Bill of Materials Templates in openBoM
An often asked question I often receive is how to create a BOM using a specific template.
Although the requirements and definition of a template is simple, how to use them can lead to some misunderstanding. The main points of this misunderstanding usually derives from two places. They are the flexibility of the openBoM data model and the mapping between CAD data and openBoM data. Our aim is to rethink both these areas to both take advantage of them and avoid misunderstanding or confusions how templates can best be taken advantage of in openBoM.
openBoM’s flexible data model allows you to define and add any property at any time to a Bill of Materials or Part Catalog (Inventory). Let’s take a closer look at this.
openBoM template
You can create a Template from any BOM and re-use it when you use “New BOM” command.
When creating a Template, you’ll note options to allow you to keep the original BOM data, customize the resulting BOM, and keep inventory (Part catalog) configuration. You can learn about creating simple Templates, here.
CAD integrations and Templates
Many template specific requirements come from CAD integrations. The technology we developed is flexible and allows you not to worry about predefining specific data properties for the CAD integration. We can grab all custom properties and create a BOM template from them.
In general, openBOM can retrieve all standard and custom properties from a CAD system. It seems to be good thing to do, but sometimes it could seem overwhelming. We are trying to solve the problem for each specific CAD system and identifying what data belongs to a BOM. Usually, a CAD system has an embedded BOM report. openBoM is able to retrieve information from these BOM reports with their “exact” scope captured.
For Solidworks we can retrieve BOM from custom BOM table.
For Onshape we can define what hardcoded properties can be included in the BOM. New custom property support mechanism is coming soon. You can also read more about using Onshape templates, here.
For Inventor and SolidEdge, we can retrieve BOM report with exact properties configured
SolidEdge BOM configuration:

Autodesk Inventor BOM:

Conclusion. Templates are useful, but sometimes overwhelmingly complex. At openBoM we are looking into how to decrease the level of complexity and how our cloud technology make it simple and easy for our users. Automatic detection of needed properties in CAD system is but one of the many options we’re looking into. We are thinking how to improve it even further. Share your thoughts and comments with me.I look forward discussing it with you.
Best, Oleg @ openbom.com
PS. We should know each other better. If you live in a Greater Boston, please let’s have a meeting (coffee is on me). If you’re located in other places, let’s have a virtual coffee session — I will figure out how to send you a real coffee for our virtual coffee session.
