What’s in a name?
PDM Categories names that can tell you all need to know about the files they capture and the workflow they are tied to all while making making vault management a snap.
The playwright, William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet, asked, what’s in a name? He was illustrating the idea that names themselves are a convention to distinguish things or people, but the names do not have any worth or meaning.
Just as Shakespeare’s characters questioned the significance of names, administrators and users of SolidWorks PDM may overlook the importance of category names. However, in the realm of data management, a well-crafted naming convention can be the key to unlocking efficiency and clarity within the system.
Consider the example: "Assembly - ASSY - Engineering." At first glance, it may seem like a mere string of words. Yet, within this seemingly simple label lies a wealth of information. Let's dissect it further:
Assembly: This initial segment provides insight into the type of files encompassed within the category. In this case, it indicates that the category is designated for managing assemblies – a crucial distinction for admins navigating the vault setup.
ASSY: The second segment serves as a concise code, linked to a PDM variable perhaps called Item Type. While "Assembly" communicates the nature of the files, "ASSY" acts as a shorthand identifier, facilitating streamlined classification and retrieval of data.
Engineering: Lastly, the third segment denotes the specific workflow associated with the category. By aligning files with their corresponding workflows, administrators can ensure seamless progression through each stage of the design process. Future admins can quickly decipher the design of a vault and assimilate the architecture faster.
More examples of Categories that are self-describing.
By adopting a standardized naming convention, such as the one demonstrated above, SolidWorks PDM admins can harness the power of clarity and consistency. Whether it's deciphering the contents of a category or configuring workflow properties, the name itself becomes a valuable tool for understanding and managing the vault.
Moreover, the structured format of category names enables efficient data manipulation through SQL queries, as demonstrated in the provided code snippet. This capability empowers administrators to extract valuable insights and streamline administrative tasks with ease. This allows a drop list in PDM to contain the code portion of a Category name to allow dynamic assignment to a variable that is used in the Category as seen in this blog article here. If the admin creates a new category that code is immediately available in the drop lists.
SELECT DISTINCT PARSENAME(REPLACE(TypeName, ' - ', '.'), 2) AS 'Code For Documents' FROM doctype WHERE TypeName LIKE 'Assembly%';
Category code displayed in template card for object creation.
In essence, while Shakespeare may have questioned the significance of names in matters of the heart, in the realm of SolidWorks PDM, a well-crafted name can be the cornerstone of effective data management. So, the next time you create or encounter a category within your PDM system, remember: there can be more to a name than meets the eye!