Model states item numering

[CANISILUCA]

Hello, I’m using Model States. However, I noticed that the numbering of items and the corresponding tagging on the drawing are not consistent across the model states (item 1 in model state 1 might not be the same item in model state 2). Is this intentional? Is there a way to ensure consistency? Thank you

[kacper.suchomski]

Hi

Are you talking about the part number or the BOM item number?

BOM item numbering has been improved in version 2026.

[CCarreiras · Accepted solution]

HI!

If each model state has his own part number (and should have since is usually a different version), is normal that happens an adjustment in the BOM item numbering.

So... it's normal (if I'm understanding your question well).

If you place two same parts with model states placed in an assembly.
If the Model state is equal for both of then:

If the model state is different between them:

[CANISILUCA]

BOM item number.

Example: I have Item 3 for parte xxx  in model state 1, I would like to se item 3 for the same part in model tstae 2.

What's new about BOm item number /model state in 2026?

Many thanks

[kacper.suchomski]

In version 2026, new tools were added to manage fixed/floating BOM item number mode and BOM inheritance between different model states.

Ps. I'm always talking about different states of the assembly model, not the components themselves. 

[johnsonshiue · Accepted solution]

Hi! I believe you may turn off "Automatic Renumbering Item" option in the BOM table in the assembly. Open the assembly and go to the BOM table -> click on the gear button -> uncheck "Automatic Renumbering Item."

Many thanks!

[dlongley]

Sorry, Johnson, that is not what we are looking for.

When an assembly has a number of model states, and each model state is used in a separate drawing (or drawing views), then we need to have the item balloons making sense.  One part should not have to have the same item number in all assemblies.  For example, in a simple assembly with say 10 unique items in it (call them Part 1, Part 2...Part 10), in one model state (or Primary) one of these (say Part 10) will be item 10.

Then in a separate model state, where all the parts except for Part 9 and Part 10 are suppressed, then the balloon for Part 9 and Part 10 remain at 9 & 10, respectively.  Which looks like garbage when a part list for a two item assembly starts at 9.  I know we can override the parts list, so that it is now 1 & 2, but if overrides are accidently written back to BOM, then that changes all other parts lists.  In 2024, it would even overwrite overridden values whenever the assembly was opened in a different model state.  The only workaround was to create custom iProperties in the BOM (and hence Parts) for each drawing that the model state is used for, which then burdens extra data in the parts.

As an example, I have a model of a large building crane, so that everything is in one place.  Now I have about 6 separate model states, each used in separate drawing files.  These model states are used to show progression of installation of new equipment, etc, so some things are suppressed in some assemblies, others are BOM Structure = Reference, etc, depending on the project stage.  Now this is in 2024, and I had the Parts Lists using Item, and even without saving overrides to the BOM, each time I opened up one of the other drawings (which uses a different Model State) it renumbered the Item field.  I had Automatic Item Renumbering switched off, too.

My workaround was to add the custom iProperty to BOM (and hence parts when data is populated in the BOM).  But then for every drawing, I need to edit the balloon styles, change data source for the parts lists, etc.

I had hoped that 2026 would have sorted it out by now, but alas, same problem exists.

There simply must be a better way!

The Item property in the BOM is stored in the assembly, not the parts.  So add an extra field to the BOM database when a model state is created, and make that the field is used for Item in balloons, etc.  This would mean that each part can have different item number in each model state.

Or do it another way.  I'm not an Autodesk programmer, but please, we beg of you, get it sorted out.  This problem makes the use of model states impractical and a real headache.

On behalf of many frustrated users,

Derek

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Derek,

If I understood your request correctly, you would like to renumber items independently per Model State. Essentially, you want to configure the item number on the Model State table.  We are aware of the request. But the ability to do that isn't available at the moment.

Many thanks!

[kacper.suchomski]

Hi

Please check out this video from 6:25

https://youtu.be/QvWgHOhWLLA?si=wpTsP_iMucpLRA4R&t=385

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, but this allows you to independently number components in different states of the model.

[dlongley]

I have tried a few workarounds, as mentioned in my reply in message 7 above.  That one involves creating a Custom iProperty in the assembly, referring to the drawing it is used in.  For example, ITEM_Drawing_No.  When filling out the BOM for the assembly, show that column, then populate it with the required Item Number, rather than use the standard ITEM field.  To use this on drawings, the balloon style needs to be changed (or another one added) to also refer to ITEM_Drawing_No instead of ITEM, and parts list style changed accordingly.

This method has an advantage in that if extra parts are added to the assembly, perhaps unintentionally by not being suppressed, then they appear in the Parts List, with a blank under ITEM_Drawing_No.

However, we lose some of the advantages of using ITEM, such as auto-renumbering, and saving any changes in the parts list and/or balloons back to the BOM.  It also means that we need to have a custom iProperty for each drawing or model state that is used for a parts list.  My record at the moment is seven drawing sets sharing one assembly file.

Another method that may have some merit, is similar.  Just create a single custom iProperty (ITEM_MS), and duplicate parts list and balloon styles to refer to ITEM_MS instead of ITEM.  Then start adding balloons to parts in views.  Until the field ITEM_MS is edited in the Parts List (not the BOM) they will be blank.  Once edited, they become a Static Value (bold blue with a box around the cell) and cannot be written accidently to the BOM, hence cannot be overwritten by other model states of the same assembly.

This method has the same downsides as the first Custom iProperties method, except that since ITEM_MS remains as a static value in the Parts List, and is not written to the BOM, then the custom iProperty is not created in the parts, since it would only be created when data is populated in the BOM.

Also means that not as easy to diagnose BOM issues, such as finding stray parts, etc, since ITEM_MS has no data in the BOM.

Custom iLogic rules can be made to populate the ITEM_MS in the Parts List, after required order is achieved by manually dragging, or other sorting routines are carried out.  I've scratched around on the iLogic forums and cobbled something that does that.  It's not pretty, but seems to work.

' This rule is used to populate a static value field in a Parts List

On Error Resume Next
Dim oDrawDoc As DrawingDocument
oDrawDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
Dim oPartsList As PartsList
oPartsList = oDrawDoc.ActiveSheet.PartsLists.Item(1)
If Not oPartsList Is Nothing Then 

	Dim oRow As PartsListRow
	Dim oRowFileName As String
	Dim j As Long
	Dim k As Long = 0
	
	For j = 1 To oPartsList.PartsListRows.Count
		' Get the current row
		oRow = oPartsList.PartsListRows.Item(j)
		k = k+1
	
		Dim oItemValue As String
		'Use this line if needing to read an existing value then do something else.
		'oItemValue = oRow.Item(1).Value
		'Assume value for Item is stored in column 1.
		'Could use alternate code to find the Item field if not first column
		' and adjust index accordingly.
		oRow.Item(1).Value = k
	Next
	
Call oPartsList.Sort("ITEM")
'oPartsList.Renumber
'oPartsList.SaveItemOverridesToBOM
End If

If anyone can come up with alternatives, since Autodesk obviously doesn't want to solve the Item Numbering and Model States problem, then please let us all know.

Derek