Most engineering teams don’t lose files because of hardware failure. They lose them because someone saved over the wrong version, renamed a folder, or emailed an outdated drawing to a supplier.
SOLIDWORKS PDM exists to stop that from happening. It gives your team a single, controlled location for every design file, with built-in tools to track changes, manage access, and move files through structured review and approval processes.
If you’ve been relying on shared network drives or local folders to manage your CAD data, this guide explains how SOLIDWORKS PDM actually works under the hood, what types of files it handles, and how it fits into your day-to-day design workflow.
The Vault: Where Your Files Live
At the centre of SOLIDWORKS PDM is the vault. This is a secure, SQL-based database that stores all your files and their associated metadata on a central server called the Archive Server.
When you open a file, PDM doesn’t make you work directly on the server. Instead, it copies the file to a local cache on your computer. You work on the local copy, and when you’re done, you check it back into the vault. This approach is faster than working over a network and eliminates the risk of two people editing the same file at the same time.
The vault also stores every previous version of every file. If a change needs to be reversed, you can roll back to any earlier version with a complete record of who changed what and when.
Think of the vault as a library with strict rules. Files don’t just sit in a folder. They’re indexed, searchable, permission-controlled, and tracked from the moment they’re created.
How Does Check-In and Check-Out Work in SOLIDWORKS PDM?
Check-out gives you exclusive editing access to a file by locking it so no one else can overwrite your changes. Check-in saves your updated file back to the vault, creates a new version in the history, and releases the lock so others can access the latest version.
This is the core mechanism that prevents the “who saved over my file?” problem. While a file is checked out to you, other users can still view the last checked-in version, but they can’t edit it. This eliminates conflicting edits without blocking anyone from reading the file.
The process works through right-click menus in Windows Explorer or through the SOLIDWORKS task pane. For CAD files, PDM also understands the relationships between parts, assemblies, and drawings. When you check out an assembly, it knows which parts and drawings are linked to it.
One important detail: saving a file locally is not the same as checking it in. A local save updates your working copy but doesn’t push changes to the vault. Until you check in, your changes aren’t visible to anyone else and aren’t recorded in the version history. Building the habit of regular check-ins keeps the vault current and your team informed.
What File Types Does SOLIDWORKS PDM Manage?
SOLIDWORKS PDM manages any file type that can be saved in Windows. This includes SOLIDWORKS parts (.sldprt), assemblies (.sldasm), and drawings (.slddrw), but it goes well beyond CAD.
The vault can also store and manage Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, Outlook emails, PowerPoint files, PDFs, image files, and any other Windows-based file format. This means specifications, engineering change orders, test reports, supplier quotes, and manufacturing instructions can all live in the same managed environment as your design data.
For CAD files specifically, PDM does something that ordinary file storage can’t. It understands the parent-child relationships between SOLIDWORKS files. If you rename or move a part that’s used in an assembly, PDM automatically updates the file references so nothing breaks. On a shared drive, that same action would likely break every assembly and drawing that referenced the part.
PDM Professional also supports add-ins for Microsoft Office applications, so users can check in, check out, and manage Word and Excel files directly from within those programs.
Workflows and Revision Control
Workflows define the path a file takes from creation to release. In SOLIDWORKS PDM, a workflow is a series of states (like “Work in Progress,” “In Review,” “Approved,” and “Released”) connected by transitions. Each transition can require specific users or groups to approve the change before the file moves to the next state.
This replaces the informal process of chasing approvals by email or walking drawings to someone’s desk. The system tracks where every file sits in the process, who approved each transition, and when it happened.
Revision control works alongside workflows. Versions are automatic: every check-in creates a new version. Revisions are intentional: the system increments the revision letter or number (A to B, for example) when a file passes through a defined point in the workflow, typically the release stage.
This distinction matters. Version history captures every save. Revision history captures the formal releases that get sent to manufacturing or suppliers. Both are tracked, but they serve different purposes.
Workflows also support compliance requirements for standards like ISO 9001, FDA, and RoHS by maintaining a documented trail of every approval, rejection, and change throughout the product lifecycle.
How Does SOLIDWORKS PDM Handle Search and Metadata?
PDM lets you search for files using metadata (data cards) rather than relying on file names or folder paths. You can search by part number, description, material, project, revision state, or any custom property you’ve defined in your data cards.
Data cards are forms that appear when you select a file in the vault. They display properties like part number, description, material, weight, author, and approval status. These properties are stored as searchable variables in the SQL database, so finding a file is closer to running a database query than digging through folders.
The search tools are built into Windows Explorer, which means users don’t need to open a separate application. You can also perform content searches across multiple file types, including CAD files, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and even emails stored in the vault.
For teams managing thousands of files across multiple projects, this is where PDM pays for itself. Instead of relying on someone’s memory of which folder a file lives in, anyone on the team can find what they need in seconds.
SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard vs SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional: Which Do You Need?
PDM Standard is included with SOLIDWORKS Professional and Premium licences. It covers the basics: version control, check-in/check-out, a single workflow with up to ten states, and Windows Explorer integration. It’s a solid entry point for smaller teams in one location.
PDM Professional is a separate purchase that adds capabilities for larger or more complex environments. The key differences are:
PDM Professional supports unlimited workflows with unlimited states, so different file types can follow different approval paths. Standard limits you to one workflow with ten states, which works for simple processes but becomes restrictive as your team grows.
Professional also adds web-based access for remote users, email notifications, BOM management for downstream use, automated tasks (like generating PDFs or STEP files during a workflow transition), vault replication for multi-site teams, and API access for custom integrations with ERP or other business systems.
For a deeper look at whether your team needs PDM and how to evaluate the right version, our guide to PDM for design teams walks through the decision in detail. Cadmes also offers dedicated training for both PDM users and PDM administrators.
Taking Control of Your Design Data
If your team spends time searching for files, worrying about version conflicts, or chasing approvals by email, SOLIDWORKS PDM addresses those problems directly. The vault keeps files organised and protected. Check-in/check-out prevents overwrites. Workflows enforce your approval process. And metadata search means nobody has to remember folder paths.
The best starting point is understanding what your team actually needs. Contact the Cadmes team to discuss your data management requirements, or explore our SOLIDWORKS PDM product page for a closer look at what’s included.