How to revision files within SOLIDWORKS
First, we will look at making simple maturity state changes from the SOLIDWORKS task pane.
Before you can use the integrated lifecycle tools, make sure you have logged in to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform via the SOLIDWORKS task pane.
When saving your SOLIDWORKS data to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, it automatically gets assigned a revision (alpha (A,B,C… or 1,2,3 etc) and a maturity state. This is called "In Work" by default.
Simple File Release within SOLIDWORKS
When you are ready to release a file, select it, and use the Maturity button at the bottom of the task pane to bring up the maturity graph. From here you can select the released state.
For multiple files, you can also group select using the CTRL or shift keys before right clicking and selecting Maturity. This interface will be slightly different to selecting the released option, use the drop-down menu at the top of the pop up dialog to choose the state.
NOTE: Only users who are a Leader of the collaborative space where the files are stored will be able to click Release.
Simple File Revisions within SOLIDWORKS
Before creating new revisions in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, we recommend turning on the setting that replaces the current revision automatically when creating a new revision. This will also lock the new revision to you so that you can start working on it straight away.
To enable this, head to the tools tab in the MySession window and click on the options button, then select ‘Replace current revision automatically when creating a new revision’.
From here, the revisioning process is much the same as releasing, we can select individual files or multiple and then use the revision button from the bottom of the task pane or in the right click menu to begin.
The revision dialog box will appear, showing us the current and new revisions of the files. We can then add a revision comment if needed before selecting ‘Revise’.
The new revision should then automatically be activated and become locked to you to allow new changes immediately.
For small design teams where there perhaps isn’t need for different levels of user permissions, all users could be set to a leader role to allow move files to a released state.
If instead, you have a team where only certain people should be able to approve and release design data, then either of the next two release methods could be for you.
How to release data using approval routes
Approval routes can be quickly and easily created by users when wishing to submit their designs for release.
This is a more controlled process and is perfect for teams which have dedicated approvers.
All SOLIDWORKS users will automatically have access to an app in the platform called Route Management.
Approvals can all be managed through the 3DEXPERIENCE browser interface.
The fastest way to get started is with the Collaborative Designer for SOLIDWORKS dashboard or the 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS dashboard if you are using 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS.
Both dashboards can be accessed through the 3DDashboard app. The ‘My Data’ tab is what we will be using to manage approval routes.
This tab contains bookmarks to all of the files that have been uploaded to the platform.
You will want to add a new tab to the dashboard, specifically for managing approval routes. Then, head to the compass button and search for route management.
You can then drag and drop the route management app into our dashboard and expand it (watch the video above for more information on this).
As an example, we will build a controlled approval route for a part and its associated drawing which currently lie in the ‘in work state’.
Click on ‘new route’ and give it a title. If you have a template set up, you can select it here, we will cover this in the next section of this guide. Add a description if necessary.
Under advanced options, select your route base purpose - in this case, ‘Approval’. The route completion action will allow us to control what happens to connected options on approval.
In this case, we will select ‘Promote connected Object’ to ensure that the maturity of any attached items will be promoted to released on completion. We will leave the rest of the settings as default.
Under the content tab, we can drag and drop or search for the required files. You can switch back to the ‘My Data’ tab and drag files back to the approval routes dialog without needing to close it.
Set the target maturity to Released since this is an approval route and leave the blocking maturity as ‘In Work’.
Under the tasks tab, we can define the stages of the route. A template can be used to standardise this, but in this case, we will set up a single stage approval.
Click 'Add Task', then the undefined task to fill in expected actions, instructions and, importantly, an assignee. This can be a user or user group.
The assignee must be a leader within your collaborative space so that they are permitted to release files. Set a due date if required and click apply once ready.
The + buttons surrounding the task allow you to add extra approval tasks if perhaps multiple people need to approve the same file.
Click 'Start' to begin the route, which will notify the relevant users.
You can see assigned tasks from within the ‘My Tasks’ which allows you to review, markup, add comments and complete the task.
Under the approval routes tab, you can find completed routes and check that the state of any associated objects has been changed.
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Learn More Control data workflows with route templates
Rather than creating ad-hoc routes, templates can be setup to standardise approval processes for a business.
Multiple templates can be created to facilitate different business processes (CAD approval, document approval, multi-stage approval, etc.).
Within the route management tab, you can create a new template using the ‘New Template’ button.
Then, add names, descriptions and purpose. You can allow users to modify a route using the ‘Route Task Edits’ drop down, but most of the time this is left as ‘Maintain Exact Task List’ to prevent changes to the approval process.
Under the task tab, we will add tasks. The first task will be a design check, followed by an approval.
These separate tasks can have different users and actions assigned, and you can also run tasks in parallel if required. Be are that you must release the template to allow users to see it when creating new routes.
Any templates can then by viewed under the 'Templates' tab of the route management app.
Once a designer has finished making some modifications to a file, they can create a new approval route and use the newly created template to create the route. Be sure to review the properties and content tab before confirming, but the tasks tab will already be populated thanks to the template.
Since this is a multi-stage approval process, once the first design check task has been completed, a notification will automatically be sent to the next user or user group in required to approve the next task.
By clicking the information icon from for a completed route, you can see the routes history. This provides full traceability for each stage of the route with any comments as well as the completion date.
How to use Change Actions in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform includes formal change management functionality to give users a high level of traceability and control over releasing data.
Change actions can be used in conjunction with approval route templates so standard, defined processes for design release are being followed.
The Change Execution app is used to manage change actions. We can add a new tab to our dashboard and call it "Change Management". Search for the ‘Change Execution’ app with a small arrow in its icon to indicate that it can be added to a dashboard as a widget.
To create a change action. Click new change action, give it a title, description and due date.
Once you click create, you will see the four contained tabs which are members, proposed changes, realized changes and approvals.
Starting with the members tab, assignees can be added who would undertake design tasks, approvers for approvals and informed users can be included if a user requires visibility of the change action but will not be performing any tasks.
You can also define the approver using a route template, which will cause the change action to go through the approval process contained within the route. Consequently, any files attached to the change action will also be processed with the route.
Under proposed changes, drag the required items to the content area. Then select the desired action if the change action is approved. You can modify the proposed change using the drop down on the right hand side.
To activate the change action, you must edit its own maturity state and change it from draft to in work via the drop down under its name.
Assignees will then be notified to conduct any design change work. Once this is completed, the change action can be moved to the in-approval state, which will initiate the approval process. In this case, the route template will activate and allow the required users to check the files.
The system will automatically set the maturity state to ‘frozen’ during this process to lock the work and prevent any changes being made during the approval process.
When the change action is reviewed, and approval granted, the items will be promoted to released. When reviewing approval change action tasks, the attached content will be the change action itself. This protects against users without the change execution app from editing the file.
Once the change action is marked as completed, the items will be marked as released.
We can use the realized changes tab to see the changes of maturity state for each item, and the approvals tab will show the progress at each stage.
Looking at the ‘My Data’ tab, you can review any file and look at the 'Change' tab to see the complete history of the change action. Here you can see, what has been done, who did it and when along with any comments and approval statuses.
This full level of traceability is only possible when using change actions in conjunction with route templates.
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