Does SWx work and play well with MS Access?
Does SWx work and play well with MS Access?
(OP)
Did a search and din't really find anything.
We're a small company that is beginning a "growth spurt" shall we say.
I have finally convinced the boss (who likes to keep things simple...a little too simple) that we need to start keeping a proper parts data base and physical inventory. We want to do this with Access. Can assembly BOM's and parts lists be linked to Access?
Am I just reinventing the wheel? PDMworks is more for managing drawings...revision levels and stuff. I realize PDM obviously will create various reports of top-down parts break downs and all of that. But I think that is the only feature I would want from PDM. I would like that same feature, but generated from my assy's and then put into Access.
Am I out to lunch here? (I actually am eating lunch right now...but that is beside the point. I do enjoy my wife's leftover lasagna though)
We're a small company that is beginning a "growth spurt" shall we say.
I have finally convinced the boss (who likes to keep things simple...a little too simple) that we need to start keeping a proper parts data base and physical inventory. We want to do this with Access. Can assembly BOM's and parts lists be linked to Access?
Am I just reinventing the wheel? PDMworks is more for managing drawings...revision levels and stuff. I realize PDM obviously will create various reports of top-down parts break downs and all of that. But I think that is the only feature I would want from PDM. I would like that same feature, but generated from my assy's and then put into Access.
Am I out to lunch here? (I actually am eating lunch right now...but that is beside the point. I do enjoy my wife's leftover lasagna though)






RE: Does SWx work and play well with MS Access?
A small company I use to work for had something like what you want to do before PDM Works was bundled with SWx. I was a nightmare....because Access has some significant limitations with users access. What we ended up doing is writing a VB application along with mySQL to create a multi users part number database and BOM generator. Don't stay out to lunch to long on the Acess thing because mind control is Micro$oft's biggest weapon.
Best Regards,
Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
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RE: Does SWx work and play well with MS Access?
RE: Does SWx work and play well with MS Access?
Just as Heckler pointed out, VB plus SQL will be a lot more flexible. But that does not mean you can not use ACCESS. You can link your ACCESS to your SW documents. But is it a good idea to link your SW documents to the ACCESS database? My answer is "No". You have to realize which one is chicken, and which one is egg between your SW documents and your ACCESS database.
An advantage of using ACCESS (or other database application) is SQL for super indexing. You do not want to link your ACCESS database to your SW documents. You should maintain your ACCESS database manually to sync your SW documents.
But anyway, going database is a good approach. You will have more discipline and allow you do automation down the load.
Alex
RE: Does SWx work and play well with MS Access?
Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP3.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
RE: Does SWx work and play well with MS Access?
Why do you use ACCESS for all BOM's? PDMWorks can not handle your BOM's, or can it?
Thanks,
Alex
RE: Does SWx work and play well with MS Access?
I wouldn't create the wheel. There may be a solution out there already. I was at a user group recently that had a vendor there that may do what you want as an add on to PDM works. They have been around a long time as their own PDM system but decided that "if you can't beat them join them" was the best business bet. Go to http://www.centare.com/solidworks.html
I don't use this so I am not representing them so selling for them I just know that it's there and a good but inexpensive set-up. You may need to call because this switch as an add-on is relatively new.
RE: Does SWx work and play well with MS Access?
Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP3.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
RE: Does SWx work and play well with MS Access?