Built for SOLIDWORKS® & SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional ·

Explore the free trial ↗
Download add-in
Try PDM Task

Convert SLDDRW to PDF: SOLIDWORKS drawings to PDF automatically

Converting SLDDRW to PDF is the most repeated export in any SOLIDWORKS shop: every release, supplier request and ERP attachment starts with the drawing as a PDF. PDMPublisher writes the PDF with a revision-based name, exports only the sheets you want, and does the same as a SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional task on a workflow transition.

PDMPublisher Publish settings page in SOLIDWORKS showing Export location, Filename pattern, File formats selector and the Sheets to export controls for drawings
The Publish settings page: export location, filename pattern, file formats and the drawing sheet controls that decide which sheets are exported.

What you get

PDF is what the rest of the company reads: purchasing, quality, suppliers and the ERP open it without SOLIDWORKS. PDMPublisher writes one .pdf per drawing, named by your Filename pattern, filed in your Export location, with all sheets or only those matching a name pattern.

Adobe PDF (pdf) sits in the PDF and MBD group of the File formats list. Ticked on a drawing, it exports the drawing; ticked on a part or assembly, it exports the same-name drawing beside the model. SOLIDWORKS’ current PDF export options apply.

The manual way, and why it doesn’t scale

Open the drawing, File > Save As, pick Adobe Portable Document Format (*.pdf), name it with the revision, save. Next drawing, same again. Internal reference or manufacturing sheets mean deleting sheets first or cleaning up after.

Fine for one drawing. For forty drawings at every revision it’s an afternoon of clicking, and the names depend on who did the saving. The supplier gets whichever PDF was saved last, not necessarily the released one.

Convert SLDDRW to PDF with the add-in

  1. Open the drawing in SOLIDWORKS, saved, references resolved (Get Latest first in a vault).
  2. On the PDMPublisher tab, select Settings, then Publish.
  3. Set Export location: a fixed or UNC folder, or placeholders from the >... menu such as (TopAssemblyFolder)\Exports\(Revision).
  4. Set the Filename pattern, such as (FileNameWithoutExtension)-(Revision); .pdf is added for you.
  5. Under File formats, tick Adobe PDF (pdf); other ticked formats come out in the same pass.
  6. Under Sheets to export, keep All sheets, or pick Sheets matching name with a wildcard Sheet name such as Sheet* or (ConfigurationName)* to leave internal sheets out.
  7. Select PDMPublisher > Publish, confirm the review dialog, and check Publishing results afterwards.

PDF is a Community Edition format of the add-in (with DXF and STEP), so a single drawing converts free. Community is limited to 5 references per run; Premium adds export locations by file format.

Automate it as a PDM task

PDMPublisher for PDM Professional runs the same engine as a task, so the drawing becomes PDF on a state change, not when somebody remembers.

  1. In PDM Administration, right-click Tasks, select New Task, choose PDMPublisher and name it. Tick the task hosts under Execution Method.
  2. On the Options page, set Export Location ((VaultRootFolder)\Exports\PDF, no trailing backslash) and Filename. PDM variables such as ($PartNumber) are in the >... menu.
  3. Under File Formats, tick Adobe PDF (pdf). Keep Export affected document on so the drawing that launched the task is exported.
  4. Set Sheets to export and the Sheet name pattern as in the add-in.
  5. Enable Use PDM search to locate drawings when the task may run on models whose drawings live in another folder.
  6. While validating, enable Vault Activity Logs with Log Folder (Vault Only) at (VaultRootFolder)\Logs\PDMPublisher; Task Details then lists every file checked in.
  7. Pick Use this version of SOLIDWORKS (a year on the task host, or Latest). For release workflows, enable Get latest revision only; it exports the version tied to the newest revision and its saved references.
  8. Attach the task to a workflow transition, leave it in the right-click menu, or run it from Scheduled Items.

Settings that matter for PDF

SettingWhat it doesTip
Export locationOutput folder: vault, relative, UNC or outside. Created if missing.(TopAssemblyFolder)\Exports\(Revision) works; no trailing backslash.
FilenameStatic text, placeholders, custom properties or PDM variables.(Revision) for released files; keep names unique.
File formatsTick Adobe PDF (pdf); invalid formats are dropped.Several formats per job.
Sheets to exportAll sheets, or Sheets matching name.A one-sheet drawing always exports its only sheet.
Sheet name pattern* any text, ? one character; (ConfigurationName) evaluated first.No match on a multi-sheet drawing exports every sheet and logs the fallback (2026.08.09+).
Use PDM search to locate drawings (task)Finds a drawing that isn’t beside its model via PDM search or Where Used.Drawing and model names must match.

Naming and folders

Placeholders resolve when the job starts, so every PDF is named and filed the same way:

  • (FileNameWithoutExtension)-(Revision): Bracket-B.pdf in (TopAssemblyFolder)\Exports\PDF.
  • ($PartNumber)_Rev($Revision) in the task: PDM part numbers instead of filenames.
  • (VaultRootFolder)\Released PDFs\($ProjectNumber)\(State): PDFs filed by project and workflow state, added back to the vault.

Customize Location (Premium in the add-in, standard in the task) gives the pdf row its own folder, overriding the main Export location for that format only. A common split: pdf in the vault’s released folder, dxf from the same job on the laser share.

Tips and troubleshooting

  • Community Edition of the add-in does PDF, DXF and STEP only, up to 5 references per run: fine for single drawings, not an assembly’s drawing set. The PDM task is licensed per vault with no such limit.
  • Running from the part or assembly instead of the drawing? Tick PDF on the model: PDMPublisher exports the same-name drawing in the same folder. In the task, Use PDM search to locate drawings finds drawings stored elsewhere.
  • All sheets exported despite a pattern? A pattern that matches nothing falls back to every sheet and logs it. Check spelling and the evaluated (ConfigurationName) in the task log or add-in Logs tab.
  • Can’t see the exported files? You need add and edit permission in the export location. The vault root is usually locked; target a subfolder like (VaultRootFolder)\Exports.

Availability

Available in PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS (the add-in) and PDMPublisher for PDM Professional (the task).

Documentation and related features

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert a SOLIDWORKS drawing to PDF automatically?

Open the drawing, tick Adobe PDF (pdf) under File formats, set the export location and filename pattern, and Publish. A PDM Professional task does the same on a workflow transition.

Can I export only some sheets of a SLDDRW to PDF?

Yes. Set Sheets to export to Sheets matching name and enter a wildcard Sheet name pattern. If nothing matches, every sheet is exported and the fallback is logged.

Is SLDDRW to PDF free in PDMPublisher?

Yes. PDF is a Community Edition format of the add-in, with DXF and STEP, up to 5 references per run. The PDM task is licensed per vault with a 7-day trial.

Can a PDM task make the PDF when the drawing is released?

Yes. Attach a PDMPublisher task with PDF ticked to the release transition, with Get latest revision only on so the revised version is exported.

Where to next

PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS · PDMPublisher for PDM Professional · All features · Conversion guides · Pricing · Documentation · Contact

The SOLIDWORKS add-in is free to start as the Community Edition. The PDM Professional task comes with a 7-day trial. Download the add-in or start the task trial.