Why can’t I send a Record to a Process in SOLIDWORKS Manage?

When setting up a new process in SOLIDWORKS Manage, for instance, an Engineering Change Process to be used by a certain object type, it is common to see the screen below when trying to send your record to the new process. The drop-down is empty and you simply cannot select a process?

Empty dropdown when selecting a new process

In order to fix that, edit your process (go to the Processes window > Select your Process > right-click > Administration) and ensure the following is configured correctly:

1. In the Main Configuration tab, all possible statuses where your object may be in order to start the process must be listed in Status of INPUT records. In the example below, records in the Checked In, Checked Out and Released statuses can start a new process.

List of statuses

2. In the Access Rights tab, make sure you assigned permissions to the process. The group or user creating the new process must have full control over it.
3. Under Objects and Partial Administrators, make sure that either the object that will start the process is selected or that the option Use in all objects is checked.

Objects that can start this Process

4. Finally, under Workflow Properties, select the initial stage and check the option Allow Users to Add or Remove Items. Then, press Save in that same screen.

Allow users to add or remove items

The last step may be easily missed, as failing to press the Save button will result in that setting being reset, without any warnings.

Now you should be able to send your object or record to this process.

Send object to Process