Before diving into the mechanics of editing and syncing families, it's worth taking a step back and deciding how your firm wants to manage its family library going forward. The right approach depends on your team size, how your families are currently organized, and how much admin oversight you want over the process.
Choosing the Right Management Approach for Your Firm
There are three primary ways firms manage their family library in Pirros. Review each option below and consider which best fits your firm's workflow.
Option 1: Manage Families Directly Within Pirros
Best for: Firms with loadable families who want a simple, Pirros-first workflow
In this approach, your family library lives in Pirros. When a family needs to be updated, an admin opens it directly from Pirros, edits it in Revit, and syncs it back. No local file management required.
This works best if:
Your firm primarily uses loadable families
You want admins to manage updates from a single source of truth
You don't need to maintain a local folder structure of RFA files
Your team is comfortable starting edits from the Pirros interface
Considerations:
System families require a slightly different workflow (see Article 2)
This approach works best when families are uploaded from a single source to avoid duplicates
Option 2: Manage Families from a Local RFA Library
Best for: Firms that prefer to maintain families on a local server or shared drive
In this approach, your firm keeps a master folder of RFA files on a local server or shared drive. Families are uploaded to Pirros from that library, and edits are made locally before being re-synced to Pirros.
This works best if:
Your firm already has a well-organized local family library
Your team is accustomed to working from a shared drive
You want to make batch edits to many families at once before pushing updates to Pirros
You prefer not to manage families from the Pirros interface directly
Considerations:
You'll need to download your family library from Pirros (via Management → Source Files → Sessions) to restore your RFA files if they aren't already on your server
Requires discipline to keep the local library and Pirros in sync
Best suited for firms with a dedicated admin or BIM manager overseeing the library
Option 3: Manage Families from a Container Model
Best for: Firms already using a container model workflow for typical details
In this approach, families are maintained inside a dedicated Revit container model — the same way typical details are managed. Edits are made in the container model and synced back to Pirros.
This works best if:
Your firm already uses a container model for typical details and wants a consistent workflow
You want all standards — details and families — managed from one model
Your team is on ACC, making it easy to access and edit the container model without downloading
Considerations:
If not on ACC, the container model must always be downloaded from Pirros before editing — never from a local copy
This approach works best when families are relatively stable and don't require frequent individual edits
Key Questions to Help You Decide
Before choosing an approach, ask yourself:
Question | Consideration |
Do we already have a local RFA library? | If yes, Option 2 may require less change to your current workflow |
Are we already using a container model for details? | If yes, Option 3 keeps everything consistent |
Do we primarily use loadable or system families? | System families require a temporary model workflow regardless of approach |
How often do families get updated? | Frequent updates favor Option 1 or 2; infrequent updates favor Option 3 |
Do we have a dedicated BIM manager or admin? | A dedicated admin makes Option 2 more manageable |
Are we on ACC? | ACC makes Option 3 significantly easier |
A Note on Consistency
Whichever approach you choose, the most important thing is consistency. Mixing upload sources — for example, uploading from a template model and separately uploading individual RFAs — is the most common cause of duplicates in Pirros. Commit to one method and ensure all admins follow the same process going forward.
💡 Not sure which approach is right for your firm? Reach out to your CSM — they can review your current setup and recommend the best path forward.