Supplier collaboration is where SOLIDWORKS workflows often get messy: RFQs, DFM feedback, tooling changes, and manufacturing questions all create rapid iteration cycles. The challenge is sharing the right file package with the right people at the right time—without losing control of IP or which revision the supplier is referencing.
Sending files via email or generic cloud storage feels easy at first, but it soon produces conflicting versions, outdated feedback, and costly manufacturing errors. NIST research on standards-based interoperability in the supply chain shows how inconsistent model exchange increases manual recreation work and downstream errors, driving rework, cost, and lead time (NIST GCR 15-1009). The problem grows further in multi-CAD environments where suppliers may use different CAD systems. Below is a practical decision guide: the common ways teams share SOLIDWORKS files with suppliers, what each method is actually good for, and how to choose based on the supplier’s delivery purpose.
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Image placeholder — Suggested visual: diagram of a SOLIDWORKS assembly (.SLDASM) with its network of referenced part (.SLDPRT) and sub-assembly files. Alt text: “SOLIDWORKS assembly file structure with external part references.”
The Core Problem: Why Sharing SOLIDWORKS Files is Hard
SOLIDWORKS files are not like Word documents or PDFs. They are a complex ecosystem of interconnected files. An assembly file (.SLDASM) is essentially a container that points to numerous part files (.SLDPRT) and sub-assemblies. If you only send the top-level assembly file, the recipient won’t be able to open it because they are missing all the referenced components. This is the root of most sharing problems, and it is what makes generic file-sharing tools unsafe for CAD.
Common Sharing Methods and Their Tradeoffs
Here are the most common methods teams use to share SOLIDWORKS files with suppliers, and where each one fits or breaks down.
1. Emailing ZIP Files with "Pack and Go"
The Process: You use the Pack and Go feature in SOLIDWORKS to bundle an assembly and its referenced files into a folder for transfer (SOLIDWORKS documentation). Pack and Go is a packaging step — it does not create a controlled supplier review workflow (permissions, inline annotations, revocable access, or revision history).
The Tradeoffs:
Works well for a one-time, self-contained handoff where the supplier does not need to receive future updates.
Version tracking is manual — successive revisions typically end up as Project_v1.zip, Project_v2_final.zip, and so on, with no single source of truth.
Feedback comes back in emails, marked-up screenshots, or calls and is disconnected from the model.
Large assemblies can exceed email attachment size limits.
Once sent, you cannot revoke or track the ZIP file.
2. Using Generic Cloud Storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive)
The Process: You upload your SOLIDWORKS files to a shared folder and invite your supplier to access it.
The Tradeoffs:
Cheap and universally available.
Not CAD-aware — renaming or moving a part file can break assembly references for everyone.
Native version history is not designed for the iterative nature of CAD.
The supplier still needs a SOLIDWORKS license to open the files.
3. Sharing Neutral or View-Only Formats (STEP, eDrawings)
The Process: You export your design to a neutral format like STEP or a view-only format like eDrawings instead of shipping native SOLIDWORKS files.
The Tradeoffs:
STEP is well-suited for geometry exchange and quoting. Modern STEP (AP242) can carry assembly structure, attributes, and PMI, but it does not preserve full SOLIDWORKS feature history or design intent.
eDrawings supports controlled viewing, section, explode, markup, and — when enabled by the publisher — measurement. It is a good fit for stakeholder review, but the shared file is an exported copy: source-model changes require re-publishing.
In both cases, feedback lives on the exported file, not on the source design, and must be manually translated back into the SOLIDWORKS model.
Choosing a Method by Delivery Purpose
There is no single “best” way to share SOLIDWORKS files. The right method depends on what the supplier actually needs to do with the data.
Supplier need
Suitable method
One-time quote
STEP, PDF, or Pack and Go
Design review without a CAD license
eDrawings or a browser-based CAD viewer
Ongoing feedback and revision tracking
Cloud PDM with per-file guest sharing
Supplier must edit source files
Controlled project-level collaborator workflow (only when required)
Manufacturing handoff
A clearly released package tied to a specific revision
The first three rows cover the majority of supplier interactions. The fourth is a narrower, higher-trust case that only applies when a supplier is contributing engineering files, not just consuming them.
A Better Way for Ongoing Collaboration: Cloud PDM with Guest Sharing
For anything beyond a single-shot handoff, you need a system that is CAD-aware, secure, and reachable by external partners who do not have a SOLIDWORKS license. That is the role of a modern cloud-based Product Data Management (PDM) system — a category Dassault Systèmes itself defines as a way to store, access, and share CAD data in one controlled location with version control and permissions.
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Image placeholder — Suggested visual: screenshot of a supplier reviewing a SOLIDWORKS model in the CAD ROOMS browser-based 3D viewer with an annotation open. Alt text: “Supplier reviewing a SOLIDWORKS assembly in the CAD ROOMS browser 3D viewer.”
Key Features for Secure Supplier Collaboration
A single source of truth: All files live in one central repository, so internal team members and invited guests always work from the same current data.
Guest Sharing at the file level: In CAD ROOMS, external suppliers are typically invited through Guest Sharing, which grants read-only access to a specific file — not to the workspace or project. Guests can view, measure, comment, and annotate; they cannot upload, modify, or release files. Access can be revoked instantly.
Project Collaborator access (narrower case): If a supplier needs to contribute source files, they can be added as a Project Collaborator under role-based permissions. This is a separate, higher-trust permission model and should be scoped intentionally.
Browser-based 3D viewer: Suppliers can view, rotate, section, and measure your SOLIDWORKS models directly in a web browser — no SOLIDWORKS license required.
In-context annotations: Comments are anchored to the specific revision of the model they were made against, so feedback stays traceable rather than getting lost in email threads.
Controlled versioning: Every change is captured as a new revision. You can compare, roll back, or promote a revision to a formal release.
Audit logs (Business Plan): On plans that include audit logs, key file and permission events are recorded so administrators can trace supplier activity after the fact.
Implementing a Supplier Collaboration Workflow
Using CAD ROOMS as an example, a Guest Sharing–based supplier collaboration workflow looks like this:
Confirm what to share. Internally, agree on the file(s) and revision the supplier should receive.
Share the specific file via Guest Sharing. Send the supplier a per-file guest link with view-only access; no CAD ROOMS account or SOLIDWORKS license is required on their side.
Supplier reviews in the browser. They view, section, measure, and add annotations directly in the browser-based CAD viewer.
Internal engineer iterates in SOLIDWORKS. Based on the annotations, the engineer checks out the file, applies changes, and checks in a new revision.
Re-share or notify. Once a released revision is ready, share the updated file or notify the supplier that the revision they should reference has changed.
Revoke access at the end of the engagement. Guest access can be revoked at any time from the file’s sharing settings.
If — and only if — the supplier also needs to contribute engineering files back into the project, treat that as a separate decision and grant Project Collaborator access under an explicit permission scope.
A Note on File Release
In CAD ROOMS, a manual file release promotes a qualifying minor revision to a formal major release, creating an official record for downstream use (for example, manufacturing). It does not mean the design can never change again — future changes are still handled through new revisions or an ECO process. Approval by all stakeholders is only implied when an actual ECO workflow is in place, not from the Manual Release action itself.
Conclusion: Match the Method to the Purpose
Sharing SOLIDWORKS files with suppliers is not a single-answer problem. Pack and Go, STEP, and eDrawings each still have a place; the failure mode is defaulting to them for every scenario, including ongoing revision-tracked collaboration. For that case, a cloud PDM with per-file guest sharing gives suppliers exactly the access they need — view, measure, annotate — without giving away source files or losing control of which revision they are looking at.
The result is better IP protection, clearer version control, and faster design cycles, without over-granting access.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: When is Pack and Go still a reasonable choice for sharing with a supplier?
A: Pack and Go is a good fit for a one-time, self-contained handoff — for example, sending a supplier the files needed to quote a specific job that will not iterate. It bundles the assembly and its referenced parts into a single folder so nothing is missing on the receiving side (official reference). It is not suitable when you need continued revision tracking, feedback in context, or the ability to revoke access after the fact.
Q: How do external suppliers actually access files in CAD ROOMS?
A: The typical model is Guest Sharing: the supplier receives read-only access to a specific file — not to the workspace or project. They can view, measure, comment, and annotate in the browser, but they cannot upload, modify, or release the file. Access can be revoked instantly. Only if a supplier needs to contribute engineering files should you consider adding them as a Project Collaborator, which is a separate, higher-trust permission model.
Q: What role does the web-based CAD viewer play in supplier reviews?
A: The web-based CAD viewer lets suppliers view, rotate, section, and measure SOLIDWORKS models directly in a browser without needing their own SOLIDWORKS license. Annotations left on the model stay anchored to the specific revision they were made against, so feedback is traceable rather than scattered across email threads.
Q: What does it mean when a file is “released” in CAD ROOMS?
A: A manual file release promotes a qualifying minor revision to a formal major release, establishing an official record for downstream use. It does not permanently freeze the design — subsequent changes are handled through new revisions or an ECO process. If your team requires stakeholder sign-off, that is a separate workflow layered on top of the release action, not a property of the release itself.
I’m Christina Rebel, CEO of CAD ROOMS. For over a decade, I’ve worked at the intersection of cloud engineering collaboration, digital manufacturing, and distributed product development.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked closely with engineers, designers, and manufacturing teams to improve CAD data management, version control, supplier collaboration, and browser-based design review. My focus is on making modern engineering workflows more accessible, secure, and efficient, particularly for SMEs and startups. I also write about engineering collaboration, with contributed articles published by Design News and DEVELOP3D.
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