How Do I Export a Bill of Materials From SolidWorks to Excel?
Exporting a bill of materials (BOM) from SolidWorks to Excel can be a useful way to organize and analyze the components in your design. In this tutorial, we will walk you through the steps to export a BOM from SolidWorks and provide tips for formatting it in Excel.
Step 1: Create a Bill of Materials in SolidWorks
To begin, open your SolidWorks assembly file and navigate to the “Insert” menu. From the drop-down menu, select “Tables” and then choose “Bill of Materials”.
Note: Make sure that your assembly is fully defined before creating the BOM to ensure accurate results.
Step 2: Configure the Bill of Materials Properties
Once you have inserted the BOM into your assembly, you can configure its properties by right-clicking on it and selecting “Properties”. Here, you can customize various aspects such as column headers, item numbering, and quantity calculations.
Column Headers
To change the column headers in the BOM, click on the “Column Header” tab in the properties window. You can edit existing headers or add new ones by clicking on the “+” button.
Item Numbering
SolidWorks offers different options for item numbering, including automatic numbering and manual numbering. To configure item numbering, go to the “Item Numbers” tab in the properties window. Here, you can choose how items are numbered based on their position in the assembly tree or other criteria.
Quantity Calculations
If you want SolidWorks to automatically calculate quantities based on component occurrences in your assembly, you can enable the “Quantity” column in the properties window. This can be helpful when generating a BOM for manufacturing purposes.
Step 3: Export the Bill of Materials to Excel
Once you have configured the BOM properties to your liking, it’s time to export it to Excel. Right-click on the BOM and select “Save As”. Choose a location on your computer and save it as an Excel file (.xls or .xlsx).
Note: If you’re using an older version of SolidWorks, you may need to save the BOM as a .csv file and then open it in Excel.
Tips for Formatting in Excel
After exporting the BOM to Excel, you may want to further format and analyze the data. Here are some tips to make your BOM more visually engaging:
- Bold: Use bold formatting for headers or important information.
- Underline: Underline text that requires emphasis or links to other sheets or documents.
- Nested Lists: Use nested lists (using
- and
- ) for subassemblies or component details within each row of the BOM.
-
Subheaders:
If your BOM has multiple sections or categories, consider using subheaders (
,
, etc.) to organize the data.
By incorporating these formatting elements, you can create a well-structured and visually appealing bill of materials in Excel.
In conclusion, exporting a bill of materials from SolidWorks to Excel is a straightforward process that can greatly enhance your ability to analyze and manage component information. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial and applying formatting techniques in Excel, you can create a professional and organized BOM for your design projects.