SOLIDWORKS 2015 What’s New – Microsoft® Office Add-in for Enterprise PDM #SW2015

It’s finally coming out of Beta! The new ePDM add-in for Microsoft Office will be included with Enterprise PDM 2015. You will find the new functions in the ribbon under Enterprise PDM. This add-in will allow contributors and editors to perform ePDM functions directly from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This includes the ability to:

• Check out, check in, and undo check out
• Get the latest or previous file versions
• Display and edit Data Card information
• Change State
• Access the Search Tool
• Select in Windows Explorer
• View file status information
  • Local Version
  • Local Revision
  • Checked Out and Workflow information

The main benefit is the ability to check-out a file, in session, and not lose changes made to the read-only file. Without the add-in, you would have to save the file under a new name, or location, to keep changes made to a checked in file. This can save you a lot of frustration working with vaulted MS Office files.

You can select to install the add-in during installation of Enterprise PDM 2015, after you select your license type. Currently Office 2010 and Office 2013 are the only supported versions that will work with ePDM 2015.

Ryan Dally

Consultant – PLM Solutions
Computer Aided Technology