Manage and track BIM issues with BCF

The Issues screen in SeveUp centralizes BIM issue tracking in BCF format. You can import a .bcf or .bcfzip package to pull in issues and comments, or export that data to share with your team. It is the collaboration hub around model problems.

Issue tracking is the most common friction point in a BIM project. When several modeling tools contribute to the same model, problems (clashes, omissions, naming mismatches) surface in one application and must be fixed in another. The BCF (BIM Collaboration Format) was designed to carry that context without sending the whole model. SeveUp's Issues screen uses this format: it lets you import a BCF package to review existing issues, and export issues and comments to share with your team or re-import into your modeler.

This article explains every action available in the screen: importing a .bcf or .bcfzip file, exporting issues, exporting comments, and the error messages you may encounter. It is aimed at BIM managers, coordinators, and anyone responsible for reviewing a model and raising issues.

Glossary

Terms used in this article

BCF: BIM Collaboration Format. An open file format that carries one or more BIM issues with their views, comments, and statuses, without including the 3D model.
Issue: A BIM issue, problem, or task identified in a model. It usually has a title, status, assignee, and comments.
BCF package: A compressed file with the extension .bcf or .bcfzip containing one or more issues in BCF format.

Prerequisites

A project must be open in SeveUp.
Access to the Issues feature must be enabled on your plan (otherwise the screen shows a feature gate).
To import: have a .bcf or .bcfzip file exported from your BIM quality-checking tool (Solibri, Navisworks, BIMcollab, etc.).
To export: at least one issue or comment must exist in the project.

Import BCF issues

1. Open the Issues screen

In SeveUp's main menu, click "Issues". The page title reads "BCF issue tracking — import and export".

[Capture: side navigation with the "Issues" entry highlighted in yellow]

2. Locate the Import BCF section

The page is split into two blocks. The second block is titled "Import BCF" with the subtitle "Import issues from a BCF package". The help text says: "Upload a .bcf or .bcfzip package."

[Capture: Import BCF section with a yellow annotation on the file field]

3. Select your file

Click the drop zone or the file picker. Choose a file with the extension .bcf or .bcfzip. Make sure the file is not empty and comes from a recent BCF export.

[Capture: system file picker with a .bcfzip file selected]

4. Start the import

Click the "Import BCF" button. The label changes to "Importing…" while the file is processed.

5. Check the result

If the import succeeds, the message "BCF package imported" appears. The issues are now available in the list.
If the import fails, the message "Import failed" is shown. See What can go wrong.

[Capture: green "BCF package imported" notification with a green annotation]

Export issues and comments

1. Open the Export section

In the Issues screen, the first block is titled "Export" with the subtitle "Download issues and comments".

[Capture: Export section with yellow annotations on both buttons]

2. Choose the export type

Two buttons are available:

"Export issues": downloads a file containing the list of issues and their properties.
"Export comments": downloads a file containing the comments attached to those issues.

3. Download the file

Click the matching button. The file downloads to your default downloads folder.

Need to share issues with a teammate who does not use SeveUp? The issues export gives them the raw list. If you want to keep the discussion thread, export the comments separately.

What can go wrong

Message or behavior	Likely cause	Fix
"Import failed"	The file is not a valid BCF package, or it is corrupted.	Re-download the file from the source tool. Check the extension (`.bcf` or `.bcfzip`).
The "Import BCF" button stays disabled	No file has been selected.	Drop or select a file in the provided area.
The export buttons are grayed out	No issue or comment exists yet.	Import a BCF package first, or create issues from another screen if that feature is available.
The "Importing…" message does not disappear	The file is large or the connection is slow.	Wait a moment. If it remains stuck, reload the page and retry with a smaller file.