Items capture a complete product definition. They collect CAD assembly designs, software, packaging, documentation, and other components into a single comprehensive view of the product.
Users interact with items from Item Explorer, the client application for items. From Item Explorer, users can create new items, browse item folders, and perform operations such as check-out and change workflow state. See SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM Item Explorer Help for details. Users can also create items from File Explorer.
Every item has a unique identifier (item ID). The item ID can be read from a file data card variable, generated from an Enterprise PDM serial number, or supplied by the user. Because the item ID is not descriptive, items also have display names based on a variable (Description by default). Item Explorer always shows both the item ID and the display name.
Refer to the
SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM Installation Guide for items information:
- Item Explorer is not installed by default. To install Item Explorer, perform a custom client installation and select the Item Explorer feature.
- Upgrading a pre-2009 SP2 vault database does not create the default item cards (data card and search cards), item BOM template, or serial number. To work with items, use the Administration tool to import these features.