Creating a SolidWorks Drawing template linked to custom properties

Okay…so, here is a post for the SolidWorks users out there.

I know recently at the company I work for and I have heard others ask this; the question for today is “How do you link a custom property in a part or assembly to a drawing file?”

I am going to demonstrate how to link a custom property from a part file into a drawing file.

1. Let’s start of by starting a new part.
2. Create a sketch on the front plane; and just create a box…don’t want anything fancy just a basic shape.
3. Save the file to your desktop or wherever you know you will be able to find it.
4. Then go into the properties manager and then click on the custom properties tab.
5. And create all the custom properties you want. (fill in the values of some of them, so that we can make sure they work once we link them to the drawing file.)
6. Save the part file
7. Next we are going to start a new drawing, and when that comes up place a random view of your part that you created.
8. Now, we get into the fun stuff.  Once the part view is placed; go in and select your sheet format and right click on it and pick edit sheet format. 
9.  Now as shown in the Image 1; you will double pick on one of the textboxes that you are wanting to link to a custom property.  Then you will want to go to your side bar and pick on the ‘Link to Property’ button.
10. In Image 2; pick the radio button labeled 'Model in View Specified in Sheet Properties'
11. Then pulldown the listbox and pick the custom property you are wanting to link to.
12. Lastly pick the okay button.

Now we are almost done...return back to the top level of your drawing file and go ahead and delete that part view.  Then you will save it out as a SolidWorks drawing template.

Now, go back to your part file and erase the feature that you created; then do a 'save as template' in your part file to create a part file template that already has your custom properties setup.

And now you have custom part and drawing templates.  The same can be down with assembly files as well.

Image 1

Image 2