PDM – Mapping Variables to Microsoft Office

Article by Joe Medeiros, CSWE updated December 13, 2012

Article

EPDM variables can be mapped to a Microsoft Office document. This can be used to automatically populate documents such as ECN’s (Engineering Change Notices).

This article will assume that the appropriate Variable has been configured for Excel xls and/or xlsx file types

and that the Variable has been mapped to the the data card.

If you are not familiar with how this done, please refer to the SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Administration Guide.

In order for the Variable to be mapped to the Word document, we must first define the Custom Property, in Word. From From the menu bar, in Work select the File tab

Select Info and then Advanced Properties from the Properties pull-down

Click on the Custom Tab to add or select a custom property. Link to Content may no be selectable, but it not required. . Click Add, to create/define the Custom Property and OK, to exit Properties.

To display the custom property in the Office document, a Field needs to be inserted. From the “Insert” tab, select QuickParts icon and select Field

From Categories, select DocProperty and in the Field Properties, select the Property you want to link to the field.

In order to update the field, you can press F9 when the document is open or add a refresh macro .

To create a refresh macro with an office document open, press Alt-F8 on your keyboard and select “Create”

In the Macro window, enter the text shown below.

Save and close the Visual Basic, to complete the macro.

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Joe Medeiros, CSWE

Joe Medeiros is a SOLIDWORKS and PDM Certified Expert. He has been helping SOLIDWORKS users with training, mentoring and implementations since 1998. He combines industry experience with a thorough understanding of SOLIDWORKS products to assist customers in being successful. He shares his experience and expertise through blogs; one of which has been incorporated into the SOLIDWORKS Essentials training manual.