To address this problem, we've now made it possible to define and export Revit subcategories directly from Inventor-based Informed Design product models, including support for both 3D geometry and 2D Sketches on any model state.

• Right click on any assignable elements to Add to desired Revit Subcategory and open the Element Assignment Browser for the selected subcategory.

• Any combination of supported element types can be selected in bulk and assigned to the same subcategory.


In Revit, subcategories are essential for controlling visibility, line weight, color, and graphical behavior of elements within the same category. Until now, Informed Design–generated families lacked this level of granular definition, requiring additional manual adjustments by Revit users.

By enabling subcategory definition directly in Inventor, manual steps are removed resulting in less friction and post processing for Revit users. Informed Design now produces Revit families that include fully defined subcategories, allowing designers to manage visibility and graphics just as they would with any native, professionally authored Revit family.

• Provides immediate control over visibility and graphics

• Subcategories appear properly in Revit → Manage → Object Styles

• Visibility and graphics can be overridden per project or view

• Families feel indistinguishable from native Revit Family in regards to sub-categories behaviors

• Element assignment to subcategory ensures consistent representation across projects and teams

• Subcategory assignment enables programmatic visibility control, smarter placement and alignment

• Shifting subcategory assignment upstream: reduces back-and-forth when coordinating with designers 

Element assignment is enabled on any model states in Inventor.

After selecting the appropriate Revit Family Category for the product in the BIM Properties panel, the built-in subcategories provided by Revit become available and are indicated by a gold keylock. Custom subcategories can then be created as needed when built-in subcategories do not provide sufficient control over visibility, graphics, or view-specific representation of elements within the Revit family.

1. Go to the BIM Definition tab to open the BIM Definition Browser in Inventor Model Browser Panel

2.  Right click on the Subcategories root node in the browser to access the context menu and click New Revit Subcategory.

There are three ways to assign elements to a built-in or custom subcategory, select elements:

1. directly in the Inventor canvas

2. from the Inventor Assembly Browser

3. from the BIM Definition Browser.

• Unsuppressed elements (i.e. sketches, parts, sub-assemblies)

• Unconsumed Sketches. (i.e. sketches that are the basis for features like extrude, revolve, etc)

• Suppressed elements (i.e. sketches, parts, sub-assemblies) can be assigned to subcategories, but are excluded from Revit export, and their associated subcategory data is not included.

1. Right click on a built-in or custom subcategory node in the BIM Definition Browser

2. Open context menu → Assign Elements → Open Element Assignment Browser

Once a subcategory is selected to assign elements to, the Element Assignment Browser opens, and displays all elements compatible with subcategory assignment. 

3. Open the Element Assignment browser for a selected subcategory

4. Select elements to assign

5. Click on the Finish Element Assignment command in the BIM Definition ribbon and return to the BIM Definition browser to see the newly assigned elements

To exit the element assignment flow without applying assignments, deselect all elements and click on the Finish Element Assignment command in the BIM Definition ribbon.

Unassignment from subcategories does not require that every selected element belong to the same subcategory. Elements assigned to different subcategories can be selected together and unassigned in a single action.

Changing the Revit Family Category assignment in the BIM Properties Panel updates the available built-in subcategories in the BIM Definition Browser. Built-in subcategories that have no elements currently assigned to them are removed when the new Revit Family Category assignment is applied. Subcategories associated to the newly assigned Revit Family Category are added.

If elements are assigned to built-in subcategories that are not available in the newly assigned Revit Family Category, those built-in subcategories are converted to custom subcategories to preserve the existing element assignments.

If the Revit Family Category is later changed back to the original or previous category, any custom subcategories that originated as built-in subcategories are reverted back to built-in subcategories, and their assigned elements are retained.

When an element (a component in an assembly) that has been assigned to a subcategory is replaced, its subcategory assignment is preserved and applied to the replacement element. In the BIM Definition Browser, the replacement element appears with the same subcategory assignment as the original element.

If the original element (component) is later added back into the assembly, it is treated as a new element and does not inherit the previous subcategory assignment.

When an element assigned to a subcategory is deleted, its subcategory assignment is removed because the element no longer exists in the model. The element is also removed from the BIM Definition Browser, and the corresponding subcategory assignment is deleted.

The following elements cannot be assigned to Revit subcategories in Inventor:

• Reference geometry, including points, planes, axes, and other construction elements

• Consumed sketches (i.e. sketches used to define features such as extrude, revolve, etc)

• Individual solids in assembly level (currently support subcategory assignment at the part-level only)

• Sketch Blocks

• Partial geometry, such as individual faces, edges, or individual entities within a sketch

• Elements in the root assembly level (i.e. sketches, features, solids)

• When a parent component is assigned to a subcategory, its children elements cannot be selected to assign to a different subcategory unless the parent element is first unassigned

  • When Pattern and Mirror elements are assigned, their individual instances are treated as children and cannot be reassigned independently.

Invalid, unassignable elements are displayed with the unavailable icon following the main model browser icon in the BIM Definition Browser and Element Assignment Browser.

This enhancement enables fine grained control over how different geometric elements of a product appear across plan, elevation, section, and 3D views in Revit, without the need to duplicate geometry or create separate families.

1. In Revit, open a project file (.rvt)

2. On the Insert tab, click Load Family and open an IND-generated RFA file (.rfa)

3. On the Manage tab → Object Styles → Expected subcategories (built-in and custom) should appear

4. Open the Revit Family Editor, on View tab → Visibility/Graphics (to toggle categories/subcategories)

Can I create my own subcategories?
Yes. In addition to Revit’s built-in subcategories, you can create custom subcategories and assign elements to them as you can for built-in subcategories. 

Can I only assign elements to a subcategory on primary model state?

No. Subcategory assignment is available on any model states in Inventor.

What happens if I rename an element after assigning to a subcategory?

Renaming an element does not affect its subcategory assignment, as each element has a unique reference ID that preserves the assignment across renaming.

Does subcategory assignment work with 2D Sketches?
Yes. 2D sketches used to define things like clearance zones or symbolic outlines can be assigned to subcategories.

Can I assign subcategories to individual sketch lines?
No. Subcategories are assigned at the whole-sketch level, not per line or individual entity contained within the sketch.

Are there extra steps required to include subcategories when exporting an RFA?
No. Subcategories assignments are included automatically as part of the standard RFA export process.

• Try it now in Inventor with Autodesk Sample products

• Share feedback on what would make this aspect of the Informed Design solution even better for addressing your teams Revit design workflow requirements.

• About Subcategories for Object Styles

• Assign Family Geometry to Subcategories

If you have questions, suggestions, or ideas for improvement, we’d love to hear from you — leave a comment below, or visit the Informed Design Forum to join the conversation.