Upgrading Solidworks PDM is a critical step in keeping your engineering environment secure and aligned with the latest features and performance improvements. However, without proper planning, a routine upgrade can lead to unexpected downtime, workflow disruptions, and frustrated users. A successful upgrade depends on careful preparation and clear communication. The following best practices outline how organizations can minimize risk, maintain productivity, and ensure a smooth transition to their target Solidworks version.
Planning Your Outage Window for Upgrading:
The first step in your upgrade is to plan the best time to perform it. Depending on the size of your organization, you may want to consult with various teams to ensure the upgrade does not coincide with a major project or release. Additionally, you will want to send out notifications to users ahead of time. Here is what we recommend you include in your communications:
- 1 month prior: Announce the planned upgrade date to all users. Remind users that files should be checked in prior to the scheduled outage. Ask that anyone who has a conflict with the upgrade date to reach out as soon as possible.
- 1 week prior: Send out a reminder to all users about the upcoming upgrade. Include information on where users will be able to find installers to upgrade their machines if applicable.
- 1 day prior: Send out a reminder to all users about the upcoming upgrade. Include information on where users will be able to find installers to upgrade their machines if applicable.
- Day of Upgrade: Send out a final reminder to all users. Include a reminder to have all files checked into the vault and to avoid using the vault during the outage window.
Test PDM Client Installers:
Before upgrading, plan out your strategy for client machine upgrades. We recommend having a
dedicated machine available for testing your PDM installer.
Test PDM Upgrade on Dev System:
For validated environments, testing the upgrade on a development system is usually a key step.
If your organization is larger, you may also benefit from completing a ‘test’ upgrade. This may
help you identify any unexpected behavior in workflows, transitions, or file states. It is also
helpful when it comes to validating customizations and integrations.
Some key workflows to test include:
- Check in / check out
- State transitions
- Approvals and notifications
- Versioning and references
Power users can also help validate key workflows and functionality in your vault. Overall, a test upgrade builds stakeholder confidence and reduces risk.
Considerations Before Upgrading Solidworks PDM
Ensure Your Servers Match Minimum Requirements:
Consult the official Solidworks and SW Data Management System Requirements page to make sure your servers meet the requirements for your target version.
It should be noted that you will want to ensure there’s adequate disk space for archive files that are created as users modify and add new files to the vault. Additionally, you will want to ensure there is disk space for installation files.
Ensure There is No Antivirus Software that will Block/Restrict Installation Files
Software like Carbon Black may block the installer from running. SPK tip: If you are performing the upgrade, open up the setup.exe program as if you were about to upgrade. Cancel out after a few menus to ensure there are no programs that are blocking the upgrade media.
Validate your sa Level Credentials
Prior to upgrading, ensure/test your sa level credentials. You will be prompted to enter these credentials during the upgrade process.
Ensure Any Checked out Licenses are Turned In
Make sure there are no borrowed licenses currently checked out prior to an upgrade (recommend looking at this 1-2 days before upgrade). If a license is checked out during the upgrade, the user will see error messages when returning the license.
Ensure Your License Server is Upgraded
Before upgrading PDM to your target version, you will want to ensure your license server is also
Upgraded. Please note you may bundle this into your PDM upgrade by first upgrading the licensing and then proceeding with the PDM server.
SPK Tip: Upgrading the license server utility is usually a quick task that can be performed anytime without impacting user installations (the license server can be upgraded, but users can remain on their current version without impact). We recommend upgrading the license server on a different date to lessen the number of tasks when upgrading PDM.
For Complex Environments: List out Servers
For environments that include multiple archive servers (replication) and task servers, ensure those servers are captured before the upgrade. After upgrading PDM on your ‘main’ archive server, any additional archive servers will also need to be upgraded. Additionally, any task servers will also need a client upgrade to run on the target version of Solidworks and Solidworks PDM.
Schedule a Snapshot of the Environment
Prior to the upgrade, schedule a backup or snapshot of the relevant servers. This is helpful in case there are any issues experienced during the upgrade where a rollback is required. Here are the servers you may consider backing up shortly before the upgrade:
- Database server
- Archive server
- Any additional archive servers
- Task server(s) if applicable
*Please note that the database and archive may be hosted on one server.
Post Upgrade: Upgrade your Task Add-in and Dispatch Add-in
If you use the out-of-the-box convert add-in to create PDF/STEP/etc files, please upgrade the task add-in once your upgrade is complete. Here is how: Upgrading the Task Add-in
Similarly, if your vault utilizes the out-of-the-box Dispatch functionality, please upgrade this add-in once the upgrade is complete. Here is how: Upgrading the Dispatch Add-in
Test Key Functionality
Before sending an ‘all clear’ notification to your users, it is recommended to test the following basic functions on a client machine:
- Logging into PDM
- Check out/check in
Completing a Successful SolidWorks PDM Upgrade
A well-executed Solidworks PDM upgrade is not just about installing new software. It is about protecting data, preserving workflows, and keeping engineering teams productive. By planning your outage window, testing upgrades in advance, validating system requirements, and backing up critical systems, organizations can significantly reduce risk and avoid costly disruptions.
For many teams, managing all of these steps internally can be time-consuming and complex, especially in validated or multi-server environments. This is where SPK and Associates can help. With deep expertise in Solidworks PDM and enterprise engineering systems, SPK partners with organizations to plan, execute, and optimize upgrades with minimal downtime and maximum confidence. From pre-upgrade assessments and testing to post-upgrade validation and support, SPK ensures your environment is ready for what’s next.
If you are planning a Solidworks PDM upgrade or want to improve the reliability of your current environment, contact SPK and Associates to learn how our experts can support your success.
