Version-Independent Part Documentation
For some product documentation the latest released version of the document must be connected to the part. Windchill uses the term References Documents to describe documents connected in this manner. The following example illustrates the reference relationship:
Note that version B.1 is the version that is released, but it is not the most recent version. Version C.1 is more recent, but it is not released and is still subject to changes and approval. A user looking at the documentation about the shaft part sees version B.1 of the material specification until C.1 is promoted to a released state.
 | In order to create a reference relationship, the Type selected for the document when it is created in Windchill must be Reference. |
An example of a version independent document is the manufacturer’s brochure for a purchased part used in an assembly. The Windchill part can be revised multiple times but the related manufacturer’s brochure should always be the latest version. The document containing the brochure is useful when looking for a replacement for the part when it is no longer available from the original supplier.
Actions
The following table summarizes how actions on the part and document affect the references relationship:
Action | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Check Out and Check In the part | The new iteration of the part continues to be referenced by the document. | ||
Revise part | The new version of the part continues to be referenced by the document. When you click the reference link for the new revision, it will display the latest released version of the document. | ||
Save As part | The newly created part references the same document as the original part. | ||
Check In document | The part references the new iteration of the document. In a references relationship, the part reference the latest version (revision and iteration) of the released document.
| ||
Revise document | The part references the latest released version of the document. If no versions of the document are in the released state, the part references the new revision of the document. |
For more information, see Associating a Part to a Document.