PartNo????????

You need to set up your own BOM templates that suit your requirements (both tables and Excel). It sounds like you are not on SW 2004 as they default to the new BOM tables, whilst earlier versions use Excel to create the BOM.

Note if you are using the Excel BOM - make sure you read the help section on creating BOM templates & do not delete the Item No & Qty columns (this will cause strange behavour when used in your drawing).

You will then need to set up some part and assembly templates that incorporate the custom properties that you want populated into your BOM (e.g. Description, Size, Mass, Material Grade, etc.), then you will need to complete these custom properties in each part and assembly that you create - this info is then available for use by your BOM (and any other 'linked' notes).

Merry :-)

If you have part names that differ from the names you want in your BOM then RMB your configuration select properties. Under properties you see at the bottom it says Part Number to use in BOM if this is set to File name it will act as you described. If this is set to custom it will put whatever you enter in the field above it into the BOM if you set it to Configuration name it will put that in the BOM. This works quite well for us.

Corey

Thanks for help. I guess this is the least painfull way to do it. But I'm still confused by the Part No designation in the Custom Properties box and how it does not seem to be linked in any way to part number info that SW uses. Seems like a very dis-organzied way to do things.

Rick

Rick, there is is another way (easier, IMHO) to get the same result as the method Corey explained and which has some other advantages as well. If you have a Design Table (or insert a Design Table) in your Part or Assembly file you can drive the part number that shows up in the bill of material by including a column named $PARTNUMBER. The value you place under that column for the configuration you're using (even if you only have a Default configuration) ends up in the Configuration Properties in the exact area about which Corey wrote. In addition, other values under columns in the Design Table which are prefixed by $PRP@ will end up in the Custom Properties under the Configuration Specific tab. And of course all values entered under the Configuration Specific tab will take precedence over the same values entered under the Custom tab. So . . . what I and some others do is have Part and Assembly templates each with a pre-existing Design Table already inserted. For any specific project you can cut and paste values (a whole row of cells if you like) from a "master" Excel spreadsheet into the Design Table that is already there, and then filling in the values that are unique to each Part or Assembly is easier than dealing with the Summary Information dialog box (where one normally enters Custom Properties). And of course as I explained above the $PARTNUMBER value also takes care of "Part number displayed when used in a bill of materials" area of the Configuration Properties dialog box about which Corey wrote.

Mark 'Sporky' Stapleton Watermark Design, LLC

Rick Sink wrote:

Thaks, I'll take a look at this...I've not explored design tables yet.

Rick

It seems that you cannot use this field in your BOM. As an alternative you could make a new field named PartNo2 and use that as you desire. I would suggest you hide PartNo in your template though instead of deleting it then you can add a new collumn and label it as you wish but make sure the name of the cell is PartNo2. Always remember that config specific fields take precedence.

Corey