The Microsoft Office Add-in adds an Enterprise PDM ribbon to Microsoft Word, Excel®, and PowerPoint®. From the ribbon, users can perform vault operations and display information about the file open in the Microsoft Office application.
Users do not need additional licenses to use the Microsoft Office Add-in. However, users must have a Contributor, CAD Editor, or PSL license to check files out and in.
You can install Microsoft Office Add-in when you install SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM. When you install the Add-in, the Enterprise PDM ribbon appears with the other Office ribbons.
The Microsoft Office Add-in lets users:
- Check out, check in, and undo check out.
- Get the latest or previous file versions.
- Display and edit Data Card information.
- Change State.
- Access the Search Tool.
- Select in Windows Explorer.
- View file status information:
- Local Version
- Local Revision
- Checked Out and Workflow information
Benefits of the Add-in include:
- Easier check out and check in of Microsoft Office files.
Previously, users had to check out the file in Windows Explorer, edit it in a Microsoft Office application, and check it in to the vault via the Windows Explorer interface. Now, users can perform these actions in the Microsoft Office application.
- The ability to save in-session changes to a file that is checked in.
Previously, when users edited a checked in file, the in-session changes were lost during the check out and file caching. Now, users have a choice to apply these edits during check out.
- The ability to access older versions of files.
- The ability to change workflow state.