Tally 2.0 FAQ

About the beta

The beta is not a finished product. It will be incomplete; it will occasionally crash, and it may return incorrect results. As we receive feedback, we aim to improve the model's structure, quantity takeoffs, and overall user experience. This means some model elements may change between beta and commercial release. Treat this version as a sandbox, not a production tool; models you build during the beta may not carry forward into later releases. The beta is not appropriate for reporting or compliance of any kind. We will collect detailed usage data about your use of Tally during the beta phase, beyond the current bounds of the terms of use. Do not add any private or confidential data to the beta release.

Getting access

Who can use Tally 2.0?

Anyone in an organization on a paid C.Scale plan. Sign in with your normal C.Scale credentials. There's no separate Tally license.

Which versions of Revit does it support?

Revit 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027.

Can I run Tally 2.0 alongside Tally 1.0?

Yes. They are not mutually exclusive and can sit in Revit side by side.

What's different from Tally 1.0?

Most of the ideas carry over. You still build definitions against Revit materials, and read impacts by life cycle stage. The main changes:

View live results as you model. You can view impacts and identify hot spots, see model results, or review material inventory at any time from within Tally. No need to run a full model report to get quick feedback.
New and updated data. Tally 2.0 represents a wholesale update to the background LCIA data used by your WBLCA model. Where possible, materials are based on the most recent Industry-Average EPD, with generic datasets used as noted. Energy, fuels, transportation, and end-of-life impacts have been updated to reflect the latest US EPA data and are tied to datasets published in the US Federal LCA Commons.
Faster definitions. Apply a definition across many families at once, set the project location once, and let it drive transportation and end-of-life scenarios. Pick appropriate materials for the model element and situation, and Tally now pre-assigns takeoff methods and applies default quantities.
A connection to C.Scale. Push a model's takeoffs into a C.Scale project as a scenario and keep working on it outside Revit. See Modeling in Tally 2.0.
Saving definitions for linked models. In Tally 1.0, editing a definition on a linked element meant opening the linked file. Now you can define materials and elements in your own model; your version is stored with your model and survives the link being reissued.
Improved design option scenarios. You can now choose whether to include or exclude the full building model when running a design option comparison. No more copy/pasting full buildings to evaluate the impact of a small change.
Existing building comparisons. Tally 2.0 now supports the ability to compare models with and without existing fabric to be better understand the value of renovation and renewal.
Standardized classification. Categories, subcategories, and Uniformat classification now match C.Scale, and materials carry CSI spec sections.
Snapshots and Virtual elements. Save the model's state by connecting and syncing with a C.Scale project, and account for building systems and components not present in your Revit model.
Salvaged and Existing to Remain. Material status flags, and scope by phase, so existing-building reuse can be accounted for and tracked more easily across a project.

What has not changed?

Tally provides cradle-to-grave, whole-building LCA results across all core TRACI 2.1 impact categories for compliant and trustworthy WBLCA reporting. Apply definitions to your Revit model and generate robust LCA results that improve and update as your project develops. All background data in Tally's WBLCA models are carefully reviewed and have robust citations so you can be confident in model results.

Watch out for three things:

Tally 2.0 supports Revit 2024 to 2027 only, so a very old project file may need to be upgraded first.
Tally 1.0's three separate structural categories are now a single Structure category.
There's no Tally license to buy or renew, since access comes with a paid C.Scale plan.

Using Tally 2.0

How do I save?

Your work is stored in the Revit model, so save with Revit's own save. Note that closing the Tally window does not save automatically.

Can I change a material definition on an element that comes from a linked model?

Yes. Define materials on linked elements just as you would your own. The change saves in your model, not in the link. Tally never writes to a linked file, since links are read-only while you're working in your own model.

Will other teams see the changes I make to definitions on linked elements?

No. Definitions only travel one way, from the link into your model. Anyone who opens Tally in their own model sees only the definitions saved there, so your changes stay local to you. To share a definition, send it to them directly.

If a linked model is updated and reissued, will it overwrite my changes?

No. Each time a link reloads, Tally picks up whatever definitions that model carries and applies them only where you haven't set your own. Anywhere you've made a change, your version wins. To use the updated definition instead, clear yours with Reset to Linked Model in the family menu.

Which Revit categories does Tally cover?

Ceilings, Curtainwall Panels, Curtainwall Mullions, Doors, Floors, Railings, Roofs, Stairs, Structure, Walls, and Windows. Tally does not support MEP at this time.

Can I compare design options?

Yes. In the Object of Study, switch to Design Option Comparison and select at least two. The order in which you select them determines the order in which they appear in results.

Results and data

What impacts does Tally report?

Six core TRACI 2.1 impact categories, plus mass: global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), ozone depletion potential (ODP), smog formation potential (SFP), and fossil fuel depletion (FFD).

Where does Tally's LCA data come from?

Tally 2.0 uses its own LCA database, updated for this release. It does not draw on C.Scale's data.

Can I get the results out?

Yes. The Results screen exports Tabular Data (.csv), Full Results (.json), Full Results (.csv), and Full Results (.pdf).

Does everything I define in Tally reach C.Scale?

No. The connection to C.Scale carries structure, enclosure, and interiors only. See Modeling in Tally 2.0.

If I disconnect a model from C.Scale, do I lose the data I synced?

No. Everything you have already synced stays in C.Scale, and the scenario is yours to keep working on there.

Can I add my own LCA data?

Not currently. If a material you need is missing, please tell us. That feedback shapes what gets added.

Does Tally include cost information?

No. Life cycle assessment does not traditionally include costing information.

Can I use Tally 2.0 for LEED, or other reporting and compliance?

Not during the beta. See the note at the top of this page. Reporting from Tally takeoffs in C.Scale, including AIA 2030, LEED, and CALGreen, is planned for Tally 2.0's commercial release in January 2027.

Get in touch!

If something crashed, a number looks wrong, or you'd like to offer feedback on Tally 2.0 or the documentation, please get in touch. If you hit an error with a diagnostic reference code, include it.