I’m starting a new sheet metal project and plan to use the Tab and Slot tool a few times on each body. I'm debating between a multi-body part (Cut List) or a top-down assembly approach. Which method handles Tab/Slot references more reliably, and which is easier to manage for flat patterns and fabrication drawings?

Based on multiple sources, the recommendation I see most often is a multi-part design.

I have this dilemma many times. For me personally, it seems less cluttered to do all weldments as one part. Problem I also had with SW22 was that the tab-and-slot feature broke for some reason after pack&go, and I had to delete it and redo it.

Another benefit I see in a multi body weldment is that I can very easily link e.g. extrude distance of one body to another (with "up to surface" or similar), which in turn saves a lot of time when I have to change distances because I dont need to go to each one seperately and change it.