IFC is the open standard for BIM data exchange. Every major CAD platform exports it, every coordination tool reads it. But when you need to actually work with the data — filter elements, check parameters, run calculations — you need it in a spreadsheet, not locked inside an IFC viewer.

We built an IFC-to-Excel converter that does exactly this. Feed it an .ifc file (any version — IFC2x3, IFC4, IFC4x3), get a structured .xlsx workbook with every element and every property set. Plus a .dae file with 3D geometry. No plugins, no CAD software, runs offline.

What data do you get from an IFC file?

IFC files are dense. A single model can have tens of thousands of elements, each with dozens of property sets. Our converter flattens all of that into Excel® rows and columns:

Each IFC class gets a separate sheet in the workbook. So IfcWall elements are on one sheet, IfcDoor on another, IfcSpace on a third. Clean, browsable, ready for analysis.

Quick start: one command

git clone https://github.com/datadrivenconstruction/cad2data-Revit-IFC-DWG-DGN.git
cd cad2data-Revit-IFC-DWG-DGN

# Windows
DDC_WINDOWS_Converters\DDC_CONVERTER_IFC\IfcExporter.exe "C:\Projects\Model.ifc"

# Linux (APT)
sudo apt install ddc-ifcconverter
ddc-ifcconverter input.ifc output_dir/

Output lands next to the input file: Model_ifc.xlsx + Model_ifc.dae.

Important: always use full absolute paths. Relative paths can produce silent failures or empty output.

Using n8n™ workflows (no code)

If command lines aren’t your thing — we ship visual workflows for n8n:

npx n8n
# Open http://localhost:5678
# Import n8n_1_*.json from DDC_n8n_Workflows&Pipelines/

Set your IFC file path in the “Set Variables” node, hit Execute. The workflow handles conversion and validation automatically. Workflow n8n_3_* does batch conversion of an entire folder with HTML reporting.

Python™ scripting

import subprocess
from pathlib import Path
import pandas as pd

# Convert
subprocess.run([
    r"C:\DDC\IfcExporter.exe",
    r"C:\Projects\Office.ifc"
], capture_output=True, timeout=300)

# Analyze
df = pd.read_excel("Office_ifc.xlsx", sheet_name="IfcWall")
print(f"Walls: {len(df)}")
print(f"Total wall area: {df['NetSideArea'].sum():.1f} m²")

This is where it gets interesting. Once you have tabular data, the full Python™ ecosystem opens up — pandas for analysis, matplotlib for charts, scikit-learn for classification. Feed it into an LLM for natural language analysis.

Docker® containers

FROM ubuntu:22.04
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y curl && \
    echo "deb [trusted=yes] https://pkg.datadrivenconstruction.io stable main" \
    > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ddc.list && \
    apt-get update && apt-get install -y ddc-ifcconverter
WORKDIR /data
ENTRYPOINT ["ddc-ifcconverter"]

docker build -t ifc-converter .
docker run --rm -v /projects:/data ifc-converter /data/Model.ifc /data/output/

IFC versions supported

How does this compare to other IFC tools?

Solibri™ is great for model checking with rules. BIMcollab ZOOM is a solid free viewer. But if you need the data out of the IFC and into a spreadsheet for analysis or reporting — that’s what we optimize for.

FAQ

Can I convert IFC to Excel without BIM software?

Yes. The converter reads IFC files natively. No Revit®, no ArchiCAD®, no viewer needed. Works on Windows® and Linux.

What IFC schema versions are supported?

IFC2x3, IFC4, IFC4x3, and IFC4.3 (ISO 16739-1:2024). Covers virtually all IFC files in production.

Does it extract property sets?

Yes — all of them. Standard Psets (Pset_WallCommon, etc.), quantity sets (BaseQuantities), and custom property sets. Each property becomes a column in the output.

Can I batch convert multiple IFC files?

Yes. Use the n8n batch workflow, Python™ scripts, or shell loops. No file limit.

Best choice for IFC to Excel® conversion

Working with other CAD/BIM formats? See our guides for Revit to Excel, DWG to Excel, DGN to Excel, and Revit to IFC conversion.

Revit® and AutoCAD® are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. Excel® and Windows® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Docker® is a registered trademark of Docker, Inc. Python™ is a trademark of the Python Software Foundation. n8n™ is a trademark of n8n GmbH. Solibri™ is a trademark of Solibri, Inc. ArchiCAD® is a registered trademark of Graphisoft SE. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.