There are two ways to give Pirros a model to review, and the choice has consequences well beyond the upload itself.
The short version
Linked from Forma / Autodesk Construction Cloud
Pirros reads the live model, not the last published version
Reviews can be scheduled to run daily, weekly, or monthly
Model Performance updates when someone syncs to central
Uploaded from your machine
A snapshot of the model as it was when you uploaded it
Must be re-uploaded every time you want the latest state reviewed
Cannot be scheduled
Live, not published
A linked model is read in its current state. Nobody has to publish on a schedule for reviews to be accurate.
This matters more than it sounds. Most firms do not publish on a regular cadence — publishing happens when someone remembers, or ahead of a milestone. If reviews ran against the last published version, they would routinely be reviewing work that is weeks stale.
What you give up with a local upload
Local models cannot be put on a schedule. No milestones, no recurring cadence, and no run history building up over time — which means no picture of issues being resolved week over week.
You can still run reviews as often as you like. You just have to re-upload the model and start each one yourself.
Model Performance is also a point-in-time snapshot for a locally uploaded model. It reflects the file you uploaded and does not change until you upload again.
The quality of the review itself is unaffected. A locally uploaded model gets exactly the same review as a linked one — it is the workflow around it that is reduced.
How long extraction takes
After you add a model, Pirros extracts the sheets from it. Expect roughly 10 to 20 minutes before you can configure a review against it, depending on the size of the model.
The sheet definitions come back quickly. The sheets themselves take longer, and a review cannot be configured until they are ready.
Adding a model does not start a review on its own. You choose when to run one.
Who can link a model
The requirement is access to the project in Autodesk Construction Cloud. Hub ownership is not the test.
Consultants working in an architect's hub can link normally, as long as they can open the project in ACC themselves. Check that before assuming you need to upload locally.
A note on PDF-only sets
It is possible to run a review against a PDF drawing set with no model at all. Treat it as a last resort — without the model, Pirros cannot resolve anything the drawings leave ambiguous, and the review is slightly weaker than reviewing a revit model as a result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do we need to publish our model before a review?
A: No. For a linked model Pirros reads the live state, not the last published version. This is deliberate — most firms don't publish on a regular cadence, and reviews of weeks-old published work would not be much use.
Q: Can I schedule reviews on a model I uploaded from my machine?
A: No. Scheduling requires a linked model, because Pirros has no way to see an uploaded file change. You can run reviews on an uploaded model as often as you like — you just start each one yourself after re-uploading.
Q: Is a review of an uploaded model worse than one of a linked model?
A: No. The review itself is identical. What you lose is the workflow around it — scheduling, run history, and live model health.
Q: How long before I can run a review after adding a model?
A: Roughly 10 to 20 minutes for extraction, depending on model size. Sheet definitions come back quickly but the sheets themselves take longer, and the review cannot be configured until they are ready.
Q: Does adding a model start a review automatically?
A: No. You choose when to run one.
Q: Our projects are in the architect's hub. Does that rule out linking?
A: No. What matters is whether you can open the project in Autodesk Construction Cloud, not who owns the hub. Check that before downgrading yourself to local uploads.
Q: Can we review a PDF set with no model?
A: It is possible, but treat it as a last resort. Without the model there is no way to resolve anything the drawings leave ambiguous.