Re-Order Line Items in BOM

[ToddPig]

Sometimes I need to re-order the the line items in a BOM (or I hide parts, and want the numbers to make sense to the reader).

I currently do this by dragging the rows (similar to Excel), and then manually typing in the correct number(s).  I'm uses to Solidworks handling the numbering, and would like to remove the human error from this task.  

As always, any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Todd

[mdavis22569]

You can renumber them ...re-sort them a/z ...turn off the visiblity ...

I always also make sure the numbers aren't blue when I'm done!!!! I hit the 1/3 down arrow after I've sorted them...by name, number position ..what ever column you want to re-sort them by 

sorry for the german column names

[ToddPig]

Mike,

Thanks for the quick response, but I'm not able to follow the steps, mainly the first one. I'm trying to not re-number them, but re-order them and have the numbering update.

When I open the BOM (as shown in your first image) and swap the order of line items 1 and 2, and then go back to the drawing, it does not update.

[ToddPig]

I also am trying to make sure the numbers aren't blue, and this is the main reason for my question. Your response makes me think it's possible, which is a good start.

[mdavis22569]

Remember it how you want it  so they are blue

then hit the sort option. Pick how you want to sort.

Then sort it

then hit the 1/3 down arrow key and they will lose the blue 

sorry driving home now 

[ToddPig]

If I click the 1/3 down arrow button, and all the blue remains, does that mean I'm doing something wrong?

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi ToddPig,

A few things to be aware of:

• Blue indicates overrides in the Parts List that do not match your Assembly BOM, we typically want to avoid that.
• The best way to do so, is to right-click on the Parts List and choose Bill of Materials, this allows you to step into the Assembly BOM, where edits will automatically show up in the Parts List (provided no one has placed blue, static, overridden text in the parts list).
• If you just want to reorder and renumber your ITEM numbers you can do that from the Parts List and then use the Save Item overrides to BOM button to push them back to the Assembly BOM.
• No other overrides can be pushed back to the BOM, only the Item Numbers.

The youtube video showed a lot of parts list overrides that would generally not be recommended.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[ToddPig]

Mike,

I think you might have posted the wrong video, this one does not discuss re-ordering the line items (like my question), and it also leaves lots of blue cells in the BOM.

[ToddPig]

I agree with avoiding the blue text in the BOM, I would very much like to avoid this, but I am limited in the amount of time I have to get a drawing done. I spend way too much time doing tasks that should take seconds. The forum suggestions are encouraging, but also frustrating, as per your instructions above (and Mike's as well), I am not able to "re-order the line items" If I RC on the Parts List, and edit the order in the BOM, nothing changes in the Parts List. I have tried this twice on 1 drawing and no luck. So I tried it on another drawing, and the first thing I did was delete the existing Parts List, and added a new one. (thus no blue cells), and again no luck, I have tried re-ordering the BOM on all 3 tabs (Model Data, Structered and Parts Only), but I'm not really sure what all these mean?

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it, but I have iparts in my assembly.

[mdavis22569]

Ok now I'm back

sorry about my confusing post/link

here is a screencast that might help a bit more:

[ToddPig]

thanks for the video!!

It looks like the answer to my question is "NO"

This is another one of those post that is still helpful, but not a solution. I wish there was a "still helpful" voting button.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

---

@ToddPig wrote:
 If I RC on the Parts List, and edit the order in the BOM, nothing changes in the Parts List. I have tried this twice on 1 drawing and no luck.

---

Hi ToddPig,

I think I might have mislead you a bit. If you re-order in the assembly BOM, you then will need to Sort in the Parts List. Also be aware that an extra space in an Item Number override can cause them not to sort correctly.

---

@ToddPig wrote:
 I have tried re-ordering the BOM on all 3 tabs (Model Data, Structered and Parts Only), but I'm not really sure what all these mean?

---

• the first tab is just what you see in the BOM, it does not contain Item Numbers
• the second tab is the structured viewshowing subassemblies
• the third is the parts only, which does not show any subassemblies

Note that you can have 2 sets of Item Numbers one in the structured viewand another completely different one in the parts only view, so you have to make sure that your parts list is referring to the correct view when you place it.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[mdavis22569]

Can you give an example?   make a dummy assembly ...lets see if we can figure out what you're trying to do..

@Curtis_Waguespack is he talking many about making an assembly phantom?

[blair]

If you select the BOM within in the IDW Browser, it will have a little lighting bolt beside if if you have reordered the list within the Drawing. RMB on the BOM in the Browser Window and select the "Save Over-Rides to BOM". This will push the reorder back to the IAM BOM.

I also make use of the Alpha Sort within the Productivity Tab within the IAM model. I find it's easier to find items in the Browser Window if they are sorted as well.

[ToddPig]

Here is a more detailed list of what I want to do

1. double click on the Parts List (which I was confusing with the BOM)

2. swap the order of line items 1 and 2, and maybe a few more (using drag-n-drop)

3. have the number update, either automatically (like SolidWorks) or with the click of an icon, or two

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi guys,

I'm struggling with the screencast app at the moment, but hopefully these will work:

 The first video shows the renumber and sort in the assembly BOM and the sort in the part list to make it match:

This one shows doing the renumber manually in the parts list and then pushing the overrides to the BOM, then shows the issue you have if you accidentally add a space.

[ToddPig]

what is "IDW Browser"?

[mdavis22569]

Ok ...

So ..

1st I would renumber it to the order I want ..

then I would sort it by Item number

didn't I show that in the screencast?

here is another,

I changed the 1 and 2 items ...and the 3/4 items

[blair]

The Browser windon in the IDW environment: