COBie 2.4 · Supporting guide
PickLists
Controls the permitted classifications, categories, units, and other enumerated values.
Are controlled values agreed before teams begin populating the workbook?
The control layer behind a COBie spreadsheet
PickLists is an implementation worksheet used by COBie spreadsheet templates to supply controlled values and data-validation choices. It is not the facility's asset information itself. Instead, it helps authors use consistent categories, units, stages, statuses, and other enumerated values across the business worksheets.
Consistent values matter because small spelling and capitalization differences can split one intended category into several machine values. A controlled list also makes invalid entries visible earlier, before a receiving system rejects or misclassifies rows during handover.
Contract, owner, and regional requirements come first
Annex A's worksheet schemas reference many named PickLists for categories, units, stages, statuses, and other controlled values. Its PickList worksheet schema table itself enumerates only Category-Facility, Category-Space, Category-Element, Category-Product, and Category-Role, so it is not a complete catalog of every referenced list. The contract-issued workbook and validator define the operative values.
Those controlled values are a starting point rather than a substitute for project requirements. An owner or project information requirement may prescribe a different classification system or narrower vocabulary, provided the authoring and receiving validation rules agree.
PickLists should therefore be established early and reviewed whenever the delivery requirement changes. They must agree with the validation rules used to accept the workbook. Editing a visible dropdown without updating the receiving rule set creates the appearance of control while leaving the exchange incompatible.
How BIMRelay handles PickLists
BIMRelay treats PickLists as generated workbook support rather than a user-maintained business sheet. Its resolver combines catalog defaults with values derived from the active workbook, while column behavior tells the grid which fields use static lists, workbook references, dates, or other editors.
At XLSX export, BIMRelay materializes the PickLists worksheet needed by the spreadsheet and validation rules. Keeping this logic derived prevents stale lists from drifting away from current Contacts, Types, Spaces, and other reference data while allowing project-specific controlled values to remain aligned with the active workbook.
Key relationships
Constrains values across the workbook
Reflects regional and owner requirements
Practical quality checks
- Agree classification systems early
- Do not improvise category spellings
- Validate values before exchange
PickLists worksheet FAQ
- What is the COBie PickLists worksheet?
- PickLists is a spreadsheet support sheet that provides controlled values and validation choices for fields such as categories, units, stages, statuses, and references.
- Is PickLists a normal COBie business worksheet?
- It supports the spreadsheet implementation rather than describing a facility record like Type, Component, or Space. Applications may generate it from their rules and workbook data.
- Can a project change COBie allowed values?
- The contract, owner, or regional implementation may define allowable values that differ from defaults. The authoring and receiving validation rules must agree on the same lists.
- How does BIMRelay create PickLists?
- BIMRelay combines catalog defaults with current workbook-derived reference values and materializes the PickLists worksheet when it exports the XLSX file.
This is an independent practical summary, not a reproduction of the COBie specification. Refer to the official standard for normative definitions and field requirements.
Reviewed against the official NIBS COBie 2.4 publication and Annex A worksheet schemas.
Where the official documents, contract-issued workbook, and project validator differ, follow the contract requirements and accepted validation process.
Open the official COBie 2.4 publicationOpen the official COBie 2.4 Annex A worksheet schemas