DriveWorks Pro 22

BOM To Microsoft Excel

BOM To Microsoft Excel

The BOM to Microsoft Excel plugin is run by DriveWorks during the model generation process. It traverses the SOLIDWORKS assembly of a newly generated clone (regardless of whether the components are captured by DriveWorks or not) to retrieve the BOM information (Assembly Structure and Properties) and inserts the data into a new Excel file (based on a template) and saves the file in the Assemblies folder.

This plugin is machine specific and should be installed on each machine where models can be generated. (DriveWorks Administrator, DriveWorks User, DriveWorks Autopilot)

Install\ Uninstall

The installation file is available from the DriveWorks User Community web site at https://my.driveworks.co.uk/ (login required).

Once downloaded double click the DriveWorksLabsBillOfMaterialsToExcel.msi file to begin the installation process. DriveWorks and SOLIDWORKS should be closed while installing the plugin.

Once installed the plugin is automatically loaded in DriveWorks.

The plugin is uninstalled from Windows Programs and Features, and will be listed as DriveWorks Bill Of Materials Excel (Database).

Settings

Once installed the plugin can be configured by:

1. Launching DriveWorks Administrator
2. Click the Settings button from the header bar
3. Select plugin Settings from the list on the left of the Settings dialog
4. Scroll to the plugins section at the bottom of the main window
5. Select DriveWorks BOM File plugin
6. Click the Settings button

Browse to Settings File

A settings file must be loaded to use the plugin.

Click this button to either browse to an existing settings file or create a new one in the desired location by just typing a filename in to the browse window.

Once the plugin has been configured, this settings file can then be transferred to any other machine that wishes to use the plugin.

Edit Model List

The plugin needs to know the name of each assembly it is to run on.

To Add a model to the list

1. Click Edit Model List to open the Add Models dialog
2. Enter the name of each master assembly in the top field

   This is the Master Model Name of any captured DriveWorks model minus the extension, and is case sensitive.

3. Click Add after each master assembly name that is added.

To remove a model that has been added to the list

1. Select an item in the list view
2. Click Delete to remove the model.

Options

The plugin allows for different options and BOM Templates to be configured for each master model that can be generated from the DriveWorks group.

Once a Model has been selected in the Project List drop down, the rest of the settings can be configured.

Check the box next to each option required for the selected model.

Include Assemblies

This includes the top level assembly in the BOM.

Autosize Columns in Document

This will resize columns to fit the largest text string within a column.

Different Configurations on New Line

This will place Instances of the same component that use different configurations as a separate item in the BOM.

Same Components with Different Parents on New Line

This will include identical components that have different parents as a separate item in the BOM.

Excel BOM Options

The plugin requires an Excel template to export the BOM into.

The template is created using Microsoft Excel, and must be .xls or .xlsx format.

Typically the template will include an area (Header) for the document title and company logo. This area can be ignored by the plugin by selecting the row number to start importing the BOM items.

The template may also include header information (Project Number, Date Created etc.). This information is driven by naming the cell in the Excel workbook and then mapping this to a SOLIDWORKS custom property in the top level assembly being driven.

Template Excel File

1. Click the Browse button to browse to the Excel workbook to use as the template
2. Once the template is located click Open

The workbook will open automatically to help with the setting of the other options available.

Sheet

Select the Sheet name from the drop down box to export the BOM to

Start Row

Select the row number to start the import to. This must avoid the rows included for the header and the header information.

Header Information

The header information should be placed at the top of the Worksheet, and is there to send values for the BOM as a whole. If a cell has been named in the excel BOM Template, then a custom property for the assembly being exported can be driven directly into that cell.

To Add Header Information

With the Header Information tab selected in the Excel BOM Options area:

1. Click Add
2. Select the named cell from the Excel range Name drop down
3. Enter the SOLIDWORKS Custom property the Excel cell is to be populated with
4. Click Add
5. Repeat 1 to 4 for all other Header Information the BOM is to be populated with

Column Information

Column Information is where all of the details required for each item in the BOM is set up.

To Add Column Information

1. Select the Column Information tab.
2. Select Add and enter a name for the column in the Name field. This will not be exported into the BOM, the template must have it's own column header if required.
3. Select the Column Number the information is to be exported into from the Column Number field.
4. Select the SOLIDWORKS Input Value that is to be exported into each row of this column from the drop down box. This could be any of the following types:_
   1. Filename - The filename of the component
   2. Qty – the total quantity of instances of the component in the assembly the BOM plugin is running on
   3. AssemblyType - The name of the component
   4. Configuration - The configuration of the component
   5. Custom Property – Any SOLIDWORKS custom property captured in DriveWorks. The name of the property is required (Case sensitive)
5. Click Finish
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 for all other details required to be exported into the columns.

Plugin Use

Once the plugin has completed compiling all the data for the clone, it will send it to a new Excel file (Based on your template) that is then saved into the same folder as the newly created Assembly.

Alternative File Name

If the BOM is required to have a different name and location, follow the steps below:

1. Open the captured master assembly in SOLIDWORKS. This is the model(s) added to the Edit Model List above.
2. Capture a custom property named BOMFileName. See Custom Properties for more information.
3. Open the project that drives the master model(s) in DriveWorks Administrator.
4. Go to Stage 4: Output Rules > Model Rules and display the captured parameters for the master model.
5. Build a rule for the custom property BOMFileName that results in the full file path, name and extension for the BOM that is created.