I've had this issue for a long time, and it happens so often that I just incorporate it into my work flow.  However it's becoming an issue as some less savvy (or patient) users keep assuming my decals are 'broken' because they don't know the dance I have to do to make them show. 

To clarify these are my steps: 

1) I place a decal on a model, get it looking right then go to my drawing.  

2) Bring model with decal into drawing and use shaded view (ALWAYS being sure I have decal in view selected as showing).  Decal looks lovely, I save drawing and print pdf, and close drawing.  (All is right with the world).

Next day: 

1.) Open drawing.  Part is still in shaded mode, but decal does not show.  (Yes, show decal is still selected).  

2.) From drawing, click and open the associated part.  When part opens, decal is not showing.

3.) Go to decal, click to edt, and BLAMMO there  it is! (no real edit is required.)   Save model, close it go back to drawing and there is my decal in all it's splendor.  

This is what I do 50 times a day.   It is annoying.   Is there a REAL fix for this issue? 

(BTW,  this is not specific to my computer or this one job.  I'm a contractor, and have noticed this phenomenon at four different work places.)

Thanks for reading.