Suggested workflow for Design Options

1.Do the Main Model first (all the parts that are already decided)

2.For the parts that are still undecided: create all the possible Options (for example: one “Suite bathroom” option and one “Family bathroom” option).

3.While creating an Option:

–Set that Option as the default: this way, your new elements automatically go into that Option. (Or else you can place elements into the Main Model, then later select and relink them to a Design Option.)

–Use the “focused editing” on-screen controls to make sure you are editing the right elements.

4.Group your options in logical Design Option Sets (for example, “Bathroom layouts”)

5.If needed, use Hotlinks to bring in Options to the model.

6.Create Design Option Combinations. In each Combination, you can activate (display) one option from each set. Mix and match.

7.Assign the Design Option Combinations to views, so you can see different options in different views.

8.Explore, compare, and publish the Design Options for review by stakeholders.

9.Merge the chosen, final Options into the Main Model.

What’s what in Design Options
Term	Definition
Option Set	A logical group of Options - for example, “Furniture layouts” or “Curtain Wall facades”
Option	A Design Option - one of several possibilities. Each Option belongs to a logical Option Set. For example, the Furniture layouts Option Set contains an “Open plan” Option and a “Closed plan” Option Elements in a Design Option do not intersect with elements in other options, or with the Main Model.
Main Model	Elements in the Main Model are already decided, so they don’t belong to any option. The Main Model is your entire building model, except the elements that belong to an Option.
Active Option	From each Option Set, at most one Option is active (visible) at a time.
Inactive Option	Elements that belong to a currently inactive Option are not visible in the model until you activate the Option do not intersect with visible elements are listed in Element Schedules, but cannot be selected
Default Option	As you create new elements, they are automatically added to the Option defined as the default. (The Main Model can also be the default.) You can switch the default Option at any time.
Option Status	This is an element property. It tells which Design Option (or Main Model) the element belongs to.
Option Combination	Activate up to one Option from each Option Set, and make them into a Combination. (For example, “Budget Combination” vs. “Luxury Combination”). You can then assign Option Combinations to views.
Accept & Merge Option	Use this command to accept one Option from an Option Set as the final one, and merge it into the Main Model. When you do Accept & Merge, the rest of the Options from that Option Set, and the Set itself, will all be deleted.
Design Option Manager	Use this dialog to create and manage all Options, Sets, and Combinations. You can also activate Options and save them into combinations.