Say goodbye to the limitations and frustrations of exporting Bill of Materials (BOM) as plain CSV files from SOLIDWORKS PDM. With the powerful PDM2Excel, you can now export your BOMs directly into Excel using your own customized templates, complete with your company header and even thumbnails. This solution not only enhances the visual appeal of your BOM exports but also streamlines your workflow with greater flexibility and professionalism.

Why Avoid Exporting BOMs to CSV Files?

CSV files, while simple and widely supported, often lead to a bland and unformatted presentation of your BOM data. They lack the ability to retain company branding, structured headers, or any graphical elements like thumbnails, which are essential for clear communication and professional documentation. Exporting BOMs as CSV files can result in extra manual work to reformat and organize the data in Excel, which is time-consuming and prone to errors.

Export BOMs with Your Own Excel Template

PDM2Excel is a task add-in for SOLIDWORKS PDM that enables you to export BOMs using a customized Excel template stored within your PDM vault. This means you can define your own headers, layout, and design, ensuring consistency with your company’s branding and documentation standards.

How It Works

• Prepare Your Excel Template: Create and save your Excel template in your PDM vault. This template should include your company header and any other formatting you want to appear on your BOM export.
• Configure the Starting Cell for BOM Data: In the PDM2Excel task settings, specify the exact starting cell where the BOM data will begin to populate within your template. For example, if your BOM header starts at row 6 and column 1, set this location accordingly.
• Launch the Task: Right-click on your assembly within SOLIDWORKS PDM, navigate to the task menu, and launch the PDM2Excel task.
• Review Your Export: Once the task completes, open the resulting Excel file. You will see your BOM data neatly laid out starting right after your template’s header, preserving all your customized formatting and branding.

Step-by-Step Guide to Exporting BOM to Excel Using PDM2Excel

1. Open Your Assembly: Start with the assembly in SOLIDWORKS PDM that you want to export the BOM for.
2. Locate Your Excel Template: Navigate to the folder in your PDM vault where your custom Excel template is saved.
3. Check Template Setup: Open your Excel template briefly to verify the BOM header location and confirm the starting cell for the BOM data.
4. Configure PDM2Excel Task: Open the PDM2Excel task setup page, go the Options tab, and browse to select your custom template file. Input the starting row and column indices where the BOM data should begin. Make sure to save.
5. Run the Export Task: Back in PDM, right-click the assembly, select Tasks, and launch the configured PDM2Excel task.
6. Verify the Export: Open the exported Excel file to ensure the BOM data is correctly populated beneath your template header, formatted exactly as you designed.

Stop settling for hideous CSV exports and elevate your BOM documentation with PDM2Excel. If you want a live demonstration or have questions about integrating this powerful tool into your workflow, feel free to reach out to BLUE BYTE SYSTEMS INC. through their website or LinkedIn. They offer personalized demos to help you get the most out of your SOLIDWORKS PDM experience:

For more information and to schedule a demo, visit: PDM2Excel Demo and Q&A