Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


Is there a network license?

Yes, Surfboard is a network license, annual solution. Each Surfboard license is for 1 user. These licenses may be shared, but cannot be used concurrently.


How long is my license good for?

All of our solutions are available on an annual subscription. Sheets Made Simple is also available on a monthly basis. Please let us know if you’d like longer subscriptions.


How are lighting calculations done?

Using the lumen method for even illumination across the work plane. Meaning that one fixture type is placed at the ceiling or reference plane and will be spaced to meet the foot-candle criteria provided.


What type of Revit content do we need?

For wall based devices, these are hosted devices, meaning face based families. For ceiling families, these can be hosted to the ceiling or placed on a work-plane. For work plane elements these can be any device type. Hosted families need to be face based


Yes! This content will work with any of our solutions.

Will out of the box Revit content work?


Switches are placed 6” from the door at the default height in the family.

How are switches placed?


Spacing is either N number of devices per wall, evenly spaced. 1 receptacle, 6” from the door, or X feet from the door and Y feet on center around the perimeter of the room. The height they are placed at is the default height within the family.

How are receptacles placed?


Using equipment finder receptacles will place behind equipment. This feature is only available in this solution.

Will receptacles place behind equipment?


When making your selections in Surfboard or any of our solutions, you are making them for all rooms with that name. For example if you select a 2x4 Troffer at 40 FC in “Office” then in every room labeled “Office” calculations will be made for that unique office and place that fixture according to the lighting level. For lighting this is one fixture, even illumination, not your architectural lighting.

Can I place different lights in each room?


With Surfboard or Longboard, you can run it as many times as you’d like. Meaning you’ll be able to run it with 2 outlets of one type evenly spaced on each wall, then come in with another receptacle type centered on every wall

Can I place different outlets in each room?


By selecting a family in the default menu, it will apply that for all rooms. This would be your typical or standard family you want in the majority of rooms. You can choose a different family and parameters for each room name in the project.

What is the default menu?


All rooms with the exact same name have been condensed into a single row for convenience.

Why are there so few room names?


Circuiting is not being done with panels. They are being placed to help save you time and provide a quick layout for your electrical rooms

Are the panels placed circuited?


These solutions should be used at the beginning of the project, once the architectural model is provided. You can choose which systems you’d like to place and can run any or all of them.

When should Surfboard, Longboard or Boogieboard be used?


While it can be run, it is not going to use the views you have created in your project. It is best to use Sheets Made Simple at the very start of a project.

Can sheets made simple be used after I create my views?