Update Components to the Latest Revision

Summary: 

This video demonstrates the process to update components to the latest revision.  This may be necessary if a component is placed before updates need to be made in the Altium 365 Library.  However, Altium 365 can help users identify any changes to components and update them.  Within the Properties Panel in Altium Designer, the revision status identifies if a component is using the latest revision available.  If this is not the case, users can click the refresh button to update to the latest revision.  

Likewise, there are also two methods to update multiple components at once. The first method is to select all of the components and right click and choose update to the latest revision in the Item Manager. Then one can open the ECO, modify any necessary components, and execute these changes.  Furthermore, components can also be updated in the BOM Dock in the Active BOM.  This pulls in information tied to each component, but the revision status is disabled by default.  By right clicking in the column header, choosing select columns, and selecting the revision status “eye” icon, this enables the revision visibility.  Users can then right click and update components to the latest revision in operations, and ensure that their part components are up to date.  
 

Transcript:

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:27:04
Hello. In this video, we'll take a look at making sure that your components are using the latest and most up to date information within each design. As you're designing, you may place components and then need to make changes to your components in the Manage Library of Altium 365. Either due to updated information, or other team members, identifying new changes to your components and updating those within the component library.

00:00:27:07 - 00:00:48:19
That a beautiful thing is, even though you may not be aware that somebody has made a change to a component that you currently use, Altium Designer, along with Altium 365 can identify these components for you if you're paying attention. I'll also help you identify those components in a much more easy way, and how to get those updated to the latest revision.

00:00:48:21 - 00:01:09:21
So let's take a look at this design. As you know, if I'm clicking through each component over on the right, there's a revision status in the properties panel. This revision status identifies if this component is using the latest version of that particular component within the managed library at Altium 365. If it is, it'll stay up to date.

00:01:09:24 - 00:01:27:04
However, if it is not, like this component here, it will stay out of date. Now, as you can imagine, going through each and every one of these components one by one could take some time to make sure that they're out of date. Now, if I do identify one that is out of date, and I want to go ahead and make sure to update it right here.

00:01:27:04 - 00:01:45:14
In the design, I simply click the refresh button here and it will update to the latest revision. However, imagine a design such as this where this is a larger number of components. It may not be frugal; it may not be efficient for you to go through and identify them one by one. So there's a couple of tools available that can help you do so.

00:01:45:17 - 00:02:06:15
The first one we'll take a look at is your item manager. I get there by going to Tools Edit Item Manager. The item manager loads every component within your design. And you'll notice that there is a revision status column here. This is tied to making sure that you're using the most up to date component information that's being sourced from your library at Altium 365.

00:02:06:18 - 00:02:24:18
As I scroll down, you'll notice that most of these are up to date, except for it does identify some that are out of date with what's in my workspace. So there's a couple ways I can update here. I could right click on it and choose update to latest revision for this single component. Or if I choose to, I can also right,

00:02:24:20 - 00:02:51:19
I can select all of them, right click and choose update to latest revision. Now what this will do is actually identify the changes it's going to want to make to these components based on what it’s found that is out of date, and replacing it with the latest revision. Then I would just need to go to the eco, and generate eco and, you know, identify the different changes that need to be done and add those changes or make those changes and modify that.

00:02:51:19 - 00:03:09:29
I would just simply execute those changes and be good to go. I'm not going to do that, because I do want to be able to show you one more tool that'll be helpful. If you get further down the road and you're working on procurement, or you're looking at your design and you're getting ready to order parts, and one more check to make sure that you're using the latest and greatest.

00:03:10:01 - 00:03:29:24
You can use the BOM Dock or the active BOM. If you have an Active BOM ready, this would be the BOM Dock that's loaded here. And as you can see, it also pulls in a number of pieces of information tied to each and every component that is in the design. Now, by default, I believe the revision status is not enabled.

00:03:29:27 - 00:03:50:24
But if it is, I've left it off on purpose to show you how to add it. I can right click on the column header up at the top and choose Select Columns. From there I can scroll down and I'll notice that there is a revision status available to me. So I'll click that “eye” icon in order for it to be visible and show me that information.

00:03:50:26 - 00:04:14:08
Once again, I'll see that the revision status now becomes available. I can identify components very quickly and easily that are out of date. Nice big red text. Was it out of date indicator? And then once again I can update these by right clicking choose the operations and then choose update to latest revision. This will then propagate the information of updating it to the latest revision.

00:04:14:11 - 00:04:28:23
And then you'll know that you're using the most recent information and version of that particular component from your component library. I hope this video has been helpful and allows you to continue to design with confidence in Altium Designer. Thank you.