SolidWorks® Administration Bible

Chapter 7. Licensing

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Choosing a SolidWorks bundle

• Tracking each assigned serial number

• Activating and transferring licenses online

• Using IT to administ floating licenses

• Taking advantage of home use licenses

One of the most important tasks assigned to you as the CAD Administrator is to maintain the licensing information for a company's SolidWorks seats. While it is undoubtedly a tedious task without much reward, it is also very important to manage this information closely because dropping support for the wrong license could cost the company extra money to reinstate it or eliminate key functionality needed for your business.

Licensing has changed somewhat over the years. Product naming has also changed. Even the serial numbers and activation processes have changed. If you are a longtime customer or a returning customer, you may not recognize some of the new licensing schemes or the names of products.

Despite the changes, many of the policies and even prices for the various levels of software and subscription have remained unchanged from the very beginning.

Some aspects of licensing are different inside the United States from outside the United States. Outside the United States, the use of dongles, even for stand-alone licenses, is common. This type of licensing is most similar to network licensing.

Selecting the Version of SolidWorks

When you purchase SolidWorks, you have the option to buy one of three bundled packages, SolidWorks Standard, SolidWorks Professional, or SolidWorks ...