Save SolidWorks BOM as Excel with Links: A Comprehensive Guide
Managing bills of materials (BOMs) in SolidWorks can be a daunting task, especially when you need to share or analyze them outside of the CAD software. One of the most efficient ways to do this is by saving your SolidWorks BOM as an Excel file with live links. This not only allows for easier collaboration but also ensures that your data remains up-to-date. In this detailed guide, we will walk you through the process step by step, ensuring that you can seamlessly transition your BOM from SolidWorks to Excel with links intact.
Understanding the Importance of BOMs
BOMs are crucial documents in the manufacturing process, providing a detailed list of all the components required to assemble a product. They are essential for various reasons:
| Reason | Description |
|---|---|
| Cost Estimation | Helps in estimating the cost of materials and labor required for production. |
| Procurement | Facilitates the procurement of necessary components and materials. |
| Quality Control | Ensures that all components meet the required quality standards. |
| Assembly | Guides the assembly process by providing a clear list of components and their assembly sequence. |
By saving your SolidWorks BOM as an Excel file with links, you can easily share this information with stakeholders, such as suppliers, manufacturers, and customers, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
Exporting Your BOM from SolidWorks
Before you can save your SolidWorks BOM as an Excel file with links, you need to export it from the CAD software. Here’s how to do it:
- Open your SolidWorks part or assembly file.
- Go to the “File” menu and select “Save As” or “Export” (depending on your version of SolidWorks).
- In the “Save As” or “Export” dialog box, choose “Bill of Materials” as the file type.
- Select the desired location to save your BOM file.
- Click “Save” to export your BOM.
Once you have exported your BOM, you can proceed to the next step.
Converting the BOM to Excel Format
Now that you have your BOM in SolidWorks format, you need to convert it to Excel. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Microsoft Excel.
- Go to the “File” menu and select “Open.” Navigate to the location where you saved your SolidWorks BOM file.
- Double-click the BOM file to open it in Excel.
- Excel will automatically convert the BOM to a table format, with each row representing a component.
At this point, your BOM is in Excel format, but the links are not yet active. Let’s move on to the next step to enable these links.
Adding Live Links to Your Excel BOM
Adding live links to your Excel BOM ensures that any changes made in SolidWorks will be reflected in your Excel file. Here’s how to do it:
- Select the entire BOM table in Excel.
- Go to the “Data” tab in the ribbon.
- In the “Get & Transform Data” group, click on “From Text.” If you have a newer version of Excel, you may see “Get & Transform Data” directly in the “Data” tab.
- Select “From File” and then “From Text.” Navigate to the location of your SolidWorks BOM file.
- Click “Import” to open the “Text Import Wizard.” In the first step, choose “Delimited” as the data type.
- In the second step, select “Comma” as the delimiter.
- In the third step, click “Next” and then “Finish” to import the data into Excel.
Now, your
