SOLIDWORKS Frequently Asked Questions

Not necessarily. Many organizations find long-term value in the ongoing performance improvements, workflow optimizations, interoperability enhancements (such as save to previous release), technical support access, and supported upgrade paths that help engineering environments remain maintainable and predictable over time.

There are many other crucial perks included within SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services – spanning areas such as certification exam access, to accompanying software aiding other aspects of the product development process (such as SOLIDWORKS CAM for machining).

SOLIDWORKS Visualize*

Create photo-quality images, animations and 3D content from your SOLIDWORKS data with speed and precision. SOLIDWORKS Visualize gives design, engineering and marketing teams a fast, straightforward way to communicate ideas with high-impact visuals.

Built for users across your organization, SOLIDWORKS Visualize expands how your teams present, promote and validate designs. You can develop 3D models and visual content in parallel, helping reduce workflow delays and accelerate the path from concept to communication.

*Available to download for every SOLIDWORKS Professional and Premium license on active Subscription.

SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard

SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard is included with Subscription Services membership, giving your team a fully integrated, knowledge-based solution that connects design and manufacturing in one system. By assessing manufacturability early in the project lifecycle, SOLIDWORKS CAM helps reduce unexpected costs and delays, improve production decisions, and keep projects on schedule and on budget.

SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services also provides unique access to SOLIDWORKS certification exams, AI Virtual Companions (via Cloud Services for SOLIDWORKS) as well as other products such as Shop Floor Programmer to streamline CNC programming, create and validate 2.5- and 3-axis NC programs, and more.

A subscription offers your engineering team access to the most up-to-date SOLIDWORKS software, real-time technical assistance, valuable educational resources, and secure data management. This ensures your team stays current and effective while tackling challenging product development objectives.

Regular SOLIDWORKS software upgrades help keep your CAD software tools current, reliable and ready for the demands of modern design work. SOLIDWORKS continues to improve through every service pack with targeted bug fixes, performance updates, community-requested enhancements and new 3D CAD functionality.

With each upgrade, you gain access to the latest supported file formats and improvements as they become available through SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services. You’ll also receive ongoing SOLIDWORKS support through your value-added reseller as part of SOLIDWORKS Subscription Service to apply these updates effectively, so SOLIDWORKS works better for your workflows, your projects and your team.

SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services restore access to interoperability improvements, version flexibility (like the ‘save as previous release’ capability), live technical support from a local reseller partner, and ongoing 3D CAD workflow enhancements that support smoother collaboration across evolving engineering environments. This helps teams reduce rework, simplify handoffs, and collaborate more efficiently across customers, suppliers, and partners, restoring several of the core reasons many customers choose to buy SOLIDWORKS in the first place.

We offer two types of technical support with SOLIDWORKS Subscription Service:

Live Technical Support: Get live assistance from your local SOLIDWORKS value-added reseller (VAR). Each VAR is a trained and certified SOLIDWORKS expert to help you troubleshoot many technical issues.

Electronic Support: Access a wealth of online resources through the SOLIDWORKS Support web page, formerly the Customer Portal. This includes the SOLIDWORKS Knowledge Base, tech tips, help files, best practices, technical alerts, webcasts, SR reporting and tracking, enhancement requests, and much more.
 

Future releases of SOLIDWORKS and support services will not be provided without subscription.

As organizations move onto different release schedules, version coordination can become increasingly difficult without modern interoperability support. SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services help reduce version-related friction through ongoing compatibility improvements and capabilities like saving files to previous SOLIDWORKS releases.

• Access to new releases and software updates available for download on the Customer Portal
• Local Technical Support provided by your Value Added Reseller
• MySolidWorks.com – Training, 24/7 Knowledge Base, and Discussion Forums
• Access to exclusive products such as SOLIDWORKS Visualize Standard* and SOLIDWORKS CAM**
• Access to Certification exam vouchers 
• And so much more!

* Available to download for every SOLIDWORKS Professional and Premium license on active Subscription 
** Available to download for every SOLIDWORKS Standard, Professional, and Premium license on active Subscription

Technical support comes in two forms:

• Live support includes live technical support from your local SOLIDWORKS value-added reseller (VAR) who has been trained and certified by SOLIDWORKS to help you trouble shoot an array of technical issues.
• Electronic support includes an abundance of resources all accessible online.  These resources include access to the Knowledge Base, tech tips, help files, tech alerts, web casts, service request reporting and tracking through our 3DSupport App, access to our Enhancement Request community and more. Please visit our SOLIDWORKS.com support home page for links to these resources.

The value of SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services extends far beyond the ability to download the latest service pack. Active SOLIDWORKS Subscription Service provides SOLIDWORKS users with practical tools that support the full design-to-manufacturing process. With access to Cloud Services, teams can collaborate more effectively, share designs with stakeholders on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, and maintain secure access to current design information from supported devices.

SOLIDWORKS Subscription Service also includes value-added tools for engineers, such as SOLIDWORKS Visualize and SOLIDWORKS CAM. SOLIDWORKS Visualize helps create high-quality renderings and visuals for design reviews, sales presentations and marketing materials, while SOLIDWORKS CAM helps streamline manufacturing preparation by automating machining workflows and improving programming efficiency.

The easiest way to order SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services is to contact your local VAR. If you are unsure who your VAR is, please contact SOLIDWORKS and we will assist you.

The impact varies by environment, but common examples include slower software responsiveness, manual workaround-heavy workflows, issue recovery delays, file translation overhead, version coordination problems, repetitive engineering tasks, and growing time spent troubleshooting internally instead of designing.

SOLIDWORKS Software is available in thirteen languages. Live technical support is provided by your local VAR which helps insure you receive support in your region’s local language.

Active subscription members can access the Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate and Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional exams. For each SOLIDWORKS Design seat you purchase, your engineering team receives six free exams per year, making it easier to strengthen skills and validate expertise.

• The CSWA (Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate) establishes professional credibility for users new to SOLIDWORKS who’ve completed beginner SOLIDWORKS training courses. It validates foundational knowledge and core SOLIDWORKS CAD skills, ensuring it’s an essential tool for early-career professionals or those transitioning into a new design field.
• The CSWP (Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional) identifies users with a strong command of SOLIDWORKS software fundamentals. It’s the benchmark for professionals who operate the software in a corporate setting or full-time role for 40 hours per week over six months or more.

SOLIDWORKS certification can strengthen your entire engineering team by proving verified skills, training and commitment on their path to becoming SOLIDWORKS experts. It helps distinguish your team and shows you meet recognized industry standards for SOLIDWORKS training.