Is Hotlinked Modules a "killer" ArchiCAD tool for you?

Modules in ArchiCAD!

If you look at ArchiCAD help the definition of Modules is as following:

Image from photostock

"Hotlinked Modules can be used, for example, to manage the repetitive structures of buildings such as hotels or offices with a large number of identical rooms: if rooms are placed as a hotlinked module file, you can modify all the rooms in one step, by just updating the module’s source file."

If you look at the usage of Modules in the projects that I was somehow involved, you will see Hotlinked Modules are everywhere! But I do not remember using Modules to manage repetitive structures at all.

Don't get me wrong! I absolutely beleive in using Modules to manage repetitive units such as hotel rooms! But I have no idea why I never use them that way...

Hotlinked Modules are in the same category with BIM Server for me.


It saves my life when it comes to handling large files.

I definitely love linking this file to that one, that file to another one...

It allows the team deal with smaller files and you can still see the complete project in a different file if needed.

• Site plan
• Architecture + Structure
• MEP
• Furniture
• Medical Equipment (if available)

These are my most common Hotlinks in a project:)) Depending on the size of the project, we might divide the Furniture files into smaller Modules as well, sometimes floor by floor sometimes department by department.

 You might be wondering why I started to talk about Modules out of blue!

Well, we were working on some marketing materials on ArchiCAD. It's kind of a brief intro to ArchiCAD for the people with very limited time. Yes, mostly managers with low concentration periods:))

Image from Ambro

I did not want to add Modules since it's a very technical feature which would take time to explain and still would not mean anything for a manager who does not go through the nightmares of daily modeling/drafting work.

Of course, when I was saying these, I was thinking of Modules as a feature to manage large and complex projects only since it's my core usage:))

My colleagues kindly reminded me that Modules are also very useful for managing repetitive units such as hotel rooms:)))

Oupps, you are right! :)) I almost forgot about it:))

So, what do you think! Please tell how how do you use Modules mostly in your daily work? Is it really a "killer" tool for you? Should we include it in our marketing materials?

I look forward to hearing from you...
Thanks in Advance,

Diyane Koseoglu
www.bimes.com