An IDS (Information Delivery Specification) is buildingSMART's standard file for saying what information a model must contain - which elements, which properties, which values. Plannerly imports IDS files into Scope, lets you edit the requirements with your team, exports a refined IDS for other tools and checks your models against the same requirements in Verify.
1. Import the IDS file
- Open Scope and choose Import in the toolbar.
- Under Scope, choose Import IDS ("Information Delivery Specification (buildingSMART)").
- Drag and drop your .ids or .xml file (up to 5 MB) and choose Import.
Plannerly reads what it needs from the file rather than refusing it for small departures from the IDS schema, so files written by other tools come in too. Importing needs manager permission in the project.
2. See what came in
- Each specification becomes a Scope row. Its name becomes the row's title and its description the row's subtitle.
- Its requirements become information requirements on that row, with their property sets, data types and allowed values.
- The milestone comes from the file when it names one; otherwise Plannerly adds the row to an "Untitled Milestone" you can rename.
3. Edit the requirements together
Open Requirements in the Scope toolbar to review and edit them. Requirements are kept once for the whole project, so when you change one, every row that uses it shows the change. With a bSDD Information Requirements Dictionary chosen in Settings, requirement names are suggested from the standard as you type - see bSDD classifications.
Assign rows to teams and milestones as you would any other part of your Scope, so everyone knows which information they owe and when.
4. Export a refined IDS
- Choose Export, then IDS Specifications ("Create an Information Delivery Specification (IDS) in XML format"). It needs at least one milestone.
- Filter by team, tag, requirement type or folder, and pick the IFC version: IFC2X3, IFC4, IFC4.3 or IFC4.4.
- Under Custom Settings, choose Export with Classifications to include each row's classification, and the NoPsetDefined option for requirements without a property set or group.
- Add a title and description, then choose Create. The IDS file is saved in File Manager.
5. Check models against the requirements
Connect your model in Verify and Plannerly checks its elements against the same requirements, so you see what's complete and what's missing before anyone exports a report. See validating property sets and requirement groups in Verify and choosing the linking level for model checking.
IDS
Questions about IDS in Plannerly
What is an IDS file?
An Information Delivery Specification is buildingSMART's XML format for model information requirements: which elements need which properties and values. Software can read it and check a model automatically.
My IDS file won't import. What can I do?
Check it is under 5 MB and is a well-formed XML file. If it still won't come in, send it to us from the chat bubble or at hello@plannerly.com - every file we can't read helps us improve the import.
Can I create an IDS without importing one?
Yes. Set out your information requirements in Scope, then export them with Export, IDS Specifications.
Can AI Import read IDS files?
Yes. AI Import tries a structured IDS import first, so the specifications come in the same way.
Learn more
- Requirements management in Scope, step by step
- Export files from any module
- Information Delivery Specification (IDS) (buildingSMART International)
The flexible IDS import was first announced in our changelog in June 2025. See every update since in the in-app changelog.
Try it in Plannerly
Bring your IDS to life
Import the file, agree the requirements with your team and check every model against them.
