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What are Model Sync Rules?

Model Sync Rules let you automate how Kinship handles new or updated central Revit models, based on the file’s location or name. Instead of prompting users every time a new model is detected, you can create rules that decide what happens—automatically, every time.

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Why use Sync Rules?

  • Reduce manual work: Avoid repeated prompts to add models.
  • Consistent project setup: Ensure models are tracked the right way, every time.
  • Protect sensitive projects: Prevent tracking of confidential or internal models.
  • Easy overrides for admins: Administrators can always add models manually if needed.

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What actions can rules take?

Each rule matches a path or filename pattern, and assigns one of four actions:
ActionWhat it does
NeverNever add matching models to Kinship. Users aren’t prompted. Only admins can override.
Auto RestrictedAutomatically add matching models as restricted (new restricted project).
Auto PublicAutomatically add matching models as public (assigned to a project or left unassigned).
Ask UserShow the default Kinship prompt (user decides, can set privacy).

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How do rules work?

  • First-match wins: Rules are checked from top to bottom. Only the first matching rule applies to each model. If a file path matches multiple rules, Kinship will apply the first rule it encounters that matches the file path and ignore the remaining rules.
We recommend setting up exclusions at the top of your rules, followed by exceptions, and then inclusions.
This helps ensure the most restrictive rules are applied before broader ones.
  • Order matters: You can drag and reorder rules to set their priority.
  • Delete or edit anytime: New rules are in place immediately.
  • Applies to new models only: Rules apply to newly added models. Existing models already tracked in Kinship are not affected.
    For example, if a model was added in the past and you later create a rule that would make it auto-restricted, that existing model will remain unchanged. Only new models that match the rule will be added as restricted.
Kinship ignores central models on local drives (e.g. C:\) by default, assuming they’re not shared. Admins can add these models explicitly from the Model Sync Status menu in Revit.

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Rule Patterns

Rules use simple matching against UNC paths or filenames (not mapped drives). A rule can match by path or filename, but not both at the same time. Examples:
  • *secret* Matches any filename or path containing “secret”.
  • *\eTransmit\* Matches any model in any “eTransmit” folder or sub-folder.
  • \\SRV-LON\* Matches any model stored on the server SRV-LON.
Invalid:
  • \\SRV-LON\*secret Mixing path and filename in one rule won’t work.

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What if no rules match?

If no sync rule matches a model:
  • Kinship will use its default behaviour: Ask User (prompt appears).
  • To override this, add a final “catch-all” rule with pattern *. You can set to Never if you want to only allow listed models.

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Admin override

Even when a rule blocks tracking (Never), administrators can always add a model using the Model Sync Status panel in the Kinship Revit add-in.