All available variables for custom properties (and cut lists)

Below is every single variable that you can use within SOLIDWORKS custom properties and notes.

Most can be used with parts and assemblies.

Some can only be used for sheet metal or weldment bodies.

Only a few can be used for drawings.

1. How to work with custom properties and variables

For more background information, please read How to work with custom properties (and cut lists) first. These two articles go hand in hand.

2. Notes

These notes appear in the table below, in the See note column.

1. Not all variables are in every dropdown menu. Sometimes they still work, though.
2. SOLIDWORKS makes regular improvements, so please let us know if you found a missing property.
3. The variable names are sometimes case-sensitive.
   1. Usually “LENGTH” and “length” both work fine.
   2. Check other capitalizations if you cannot get your property to work. Select the variable from a dropdown or check official SOLIDWORKS documentation for its spelling.
   3. Please let us know when you found a place where capitalization is important. We’ll add it to this post and ask SOLIDWORKS to fix it.
4. To use file properties:
   1. You may need to write the variable name a second time between brackets. Example: $PRP:”SW-Author(Author)”
   2. Sometimes it works without the second name in brackets, sometimes it does not.
5. The bounding box introduced in SOLIDWORKS 2018 uses properties from the bounding box feature.
   1. It syntax is <property>@@@<feature>@@<configuration>@<file name>
   2. Example: “SW-Total Bounding Box Length@@@Bounding Box@@Default<As Machined>@Strongback.SLDPRT”
6. Requires at least SOLIDWORKS 2023
7. These routing properties are not really variables. SOLIDWORKS uses custom properties with this name in routing BOMs.

3. All variables

Check out How to work with custom properties (and cut lists) to learn how to use these variables. If you know how to create macros, check out How to use custom properties in the SOLIDWORKS API.

Have you found a variable that’s not in the table? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll add it. Thanks for your help!

4. Missing properties

I regularly get asked if a certain property is available. First of all, the answer is probably No. But I’ll highlight these properties:

1. The author that first created the file
2. Cut list item number
3. Part quantity in assembly (because it’s an assembly property, not a part property)

These properties do not exist.

5. Sources

Many of these properties are not documented at all. I have searched the documentation for every single property, but this is all I could find:

1. File and drawing properties: Linking Notes to Document Properties
2. Mass: Adding Mass Properties
3. Cut list item name: Linking a Cut List Folder to a Cut List Property
4. Weldments: Custom Properties in Weldment Cut Lists
5. Sheet metal: Sheet Metal Properties
6. Routing: Bill of Materials for Routing Assemblies