AutoCAD Electrical

[#1]

Is there a way to capture BOM changes? For example, I build a project, create a BOM, export it to an Excel file, and send to purchasing. A week later, the customer changes something that causes me to add/delete components. Is there a tool to highlight the changes and capture them on my new BOM?

[#2]

There are programs like Beyond Compare which can compare the differences between files and folders.  You could export the original and the new BOM and check with Beyond Compare.  There is no built-in compare utility.  If you were to put your BOM on a drawing you don't need to merge the new and old.  You can update the existing BOM with the data from the new BOM.  This is an option when you select to Put On Drawing and the software sees that the BOM already exists on the drawing.  It will even update a multi-page BOM.  But again, the software doesn't highlight what what was changed.

[#3]

Thanks for the response. Due to our purchasing procedures, we will need the changes highlighted in some way. I will check out some 3rd party tools. Worst case, I can write a VB script to do it, but I did not want to re-invent the wheel.

Thanks again for the response!

[#4]

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aseaborn wrote:

Is there a way to capture BOM changes? For example, I build a project, create a BOM, export it to an Excel file, and send to purchasing. A week later, the customer changes something that causes me to add/delete components. Is there a tool to highlight the changes and capture them on my new BOM?

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How did you resolve this?  I need a similar solution except that I need to compare between revisions of a project.  I need to compare what is existing to the new changes being planned.  I need to detail material changes as well as wiring changes if at all possible.

[#5]

For dwg revisions it depends on how the revision are made and your dwg control system.

For example, if the dwgs are updated outside your orginisation, you can Mark dwgs before sending them off and verify them when they are returned. The resulting report will list all the changes made to the dwg.

This can also be done when the changes are done in house.

Regards Brad

[#6]

I ended up writing a vbscript that took the excel file output of the BOM and compared the two and highlighted any differences. If your BOM has a standard format with a predetermined number of columns and order, then it is a pretty easy sscript to write.