Best Practices for Requesting, Approving, and Creating New Users in a SOLIDWORKS PDM Environment

Managing access in a SOLIDWORKS® PDM (Product Data Management) environment is an essential part of maintaining a secure, organized, and efficient engineering data system. While user creation might seem like a simple task—just a few clicks in the PDM Administration tool—the reality is that without proper structure and process, organizations can quickly run into problems such as:

• Inconsistent or incorrect permissions 
• Security risks from over-provisioned users 
• Duplicate or conflicting accounts across sites 
• Bottlenecks in data access that frustrate end users 
• Compliance issues when audit requirements aren’t met 

These challenges are magnified in multisite environments, where multiple vaults, replication servers, and geographically distributed teams all need reliable access to the same data.

That’s why it’s important to implement clear, standardized policies around requesting, approving, and creating new users. Doing so ensures both consistency and security while also minimizing the burden on administrators.

Below, we’ll outline best practices for each step of the process—and share how Applied CAD Solutions can help you put these policies into action.

1. Standardize the Request Process

The first step in a reliable user management strategy is a formal request process. Too often, user creation is triggered by an informal email or verbal request, which increases the risk of errors and incomplete information.

A structured request form—whether it’s a digital form, a ticketing system entry, or a shared document—ensures that administrators have all the details needed to provision the account correctly.

At a minimum, the request form should capture:

• User details: Full name, email address, department, and physical location (especially important in multisite setups). 
• Role or group: Clearly indicate the type of access needed (Engineer, Viewer, Project Manager, etc.). 
• Vaults and workflows: Specify which vaults the user should access and whether they need rights within particular workflows. 
• Sponsor/manager approval: Identify the responsible party who is authorizing the access. 

Standardizing this request process reduces ambiguity and ensures that every new user is treated consistently. It also prevents administrators from needing to “guess” what permissions a new user should have.

2. Require Managerial Approval

Access to sensitive CAD data should never be granted casually. Each request must include formal managerial approval to ensure accountability.

Managerial approval serves two purposes:

1. It confirms that the user legitimately needs access for their job responsibilities. 
2. It provides a record of who authorized the access, which is valuable for compliance and internal audits. 

In multisite environments, this step becomes even more important. For example, an engineer in one office might need design access at their home site but only read-only access at another. Without managerial oversight, it’s easy to over-provision access, exposing the company to unnecessary risks.

3. Define Standard User Roles and Groups

One of the most common mistakes administrators make is setting up permissions on a per-user basis. While this might work for a small team, it quickly becomes unmanageable as the number of users grows.

The best practice is to establish role-based groups that reflect common job functions. For example:

• Design Engineers: Full workflow access for creating and modifying CAD files. 
• Project Managers: Read-only access, plus the ability to review and approve designs. 
• Manufacturing/Production: Read-only access to released drawings, with no ability to modify. 
• External Partners: Restricted access to only the files they need for collaboration. 

When a new user joins, the administrator simply assigns them to the appropriate group, and all necessary permissions are automatically applied. This approach ensures consistency, reduces administrative workload, and minimizes the risk of permissions errors.

4. Account for Multisite Complexities

In a single-site environment, user setup can be relatively straightforward. But in multisite environments, where different vaults and replicated servers are in play, user management becomes more complex.

Here are some key considerations:

• Replication awareness: Users should be assigned to the correct archive servers to ensure efficient data access. 
• Site-specific groups: Certain roles may require different permissions at different sites (e.g., design rights at one site, read-only rights at another). 
• Global policies: Whenever possible, standardize groups and permissions across all sites to avoid conflicts and inconsistencies. 
• Connectivity planning: Ensure that users have reliable access paths to the vaults they need, especially if they frequently move between sites. 

Without careful planning, multisite user setups can quickly lead to duplicate accounts, synchronization problems, or frustrated users unable to access the data they need.

5. Establish an Audit Trail

Every user request and approval should be logged and stored for future reference. This creates an audit trail that provides transparency and accountability.

Audit records should include:

• Date of the request 
• Requestor information 
• Approver name and signature/confirmation 
• Details of the access granted 

This practice not only helps with internal tracking but also supports compliance with IT and industry standards. For companies working in regulated industries (such as aerospace, defense, or medical devices), audit trails are a critical requirement.

In multisite environments, it’s best to centralize these records to ensure consistency across all locations.

6. Implement Periodic Reviews

User access is not something that should be “set and forget.” Over time, employees change roles, move to different departments, or even leave the company altogether. Without a regular review process, user accounts can accumulate outdated permissions—known as permission creep.

To prevent this, organizations should conduct periodic access reviews (quarterly or semi-annually). During these reviews, administrators and managers should verify that:

• All active users still require access. 
• Permissions are appropriate to current roles. 
• Inactive or departed employees have had their accounts removed. 

These reviews not only strengthen security but also improve system performance by ensuring that only necessary accounts remain active.

7. Document and Train

Policies are only effective if they are understood and consistently applied. That means documenting your user request and approval process in clear, accessible terms and providing training for both administrators and managers.

For example:

• Administrators should be trained on how to create accounts, apply groups, and manage multisite access. 
• Managers should be trained on when and how to approve access requests. 
• End users should understand the request process so they know how to get access when needed. 

Clear documentation and training reduce confusion and ensure smoother operations across the board.

Why Partner with Applied CAD Solutions

Developing and enforcing strong user management practices in SOLIDWORKS® PDM is not a one-time task—it requires careful planning, standardization, and ongoing oversight. This is particularly true for multisite environments, where complexity grows exponentially.

At Applied CAD Solutions, we specialize in helping organizations implement secure, efficient, and scalable PDM environments. Our team has real-world experience designing user request workflows, setting up role-based groups, managing multisite vault access, and ensuring that audit and compliance requirements are met.

By partnering with us, you can:

• Reduce the risk of security breaches and compliance issues. 
• Eliminate inefficiencies caused by inconsistent user setups. 
• Gain confidence that your PDM environment will scale as your business grows. 

If your organization is ready to strengthen its PDM user management practices, Applied CAD Solutions can guide you every step of the way.

One Final Thought…

User creation in SOLIDWORKS® PDM may seem like a small administrative task, but without the right policies in place, it can have big consequences. By standardizing your request process, requiring proper approvals, leveraging role-based groups, and conducting regular audits, you can build a secure and reliable foundation for your engineering data management.

And when you’re ready to take that next step, Applied CAD Solutions is here to help. Go ACS!