Welcome to the next generation of creative exploration; updates for 2023 deliver the fastest, easiest,
most native interoperable modeling experience yet. Trimble is connecting two core tools in the
industry: SketchUp & Revit! The Revit Importer elevates SketchUp’s Studio subscription, while tangible
improvements to core tools boost workflows in the desktop application. Indulge in SketchUp 2023’s
powerful toolset for your next built masterpiece. Plus, there are two new scale figures to celebrate the
new design year – Heather and her fierce but sweet cat, Lily.
Studio advances interoperability
For a full download of how to use the Revit Importer, watch this Skill Builder in English
Shave hours off your Revit-to-SketchUp workflow
The new import feature within a Studio subscription allows you to accurately and efficiently convert
your Revit models into SketchUp geometry for deeper collaboration across project phases, teams, and
stakeholders. Various workarounds exist to export Revit models to SketchUp, but this new importer
saves the most time, is more accurate in geometry conversion, and leads to much lighter models.
By preserving model structures between Revit and SketchUp – Revit families and layers neatly
translate to groups, components, and tags in SketchUp – you can save hours or even days of model
cleanup and progress your project with accuracy. A smoother transition between design phases
allows you to focus on what’s essential: fine-tuning your vision.
Why use it?
- Improve collaboration with project stakeholders who create Revit deliverables.
- Preserve model structures between software for less cleanup.
- Move Revit models into SketchUp to iterate new ideas quickly.
- Build efficiencies; the imported Revit file is automatically optimized for easier geometry
manipulation in SketchUp and significantly reduces file size. - Create compelling visuals; Revit material colors and transparencies are respected during
import to speed up visualization workflows. - Translate Revit levels to SketchUp section planes.
Trimble has made the Revit Importer a native functionality in SketchUp’s desktop application.
Customers with Studio subscriptions can access this feature as soon as they update to the 2023
version. Customers with Pro subscriptions can install the Revit Importer in SketchUp 2023 and then
initiate a trial to evaluate this new workflow. No Revit license is required.
Discoverable and connected workflows
Using Studio’s new common installer, you can discover, download, and install all the tools you need for
advanced workflows and complex projects. The subscription also includes V-Ray 6 for creating
cutting-edge visuals and Scan Essentials for importing point cloud data – both were enriched with new
functionality in late 2022. Please note that Studio is a Windows-only subscription. Scan Essentials is
English-only, and V-Ray offers English and Chinese versions.
Breakthroughs for desktop
Build your anything – faster – with new modeling and documentation features and improvements in
SketchUp for Desktop. Explore a brand new Flip tool that replicates design elements predictably,
manage DWG files in LayOut, and more.
Flip with confidence
For a full download of how to use the Revit Importer, watch this Skill Builder in English
Take the guesswork out of Flip transformations — the brand-new Flip tool lets you pre-visualize the
outcome to model more predictably. Previsualize the plane you want to flip your selection along, then
hover over the red, green, or blue planes to confirm the proper orientation. Click to flip! Fewer clicks
and undoes means you can focus more of your valuable energy on developing a symmetrical
relationship, evaluating it, and modifying it. Flip your model, and it just might flip your creative
perspective too.
Pro Tip: Want to set up a quick, mirror relationship in a model to build more efficient components or
make symmetrically-oriented copies? Toggle the Flip tool to activate Copy Mode, and you’ll flip a copy
that is symmetrical to your selection. Use the tool to express a holistic vision based on a single,
repetitive component.
Reign over referencing in LayOut
In LayOut, Trimble is fortifying interoperability by adding the ability to manage imported DWG files as
references. Sound familiar? It’s the same process for managing referenced files in LayOut, but now
they’ve expanded it to apply to all images, text files, or AutoCAD drawings. View all external file
references, receive notifications if a file reference is outdated, and update, relink, or remove a file
reference using the File Reference Manager. Better still, all your custom style edits (line weights, scale,
and viewport positions) stay intact even when reference files are updated. Document and present
your work confidently, knowing that all your references are up-to-date without wasting previous layouts
and styling work.
A true renaissance woman
From cheese making to ice climbing to feral cat rescue, there’s not a lot Heather can’t handle. If that’s
not enough, she’s also a Senior Software Engineer at SketchUp, and she’s had a significant hand in the
updates for 2023. Learn more about Heather and her cat, Lily, the new 2023 scale figure duo.
An enhanced, high-value offering
From the Studio overhaul to cross-subscription modeling improvements, SketchUp has removed workflow barriers to unleash your creativity in 2023. Dive into the full release notes for all you need to know to create and model in 3D seamlessly. If you already have a Pro or Studio subscription, you can access SketchUp 2023’s time-saving improvements by downloading it here or via your Trimble Account. If you’re still on the fence, you can try a Studio subscription free for 30 days. If you’ve made up your mind, you can purchase Studio or upgrade to Studio from your current subscription plan.