Component instance numbers

I'm part of a project team where we build configurators. Wehave a'master model' which we copy and give unique file names foreveryproject.

Components in an assembly get instance numbers (shown as<1>,<2> and so on). When copying an assembly and allthe partswithin (using 'save as') we have found that SW renumberstheseinstance numbers if they are not consecutive and startingwith<1>. It a problem because our configurator callsspecificcomponents in the assembly and if the instance numberschange theconfigurator doesn't work correct.

Does any of you have any ideas to avoid the problem? Is thereanalternative way to copy the models without changing theinstancenumbers? Using SW Explorer gives the same result.SolidworksAssemblies