Novant Exchange File (NEX)

A Novant Exchange File (NEX) is an Excel file for importing and exporting project data. It contains a full snapshot of a project’s configuration — everything except trend data — making it useful for offline planning, backup and restore, and migrating data between projects.

Use Cases

• Offline planning — NEX files can be created and edited without access to Novant. Field teams can collect asset and space information on site, consultants can prepare project configurations, and pre-build planning can happen before system connectivity is established.

• Backup and restore — export a NEX file from an existing project to capture its current configuration. Import it later to restore the project or recreate it in a different environment.

• Project seeding — use a NEX file from one project as a starting template for another. This is useful when deploying similar configurations across multiple buildings.

Importing and Exporting

NEX files can be exported from any project and imported into the same or a different project. Novant validates the data against the expected schema before applying it on import.

File Structure

Each data category is stored in its own worksheet:

Sheet	Contents
Project	Project name, city, and general settings.
Zones	Logical groupings organized by function or operational purpose.
Spaces	Physical locations such as floors, rooms, and areas.
Assets	Equipment tracked in the project, such as AHUs, VAVs, and meters.
Sources	Connected systems and devices, including protocol and connection configuration.
Source Maps	Mappings between source data points and Novant points for each source.

Each sheet follows a defined schema that aligns with the Novant data model. Columns and expected values are validated on import.