What’s New in OpenBOM - August 2025 - OpenBOM

Oleg Shilovitsky

13 August, 2025 | 13 min for reading

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The summer is hot, and so are our releases! ☀️

At OpenBOM, we’ve been hard at work to bring you a fresh wave of improvements designed to make your daily work faster, smoother, and more connected. This August release focuses on three key areas where you’ve asked for more power and simplicity:

Import Capabilities: We’ve expanded and refined the way you can bring data into OpenBOM, making large and complex imports more flexible, accurate, and user-friendly. Whether you’re migrating legacy data or onboarding new projects, you’ll experience a more guided and efficient process.
Change Management Experience: Managing engineering changes just got easier. We’ve enhanced the user experience for creating, reviewing, and approving change orders, helping teams keep revisions under control while maintaining clear visibility across the product lifecycle. Key enhancement here includes CR (change request dashboard) and better user navigation.
Integrations with CAD, PLM, ERP, and Finance Systems: Our ecosystem of integrations continues to grow. This release brings numerous improvements across CAD, PLM, and ERP connectors, along with updates to financial system integrations—so your product, manufacturing, and business data stay in sync without manual effort.

This release reflects our ongoing mission: to connect your tools, streamline your processes, and let you focus on building great products instead of wrestling with disconnected data.

Introduction Unified Import

OpenBOM’s latest enhancements introduce a powerful Unified BOM/Items Import, consolidating traditional spreadsheet imports into one smooth, intelligent step. Gone is the need to juggle separate Excel files for catalogs and BOMs – now you can bring in item master records, part definitions, multi‑level BOMs, and hierarchical relationships all from a single spreadsheet or table (Excel, Google Sheets, or exports from other tools) OpenBOM Unified Import. The system automatically detects part numbers, distinguishes assemblies from components, assigns items to the appropriate catalogs, and constructs the complete BOM structure – deliverable in one clean, clickable import (learn more in OpenBOM’s new import).

Implemented as a drag‑and‑drop chat agent experience, it is lowering barriers to data ingestion. You simply drag your Excel file onto the import screen, minimum pre‑formatting needed, and no manual mapping required. Sneak Peek: OpenBOM new import.

The system’s intelligent analysis discerns structured formats like index‑based (e.g., 1.x.x) or level‑based hierarchies and seamlessly transforms them into catalog items and structured BOM hierarchies in seconds.

Together, these enhancements deliver a friction-free onboarding experience, empowering teams to move from spreadsheet chaos to a structured product data model almost instantly. With these improvements, engineering and manufacturing professionals spend less time formatting data and more time leveraging clean, linked information for downstream workflows. Whether you’re migrating legacy BOMs, syncing with ERP systems, or collaborating with contract manufacturers, this unified, intelligent import command is the first step to setting up your single source of truth about CAD and BOM data.

Change Management Improvements

We are introducing a brand-new Change Request Dashboard. This dashboard will provide a comprehensive view of all individual changes happening across your items and BOMs, making it easier to see pending and approved Change Requests at a glance

Navigate seamlessly between BOMs, Items, Change Requests, and Change Orders

Gain better situational awareness of your ongoing changes and their impact

These enhancements are part of our broader mission to simplify the change management process while maintaining robust control and transparency.

Read more about change management improvements and watch the video in the following articles: Introducing OpenBOM Change Request Dashboard and Demo Video: OpenBOM Change Management – A New Release.

In addition to that, OpenBOM change management enhancements include improvements to notification sending for Create CO and Approve CO.

ERP, PLM and Financial Systems Integrations

In this August 2025 release, we are introducing new integrations and delivering improvements to existing integrations with ERP and financial systems.

The foundation for all new integration is the new Unified OpenBOM Integration backbone, allowing us to deliver new enterprise integrations fast. As a reminder, here is a list of all available new and existing integrations, which is growing fast. Stay tuned for coming additional integrations:

QuickBooks (significantly enhanced integration)
NetSuite (added more features)
Odoo (new integration introduced)
Xero integration (coming)
Microsoft Dynamics 365 (coming)

NOTE: If you don’t see a system you need in the list, please contact our support team, and we will discuss the timeline for this integration.

Here are enhancements we made in August 2025 update:

QuickBooks Online (QBO) – Improved

This is a major update to QuickBooks integration. OpenBOM for QuickBooks is now fully configurable, supports file attachments, item type support, expense account & property mapping, administrative features to control settings, and much more.

Right now, this is a Free upgrade for all QuickBooks users. Start using it right now until before it is moved to the Enterprise subscription level.

Learn more about OpenBOM for QuickBooks enhancements – Introducing new OpenBOM Integration for QuickBooks.

Odoo ERP

We are super excited to introduce a long-awaited integration with Odoo ERP. This is part of the OpenBOM Enterprise subscription. Please contact our sales team to talk about OpenBOM for Odoo.

Learn more about OpenBOM for Odoo integration capabilities – Introducing seamless OpenBOM to Odoo integration for manufacturers.

PLM System Integrations

Aras Innovator

At OpenBOM, we believe this connectivity is essential for building a digital thread – the backbone for modern manufacturing collaboration.

Now, we’re turning our attention to PLM integrations, and for our first step, we’ve chosen a platform we have a lot in common with: Aras Innovator.

Why Aras? We both share a commitment to openness. Both platforms believe in giving companies the flexibility to choose the tools that fit their needs and the ability to connect them without proprietary barriers. And both believe in the importance of the digital thread.

Learn more about what OpenBOM – Aras Innovator integration can deliver. Read more here – OpenBOM Integration with Aras Innovator.

CAD Integrations

OpenBOM keeps its strong commitment to developing new and enhancing new interfaces for CAD systems- MCAD, ECAD, PCB, etc.

Part Number Setup

All OpenBOM CAD integrations now include the ability to configure which Property to use as the Part Number. You can specify exactly which CAD Property to use as the part Number when Automatically Generating part Numbers and when creating the digital Items and BOMs. The selected property will get the value of Part Number on creation and will be used as the part number value when saving Items and BOMs.

The image below is universal for all CADs.

Link to Design Project from Item

OpenBOM Link to Design creates a link from the exact design file in OpenBOM Design to the BOM. Providing precise traceability and access to the CAD data in the digital BOM.

The CAD model file
OpenBOM Workspace Manager Smart Syncs the file to Design Project
The Design Project maintains versions, locking, and access control of the file(s)
On BOM Create/Update, OpenBOM links the exact file to the BOM item

Autodesk Inventor

We are super excited to bring new features to the growing number of Autodesk Inventor customers. Here are a few very important ones.

OpenBOM Quickstart for Inventor

QuickStart is the easy way to get started with OpenBOM—available in all CADs. New users will be greeted with a simple UI, with a single BOM button. Part numbers will be automatically generated, Items saved, and digital BOMs created using the most common best practices. Switch to Advanced mode when ready or when you are ready.

Click the colorful OpenBOM button to get started quickly!

Part Number Setting

We added the ability to configure which Property to use as the Part Number in Autodesk Inventor setup. OpenBOM for Inventor allows you to specify exactly which Inventor Property to use as the part Number when Automatically Generating part Numbers and when creating the digital Items and BOMs. The selected property will get the value of Part Number on creation and will be used as the part number value when saving Items and BOMs.

Link to Design

Another important enhancement in CAD integrations is OpenBOM Link to Design creates a link from the exact design file in OpenBOM Design to the BOM. Providing precise traceability and access to the CAD data in the digital BOM.

The CAD model file
OpenBOM Workspace Manager Smart Syncs the file to the Design Project
The Design Project maintains versions, locking, and access control of the file(s)
On BOM Create/Update, OpenBOM links the exact file to the item and BOM.

Learn more about OpenBOM for Autodesk Inventor enhancements in this video.

Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS

After much feedback from customers, we did some extra work and brought back “Order BOM Like Feature Manager” for all supported releases of Solidworks (2016 and after). Enable it in the Settings, and all NEW BOMs will be sequenced like the Solidworks Feature Manager.

Watch the video of how it works.

Siemens NX

We are super excited to introduce a new integration for Siemens NX. Here is an initial set of OpenBOM for NX add-in provided in this release.

Generate Part Number Command

OpenBOM for Siemens NX can automatically generate Part Numbers to ensure uniqueness and adherence to your company’s Part Numbering sequences.

Establish a Catalog with the Part Number Setup configured
Open your NX design and select Generate Part Number from the OpenBOM ribbon bar
Indicate the proper Catalog and options
Click Generate Part Number

Note that there are five options in the image below:

Invoke the command
Specify the OpenBOM Catalog with Part Numbering sequence setup
Where to save the value (NX has one option)
Do you want to generate part numbers for the entire structure
Do you want to recurse into sub-assemblies
Do you want to create and overwrite any existing part Number property values (for example: a copy or make-from scenario)
Generate the Part Numbers

Send property values back to NX

Siemens NX can now receive property data BACK from OpenBOM. The most popular workflow is updating the Item Description in OpenBOM, then sending the value(s) back to NX.

To configure the command, create a Property list in the Settings->Advanced area, then select it as the Update Property list as shown below. The properties contained in the list will be sent back to CAD when you run the “Update Properties” command

Then, invoke the Command and select the BOM to import from. Optionally, OpenBOM can create the CAD properties.

Learn more about OpenBOM for NX in the following article – OpenBOM for Siemens NX.

PTC Creo

We’re excited to bring more capabilities to OpenBOM for PTC Creo in this release as well.

Category Chooser

With this release, we brought the ability to configure Catalogs and Categories to PTC Creo. This means you can predefine a set of Categories and Catalog maps and send items to Catalogs based on their Category.

Learn more about OpenBOM integration for PTC Creo in the following article – OpenBOM for PTC Creo (Category Support).

Send property values back to Creo

PTC Creo can now receive property data BACK from OpenBOM. The most popular workflow is updating the Item Description in OpenBOM, then sending the value(s) back to NX.

Added the ability to configure which Property to use as the Part Number

OpenBOM for Creo allows you to specify exactly which Creo Property to use as the part Number when Automatically Generating part Numbers and when creating the digital Items and BOMs. The selected property will get the value of Part Number on creation and will be used as the part number value when saving Items and BOMs.

The image below is universal for all CADs.

Learn more: https://www.openbom.com/blog/openbom-cad-add-in-selective-bi-directional-data-exchange

Link to Design

OpenBOM Link to Design creates a link from the exact design file in OpenBOM Design to the BOM. Providing precise traceability and access to the CAD data in the digital BOM.

The CAD model file
OpenBOM Workspace Manager Smart Syncs the file to your collaborative cloud Design Project
The Design Project maintains versions, locking, and access control of the file(s)
OpenBOM links the exact file to the BOM item

PTC Onshape

The August 2025 release of OpenBOM for Onshape gives you more control over which Property values are bi-directional, and thus sent back to Onshape. A new Settings list to control exactly which properties are bi-directional is now available.

Watch how OpenBOM for PTC Onshape works in the following video.

KiCAD

The August 2025 release sees the general release of OpenBOM for KiCAD. We support all available operating systems: Windows, Mac/OS and Linux.

Learn more about how OpenBOM for KiCAD integration works on the integration page.

Read the article and watch the video – Introducing OpenBOM Add-in for KiCad: Expanding Support for PCB Design Tools.

Other Improvements, Minor Issues, and Bug Fixes

Autodesk Revit

Fixed an issue where Views might not automatically generate.

Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS

Part numbers are now properly generated when switching from Quickstart to Advanced modes.
System properties such as Filename, Configuration Name, and others are now properly captured.

PTC Onshape

Fixed a corner case where data might not be sent back to a configured Onshape assembly.

All CAD Add-ins

The “Save Item” function now properly respects the Category Catalog Mapping.

Conclusion:

The August 2025 release of OpenBOM delivers powerful upgrades in three key areas of OpenBOM – Import Capabilities, Change Management, and Integrations. All of them are designed to help you work faster, smarter, and with greater confidence in your data. The new Unified BOM Import consolidates catalog and BOM imports into a single, intelligent process, drastically reducing setup time and eliminating formatting headaches. Combined with the new Smart Import Agent, onboarding legacy data or starting new projects has never been easier.

Change Management sees a major boost with the introduction of the Change Request Dashboard, giving teams a clear, centralized view of all pending and approved changes. Streamlined navigation between BOMs, items, and change orders ensures better visibility and control, while enhanced notifications keep everyone informed at critical stages.

On the integration front, this release expands connectivity across CAD, PLM, ERP, and finance systems. Highlights include a fully configurable QuickBooks Online integration, new Odoo ERP support, and the debut of OpenBOM’s Aras Innovator integration—along with major updates to CAD add-ins for Autodesk Inventor, Siemens NX, PTC Creo, Onshape, KiCAD, and more. Together, these enhancements continue our mission to connect your tools, streamline your workflows, and keep your product data seamlessly in sync.

Best, Oleg

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