Naming

Generic Naming Rules

Rule Number 1

• Be Consistent!

Forum Prefix

• All names must begin with: F.

  • F. indicates the item has been developed under Forum’s X Standard, and differentiates it from non Forum content.

Macro-to-Micro Structure

• Names should progress from general to specific, also known as macro to micro. This structure helps users immediately understand what the item is and what it does at a glance.

Period Separators

• Use a period (.) to separate levels of hierarchy. This helps with parsing and organizing files and content consistently across all projects.

Abbreviations 

• Abbreviations are preferred to be all CAPs but not required in all cases.

  • Example: F.AOR.License.No.

CamelCase

• Use CamelCase (capitalizing the first letter of each word) for readability.

Spaces

• Spaces are only permitted when writing feet and inches. On all other names, use CamelCase (capitalizing the first letter of each word) for readability.

• Use this format only for dimensions in Names. Do not use decimal units. only fractional units with spaces.

• Inches only may be used if the dimension is less than 12" or 1' 0" in which case the zero feet is not used. If a name contains more than a single value (length) and one of the two values are less than 12", the value less than 12" is to use Feet and fractional inches formatting. Units are to be consistent in any given name. 

  • ✅ 2' 8"

  • ❌ 2'8"

  • ✅ 2' 8".0' 8"

  • ❌ 2' 8".8"

  • ✅ 1 1/2"

  • ❌ 11/2"

  • ✅ F.Door.2' 8".6' 8"

  • ❌ F.Door.2'8".6'8"

  • ✅ F.Door.2' 8".6' 8 1/2"

  • ❌ F.Door.2'8".6'81/2"

• All other names must have no spaces.

Underscores

• Only for place holders

Dashes

• No dashes

  • ✅ BiPass

  • ❌ Bi-Pass

  • ✅ SemiRecessed

  • ❌ Semi-Recessed

Outstanding Consistency Issues

• Content created for the X standard prior to April 22, 2025 may not follow these exact rules. Design Technology will review and update X standard content in a future pass to align it with these rules. Anything created after this date will align with these rules.

Examples

• Family Name Examples: 

  • F.PlumbingFixtures.Sink.Undermount.Single

  • F.PlumbingFixtures.Sink.Undermount.Double 

• Family Type Name Examples:

  • F.Default

  • F.SemiRecessed.LifeSafety.Top

• Family Parameter Name Examples:

  • F.Length

  • F.Bowl.Interior.Length

• Reference Plane Name Examples:

  • F.Center.Left.Right

  • F.Drain.Center.Front.Back

Footnotes:

Breakdown:

ProjectNumber - Revit version Discipline - Unit Designation to match the CD naming.FileExtension

Breakdown:

ProjectNumber - Revit version Discipline - Unit  NumberOfBeds UnitNumber  -  NumberOfFloors   Variation - Accessibility.FileExtension

Detailed explanation:

 Forum uses the terms Front, Rear, Left, and Right as building orientation is not always known. Also, when a single building design is used in multiple locations on a single site the orientation is relative.

Examples:           

Building Type I - Front

 Forum uses the terms Front, Rear, Left, and Right as building orientation is not always known. Also, when a single building design is used in multiple locations on a single site the orientation is relative.

Examples:           

Building Type I - Front

Linked Views

All linked views are to have the suffix " - Linked View" in the View Name

• View Name + " - Linked View"

• Title on Sheet, will not have the suffix

Family Type Naming: See rules  at the top of the page.
Example: F.2' 10".6' 8".Metal.180 MIN 

Revit Category 4 charaters.Search Keyword.descriptive secondary names (Client/Brand/MFG).Size.Host Type.MasterSpec Section Name.Division Section 6 Digits

Noun/ Keyword.Size.Host Type.MasterSpec Section Name.Division Section 6 Digits.descriptive secondary names (Client/Brand/MFG)

Examples:           

F.SPEQ.Fire Extinguisher.Cabinet.Wall.104400

Host: None, Wall, Floor, Roof, Level, Face, Line, Ceiling, System, Adaptive, Curtain Panel

Manufacture Content Families

Use Name from MFG

Revit Family Type Naming Template for Walls, Floors, Ceilings, Roofs

• If the wall assembly is load bearing, -LB will be attached to the end of the name

• We are changing the 'Special Substrate' naming to be more descriptive, from SS01 to the Forum General Notes abbreviation

• Example: FW01-1HR-INT(LVP)-(GCU0750)-(SU0125)-INT(GYP)

• Layers with variable thickness will be incorporated into the naming convention, positioned either nearest to the exterior (EXT) or interior (INT) side depending on structural adjacency. The variable layer will have +0000 (thickness in decimal inches) following the abbreviation.   This decision was made in order to differentiate assemblies with similar layers.

  • Example:  3/4" = 0.75" = (0750)

  • If the thickness of a horizontal assembly material varies depending on manufacturer specifications or engineering requirements, we use default values provided by AR for our design basis.

• Horizontal Assembly layers needing manual adjustment will have a flag to the user incorporated into the naming convention, denoted by a additional layer added with (0ADJ) in the specific layer name and ADJUSTABLE attached to the end of the overall assembly name.

  • • Ex- FW20-1HR-INT(LVP)-(GCU1000)-(SU0250)-(IS0ADJ)-INT(GYP)-ADJUSTABLE

      • Note: When adjusting the specific layers, remove the  (0ADJ) and -ADJUSTABLE  from the naming structure and replace with the thickness of the layer adjusted (0000). If there are multiple adjustable layers, the user must assign a material thickness to all adjustable layers.

      • Note: Only layers with (0ADJ) in the name should be adjusted by the user

• Assemblies with '00' as the assembly number are custom and not found in the assembly sheets.

  • Example:  SC00-0HR-04-INT(CO)-EXT(NA)

  • Custom assemblies should adhere to the assembly naming template, using '00' as the assembly number.

Wall Assembly Naming

Wall Assembly Naming:

1-25 = Exterior

26-50 = interior/Exterior

51-75 = Interior

76-99 = Custom

Commentary:

• In cases where wall assemblies have a side that can serve as either an interior or exterior, the approach is to create both walls assembly details separately. This decision is based on the wall function being defined as a type parameter.

• In cases where material functions are defined according to structural drawings, a default thickness will be assigned to the material function. Should the user wish to modify the thickness of the material function, it is essential to append "-Custom" after the wall name. This will instruct the code to disregard the predefined wall type and refrain from its deletion. (Please note that the implementation of this function is still pending and must be completed)

• WW-5 incorporates either gypsum board or plywood sheathing depending on the specific instance. To indicate this in the naming convention, we add .GYP or .PW after the exterior finish or cladding material

• F.SheetDisiplineLetter&FirstSeriesNumber.SheetNameShort.FamilyCategory/MultiCategory.Description.BuildingOrUnitName/OrNoneIfForAll
  Example:

F.A5.LifeSafetyPlan.SpecialtyEquipment.PortableFireExtinguishers.Bldg-I

F.A1.Index.Sheet.SheetList (1/5)

• Schedule View Templates to match the name of the Schedule less the suffix of the Building Identifier

• View Templates to match the name of the View less the suffix of the Building Identifier

Level naming
Integer + Ordinal Suffix (e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd)

Sheet and View Naming
Ordinal Word Form (e.g., First, Second, Third)