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 .
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) |