PDMWorks 5 Questions

We are creating a new 2004 vault and will appreciate any feedback you may have to these questions:

We have a "Released" lifecycle state to which only two admin people have access. We do not isolate released files by storing them in a different folder than WIP. Do you protect released files by using lifecycle states or by storing all released files in a separate, secured folder?

Within each project, do you store your drawing and model files in separate folders or together in one folder?
On the client options panel there is the setting to "Compare vault file to [ ] File on disk [ ] File in Memory". Our assumption is that the default should be to compare the vault file to the file on disk (local view). Is this correct, or are their arguments supporting why using the file in memory is better?

On the client options panel there is the setting to "Open documents [ ] As Built [ ] Latest versions". Our assumption is that the default should be to use the latest versions. Is this correct, or are their arguments supporting why using the as-built versions is better?
Is it possible to rename a project, or must its contents be swapped out, the project deleted and recreated, and the contents swapped back in?

Thank you in advance, Marc

One of the things I do is to assist companies to implement PDMWorks, so I run into these questions on a daily basis.

I prefer to use lifecycle status the way you have done. Not all companies use lifecycle, though, since it requires some maintenance overhead. I usually try to discourage people from moving documents to different projects to manage permissions.

I have seen this done both ways. Personally, I don't like the way PDMWorks displays the hierarchy of the drawings, assemblies and parts. It is backwards and makes no sense in the Where Used/References scheme, so I prefer to put drawings in their own project.

Having a separate drawings project also helps to control permissions, and to remove non-SW users confusion about the difference between drawings and models. At my last job as CAD admin, I set up the vault with separate location for drawings.

I use file in memory, which is the default. The reason for this is that if you open a part from the vault, what is in memory is the same as what's on disk, but as soon as you make a change and don't save it, there is a difference. You can check in a changed part which hasn't been saved, so it seems like you should compare the vault to what's in memory.

This is almost always set to Latest version. The only time that wouldn't be true is if you uprev the assembly and drawings any time a part changes. This can get to be a complicated question after you talk about it for 3 minutes. I prefer to leave the question to the philosophical "what if" documentation weenies. Set it to latest version and be safe.

You can't change the name of a project, but you can change the description. In 2005 you can copy a project, but this also copies the contents, which may not be what you are looking for. I've seen other PDM systems with the same limitation.

matt