Setup and manage your automation and configurator project with DriveWorks Administrator and the SOLIDWORKS Add-in.
Learn how to install and license DirveWorks Administrator.
Learn how to create a Group and Project.
Get started automating your SOLIDWORKS models.
Get started with DriveWorks CPQ for Manufacturing.
The DriveWorks Administrator interface consists of the following main areas:
A Group and Project are required to view all options in the Task Explorer. Learn how to create a Group and Project.
When connected to the internet, DriveWorks Today will display dynamic community content containing useful links to information, news and events relating to DriveWorks.
Quickly access recently opened Groups and Projects.
Individual Groups display the location of the .drivegroup file and a single Group icon.
Shared Groups display the server name of the Group and a double Group icon.
Clicking any listed Group will open that Group.
Clicking any listed Project will open the Group and the selected Project.
All recently used Groups and Projects lists can be cleared from the DriveWorks Today screen.
This Task provides the ability to add information at Group Level that will be accessible to all Projects created within the same Group.
The security settings task provides the ability to create Users, and Teams of users in order to control who can view, edit and specify projects, and work with captured information.
Group Tables allow the creation of tabular data relevant to all Projects within a Group.
This task provides remote control of any DriveWorks Autopilot that is running and connected to a Shared Group that is open in DriveWorks Administrator.
DriveApps add out of the box functionality to your current Group.
Add a Dashboard, Scheduler or CPQ Solution DriveApp to the Group.
The Form Navigation designer enables quick creation of multiple input forms.
It is where the path (navigation) between multiple input forms is defined while a Specification is running.
When implementing a DriveWorks CPQ DriveApp solution the following Form Template is available:
When implementing all other solutions the following Form templates provide a starting point and use various techniques to control styling and responsiveness.
Blank Form | Form Controls Toolbox | Multi Form Layout With Bottom Tabs | Multi Form Layout with Bottom Tabs and 3D | Multi Form Layout Horizontal Tabs | Multi Form Layout Vertical Tabs | Multi Form Layout LH Tabs | Multi Form Layout RH Tabs | Single Form Layout
The Form Designer is where the controls are added that are displayed on each input form.
The Knowledge Base, How To section has a User Form category with tips and tricks to aid User Form design.
This tasks allows validation feedback to the user when invalid data has been entered.
DriveApps add out of the box functionality to your current Group.
Add a Dashboard, Scheduler or CPQ Solution DriveApp to the Group.
Constants provide the ability to create named values which do not change, or change infrequently, such as mathematical or engineering constants.
Use Variables to create rules for use in many places, or just to simplify long rules by breaking them down.
When creating an automation project, it is likely that you've got existing data in databases or spreadsheets that you want to reuse, you can create Tables using the Table Editor which can represent static data, or data which is pulled dynamically from external databases such as Microsoft SQL Server.
Calculation Tables allow real time calculations, in tabular form, to be carried out during a specification.
DriveWorks has the ability to create Documents such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or HTML Documents.
The Documents - Files Task provides you with the ability to add Documents to your Project.
DriveWorks has the ability to create Data Documents (no physical file is created) such as writing data to a DriveWorks table or external database.
The Documents - Data Task provides you with the ability to add Data Documents to your Project.
The DriveWorks 3D File document type references .drive3d files created using your 3D CAD application.
The document can be displayed in the 3D Preview control to allow a configurable 3D representation, optimized for Internet browsers, on a user form.
After capturing the models that are required to be driven, use the Model Rules task to add one or more instances of those models to the project and apply the rules for the captured parameters.
Generation Tasks allow additional automation Tasks to be run on Parts, Assemblies and Drawings.
Control the naming and folder location of specifications which are created by running a project.
Specification Properties provide the ability to have additional columns of information appear in the Specification Explorer for each Specification.
Specification Macros can be applied to Macro Buttons on the user Form or triggered from the Specification Flow, Specification Timers or Drive3D Click Macro Entities to run set Tasks that can have parameters passed into them using Rules or Connections.
DriveWorks gives you full control over who, what and when. The intelligent workflow technology allows you to manage team permissions, approval processes and customer journeys.
The Specification Explorer is where new specifications are created, and existing ones are viewed and modified.
Personal Web Edition provides local access to run a Project in a browser, in the chosen Theme.
DriveApps provide out of the box functionality to enhance and accelerate your use of DriveWorks.
Run a CPQ solution, Dashboard or Schedule events to run at set times.
Consider the following before using DriveWorks Administrator:
DriveWorks Pro Administrator Training is a 3-day class offered by DriveWorks Resellers using our Training Materials. The training covers the core concepts: Rules, Automation, Form Design, Work Flow and Configuration and teaches how to automate and configure same but different designs. Contact your reseller for more information.
Ensure all pre-requisites are followed, the module is installed on the required machine and licensed accordingly.
See Installing and Licensing DriveWorks Administrator (above) for links.
Read the article Info: Where To Store DriveWorks Data for guidance on where your data should be located.
Read the article How To: Implementation Guide to plan the automation project.
Understand the additional tools installed with DriveWorks Administrator.
DriveWorks Data Management | DriveWorks Group Upscale | DriveWorks License Management | DriveWorks Pro Server
Any data previously set up in other DriveWorks products can be used as a starting point, see Migration From DriveWorksXpress or Migration From DriveWorks Solo.
Our guides are written by DriveWorks technical experts to provide help when you’re starting your implementation.
Learn more about the best modeling techniques to adopt to make your implementation maintainable and performant, and how to run IIS successfully.
Learn moreThese articles explain how to achieve specific tasks or implement certain features in greater detail.
Categories include User Form design, Data and Rules, DriveWorks 3D, SOLIDWORKS and PDM, Documents, Security and Specification Workflow.
Learn moreLearn about the tools available to diagnose potential issues during set up and running.
Understand the feedback and reporting that DriveWorks provides when a Specification is created and models are generated.
Learn moreEnter the error message displayed into the Error Search Filter to be taken to the cause and solution.
Error message search