When a parametric family is loaded into a project it consists of a certain number of Types. This is true whether the user loaded all available types or only certain types from a type catalog.

The family may be reloaded.

If one or more types are selected they are added to the types that already exist in the project.

The typical user will duplicate and alter the parametric parameters to create their own types of fit their design. This is perfectly valid workflow as long as it is understood that the component may not be available for a particular manufacturer (from which the Revit model may have originated).

The BIM manager has a pivotal role to play here in educating users how to handle this family. They should explain that, although the family was sourced from the company’s BIM library, the definition of the family now exists in the project.

When the family is edited from within the project, the user defined custom types that may have been created are now included as types within the family. THESE CUSTOM TYPES ARE NOT YET CONTAINED IN THE ORIGINAL COMPANY FAMILY FILE, BUT THEY WILL BE IF THE USER DECIDES TO SAVE THE FILE TO THE ORIGINAL LOCATION, OVERWRITING THE TYPES INDICATED BY THE BIM MANAGER

If custom family types are added in the project, the family must not be saved over the original, but instead in a separate location. While the custom types are saved to the family file, it must be noted that a type catalog will override the family types if the file is loaded into a project. Remember to copy the type catalog to the same directory of the family.

If these types are required in the families for all users, a request must be placed for the BIM manger to add it to the reference family. If a type catalogue exists it must obviously be added to that instead.