to the Pirros cloud library — either uploading new details for the first time or updating existing ones.
Open your container model or project model in Revit
Make edits to the details that need updating
Open the sync list: in Pirros in Revit, open the Pirros panel (the Pirros button on the Pirros tab) and go to its Sync tab; in the classic plugin, click Sync on the Pirros tab to open the Sync Details/Families window
Select the views you want to sync (use Recently Changed Views to filter)
Add a change message describing what was updated
Click Sync N selected (Pirros in Revit, where N is the number of items you selected) or Confirm (classic plugin)
The model must be linked to a Pirros project first. If it isn't, Pirros in Revit shows Link a project to sync. with an Open Settings button, and the classic plugin asks you to link it before the sync window opens. See Link Your Revit Project to Pirros, and Sync Content from Revit to Pirros for the full steps in each version.
Pirros uses the Pirros ID parameter embedded in each detail to match it to the existing version in the cloud. If a match is found, the detail is updated (a new version is created under the same ID). If no match is found, a new detail is created.
Who can sync: Admins, by default. Syncing needs the Create Details and Edit Details permissions (Create Typical Details and Edit Typical Details when the model is linked to the Typical project), which the default Member role doesn't have.
Pushing via Web Upload (Alternative to Sync)
If you don't want to open Revit, you can push a Revit file's content to Pirros directly from the web. From the Source Files page, drag and drop the .rvt file (or pick it from ACC) and select either a new project or an existing project to upload into. This is the same "Revit → Pirros" direction as Sync — just initiated from the website instead of the plugin.
Use the web upload when:
You're uploading a brand-new project for the first time
You have an updated source model on disk or in ACC and want to add it to an existing project without opening Revit
You're working from a machine that doesn't have Revit installed
Use the plugin Sync when you're already working in Revit and want a one-click push without leaving the model. See Uploading Projects and Source Files for the full web upload guide.
Side-by-Side Comparison
This table compares the two plugin workflows. The web upload alternative is described above.
| Download (plugin) | Sync (plugin) |
Direction | Pirros → Revit | Revit → Pirros |
Purpose | Get details into your project | Update the cloud library |
Who can do it | All users | Admins only |
Starts from | Pirros in Revit: the panel's Browse tab (or stage on the website) Classic plugin: Pirros website (Stage for Download), then Download in Revit | Pirros in Revit: the panel's Sync tab Classic plugin: the Sync button |
What it affects | Your local Revit model | The shared Pirros library |
Version impact | Pulls latest version | Creates a new version |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't use Sync to update your project model. Sync pushes content to Pirros. If you want to bring updated details into your project, use Download. To replace details already in your model with their latest versions, use the Updates tab in Pirros in Revit or Download → Download Latest in the classic plugin.
Don't edit a local copy and then sync. If you edit a detail in a Revit file that wasn't downloaded from Pirros, the detail won't have a Pirros ID — and syncing it will create a duplicate instead of updating the existing one. Always work from the file you downloaded from Pirros.
Don't skip the change message. When syncing, the change message you enter becomes part of the detail's version history. Other users see it when they view the detail's History tab. Descriptive messages help your team understand what changed and why.
Don't assume the plugin is the only way to push to Pirros. The web upload from the Source Files page is also a valid push path — particularly handy for adding to an existing project without opening Revit.
What Happens Next
After downloading: The details appear in your Revit Project Browser under PIRROS IMPORTS. You can place them on sheets, edit them, and use them in your project.
After syncing: The updated details are live on Pirros within minutes. Anyone at your firm who previously downloaded that detail will receive a notification that a new version is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I'm a regular member, not an admin. Do I need to know about Sync?
A: You don't need to sync anything yourself — that's your admin's job. But understanding that sync exists helps you know where updated details come from and why you might receive notifications about detail changes.
Q: I downloaded a detail and made changes in Revit. How do I get those changes back into Pirros?
A: If you're an admin, open the model containing the edited detail and use the Sync workflow. If you're a member, flag the detail for review and describe the changes you think should be made — your admin can then update the Pirros version.
Q: What is the Pirros ID and why does it matter?
A: The Pirros ID is a unique identifier embedded in every detail when it's first uploaded to Pirros. It's how Pirros knows whether to update an existing detail or create a new one during sync. If the ID is present, Pirros updates. If it's missing, Pirros creates a duplicate. This is why admins should always work from files downloaded from Pirros.
Q: Can syncing overwrite someone else's changes?
A: Sync creates a new version, not an overwrite. The previous version is preserved in the detail's History tab. You can always view and compare older versions.
Q: Can I add new details to an existing project without using the Revit plugin?
A: Yes. The Source Files page on the web lets you upload a Revit file (or pick one from ACC) and select an existing project to merge it into. New views are added; existing views are updated as new versions. Both the plugin Sync and the web upload accomplish the same Revit → Pirros push.