Is the ʼSheet Formatʼ different from the ʼDrawing Templateʼ in SolidWorks?
Short Answer
Yes — in SolidWorks, the sheet format is different from the drawing template. The Sheet Properties / sheet format workflow controls title block, borders, and notes, while the drawing template stores document settings such as units, standards, and drafting options. The most common professional method is to manage them as separate files. Limitation: some users confuse them because they load together.
What You Need to Know Before
Warning: If you edit the sheet format when you meant to edit the drawing template, you can accidentally overwrite your company title block or linked note layout in every future drawing that uses that format. This is especially common when saving without checking whether you are in Edit Sheet or Edit Sheet Format mode.
How to…
Command: Edit Sheet Format
Shortcut: No default keyboard shortcut
Quick Steps:
- In a drawing, right-click the sheet in the graphics area or FeatureManager design tree, then click Edit Sheet Format.
- Modify the border, title block, note fields, or anchor positions as needed.
- Right-click the sheet again and choose Edit Sheet, then save the format as .slddrt using File > Save Sheet Format. If you need document settings too, save the drawing template separately as .drwdot with File > Save As.
Use the fastest common professional method: keep the sheet format and drawing template as separate managed files.
Variables & Settings
Key Setting: Sheet format file path and template file path
Expert Setting: In Tools > Options > System Options > File Locations, keep Sheet Formats and Document Templates in controlled company folders. This ensures SolidWorks loads the correct .slddrt for title blocks and the correct .drwdot for drawing settings, reducing broken references and mixed standards.
Why it Fails
- Cause 1 (Geometry): Title block notes, borders, or revision tables were edited directly in the sheet format, so changes appear on every drawing using that format.
- Cause 2 (layers/Locks): Company standard layers, line fonts, or note styles come from the drawing template, but users expect sheet format edits to update those properties automatically.
- Cause 3 (Command/Logic): Users save only the drawing as a template or only the sheet as a format, not both, so one file updates while the other remains outdated.
Quick Fix & Best Practice
- Quick Fix: Right-click the sheet, use Properties, then reload the correct sheet format file (.slddrt) and resave the drawing template (.drwdot) if document settings were changed.
- Manager’s Verdict: Use sheet formats for title blocks, borders, and static annotation layout; use drawing templates for units, standards, dimensions, layers, and document properties. In real production workflows, never treat them as the same file.
FAQ
Can a drawing template include a sheet format in SolidWorks?
Yes, a drawing template can reference and open with a sheet format.
What file type is a SolidWorks sheet format?
A sheet format is typically saved as .slddrt.
What file type is a solidworks drawing template?
A drawing template is saved as .drwdot.
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