Answers to common questions about Property Mapping in the ClashWise plugin for Navisworks. Property Mapping has its own window (ClashWiseAI ribbon tab → General panel → Property Mapping). 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.
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.
What happened to the Discipline field?
It is now the Source Property — the same saved configuration, with a clearer name for what it actually holds: the source authoring file each element came from (usually an Item → Source File style property, which auto-detect pre-selects when present). When models are split by trade, the source file is also what tells disciplines apart — it feeds AI clash naming and lets clash matrix rules distinguish elements that share a category but belong to different trades.
Can I skip the Source field?
No. All six fields — Name Property, ID Property, Category Property, Layer/Level Property, Type Property, and Source Property — are required for every model file.
What are the levels shown under a model in the tree?
When a source model is split across several appended files (for example one file per level exported from the same Revit model), those files appear as levels under one source. Levels inherit the source's mapping automatically; you only configure a level when some of its fields genuinely differ — those become per-level overrides, marked with a ● in the tree. See Configuring Property Mapping.
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 Title Update 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 select the model in the tree and change the field — the fix is saved automatically. Use Sample Elements to confirm the corrected mapping reads the right data. The Clear button resets the selected model's mapping (or a level's overrides) entirely if you want to start over.
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 (Title Update), 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 Sample Elements: it fills the preview grid with representative elements from the selected model, and you check that each column shows the kind of data you expect (names under Name, identifiers under ID, and so on). Clicking a row selects that element in Navisworks so you can compare against the native Properties panel. If a column is consistently wrong or empty, remap that field. See Configuring Property Mapping for details.
Quick reference
Checklist before a Title Update run or publish
- Every source model appears in the tree with no warning icon
- All six required fields are mapped for each model
- Sample Elements 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
- Source shows the authoring file each element came from
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 |
| Source Property | Item → Source File | Item → Source File |
If auto-detection picked something different and Sample Elements shows correct data, keep what it found.
Related topics
- Introduction to Property Mapping
- Configuring Property Mapping
- Troubleshooting Property Mapping