Free BCF editor in the browser
Bimlyte is a free, browser-based BCF editor and manager: create, edit and organise BCF issues, then export them as PDF or Excel reports.
Run your BCF workflow without installing desktop software — and share results with people who don't have BIM tools.
What is BCF?
BCF (BIM Collaboration Format) is an open standard from buildingSMART for exchanging model-based issues — questions, clashes and tasks — along with comments and saved viewpoints. It lets teams coordinate without sending whole models back and forth.
The file stays small because it references the model rather than containing it: instead of emailing a 500 MB model to point at one column, you send an issue that says which column, seen from where, and what is wrong with it.
Manage your BCF workflow
- Create, edit and organise BCF issues, individually or in batches.
- Add comments to keep the conversation in one place.
- Work with viewpoints tied to your model, and draw markups on their snapshots.
- Add your own attribute values, or custom fields beyond the standard BCF set.
BCF 2.1, BCF 3.0, and moving between them
Different tools on the same project rarely agree on a version, so converting is an ordinary chore rather than an edge case. What you need to know:
- BCF 2.1 was released in October 2014 and BCF 3.0 in June 2021. BCF 3.0 is a stricter, more structured evolution — not a different format.
- Bimlyte reads and writes both, and treats them the same internally. The version only matters at export, which is what makes converting simply a matter of exporting in the version you need.
- Because some fields differ between the two, an export may first ask you to fill in what the target version requires — rather than silently dropping or inventing data.
- The filename tells you nothing: both use the .bcf extension, and a bcf.version file inside the archive declares the schema.
What the PDF and Excel exports actually produce
Reports are a first-class feature here rather than a print view, and you control what goes in:
- Pick exactly which fields appear — standard BCF attributes and any custom fields you have added.
- Set how many recent comments to carry into the report, so an action list does not become a transcript.
- PDF: choose A4 or US Letter, for the whole project or a selection of issues.
- Excel: split the workbook into separate sheets grouped by a field such as status or type.
- Excel: turn attribute cells into drop-down lists of your project's own values, so a recipient picks a value instead of typing a new one.
Merging issues from more than one source
When the same issues pick up different comments or viewpoints in different tools, Bimlyte can merge them: it matches issues across the sources and shows you a preview of what will be added, updated or skipped before anything changes.
Share with people who don't have BIM software
Bundle your IFC, BCF, saved views and settings into a single .bimlyte package — optionally password-protected — and send it to anyone. They open it in their browser, with no installation and no account.
Frequently asked questions
Can I edit BCF issues online for free?
Yes. Bimlyte is a free, browser-based BCF editor — create and edit issues with no account and no installation.
It reads and writes both BCF 2.1 and BCF 3.0, so it fits alongside whatever the rest of the project is using.
Can I convert a BCF file between version 2.1 and 3.0?
Yes. In Bimlyte the version is chosen at export, so converting a file means exporting it in the version you need — in either direction.
If the target version requires data the file does not have, Bimlyte asks you to complete it first rather than dropping or guessing at it.
Can I export BCF to Excel or PDF?
Yes. You can generate both PDF and Excel reports from your BCF data, choosing which standard and custom fields to include.
The Excel export can also split the workbook into sheets by a field such as status, and turn attribute cells into drop-down lists.
Can I open a BCF file without a BIM licence?
Yes. A BCF file someone sends you can be opened, read, commented on and exported in Bimlyte with nothing installed and no account.
You can also turn the issues into a PDF or a spreadsheet for people with no BIM tooling at all.
Start working with BCF in your browser
A free BCF editor with PDF and Excel reports — no installation, no account.
No installation. No upload. No account required.