--- title: SolidWorks PDM Reviews meta_title: 'SolidWorks PDM Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 80 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how SolidWorks PDM works for a business like yours. aggregate_rating: rating_value: 4.2 review_count: 80 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-06-24' parent_category: name: CAD & PLM url: https://www.g2.com/categories/cad-plm --- # SolidWorks PDM Reviews **Vendor:** Solidworks **Category:** [Product Data Management (PDM) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/product-data-management-pdm) **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 80 ## About SolidWorks PDM SOLIDWORKS PDM (Product Data Management) is a comprehensive solution designed to help teams efficiently manage and collaborate on product development data. By centralizing the storage of CAD models and associated documents in a secure, indexed repository, it ensures that design data is easily accessible, up-to-date, and protected against loss. Integrated seamlessly with SOLIDWORKS and Windows Explorer, SOLIDWORKS PDM streamlines workflows, automates version control, and enhances collaboration across multiple locations. Key Features and Functionality: - File Management: Centralized storage and retrieval of all design data, with automatic updates to file references when files are moved or renamed. - Design Reuse: Powerful search tools within Windows Explorer enable quick location and reuse of existing design data, reducing time and costs. - Revision Control: Tracks design changes, allowing files to be checked out and locked during modifications, with live notifications for updates. - Secure File Vaulting: Protects sensitive product information by creating a secure file vault, ensuring data is safe, up-to-date, and easily accessible. - Automated Workflows: Automates document creation and approval processes, streamlining business operations from engineering to production. - Bill of Materials (BOM) Management: Maintains and leverages BOM information for downstream applications, ensuring consistency and accuracy. Primary Value and User Solutions: SOLIDWORKS PDM addresses common challenges in product development by providing a robust platform for data management. It eliminates concerns over version control and data loss, enabling teams to collaborate effectively across multiple locations. By automating workflows and ensuring that all stakeholders have access to the most current data, it reduces errors, enhances productivity, and accelerates time-to-market. Whether for small teams or large enterprises, SOLIDWORKS PDM offers scalable solutions to meet diverse data management needs. ## SolidWorks PDM Pros & Cons **What users like:** - Users commend the **seamless CAD integration** of SolidWorks PDM, highlighting its straightforward and reliable functionality. (1 reviews) - Users appreciate the **centralized storage** in SolidWorks PDM, ensuring all design files are securely organized in one vault. (1 reviews) - Users value the **ease of use** of SolidWorks PDM, praising its seamless integration with Windows file explorer. (1 reviews) - Users value the **easy integrations** of SolidWorks PDM with Windows File Explorer, ensuring a smooth experience without issues. (1 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users find the **configuration issues** of SolidWorks PDM challenging, often needing IT support for setup. (1 reviews) - Users find the **difficult setup** of SolidWorks PDM requires extensive technical knowledge, often needing IT support or admin assistance. (1 reviews) - Users find **installation and configuration challenging** , often necessitating IT support or a dedicated administrator for setup. (1 reviews) - Users experience occasional **slow loading** issues with SolidWorks PDM, though they report it happens rarely. (1 reviews) ## SolidWorks PDM Reviews ### 1. Version management and SolidWorks integration: an asset for productivity **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Nicolas M. | Ingenieur Application et Services Industrie, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 17, 2025 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Version control and check-in/check-out prevent conflicts and secure data. Approval workflows with full traceability simplify file release. Metadata search and native SolidWorks integration accelerate model reuse. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** The setup and maintenance (SQL Server, rights management, workflows) are burdensome, and customization quickly becomes complex and costly without dedicated IT support. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Fewer errors and retouches: the correct revision reaches the workshop and suppliers. Time savings: quick search, reuse of parts, smoother releases. Enhanced quality and compliance: traceability of decisions, easy ISO/QUAL audit. Data security: protection of intellectual property and reduction of IT risks. Better coordination between R&D, industrialization, and purchasing: a "single source of truth" for your technical data. Scalability and governance: standardized workflows that adapt to your processes and sites. ### 2. SolidWorks PDM Is A Benefit To Our Company **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Airlines/Aviation | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 21, 2026 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** It keeps up with the who what and when of the files in our system. Stability has been wonderful and from the IT perspective easy to add and remove users intergrated with our AD. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** With the newer versions we haven't had much to complain about as upgrades have been painless. I have been working with SolidWorks PDM for 10 years now. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Keeping files organized and secure allowing access to all our users in the company. ### 3. Seamless Integration with Windows and SolidWorks **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Thomas Z. | design engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 08, 2026 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** very seamless integration with windows file explorer and SolidWorks never really have any issues. super straight forward to use. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** sometime there is rare issues loading files but that comes with any PDM happens much less with SolidWorks PDM. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** does what every other PDM does and keeps multiple people from working on the same item and gives revision and release level to products so things can be properly tracked. ### 4. Review of Solidwork's pdm **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Alexis H. | Design engineer - medical device, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 08, 2025 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** All design files are stored in one controlled vault instead of scattered folders. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Installation, vault setup, and configuration can be very technical — requiring IT involvement or a dedicated PDM admin. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Centralizes all design files ### 5. Resolution for new CAD files with Solidworks PDM **Rating:** 3.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Mahesh S. | Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 11, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** The level of customization used to develop workflow tools with CAD and non CAD with drawing ,assembling and animation units for project data management is appealing to me.With Standardiztion,We can manage our file reference and parent-child tracking for renamed files.Backtracing and porting of previous design from another team mate's Design file is very easy to access in PDM design tool.The drawing in the Solidwork PDM board can also seen by outside work deviosion for review the current level of development.Implementation is quite easy with proffessional pckeges.Customer support for purchased new version of Solidwork PDM tool is easy. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** The filename space with same text in Solidwork PDM porting is not accesible.In Some development dialogboxes,copying and changing the new design element with same name is a mazor hazard..Improvements are required for desktop power consumption and high assembly unit usage.it can occasionally be vulnerable to security breaches.Integration with older version of SQL software is quite hactic.Sometime it will crash while drawing and saving larger size files **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** We have developed the new CAD design files with help of previous version files in Solidwork PDM tool.It make easy for us to create quatation and BOM for our valuable costumers by using solidworks PDM tool with time saving and overall cost.Its commit and review feature helps to our team to collobrate each other to create the new CAD design and portfolio with same configuration. ### 6. An overview of PDM in SolidWorks **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sandeep D. | Assistant Manager, Oil & Energy, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 25, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Electronic workflows that are customizable, support for a variety of file types, and an extremely user-friendly Windows Explorer user interface. Users that use predefined folder structures can store data in an organised and tidier manner. Additional benefits include revision history, granular management, and user and group-customizable access provisioning. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Task conversations are time-consuming. Occasionally, it fails for arbitrary reasons, such as the user shutting down the machine before the process is finished or logging off of PDM. It might be difficult to grant authorization to new users without inviting them to join the group or obtaining approval from existing members **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Organising data from various file formats. CAD or non-CAD data together with its attributes and specifications. keeping a very basic record of file versions and history. Principal advantages are Various bill of materials types, computerised processes that may be customised, straightforward operating procedures, automated operations, and file reference maintenance ### 7. Alleviate data complexity using SOLIDWORKS PDM **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Nikhil T. | Application Engineer - Enterprise Products, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 17, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Customizable electronic Workflows and multiple file type support with very user friendly windows explorer user interface. Predefined folder structures helps users to have clean and systematic data storage. Revision history, granular control along with customizable access provision to users and groups is added advantage. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Task conversation takes time. sometimes it fails due to some random reasons like user log off from pdm or shutdown the system before task completion. Permission assignment to new users without adding into the group or coping permission from other users becomes challenging sometimes. **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** It is easy to use on premise solution to manage design data and associated documents. Better platform If your are looking for a scalable on premise solution for your team working remotely. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Managing data of multiple file types. CAD or non CAD data with its properties and parameters. Track of history and versions of files in very simple manner. Major benefits are Multiple type of bill of materials , customizable electronic workflows, simple operating procedures, automatic tasks and maintaining the references of files ### 8. Advanced version of file explorer **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Parth M. | Mechatronics Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 28, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** It is the best way possible to manage design files and projects. It's also very easy to coordinate with other team members who work on same projects. It's also very helpful to backtrack your previous designs. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** You can't have same file name in entire PDM. Even though you are using same name in different folder or in different project, it won't allow the same file name. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** PDM helps to organize all my design files and projects. It's also useful if I need to go back to previous version of my designs. It saves immense time and money with all its features. ### 9. Organized work flow **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Julian W. | Operations Manager, Manufacturing, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 30, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Keeps our flies organized and handles all revisions properly , this has cleaned up our file system. Searching for parts is also made easy with the quick search feature. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** From time to time files arn't checked back into vault , so they arn't avalible to the users... same user that checks them out has to check them back in on the same computer. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Keeps files organized and helps new projects follow a path of approval before being released to the floor. Files that arn't approved for production arn't available to the floor till complete and approved. ### 10. Smooth **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Artur S. | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 13, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** SolidWorks PDM is an excellent solution for the effortless management of CAD files. Its interface is streamlined and intuitive, ensuring ease of use. Solidworks PDM is stable software. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** With big projects, it is not as smooth as it could be. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** SolidWorks PDM is helping with the management of workflow with the design team and is helping keep files in order. Without it working even in small team would be a mess ### 11. An amazing software to manage your workdflows and engineering data **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Amit R. | R&D Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 16, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Solidworks PDM is used for managing engineering data. It supports multiple software data like autocad, solidworks, etc. It also helps higher management to keep track of the whole project and engineering design cycle. It is easy to use as well as the learning curve is quite short. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** It is being removed from solidworks and it is a bit hard to setup a new work flow without disturbing the existing one. Finding the root cause of bugs is way too hard. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** PDM helps in managing engineering data, helps in providing fast BOMs, and quick status updates. It is easier for higher management to take a status update of the project, it also safeguards intellectual data of the company and only authorised users can add, remove and edit files in PDM. ### 12. SolidWorks PDM is the best CAD revision controller and central data management system **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Rashish M. | Design Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** July 08, 2022 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** The most impactful part of this software is the ability of our cross-functional and international engineering team to collaborate in real-time on a large engineering model for a world-class invention. This type of collaboration used to take hours per week in data management and manual updating of the drawings. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** When searching for files I have to start at the beginning each time. Once I exit a folder and try to access another folder that folder doesn't show its contents. The folder is empty. I have to start at the beginning of EPDM and then the files will show up. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Our cross-functional and international engineering team collaborates in real-time on large engineering models and Drawings which help to reduce data management time. ### 13. Use of PDM in the automotive industry **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sebastian G. | Quality engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 20, 2022 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Solid works PDM is fully integrated to the solid works app which makes very easy the workflow for accessing or saving files, even when you are working on individual parts or big assemblies. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Solid works PDM might be a little bit slow depending on the internet connection and the size of the file that you are trying to store in the vault. It also takes a big amount of processing resources from the PC. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use solidworks pdm for managing and controlling the tooling drawing from many different machines, it is a great solution to avoid having duplicated drawings or older drawing versions, also, it is great tool to ensure that all your team receives the latest information from the drawings. ### 14. A reliable data management environment for solidworks **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Rahul K. | Computer Aided Design Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 10, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Like solidworks itself the PDM environment is well tailored, The simplified user interface, proper data search and share capabilities, setting up user permissions which is smooth as butter. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Not much to dislike as I'm not an advanced user and there are features yes to be learned **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Assigning part number and saving files in folders are cumbersome when the assembly is huge, with PDM i can create root and subdivide folders and provide an environment where i could let the software find the files for me. This is a huge lifesaver when working with big assembly ### 15. Time saving in difficulties **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Rehan A. | Mechanical Design Engineer, Mechanical or Industrial Engineering, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 21, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** It is beneficial for data saving for future uses. We can manage our database from anywhere in the world. PDM is the secure vault. It uses to increase our productivity. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Cost is a significant thing Because the small organization will not afford this. Some 3d models cannot be repaired. Limited 2d changes. Highercose as compared to others. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** It helps us to safe our database in value. And also it saves our time and increases our productivity. ### 16. Smart Manufacturing **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Vignesh B. | Sales and Presales, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 01, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Firstly, I like the workflow which helps our engineers to get an instant notification on every stage changes and the document automation helps us lot more automating the manual process. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** I dont see any downsides of SW PDM. However, if they incorporate certain features available in Enovia, it would be good for them to scale. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** It helps us automating our production drawing and even helped us manitaing legacy data very well. ### 17. The review of PDM software **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Deepak T. | Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 15, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Solid works makes the designers life easy and convenient while working on the different design elements. The options that are provided in that are very vast and covers majority of required components **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** The thing that could improve solid works is making it parametric and Manufacturing driven software because this would help designers know exactly what could be produced. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** I am using it for product design data management and systematic development of work ### 18. Reduce time to market through enhance collaboration across the team **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Nadira V. | General Manager, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 29, 2022 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Any user in the platform is aware of the status of the design/project and only one user can work on the file at any given time after checking out. Also, there is a customizable workflow to streamline the process of the project or job. Version and revision control facility easy to trace back, if there will be a reported issue or defect of the design or product. In addition, engineering data reuse can be enhanced highly using an inbuilt advanced servicing facility in the system. The inbuilt notification system can be integrated with the mail server and users can get notifications into their mailbox when they are not logging into the system. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** If this use in several geographical locations connects through the VPN, secondary location users are facing slowness in checking out files into their workstation. Also, installation in the web server is more difficult than client-server installation. The available facility to generate reports is not user-friendly. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** The secure file valet of the system protects files centrally and the database keeps securely metadata of the relevant design or file. Revision and version control eliminate the rework and engineering data reuse used for expediting the new design using historical data. Most of the processes within the organization are streamlined using the available workflow facility of the system ### 19. Very Good software for design **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Yogesh D. | Sr. Executive Design & Drawing, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 29, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Very Good software for design & development **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** some improvements should be there in tool bar **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Very Good software for design and for data management ### 20. Solidworks PDM Experience **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Shaik S. | Senior Engineer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 10, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Very user friendly,Powerful search capability lets you easily find files—fast. Version control ensures you always have access to the most up-to-date files. Thanks Dassault. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Little bit expensive for small scale organisation, there's no other dislike for this product. Little bit expensive for small scale organisation, there's no other dislike for this product **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Time reducing and quality of design with zero error ### 21. SOLIDWORKS PDM, a Virtual Manager for your Business. **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Hari Kishan Gupta E. | Subject Matter Expert, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 26, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** - PDM Tasks are my fav. I can automate the data creation either from Actions or Manually. - Dispatch is my second fav. Since our Data is huge and we always add more, I usually create Dispatch. - Actions to correct the imported Data, Set the Variables, and automate the process. - Archive Server Replication is one of those options we couldn't live without. - Link with Multiple software is also a better choice. (We use this software with PDM: DriveWorks, SW Electrical, SW Manage, Composer) **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Flexibility in SMTP setup could be better. As of now, there is no choice of what to be shown on the Mails. There is one feature, I would really like to have is to assign a part number after Check-In. This will help a lot of Customers to reduce rework. As of now the Data Migration or linkage between PDM and other PLM software is minimal, or have to custom design completely, no solid reference material to help the Admin. **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** The usability of SOLIDWORKS PDM mainly depends on the Admin who designed it for you. So select your implementation team Cautiously. This goes a long way in achieving the best in what PDM can give you. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Project Communication, Data Automation & PDM to Excel Data connection. Since we are placed in multiple Cities and Countries, we use PDM a lot in communication and Storage. Archive Server Replication is one more place where we make use of PDM, for Data Accessibility and Backup. Since PDM connects with multiple CAD software, we are currently using Inventor, DriveWorks, DraftSight, SW Manage, SW Electrical, SW PCB in connection with our PDM Vault. ### 22. Great data management application to collaborate your SOLIDWORKS designs **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Rishikkesh B. | Mechanical Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 10, 2022 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** I like the collaboration aspect of SOLIDWORKS PDM. I could work effectively with my whole team effectively using this software. It also helped to maintain file revisions. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** SOLIDWORKS PDM is slightly expensive for a smaller organization as mine. Standard plan doesn't have engineering change management and Bill of materials management which are important requirements for engineering team. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** I used SOLIDWORKS PDM to manage oil and gas equipment tooling assemblies and maintaining the updated revisions control. PDM tool improved the efficiency of my team to collaborate. ### 23. Solludi work good to learn for Design everything. **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Satheeshkumar R. | Senior Engineer - Integrated Asset Management , Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 10, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Solid work is graphical standard tool for give good experience with our design part and model. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** We need some integration part of things in future **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** It's very useful for time saving and reduce error and conflict with tool. ### 24. Best **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Gurunath P. | Design Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 10, 2023 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Can access any part from partner company from anywhere in world. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** No too much , everything is good. Need to work on ERP view interface **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Can access any file from anywhere ### 25. Great vault management system **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jay M. | Stamping Press Technician, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 08, 2022 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** - Revision Control of documents - All the Changes CAD files go through gets saved in it's self meaning there is a revision history of CAD file. - User friendly interface **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** - It requires a dedicated license even for the person to "View" the file. - Sometimes, adding a BOM gets tricky/ends up time-consuming. - Other than that, it's beautiful. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** - We are currently trying to import our existing legacy CAD data into the PDM vaults we created months back. Hoping that PDM system, can read the metadata and other relevant properties of CAD files. Web2 component is something still to be figured out as it does require some assistance from IT person. - After some migration of CAD data into the PDM vault, we already have realized the gain as it's very smooth and flawless experience to find/search/navigate around the files and projects' folders are well organized now. - File search cards are a great help. ### 26. PDM is best for Mechanical Design and data management **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Tatyaso K. | Sr. RnD Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 04, 2022 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** PDM manages CAD data very well, cordinate with each resource effectively **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Sometimes it takes too much time to preview large assemblies **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** It help us to coordinate with subordinate and help us to do assigned task with lessa timeand proper flow ### 27. A Must for a team using solidworks to build a product **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Andrew R. | Engineering Tech, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 24, 2022 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** organised. prevents mistakes or unwanted changes. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** very difficult to install. our entire team never got used to reinstalling it for new members or a new computer. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** to properly develop a product with ease. especially with multiple people and parts. ### 28. Great tool if you utilize properly **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Automotive | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 15, 2020 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Ability to create custom workflows and permissions **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Some quirks of steps are not followed correctly **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Data management and revision history. File permissions. ### 29. Good way to work collaboratively **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Aviation & Aerospace | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 09, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Only one person can check out the files at any time, so you don't have to worry about working on something and someone saving over your work. Or working on the same thing simultaneously, plus you can see who last checked out the file and thus know where the changes occurred and who to talk to about the problem. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** There seem to be some glitches with file location pointers. When we switched to the 2021 version, many pointers for hole wizards and templates and such were lost. Each user had to go in and re-point to the file locations. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** We have designers and many other team members all around the country. We can work collaboratively using SolidWorks PDM. I can see the history and other features from a file. ### 30. SolidWorks PDM - efficient vault solution for R&D **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Consumer Goods | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 28, 2022 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Files are secured, can roll back. automatic naming. efficient solution for team work **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Changes in approbation procedure are complex. Hard to link teams on different server **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** Make sure a ressource gets train to help and setup new employees **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** tracking revision. working in team on different levels (3D, 2D) ### 31. Solidworks Review **Rating:** 2.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Industrial Automation | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 25, 2022 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Fast visualization, pro tools and industry standard file formats. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Standalone software, hard to share files, hard to comment on files and send across "track changes" type updates to a design. **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** Think about collaborative tools that can interface with SolidWorks so you can easily share and comment on designs. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Solid modeling, and I have realized it has robust visualization tools! It is an industry-standard tool and well-accepted by our customers. ### 32. Not for evey **Rating:** 3.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sachin K. | Quality Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 18, 2022 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Robust security and protection of files,single point of control **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Not easy to use, very manual process, sharing is complicated, acess management is hard and technical **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** team collaboration, sharing blue print, relaeasing drawings, creative revisions ### 33. This is a long-standing stalwart in its field. The UX and workflow customization is ideal . **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** David M. | Product Development Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 20, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** If I'm picking one thing that stands out for this software, it's the heavy ability to customize your workflows. Not only can you custom create states and transitions unique to your workflow, but you can also capture a significant range of activities in those workflows. Your customized workflow can incorporate parallel signoff processes, such as for change notices on revision-controlled documentation. Or your workflow may automate document workflow-triggered actions, such as saving PDF copies of drawings or triggering data exports to third-party systems. Additionally, you can apply unique workflows to a wide variety of different categories. You can segregate workflows by file type (SW PDM will manage ANY file in its database), by "relative" location in your database, or a combination of those factors. This level of customization permits your organization's integration of the software to be as broad or specific as is required. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** The primary thing that I dislike is that the error reporting on the administrative side of the software. The number of events logged in the system is ultimately beneficial, as it does provide a bevy of information when administrators need support from their reseller. However, there can be a very high ratio of "warnings" that ultimately require no action, creating a sense of "false-positive" error reporting. The PDM Administrator may feel overwhelmed at how this information is presented making troubleshooting a challenge. **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** I consider the primary benefit of SOLIDWORKS PDM to be its ability to document and automate processes. As such, one has to consider it as more than just software. I would encourage potential users to view it as a chance to AUDIT your existing procedures. There are many things one could say about this subject, so I find it best to leave others with this one statement: SOLIDWORKS PDM cannot automate a process if its users and administrators cannot define its procedures. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** The primary issue one is solving with SOLIDWORKS PDM is having your processes made documented and repeatable. Any PDM system of any value whatsoever will provide revision control, and SOLIDWORKS PDM is no exception. SOLIDWORKS PDM's ability to create heavily customized (or general) workflows that allow an organization to use it for a greater purpose: as a tool to DOCUMENT processes and turn them into REPEATABLE procedures. While my current organization lacks a PDM system, I will be encouraging my superiors to consider this platform as a method to reduce our reliance on traveling documents with distribution methods prone to bottlenecks. ### 34. review for handling .dwg. **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Olof L. | information coordinator **Reviewed Date:** November 26, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** The Search-function and Copy Tree-function **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** That when you check out files, they both lock to you as a user AND also to the computer. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** We have good order on our files. Great labor savings because the system keeps track of external references. ### 35. Organized and secure **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Caleb L. | Quality Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 27, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** SOLIDWORKS product data management organizes your files in a library type manner that allows users to checkout,make edits, view version history, and check-in files while collaborating as a team. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** It is not as integrated with the SOLIDWORKS main program as other add-ons are. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Keeping filed organized, team members collaborating, revisions safe and standardized, and files secured. ### 36. It's a very proffesional tool to manage design data with day to day task **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jigar M. | Sales Marketing Management, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 21, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Data card, the way PDM manage revision its self. Automation work cycle, customized workflow according to organization structure, User rights policy and overall data encryption . **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** If i will compare it with Team center then its not up to the mark,but considering only product data management its look reasonable. **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** Only go if your organization have a proper hierarchy as well Design departments having multiple designation like Manager, senior DE and Jr. overall when you have a dedicated team of 7-10 (minimum) people who only look after product design and development then software is more efficient and scope of utilization is higher. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Am team member of solidworks implementation and have implemented solidworks in 07 industry. ### 37. The UI interface and integration of the Files in PDM is next level. **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Machinery | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 22, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** The Files organization and easy interface for new user to learn quickly and start the work **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Require some resources of CPU in some cases but can be improved **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** I have recommended PDM to other companies in same work. If you want to make you work smooth and meet your customer requirement timely than PDM.is must **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Our File management and all our CAD models are used across the organization like in different location in Europe , Italy and India etc. ### 38. Mostly recommended for its simplicity and ease of use. **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sajal T. | Director, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 07, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Solidworks PDM is very simple to use. It helps in designing models at very fast speed and prevents several mistakds and miscalculation. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** There are several improvements re ommended for it. There are some options and tool not available which will help in precision and quality testing. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** As such there are no problems but one problem was there is no proper documentation to learn from. ### 39. PDM is very helpful when working in parallel with several other engineers **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Alex D. | Head of R&D, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 04, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** The ability to prevent files from being overridden by your peers and preventing substantial damage to main assemblies due to human errors. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** The PDM takes a lot of time to configure **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** It creates a manufacturing package automatically and creates a very organized workflow. ### 40. User friendly application to manage the complete set of design data under a single platform **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Industrial Automation | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 08, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** User Interface, Workflow customizations, workflow automation, **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Bills of Materials customization rigidness **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Single platform to share all the data among the team members, File revision management is automated, version management is automated- Assembly reference handling is a breeze. ### 41. Dỉrector **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Quang-Duc L. | President, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 02, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Version and revision control, workflow, parallel working on assembly **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** performance and integration to other systems **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** vaulted documents, secure file, and document ### 42. Working as Technical Manager for SOLIDWORKS products . **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Machinery | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 21, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** SOLIDWORKS PDM is very easy tool to implement and use. We can get correct data ar correct time. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Dislike is not an option but if we consider than folder data card for sub folder. That might he we don't. **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** Just go with it. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** For small organization there are lots of benifits (i.e Revision control,data duplicate, user control, back up) ### 43. Best Engineering Tool to Organize Work and save time **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ettore C. | Senior RAMS Engineer based in ESA/ESTEC, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** June 17, 2020 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** The automatic BOM feature is a great time saver. The customization possibilities, and the possibility to create specific macros to export data to excel has greatly improved my work, and saved me a lot of time. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Part Number generation did not fit my expectations. I had to create an external tool to customize the part number generation the way our company usually does it. **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** If your company is still lacking an automatized database, that drives design, and want to minimize human error in compiling documents, then Solidworks PDM is an ideal solution. Also the sign off of documents through management levels is also flawless and works very well. Versioning of documents and files provides a good means to keep track of all evolutions of design and the possiblity to roll back to a previous state if this is found necessary. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Identified what critical items were in the BOM. We also were able to have our database of costs of parts uploaded to the SW, already giving rough estimates on cost of production. ### 44. Data Collaboration **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 04, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** you'll have better control over large data sets and other typical issues, including keeping track of versions and edits. We can multisite data can Collaboration in a single server. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** I have no doubt it's good for our organization **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Revision control & rework ### 45. Slower and unstable than anything else **Rating:** 0.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Konstantinos A. | Mechanical Design Engineer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 03, 2020 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** There isn't anything particular that I like in this program **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Outdated User Interface Slow Unreliable Crashes too often **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** Avoid it. Its user interface is outdated (resembles Windows 95) compared to similar products. Every new version keeps getting slower and unreliable. There are many instances where in the 2020 version I have to manually refresh the folder for the newly created items to appear. Crashes very often. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** No benefits We are using it for complex structure assemblies ### 46. Though I had not used it extensively, it was really good **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 03, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Amount of customisation possible is really good. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Some elements are not fool proof. Certain things are complex **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** It is good to use for product specific organisations **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** I've worked with information sharing based on output of this software ### 47. Awful outdate barely functioning product **Rating:** 0.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Consumer Electronics | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 13, 2020 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Check-in, check-out, history, linked variables, search by metadata **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** It barely works and is unnecessarily complicated. Cloud support is non-existent in-spite of what D'assault says. The amount of infrastructure setup and parallel systems that need to be setup in order for users to connect from outside your network or org is absolutely bonkers. The product is just dated and terrible. it might have made sense 10-15 years ago but there's no reason to ever use a product like this these days. **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** Don't. Just get One Drive, a PLM with file management, or another 3rd party solution. This thing is broken. It crashes all the time. It doesn't work with Sim products. It's absurdly complex and expensive despite offering little value. It might have made sense in 2009 but it's obsolete these days. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Single user has write access at a time. Clear file version history that can be recovered. ### 48. Ease to manage data & design. It helps in process management. **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Design | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 08, 2021 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** Revision Management, Version Management, Data Protection & Easy Approval Process. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** Non compatibility between different versions of the software. **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** Best Software to increaes profitability & productivity. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Design Data Management. ### 49. Solidworks PDM **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Design | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 13, 2019 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** PDM is great to work collaboratively with other coworkers on the same project at the same time. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** PDM can run slow at times depending on file size during check in processes. **Recommendations to others considering SolidWorks PDM:** PDM works great with SolidWorks and I highly recommend using it to get projects done quicker and more secure since files get locked when they aren't being modified. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** We are getting more work done in the same amount of time since we are able to spread out work on the same project to others in the design team. ### 50. Had peace of mind during design and do not worry about anything with every single change! **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Javad S. | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 24, 2020 **What do you like best about SolidWorks PDM?** PDM allows me to design and save smoothly while I do not end up with a mess at the end. **What do you dislike about SolidWorks PDM?** If you do not sign in for PDM, you will keep receiving notification to sign in and it is annoying especially when you have your lincence on a server. **What problems is SolidWorks PDM solving and how is that benefiting you?** Organise all the parts to have a neat BOM of any product. ## SolidWorks PDM Discussions - [What is PDM software?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/solidworks-pdm-what-is-pdm-software) - 1 comment - [What is Solidworks PDM system?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-solidworks-pdm-system) - 1 comment - [Do you manager NON CAD files with PDM?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/28115-do-you-manager-non-cad-files-with-pdm) - 2 comments - [View SolidWorks PDM pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks-pdm/reviews?section=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-06-27+22%3A34%3A32+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=2e7df800-9e04-4850-b645-93aa0638833d&secure%5Btoken%5D=a3df3505568a39e07ddea2d4a9b79c0452ee4173920eed3b37f4ba6570aa3fd1&format=llm_user) ## SolidWorks PDM Integrations - [SOLIDWORKS](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks/reviews) - [VXelements](https://www.g2.com/products/vxelements/reviews) ## SolidWorks PDM Features **Metadata** - Repository - Taxonomy - Types **Data Management** - Version Control - Alignment - Workflows - Lifecycle **Generative AI** - AI Text Summarization - AI Image-to-Text ## Top SolidWorks PDM Alternatives - [Teamcenter](https://www.g2.com/products/teamcenter/reviews) - 4.3/5.0 (1,116 reviews) - [Windchill](https://www.g2.com/products/ptc-windchill/reviews) - 4.1/5.0 (109 reviews) - [Autodesk Fusion Manage](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion-manage/reviews) - 4.3/5.0 (108 reviews)