Customizing Sheet Formats

You can customize drawing sheet formats to match your company’s standard format. The sheet formats provided with the SOLIDWORKS software do not conform to any standard.

If you create custom sheet formats, avoid overwriting the standard sheet formats that are included with the software. When you install a SOLIDWORKS service pack, the standard formats are overwritten, including your customized formats. Store custom sheet formats in a separate directory instead.

You can include geometric tolerance and surface finish annotations on sheet formats. The annotations cannot include leaders.

Drawing templates contain notes that link to properties. These properties extract information from the part, assembly, or drawing. System properties are automatically available when you insert a note. You enter custom properties on the Custom tab in the Properties dialog box for drawing, part, or assembly documents as appropriate.

To open the Properties dialog box:

Click File > Properties.

System Properties Linked to Fields in the System Sheet Formats

SW-File Name (in DWG. NO. field)
SW-Sheet Scale
SW-Current Sheet
SW-Total Sheets

Custom Properties of Drawing Documents Linked to Fields in the System Sheet Formats

CompanyName EngAppDate
CheckedBy ManufacturingApproval
CheckedDate MfgAppDate
DrawnBy QAApproval
DrawnDate QAAppDate
EngineeringApproval  

Custom Properties of Parts or Assemblies Linked to Fields in the System Sheet Formats

The following properties are populated by the properties.txt file in install_dir/lang/english.

Description (in TITLE field)
Weight
Material
Finish
Revision

Properties That are Populated by the properties.txt File in install_dir/lang/english

Description CheckedBy Project
PartNo CheckedDate Status
Number DrawnBy DateCompleted
Revision EngineeringApproval CompanyName
Material EngAppDate Department
Weight ManufacturingApproval Division
Finish MfgAppDate Group
StockSize QAApproval Author
UnitOfMeasure QAAppDate Owner
Cost Vendor Source
MakeOrBuy VendorNo IsFastener
LeadTime Client  

SOLIDWORKS Special Properties

SOLIDWORKS special properties are part of every drawing file:

SW-Author SW-Last Saved Date SW-File Name
SW-Keywords SW-Last Saved By SW-Folder Name
SW-Comments SW-Sheet Name SW-Long Date
SW-Title SW-Template Size SW-Short Date
SW-Subject SW-Sheet Scale SW-Current Sheet
SW-Created Date SW-Sheet Format Size SW-Total Sheets (total sheets in drawing file)