Solidworks 2004 installation

what is it that you don't like about PDMworks? We're considering making the jump to using it, and the feedback I've heard has been generally positive...

Hi,
1, No links between drawings numbers and file names. if you want to use drawing numbers you have to use an external database to generate these. more expense and more work.
2, If you check in an assembly, it checks in all of the parts used in that assembly in to the same project folder.
3, After checking in the assembly and parts documents, if the "delete local copies" box is selected, your drawing documents have lost their links! So be sure to check in the drawing documents first or unselect the "delete local copies" box. This leaves two document copies on your system
4, when opening assemblies from the vault, the assembly and the part documents used are all put into ONE solidworks working folder, Not into the folders that you created the documents. you can select a folder, where you want to put the assembly, part or drawing document, but if you select an assembly document, it puts all of the part documents in to that folder too. This is not much of a problem if you are only doing one type of project, but if you make two or more projects, sharing some common parts or assemblies, it can get very confusing, with only a little arrow on the document icon to show that it is a shared part.
I know that some people that like Pdmworks and it suits their type of work, but in a situation where an insurance company requires that there is a link between document names and drawing numbers, then PDMWorks can not seem to do this on it's own.
The Solidworks package becomes Solidworks Office Pro, when you add PDMWorks to Solidworks Office, but it is not a FULL professional system, it is more like buying autocad LT instead of the full version. You NEED to buy other software to make it work the way European drawing standards state.
You can get a 30 days evaluation period by contacting your var, and I would very much recommend you try it first, to see if it is what you want. Good Luck!