Top-Ten(ish) little known secrets about SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM
12. Tab reports in Windows can be shown on bottom OR on the Right Hand side
The Windows Explorer Tab data reports (such as Preview, Data Card, Contains, Where Used, etc...)
can be placed 'To the Right' hand side of the window as well as 'At the Bottom' default location
11. Document Properties Comparison in SOLIDWORKS:
In SOLIDWORKS it's possible to run a Document properties
Comparison between two versions of the same file in the vault:
10. Yes EPDM can write Version number to the Data Card & File Custom Properties
The SOLIDWORKS Dispatch Add-in can be used to write the next version to a data card for manual
versions (on check-in) and combine this with workflow actions to then write next version to the data
card for automatically created versions.
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9. EPDM has a utility for easy collection of support information:
The Administration tool comes with a utility for collecting a large array
of support information.
8. Every client installation of EPDM comes with a full set of
Manuals and supplemental reading materials (enjoy:)
C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM\Lang\GB....
7. Custom SQL Report Generator included (some assembly required).
EPDM comes with a Report Generator feature that allows users to run custom SQL scripts that
generate database derrived reports without the necessity of granting users direct access to SQL.
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6. Scheduling SQL backups is easy
The SQL Server Management Studio comes with a built-in scheduler
called a ‘Maintenance Plan’ that can be set to automatically schedule
and execute a number of activities: such as nightly backups and good
house keeping measures like rebuilding and reorganizing data so that
information is more easily recalled from the database.
5. Notifications, Notifications, Notifications.
Each client can set up their own notification monitors via the
Notification Editor to have themselves notified to their hearts content based
on a huge range of conditions affecting both folders and files. Great for users that feel they are not
notified enough, and/or want to monitor a particular project or file very closely.
4. Convert Task is more than just PDF conversion...
The custom ‘SWTaskAddin’ that come standard with EPDM can do more than convert drawings to PDF
(for which it’s most commonly used) it can also convert any document that SOLIDWORKS can open, to
(almost) any document type that SOLIDWORKS can ‘save-as’ to create. So think models to iges or
parasolid, and drawings to DWG or DXF. Recently we found that it will even convert DWG to PDF as
well. In addition to file conversion this swiss army knife of an add-in comes with task scripting modules
for both Design Checker and Print task automation as well.
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3. EPDM can search the database to reconnect missing references before initial check-in.
With just a few easy steps, the Update References utility can recursively search the whole vault for,
and then repair missing references prior to initial checkin. Learn it, Love it, Use it.
2. EPDM Search Cards have a secret ‘Default Values’ table that can apply initial values to
search forms upon opening.
The EPDM search card forms have the ability to hold default values, such that upon opening a search
the form is already optimized to behave in a preferred fashion. This can greatly increase search setup
time and decrease search errors for users.
1. EPDM Computed (calculated) BOM’s can be edited directly like a spreadsheet table!
Computed BOM's can be edited like a spreadsheet table if the components there-in are currently
checked out... This is a huge time saver over editing individual file data cards.
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