Move past Dispatch. Automate PDM with PDMShell.
Run scripts on demand, from PDM events, or as tasks inside SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional. Use PDMShell for one-off commands, repeatable .pdmshell scripts, visual workflows, and administrator-controlled add-in automation.
Use PDMShell from Claude Desktop
PDMShell now includes a version-matched MCP server that lets Claude discover commands, understand every parameter and search expression, and run approved operations through your local SOLIDWORKS PDM environment.
- Automatically registered in Claude Desktop as
pdmshell. - Installed, signed, and updated together with PDMShell.
- Uses the existing local PDMShell machine license.
- Exposes version information without requiring a vault login.
Start with the right path
Install the pieces you need, then choose the licensing model that matches how your team will use PDMShell.
Install or update PDMShell
Download the signed VeloPack installer for the standalone desktop app, or update an existing per-user installation.
Install PDM Add-in
Install the SOLIDWORKS PDM add-in with PDMDeploy or the Microsoft-hosted Download Center.
How licensing works
Choose single-machine activation in the standalone app or pooled add-in licensing from the PDM Administration Tool.
Choose the workflow that fits the job
Pick the simplest workflow for the task: one command, a reusable script, a visual workflow, or controlled automation inside PDM.
Run a command
Use the command shell for quick vault navigation, file operations, search, variables, and cleanup work.
Build a script
Save repeatable .pdmshell scripts for batch work, migrations, and administrator tasks.
Build visually
Create and validate workflows with the visual editor when a script benefits from a guided layout.
Automate inside PDM
Run approved scripts from PDM command menus, tasks, and trigger points with permissions and conditions.
Built for PDM administrators and migration work
Use PDMShell to automate repetitive vault work, reduce manual clicks, and standardize batch operations across teams.
- Check in, check out, rename, move, copy, delete, and recover files.
- Run SOLIDWORKS macros and PDM tasks against search results.
- Read and write variables, revisions, references, BOMs, and file history.
- Use the add-in to expose approved scripts inside SOLIDWORKS PDM.
- Build reusable script templates for users and administrators.
- Run automation from scripts, command menus, transitions, or scheduled jobs.
Need help planning automation?
Blue Byte Systems can help design PDMShell scripts, add-in workflows, migration utilities, and vault automation for your SOLIDWORKS PDM environment.
PDMShell add-in demo
Watch how a PDMShell add-in script can run on demand from SOLIDWORKS PDM command menus without creating a PDM Task.