Bill of Materials (BOM) management is one of the most important parts of product development, yet it often becomes time-consuming when design and product data are spread across multiple systems. Nora IPLM solves this challenge by bringing CAD, document, and product structure management into one connected environment.
With the Nora IPLM Desktop Widget, you can create, update, and manage BOMs directly from your desktop without switching between tools. It connects your design software such as SolidWorks or CATIA and office tools like Microsoft Excel to your PLM workspace, keeping your product data accurate, synchronized, and ready for collaboration.
In this blog post, we will explain how to create and manage your BOMs efficiently using Nora IPLM and its Desktop Widget. This is a step-by-step guide you can follow to connect your CAD tools, upload your structures, and keep everything synchronized within your PLM system.
Let’s start.
The Desktop Widget in Nora IPLM is a lightweight, user-friendly interface that connects your everyday design and office tools such as SolidWorks, CATIA, and Microsoft Office applications, directly with your PLM system.
Instead of switching between multiple windows or manually uploading files, users can manage documents, CAD models, revisions, and iterations directly from their desktop. This keeps product data accurate, updated, and traceable in real time.
To fully use the Desktop Widget, you just need to install a small desktop application we developed called Nora IPLM Desktop Services, available for Windows. You can find the setup files in the Desktop Widget’s three-dot preferences menu within the platform. The installation is pretty straightforward and takes about one minute.
The Desktop Widget simplifies daily engineering and document management tasks by:
Integrating CAD and Office tools with PLM: Manage files directly from your design environment for faster collaboration and accurate data transfer.
Checking In and Out Documents: Upload, download, and reserve files securely while maintaining version control.
Tracking Revisions and Iterations: Keep your team aligned by ensuring everyone works on the latest version, with full history tracking.
Managing File Formats: Automatically generate and attach additional outputs such as PDF, STEP, and IGES during check-in.
Quick Access to Information: View metadata such as owner, status, description, and change history alongside each file.
You can easily follow these steps to upload your BOM from SolidWorks in just a few moments.
2. The connected application (in this case, SolidWorks) is automatically detected. You can switch to other available applications using the dropdown menu in the top-right corner of the widget.
3. Click Get Data to fetch BOM details from SolidWorks.
4. Nora IPLM retrieves the BOM and structure data from SolidWorks.
5. Once fetched, the “Drone Final Assembly” BOM appears and is ready for upload.
6. Click Sync Data to upload the structure to Nora IPLM.
7. Nora IPLM processes and synchronizes the structure from SolidWorks.
8. The “Drone Final Assembly” structure is now successfully synced to the PLM platform.
1. Right-click on the uploaded item and select Open in Structure.
2. Hover over the thumbnail area to preview component images and click to open them.
3. Switch between Preview Mode and Thumbnail View for faster navigation.
4. Click the Viewer icon for a detailed 3D model preview.
5. Toggle between objects to view corresponding 3D models directly in the viewer.
1. To modify or update a BOM, select Open in SolidWorks from the menu.
2. Nora IPLM automatically fetches and loads the structure into SolidWorks.
3. Make your design or structural changes in SolidWorks.
4. Once updated, upload the revised 3D models back to Nora IPLM using the Desktop Widget to keep all BOM data synchronized within the PLM system.
Nora IPLM transforms how teams manage their Bill of Materials by connecting design, engineering, and manufacturing data in one unified workspace. Every update made in SolidWorks or other CAD tools can be instantly synchronized, keeping your product data accurate and your workflows consistent.
With Nora IPLM, teams can:
Eliminate duplicate data entry between CAD and PLM.
Reduce manual errors by automating BOM synchronization and updates.
Improve collaboration between design, engineering, and manufacturing teams.
Maintain version control and traceability across every iteration and release.
Increase productivity with direct CAD-to-PLM connectivity.
The result is a more connected workflow where product data, revisions, and documentation remain consistent and accessible, improving overall design quality and reducing time to market.
Effective BOM management is essential for successful product lifecycle management. When teams can create, update, and synchronize Bills of Materials directly from their CAD tools within a unified PLM platform like Nora IPLM, they achieve full control over design data and eliminate the risk of outdated or inconsistent information.
As we just explained above, with Nora IPLM, you can easily build structured BOMs from SolidWorks, CATIA, or other supported tools, track revisions and iterations in real time, and maintain visibility across all product levels. The system keeps engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams aligned through continuous synchronization and automated updates.
Whether you manage large assemblies or complex multi-level structures, Nora IPLM provides the clarity, speed, and reliability needed to improve collaboration, strengthen data accuracy, and accelerate your BOM management workflow from design to production.
Start optimizing your BOM management process today with Nora IPLM and give your teams the tools they need to innovate with confidence.
Discover more ways Nora IPLM simplifies product development and innovation. Explore related topics, use cases, and platform features that help your teams work smarter and bring better products to market faster.
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