User interface and basic functionality

Task pane

The following functions are available in the task pane (1)

Create new Flow

Creates a new Flow object (part, drawing, assembly)

Open Flow

Opens models, items or drawings from Flow for viewing or editing

Check in to Flow

Returns object to Flow. The function allows the user to select whether to retain reservations of an object or not.

Uncheck from Flow

Closes and unchecks active object. Changes you made to the object are canceled and not returned to Flow.

Flow login/logout

Logins or logouts from Flow in SolidWorks user interface

Model's item structure 

The model's item structure is shown in the task pane, and it allows you to view Flow item structure in SolidWorks. If the active part doesn't have an item attached to it, the model's structure window is empty.

Vertex Flow -ribbon toolbar in modeling

The following functions are available in Vertex Flow ribbon toolbar (2) when you are in the model window.

More information Model window functions

Create drawing to model

 Creates a new drawing for an active model

Open model's drawings

 Opens an existing drawing of the model

Save active model as new

 Saves the active model to Flow as a new item and part

Vertex Flow -ribbon toolbar in drawing

The following functions are available in Vertex Flow ribbon toolbar (2), when you are in the drawing window.

Bill of materials from Flow

 Adds bill of material to drawing using checked out item structure at Flow. Updates existing table if table named FlowBOM is in the drawing. Otherwise, adds a new table.

Part number balloons from Flow

Adds part number balloons to the drawing. Part numbers are linked automatically to the corresponding Flow item structure row. Nb! You must change part numbers at Flow Internet browser user interface.

More information: Drawing window functions

Update title block

 Updates title block using SolidWorks custom property data. Updates also existing revision table if table named FlowRevisionList is in the drawing. Otherwise, adds a new revision table. More information about custom property Startup definitions and system settings

Select new drawing sheet from Flow

Changes the drawing sheet to the new one. The new drawing sheet can be selected from the list. The list contains the sheets that are saved in Flow with classification swdrawingtemplate

Vertex Flow -ribbon toolbar in assembly

The following functions are available in Vertex Flow ribbon toolbar (2), when you are in the assembly window.

More information: Assembly window functions

 Save assembly component as new

 Saves active assembly component to Flow as new model and item. The component can be part or assembly. The old one can be replaced with the new at the same time.

 Update Flow item structure masses

 Updates the masses of the entire item structure with the correct values.

Transfer to Vertex Flow -ribbon toolbar

Transfer functions are available in Transfer to Vertex Flow ribbon toolbar (3)

Functions are also available in the Tools menu when the model or drawing is not active.

Functions are used to transfer SolidWorks models and drawings to Flow

More information about the functions: Transfer CAD data to Flow

Add component from Flow to the open assembly

You can add components from Flow to the open assembly by following steps

1. Search object with open Flow object function

2. Drag and drop it into SolidWorks assembly window

3. Place object to assembly

Search object

1. Start Open Flow object from the task pane

2. Search object from Flow by using the following search functionSearch any field Search object code Classification searchHistory shows the latest objects handled in Flow browser or Flow for SolidWorks add-in