Your thoughts on future BOM functionality.

Discussion created by Sal Lama

on Aug 28, 2008
Latest reply on Dec 2, 2008 by Larry Van Dorn

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Hello everyone.

I've created a survey to gather some feedback about Bill of Materials usage in the SolidWorks community. It's going to be emailed to a number of SolidWorks users next week, but I thought I'd give all of you the first opportunity to contribute your opinions. You've already posted some great ideas and I'm sure your responses to the survey will be equally great. If you're interested in contributing, just follow the link below. Your feedback will be used to help determine the areas where SolidWorks should focus its development efforts around Bill of Materials in the future.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s....92kk_2fnFwXZWErA_3d_3d

Thanks!

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10 Replies

Brian Cayer Aug 29, 2008 12:42 PM
Sal,

I did the survey and I see a lot of potential in the topics it covers.
Will there be any disclosure of the results once complete?

Regards,
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Mike McLaughlin Sep 3, 2008 11:42 AM
I went to check out the survey, but when it wouldn't let me proceed to the second question without answering the first, I bailed out. I don't know how others feel, but I avoid participating in surveys where I can't see all the questions before I respond. I used to just dig in, but many times I felt sandbagged somwhere in the process.

I always feel I give better, more useful answers if I know where the questioning is going before I participate. It's not like a scientific study that requires double blind data input from a random sample.
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- Jeremy Schmidt @ Mike McLaughlin on Sep 3, 2008 12:34 PM
  Just put in any answers you want until the end. Then you can go back and start over.
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  - Mike McLaughlin @ Jeremy Schmidt on Sep 3, 2008 7:05 PM
    Well, that would work of course. As long as future questions weren't dependant on my previous replies.
    
    I could of course run through the whole thing (which I don't know the length of) and try to stop before I submit all my answers, and run through again using another set of replies and watch if I get alternate questions.
    
    My experience with blind polls is that the pollster is often trying to lead me by the nose to a specific answer (or set of answers) they already have in mind. If I can see all the questions (and available answers) beforehand, I'll minimize the traps.
    
    But to me it just isn't worth the effort. I guess I'm just to cynical.
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    - 1-70W0UV @ Mike McLaughlin on Sep 3, 2008 7:14 PM
      I went back and changed some answers when I saw where the questions were leading.
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      - Mike McLaughlin @ 1-70W0UV on Sep 4, 2008 5:11 PM
        Which proves my point. If I can see all the questions up front, I don't have to
        a) keep track of how I answered on a previous page and
        b) don't have to go back and change my answers.
        
        I can (almost) see the point of blind questions (without the chance to back up and redo) if you're looking for some sort of statistically accurate response, but if the sample is a group that's self-selecting there sure isn't much chance for that.
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        Joel Bickel @ Mike McLaughlin on Sep 4, 2008 7:14 PM
        Sal,
        
        It sounds like you are looking for feedback on BOMs- (not on your survey).
        
        I have had a need to get a BOM for a subassembly at the top level. For example: Assemby A is the assembly I want to baloon, but it has to feed into Assembly B where reference parts are added. I could exclude the reference items and use a parts only BOM, but it demands that everyone select the option to not show children of sub-assemblies of Assembly A.
        
        It would be nice to have more options other than top level, parts only, and indented- such as selecting one level down for a particular sub-assembly.
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Eddie Cyganik Sep 4, 2008 4:19 PM

Sal,

Is "1" highest?, like #1

or is 4 highest?, most weight/highest.
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- Albert Whatmough @ Eddie Cyganik on Sep 4, 2008 4:45 PM
  I was goign through the survey thinking that 4 was the highest... but when you get to the end some of the questions are labled and indicate 1 as beeing the highest.
  
  AL
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Larry Van Dorn Dec 2, 2008 4:20 PM
I think part association in the BOM is a Great thing. However, when assigning materials, drawing sheet no's where the part or assembly is referenced, especially when a common part or assembly file is used in multiple drawings, a switch or config' for multiple use would be a good thing. Assigning ASTM A36 steel to one config' and being able to assign other attributes for other drawings.
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Your thoughts on future BOM functionality.

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