Getting Started

1. Activate Your Altium 365 Workspace

An Altium 365 Workspace is a dedicated and secure Altium 365 environment for your company. In this environment, you can store, version, and organize your design data and collaborate with other professionals.

2. Connect to Altium Designer (if applicable)

If you are using another ECAD tool than you can skip this step. For Altium Designer files, you can connect to your Altium 365 Workspace through your web browser or directly from Altium Designer.

Create a Project in a Workspace

There are two ways to create a project in Altium. You can upload an existing file or create a new project directly in the workspace.  

Making Projects Available Online

Making a project available on Altium allows you to share the project and view it from a web browser.

Importing Project Components

After choosing your project for Altium, the next important task is to bring in a complete library that holds all the necessary components and models for your project into the workspace.

Replacing Component Library Links with Cloud Components

Replace component library links with cloud components and link the existing project components with migrated components hosted on Altium.

Open and Save Projects

Once connected to your Workspace, you have access to all the data stored in it. All projects, documents, components, and file templates will be available to you, and you can work with them from any computer anywhere!

Altium Workspace Organization

The term “workspace” is becoming increasingly common, and its definition can vary greatly.

Component Search and Placement

Searching for and adding components in Altium is performed using the Components panel. Use the basic settings for component search and placement into the schematic.

Component Properties in the Schematic Editor

The Properties panel includes everything you need to know about a selected component. Some parameters apply to any type of library, and other component properties are directly related to Altium.

Replacing Placed Components

To replace components in your schematic, you don't need to manually delete and replace them. Altium takes care of the process for you, even when you're choosing similar parts with different settings.

Project Release to Manufacturing

Working with Altium helps you to generate and send the required output information to the customer or manufacturer without the use of any extra programs saving time and ensuring consistency. In this chapter, we will explain how to generate and release data with Altium.

Validating and Updating Component Revisions

Update the revision when necessary by validating component status. Component validation generates a report with identified errors. Note that if errors are found during the project's release, execution pauses until they are corrected.

Creating a New Component

Create a new component in the Workspace library using the default template. Each component type has its default template. You can use the default template, modify it, or create one from scratch. The template has certain parameters and models and reserves a server location.

Editing an Existing Component

It is common to edit a component during the design process. Editing an existing component may be related to error detection, changing the technology, the need for other display options, changing or adding component parameters, or many other reasons.

Exploring Component Parameters

Explore the system parameters of the component within the Component mode of the Properties panel. Remember, Altium lets you use parameters freely, even ones from previous libraries.

Cloning an Existing Component

There is often a need to create new components when creating a new project or editing an existing one. The most convenient way is to take a current component and make a new one based on it, i.e a Clone. Creating a cloned component is quite easy in Altium.

Creating Generic Components

Generic components are intended to be placeholders easily replaced with a suitable component later in the design process. They also can be considered virtual or parametric components.

Selecting Part Choices

In the Part Choices region of the Components panel, there is a link to a vast database that provides up-to-date manufacturer price and availability information directly from hundreds of global suppliers.

Component and Model Validation

Altium provides automatic validation of components and their models according to the options set in the Data Management > Component Rule Checks page of the Preferences dialog.

Importing Libraries to Altium

Import the project component model libraries into the Importing Project Components Chapter. Databases and other user data sources are also available in Altium. In particular, we will demonstrate how to import footprint libraries, symbol model libraries, and integrated libraries.

Library Health Dashboard

You can see which (and how many) components you currently have at your disposal, and you can also view a summary of the health of those components. Digging deeper, you can also access more detailed information regarding component health through a dedicated "Library Health" dashboard.

Manufacturer Part Search

The Manufacturer Part Search panel offers a search feature based on categories and parametric filtering that allows you to choose the exact component you need and select a preferred supplier for that physical part based on cost and availability.

ActiveBOM

This tool combines comprehensive BOM management with Altium Designer's part information aggregation technologies, helping you manage the component selection challenge.

Project History

Explore a chronological timeline featuring Creation, Commits, Releases, Clones, and MCAD Exchanges. Plus, auto-generate a Differences Summary to identify changes like replaced components. You don't have to be an expert; anyone can easily take action on a revision - download, view, or revert.

Schematic Compare

The Schematic Compare feature allows you to quickly compare schematics, graphically highlighting the differences directly in the preview screen.

Gerber Compare

Graphically compare old and new Gerber files for a project using Altium’s Gerber Compare feature. This capability is beneficial when PCB designers need to confirm changes in Gerber files before fabrication (e.g., unintentional changes).

BOM Compare

A BOM Compare report is available in Altium Designer and Altium's Web Viewer interface (see BOM Compare in Altium Web Viewer) for projects that include a BOM document. The BOM Compare report displays the changes between the current design and the selected released revision.

Migrating to Altium from external version control systems

Migrate projects from a third-party version control provider to Altium while preserving the history of commits. Users benefit from full data management capabilities in Altium for their projects without losing change history (traceability).

Unlink a PCB Project

Unlink a project from your Altium Workspace and keep its contents in your local machine. Whether you want to continue storing the project in your Altium Workspace is your choice; you can still grab design data from your repository as you need it or simply delete it from your Workspace.

Creating and Managing Project History Tags

How to create and manage tags, navigate your project history, and reference any project commit (to share for review or to quickly view a timeline of the project's various design stages that you can quickly select from).

Inviting Users to Collaborate

Altium allows you to invite users to your Workspace to collaborate on projects, and you can organize the work of the entire company in a single workspace. At the same time, invited team members will always have access to the most up-to-date versions of projects and components.

How to Control Access and Share Your Projects

Granular control over project access and actions empowers you to manage who can access your projects, how they access them, and provides advanced settings for enhanced security and collaboration.

Commenting in your Design

The ability to leave comments and tag project stakeholders in the design context provides visibility and better communication throughout the entire design process. You can add comments and also draw in an entire document or area in your design.

Commenting in your BOM

The ability to leave comments in the bill of materials (BOM), create tasks, and tag project stakeholders in the design context facilitates better communication throughout the design process.

Export Comments in Altium

Export the whole comment history as a PDF file for historical, legal, or auditing purposes. You can export comments history from Altium Designer and from the web interface of Altium.

Tasks in the Altium Web Interface

The Tasks feature brings lightweight task tracking to further enhance design collaboration in Altium. With Tasks, you will never lose an important action item and easily gain a high-level view of the state of your project, all without leaving your design environment.

Reviewing Projects in Your Web Browser

View all project files from anywhere. There is no need to have additional software to discuss and agree on the schematics, PCB layout, and even the BOM. Simply access design data through your favorite web browser and get right to work reviewing project files.

Accessing the Layer Stackup

Access the PCB Layer Stackup in Altium Web Viewer. There are three ways to work with the Layer Stackup associated with your project: Work in Progress Design, Releases, and Manufacturing. The feature is available through the Altium workspace.

Viewing a PDF in the Web Interface

You can view PDF documents page by page directly from the Altium workspace by opening a release package. You don't need to download the document and view it in an external PDF viewer. The feature is available through the Altium workspace.

Draftsman in the Web Interface

Draftsman to Altium Web Interface introduces the capability of the design review concept by expanding it to real-time collaboration. This is probably the most critical file you will control and submit to your assembler.You can share and view in a web browser and add comments to Draftsman.

What is Assembly Assistant?

The Assembly Assistant application, available in an Altium workspace, provides a browser-based project assembly tool for advanced interaction between the project's detailed BOM data and its 2D/3D assembly view. By bringing these two related sources of assembly data together, the Assembly Assistant delivers an integrated tool that allows assemblers to check and work through the board assembly process within one convenient location.

What is BOM Portal?

The BOM portal is a relatively new application that has significantly impacted the PCB industry. It's been described as a game changer for PCB designers and many other areas and roles of the design process, especially procurement. It is the newest addition to the Altium 365 platform.

BOM Portal Settings and Controls

The BOM Settings window, opened from the BOM Settings option in the main  menu, allows you to configure which parts suppliers and library component parameters are enabled for the current Managed BOM. You can also specify the target production run, currency and global region used for cost estimates, and proposed BOM completion date.

How to Start a New BOM

BOM Portal is an intuitive tool that allows for either creating a BOM from a standalone BOM or a managed project. We will look at the best practices for managing BOM files once they are created: 

BOM Portal Main View Panel

BOM Portal Supply Chain Panel

The Supply Chain Panel provides:

BOM Portal Issues Panel

In this article, we examine the BOM Portal Issues Panel. Our objective is is to show the uses and features of the BOM Portal issues panel, which are:

BOM Portal Releases Panel

In this article we'll review the uses and features of the BOM Portal Release Panel. Although it's the smallest of the BOM Portal panels, it is probably one of the more important ones because: 

BOM Portal Dashboard Panel

The BOM Portal Dashboard Panel is compelling and offers tremendous information. This content aims to demonstrate its purposes, uses, and features.

What is the PLM Integration?

The composite design solution of Altium Designer and an Altium 365 Workspace offers configurable PLM Integration with support available for Windchill®, Arena®, Oracle® Agile™, Aras Innovator®,  and Siemens Teamcenter® (with additional setup).

Introduction to Altium MCAD CoDesigner

Guide to the installation process of the MCAD CoDesigner add-on, which includes instructions on adding a project to Altium 365 and sharing it with the mechanical engineer within Altium Designer.

Introduction to MCAD CoDesigner (for SOLIDWORKS Users)

Explore the installation and configuration of MCAD CoDesigner for SOLIDWORKS users, including how to interface with SOLIDWORKS® and install the Altium MCAD CoDesigner Add-In for SOLIDWORKS.

Introduction to MCAD CoDesigner (for Creo Users)

Explore the installation and configuration of MCAD CoDesigner for PTC Creo® users, including how to interface with PTC Creo® and install the Altium MCAD CoDesigner Add-In for PTC Creo®.

Introduction to MCAD CoDesigner (for Fusion 360 Users)

Explore the installation and configuration of MCAD CoDesigner for Fusion 360 users, including how to interface with Fusion 360 and install the Altium MCAD CoDesigner Add-In for Fusion 360.

Introduction to MCAD CoDesigner (for Inventor Users)

Explore the installation and configuration of MCAD CoDesigner for Inventor users, including how to interface with Inventor and install the Altium MCAD CoDesigner Add-In for Inventor.

Shaping a PCB in MCAD

Through the MCAD CoDesigner in Altium Designer, you can collaborate with a mechanical engineer to shape the PCB in your MCAD tool, while still keeping it updated in Altium Designer.

Bringing MCAD Enclosure to ECAD (PRO users)

For our PRO users: Picture this - your board has been meticulously pushed and pulled in the MCAD system, integrated into the assembly of your device. Now, we bridge the gap between MCAD and ECAD.

Bringing MCAD Enclosure to ECAD (STD users)

For our STD users: Your design journey is about to get smoother than ever. With your board already in place within the MCAD assembly, we're bringing you the power to sync your MCAD enclosure with your ECAD project.

MCAD-ECAD Collaboration

The MCAD CoDesigner enables simple and effective collaboration between a mechanical engineer and an electrical engineer.

What is the Jira Application?

Altium Jira Integration enables bidirectional data synchronization between Atlassian Jira® issues and the Altium workspace Tasks. The integration allows the remote creation of Jira issues directly from your workspace as dedicated Jira Tasks, or existing Jira Issues can be linked to a Workspace project. Once a Jira Issue to Workspace Task relationship is established, its Comments and status settings (priority, progress, assignee) are synchronized in real time, which provides enhanced and interactive project management insight into Altium design projects in the Jira space.

What is Requirements & Systems Portal?

The Requirements and Systems Portal is an advanced system engineering application that integrates with Altium 365 to define and manage technical requirements for project designs. Requirements instances created in the portal can be placed in Altium 365 Workspace design documents and also assigned as user Tasks. Compliance with a Requirement definition can then be verified within the project design space, the status of which is synchronously reflected in the Requirement instance in the Requirements and Systems Portal.

Creating Requirements

There are 3 ways to Create Requirements in the Requirements and Systems Portal

Linking to Projects in Altium 365

When the various Requirements and Systems Portal elements have been set up for your design project (see the Altium 365 documentation), its Requirements will be available in the Workspace design view when the project has been linked to the Portal’s related System Design Block.

Annotate to Schematics/PCB

A Requirement is placed in the current document using the same process as placing a Comment on a point, object (such as a component or line/trace), or a specified area.

Verifying Requirements in Altium 365

Once a specification is assigned to one or more components in your design, each requirement in that specification can be verified against each of those components.

What is the SiliconExpert Integration?

If your company has a SiliconExpert® account and the Altium SiliconExpert Integration feature is available and enabled, then parametric parts data sourced from SiliconExpert will become available to the BOM Portal's documents.

What is the Z2Data Integration?

The Altium Z2Data Integration brings enhanced manufacturer part information and supply chain data into your Altium workspace.

Design with Confidence: Altium 365 meets SiliconExpert

Watch the recording and learn how SiliconExpert can help you to design with confidence.

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