Hello everyone~

We have this ongoing issue that we have to decide at our company regarding revision schemes and change control.  I just purchased Matt's SW Admin Bible and am enjoying it so far.  Our one point of contention so far is this:

To change a part number (as Matt reccomends in the Bible) due to form, fit, function, we would have to save-as the model and drawing in the vault.  This presents three problems for us in our ePDM implementation as I see it:

1.  We lose change control.  If a user can save a part as a copy instead of filling out the ECN documentation, why not?  Our current workflow does not allow changes in Approved state unless the files are sent through an ECN procedure.

2.  We lose the ePDM history feature on the part.  Instead of clicking the history button to see what the part looked like before the change, a user now has to know what the existing and previous part numbers were before being able to compare.

3.  Saving-as parts with a completely new number makes one mess.  (We tried it for awhile).  Save As parts start their life out at the beginning of our workflow (Prototype state), so the model and its drawing have to be manually moved to Approved state.  Our ECN document (Excel sheet) also now has to include the original and changed number for the part instead of just the old and new rev.

My suggested workaround is to use the Rev (A, B, C) as part of the 'new' part number, so part # 1234A becomes 1234B.  Minor changes that do not affect form, fit, function change the version (A1, A2, A3) of the part.

Anyone else out there running into this scenario with ePDM???  It's too late for us to use dumb file names and make the part number a custom property.  Not sure I like that idea anyway.....

Anyone tried just renaming the current model (and drawing)?  If so, what state should the file be in for proper paper trail?

Thanks in advance.