Table of Contents

IFC Excel Cost Tracker

Use this guide to work with the IFC Excel Cost Tracker workbook as a practical cost-control environment linked to IFC model geometry. The workbook is designed to combine:

  • model-based element data
  • IFC geometry in the workbook
  • linked 3D review through the IFC Viewer task pane
  • manual commercial inputs such as rates, actual cost, progress, and status
  • ready-to-use summaries, KPIs, and PivotTables

The goal is to give project teams a single workflow for reviewing model elements and tracking budgeted vs. actual cost with better visibility and traceability.

Download the workbook

Download the ready-to-use template and point it to your own IFC file:

For most projects, the recommended setup is:

  • keep the IFC loading workflow based on Power Query
  • keep the workbook data structure unchanged
  • keep IFC geometry in the IfcChunk column
  • keep valid GlobalId / GUID values for element linking
  • use the workbook as the main working surface for tables, filters, formulas, reports, and PivotTables
  • use the IFC Viewer task pane for linked 3D review

Best option for speed and stability

For the fastest and most reliable refresh experience in a trusted company environment:

  • set data source privacy levels to Organizational for both the current workbook source and the SharePoint / web / file source used for the IFC file
  • enable Ignore the Privacy Levels and potentially improve performance in Power Query for this workbook
  • keep helper queries as Connection Only where applicable
  • load only the final user-facing cost table to the worksheet

Note: Use this setup only for internal, trusted company workflows. Do not apply it for untrusted or highly sensitive mixed-source scenarios without reviewing data governance requirements first.

Workbook structure

The workbook is split conceptually into two parts:

  1. Automatic model data loaded through Power Query
  2. Manual and formula-based commercial fields maintained by the end user in Excel

Automatically filled fields

These fields come from the IFC / Power Query workflow and should be treated as system-generated. Do not edit them manually:

Field Source
GlobalId IFC attribute
Entity IFC class name
PredefinedType IFC attribute
Name IFC attribute
Building Storey Spatial containment hierarchy
Room Name Space containment
Cost Category IFC Classes reference table
Trade IFC Classes reference table
Description IFC attribute or name fallback
Notes IFC Classes reference table
Used Property Set Resolved by quantity fallback chain
Used Property Resolved by quantity fallback chain
Model_Quantity Resolved by quantity fallback chain
Unit IFC Classes reference table
IfcChunk Compressed IFC geometry for the viewer

Manually filled fields

These fields are intended for user input and project controls updates:

Field Description
Quantity Manual Input Optional override — use only when you intentionally want to replace the model quantity
Unit Rate Cost per unit (e.g. €/m², €/m³, €/nr)
Actual Cost Real spend recorded against the element
% Complete Progress as a decimal (0.0 to 1.0)
Status Current element status (e.g. Completed, In Progress, Not Started)

Formula / calculated fields

These fields are driven by ready-to-use template formulas and should not be typed manually:

Field Formula
Budgeted Cost =[@[Model_Quantity]] * [@[Unit Rate]]
Variance =[@[Budgeted Cost]] - [@[Actual Cost]]
% Var =IFERROR([@Variance] / [@[Budgeted Cost]], "-")

Best practice: rely on Model_Quantity by default. Use Quantity Manual Input only when a controlled override is required.

Quantity fallback logic

The workbook automatically resolves the best available quantity for each IFC element using a 7-step fallback chain followed by a count-unit default. The chain runs in order and stops at the first successful match.

The fallback logic uses the IFC Classes reference table (built into the workbook) to know which property sets and property names to look for — first using standard IFC quantity sets, then software-specific property sets, then keyword-based search.

Step Strategy Source
1 IFC Standard Quantity Set Quantity set name + Main quantity from the IFC Classes table
2 Revit property set Revit Pset + Revit Property
3 OBD property set OBD Pset + OBD Property
4 ArchiCAD property set ArchiCAD Pset + ArchiCAD Property
5 Keyword search Fallback word1 — matches any numeric property whose name contains this keyword
6 Keyword search Fallback word2
7 Keyword search Fallback word3
8 Count-unit default If unit is ea, nr, item, count, or pcs and no quantity was found — defaults to 1 per element
— Not found If no step succeeds — Model_Quantity = null, Used Property Set = "Not Found"

The Used Property Set and Used Property columns in the loaded table always show which step was used for each element, so you can audit the resolution result.

Download the fallback reference table

The IFC Classes reference table defines the fallback chain for all 99 supported IFC classes. You can inspect or extend it:

Typical workflow

1. Open the workbook

Open the workbook in Excel Desktop.

2. Update the IFC file path when needed

If you want to load a different IFC file, update the path in the dedicated file path cell (B2) then go to Data menu and hit refresh all.

See the walkthrough video:

This video shows where to paste or update the IFC file path and how to refresh the workbook afterward.

3. Refresh the workbook

After changing the IFC file path or after receiving an updated IFC model:

  • use Data > Refresh All
  • wait until Power Query refresh finishes
  • if needed, reopen or refresh the IFC Viewer task pane

4. Review model elements

Use the linked workflow to review element position, geometry, model quantity, storey and room breakdown, and category and trade grouping.

5. Add commercial updates

Fill or update the manual fields as needed: Unit Rate, Actual Cost, % Complete, Status, and Quantity Manual Input if required.

6. Use the summaries and PivotTables

The workbook supports review by budgeted vs. actual cost, variance, completion status, and summaries by storey, room, category, trade, or other dimensions.

See the overview video:

How selection sync works

Selection sync is based on valid IFC identifiers — GlobalId / GUID.

Excel to viewer

The current sync behavior supports:

  • the first Excel table on the active worksheet
  • supported PivotTables on the active worksheet that are connected to workbook source data containing IFC GUID values

Viewer to Excel

This works best when the IFC identifier column is named GUID or GlobalId.

Best practices

  • do not edit or reformat the IFC ID values
  • do not remove the IfcChunk data
  • keep one clear IFC ID column (GlobalId / GUID)
  • avoid changing the source table structure unless you know exactly what depends on it
  • use filters carefully — only visible rows take part in Excel-to-viewer sync
  • keep PivotTables connected to workbook data that still contains the IFC ID source column
  • save the workbook after major refreshes or updates

Troubleshooting

The model does not load

Check the following:

  • the workbook was refreshed successfully
  • IfcChunk data is still present in the workbook
  • the IFC file path points to a valid and accessible file
  • the add-in was reopened or refreshed after query refresh

Changing the IFC file path does not update the model

Check the following:

  • the new path was updated in the correct cell
  • Refresh All was run after changing the path
  • the file path cell is treated as plain text and not converted to an Excel hyperlink
  • the IFC Viewer was reopened after refresh

Selection sync does not work

Check the following:

  • IFC IDs in Excel match the currently loaded IFC model
  • the ID values were not changed by formulas or formatting
  • the table you want to sync from is the first table on the active worksheet
  • the ID column is named GUID or GlobalId

PivotTables do not show updated results

Check the following:

  • the source query was refreshed first using Refresh All
  • the PivotTable is connected to the correct workbook table or range
  • the workbook formulas and summary logic were not broken by structural edits

If needed, review the overview video:

The workbook becomes slow

For better performance:

  • keep privacy levels as Organizational for trusted internal sources
  • keep Ignore the Privacy Levels enabled for this workbook when appropriate
  • avoid loading unnecessary helper queries to worksheets
  • refresh only after the IFC path is correct
  • avoid unnecessary edits to the source table structure

What is filled automatically vs. manually — quick summary

Automatic

  • IFC element IDs and metadata
  • model quantities
  • category and trade suggestions
  • IFC geometry chunks
  • viewer-linked model context

Manual

  • quantity override when needed
  • unit rate
  • actual cost
  • completion percentage
  • status

Calculated by the template

  • budgeted cost
  • variance
  • percentage variance
  • PivotTables, summaries, and KPI views