Link Configuration-Specific Information to a SOLIDWORKS PDM Data Card

The ability to link model information to your PDM data cards is one of the many benefits of a PDM vault integration. For most, linking Summary and Custom properties to a PDM data card is sufficient. (Figure 1) However, there is a growing user base using configurations for their models to save time and money. (Watch our SOLIDWORKS Configurations - Quick Tip video to learn more.) This article covers how to link configuration-specific information to the SOLIDWORKS PDM data card.

Figure 1: Custom Properties in a SOLIDWORKS model

Below is a comprehensive list of configuration-specific properties in SOLIDWORKS that can be mapped to PDM:

Configuration Name (Read/Write)

Configuration Description (Read/Write)

Configuration Comment (Read/Write)

Document Name (in BOM Options section) (Read-only)

User Specified Name (in BOM Options section) (Read/Write)

The same linking method below applies to all properties listed above. The only thing that changes is the Attribute Name when setting up the PDM variable.

1. Create the PDM Variable

You must create a PDM variable for each configuration-specific property you want to link. (Figure 2) Let’s take the configuration-specific Comment, for example.

1. Pick a PDM variable name
2. Click New Attribute
3. Block Name = SWCfgProperty
4. Attribute Name = Comment
5. File extensions (for parts and assemblies) = sldprt, sldasm

Figure 2: Crate new PDM Variable

2. Add the Variables in the PDM Data Card

Edit/create a data card and assign the new variable to an edit box. (Figure 3)

Figure 3: Assign a Variable to a Data Card Edit Box

To link the rest of the configuration-specific properties, follow the same process as above (just enter a different Attribute Name).

Attribute Name for Configuration Comment = Comment

Attribute Name for Configuration Description = Description

Attribute Name for Document Name = BOMPartNumber

Attribute Name for Configuration Name = Name

Attribute Name for Configuration User Specified Name = BOMUserSpecifiedName

3. Check the PDM Data Card Against the SOLIDWORKS Model

To ensure the link has occurred correctly, open a model and check the Properties. Keep in mind that you might have to check out and check back in a model if the model is already in the vault. This is how you force a handshake between PDM and SOLIDWORKS. (Figure 4)

Figure 4: Successful Link Between PDM and SOLIDWORKS

That concludes how to link configuration-specific information to a SOLIDWORKS PDM data card. Learn more about SOLIDWORKS PDM below.

Related Articles

How to Set Up Dynamically-Controlled Card Lists in SOLIDWORKS PDM

How to Search for Variables That Have Been Left Blank in SOLIDWORKS PDM Data Cards

Default Expressions in SOLIDWORKS PDM Data Cards

Configuration Properties in SOLIDWORKS PDM Data Cards

Using Default Values in SOLIDWORKS PDM Data Cards

VIEW ALL SOLIDWORKS PDM ARTICLES