configuration specific variable isn't updating in EPDM

Hello all, thanks in advance for the help.

I'm trying to create a "part number" variable which is a concatenation of the file name and configuration number, i.e. the file name is TEST and the configuration is 1, so the part number would be TEST-1.  I'm currently trying to do this through the solidworks part file; I have a property called partnumber and it's value is $PRP:"SW-File Name"-$PRP:"SW-Configuration Name".  This is working fine in the file.  When I make a new file, it'll save into EPDM and all the configurations display the correct part numbers.  However, when I check the file out and edit it, the part number for all configurations will switch to the last active configuration.  When I open the file and check the evaluated value, the correct part number is displayed for each configuration, however, it won't update to the EPDM data card.  Checking in the file and releasing it does not have any effect.

The application engineering consultant I've been working with has also tried to do this by concatenating the fields in EPDM, and also tried with the dispatch script, and we cannot get this to work in any way.

Any suggestions on what to do to make this work?

thanks much

-Brian

EPDM 2015 SP1.1

SW 2015 SP4