Answers to common questions about Property Mapping in the ClashWise plugin for Navisworks. Property Mapping lives on the Property Mapping Configuration tab of the Enhance window (ClashWiseAI ribbon tab → Clashes panel → Enhance). For background, see the Introduction to Property Mapping article; for setup steps, see Configuring Property Mapping.
Do I need to configure Property Mapping every time?
No. Configuration is saved automatically, per model file, on your computer, and persists across sessions and documents. You only need to revisit it when:
- New model files are added to your coordination
- A model is re-exported with a different property structure
- You change the Navisworks display language (mappings remember the language they were saved under, and a language change triggers re-detection)
Is there a Save button?
No — every change is saved automatically the moment you make it. The tab says so itself: "Changes are saved automatically."
What if I have 20 model files to configure?
Use Apply to Other Models.... Configure and verify one model of each source type (for example, one Revit model and one IFC model), then apply that configuration to the similar models in one step. You typically only need to configure a handful of models by hand.
Can I skip the Discipline field?
No. All six fields — Name Property, ID Property, Category Property, Layer/Level Property, Type Property, and Discipline Property — are required for every model file. Discipline matters because it "Determines which discipline is associated with each element": it feeds AI clash naming and lets clash matrix rules tell apart elements that share a category but belong to different trades (a mechanical pipe versus a plumbing pipe, for example).
If your models have no explicit discipline property, map the field to whatever property most reliably indicates the trade — many teams use the source file name (when models are split by discipline) or the element category.
What if my models have no Level property (AutoCAD, for example)?
Map the Layer/Level Property to the model's Layer property instead. AutoCAD-based models typically use layers rather than levels — ClashWise accepts either.
What if property names are in Japanese, French, or another language?
No problem. Select the properties exactly as they appear — ClashWise works with property names in any language.
Can I change the configuration after I've already processed clashes?
Yes, at any time. Future Enhance runs, publishes, and matrix operations use the new configuration. Clash titles that were already written are not changed retroactively.
What if I make a mistake?
Just go back to the Property Mapping Configuration tab, select the model, and change the field — the fix is saved automatically. Use Preview to confirm the corrected mapping reads the right data. You can change the configuration as many times as you need.
Does Property Mapping modify my Navisworks file or models?
No. Mappings are stored in ClashWise's own settings on your computer. They only tell ClashWise where to read data from — your Navisworks file and source models are never modified by Property Mapping.
Is the same configuration used by every ClashWise feature?
Yes. You configure Property Mapping once per model file, and the same mappings drive AI clash naming (Enhance), clash matrix creation and matching, and the element information sent to the web when you publish clash sets.
Can I export or import configurations between projects or computers?
There is no built-in export or import for property mappings. Within a document, use Apply to Other Models... to reuse a configuration. Because mappings are saved against the model file name, reopening the same model file later — even in a different Navisworks document — reuses its saved mapping automatically.
How do I know my configuration is correct?
Use Preview: click Preview, then click elements in the model view and check that each column of the preview grid shows the kind of data you expect (names under Name, identifiers under ID, and so on). If a column is consistently wrong or empty, remap that field. See Configuring Property Mapping for details.
Quick reference
Checklist before an Enhance run or publish
- Every model file appears in the Model File dropdown
- All six required fields are mapped for each model
- Preview shows sensible values in every column
- Name shows descriptions (not numbers); ID shows identifiers (not names)
- Category shows element types (not file paths)
- Layer/Level shows levels or layers; Type is more specific than Category
- Discipline shows a trade name, or the property you chose to stand in for it
Where properties are commonly found
Every model is different, but these starting points cover most files:
| Field | Revit models (typical) | AutoCAD / IFC models (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Name Property | Element → Name | Item → Name |
| ID Property | Element → Element ID | Item → Handle, or a GlobalId property |
| Category Property | Element → Category | Item → ObjectType, or an IFC class property |
| Layer/Level Property | Element → Level | LcOaNode → Layer |
| Type Property | Element → Type or Family | Item → Type |
| Discipline Property | Element → Discipline (if present) | Item → Source File, or the category property |
If auto-detection picked something different and Preview shows correct data, keep what it found.
Related topics
- Introduction to Property Mapping
- Configuring Property Mapping
- Troubleshooting Property Mapping