Creating a Professional Revision Table Using Document and Table Settings in SOLIDWORKS

A revision table is one of those small drawing details that quietly prevents big problems. When a drawing set gets updated over time, teams need a clear record of what changed, when it changed, and whether the change was approved. That is exactly what a revision table does. It gives everyone a shared source of truth so nobody is guessing which version is current.

Because this drawing is designed to be revisited and updated, it makes sense to add the revision table now, before revisions start piling up.

What a Revision Table Tracks

A standard revision table sits in a corner of the sheet, often on the first page and on any pages that require change tracking. Each time an update is made, a new row can be added that documents the change.

• Revision identifier (often a letter or number)
• Description of what changed
• Date the revision was made
• Approval status
• Location reference (sometimes using zones on the drawing)

Creating the Revision Table in SOLIDWORKS

The revision table is created through the drawing annotations and table tools.

1. Go to the Annotation tab.
2. Open Tables from the dropdown.
3. Select Revision Table.

Before placing the table on the sheet, SOLIDWORKS prompts you to define what the table should look like. This is where you set the style choices that make your table consistent with the rest of the document.

Choosing a Revision Symbol Style

Revision tables often work alongside revision callouts on the drawing itself. Those callouts typically include an arrow pointing to the changed area, with a revision symbol that matches the table entry. You can choose different shapes for that revision symbol, depending on your drafting standards.

• Select a revision symbol shape that fits your preferred style.
• A hexagon is a common, clear choice and works well visually.

Applying Document Settings for Borders and Line Weights

Revision tables look best when their line weights match your document standards. In the revision table settings, you can control both the outside border and the internal grid lines that separate each cell.

• Outside border: the table outline
• Cell divider lines: the lines that separate each row and column

Using Document Settings is a good move if you want this table to match the formatting you have already established for the drawing. When document settings are used, the table adopts the default values tied to the template or current drawing document.

Capitalization and Readability

Many drawing standards use uppercase for table text because it reads cleanly and stays consistent across sheets. If you prefer that drafting look, setting the revision table to all uppercase keeps the table uniform and easy to scan.

Adjusting Table Formatting Through Options

If the document settings are not quite right, there is another place to manage table formatting without rebuilding the entire template. In SOLIDWORKS options, you can adjust revision table appearance and general table formatting for the current document.

• Open Options.
• Navigate to Tables and then Revisions to control border thickness and divider line thickness.
• Use Table settings to adjust general formatting such as font, across tables.

This approach is useful if you want to refine the current document immediately, even if you plan to revisit the template later.

Placing the Revision Table on the Sheet

Once the settings are confirmed, accept the feature and place the table. SOLIDWORKS typically places it in the upper right corner by default.

After placement, the table can be repositioned easily:

• Click the table.
• Grab the cross-style move handle.
• Drag the table into the desired location such as inside the drawing border.

Adding and Removing Revision Rows

When a change is made in the future, adding a revision is as simple as inserting a new row. SOLIDWORKS provides a quick way to do that through the table interface, creating a new entry line where revision details can be filled in.

A typical revision row includes:

• Revision (letter or number)
• Description of the change
• Date
• Approved status
• Zone (if zone mapping is used on the drawing)

If a row is added accidentally, it can be deleted, and SOLIDWORKS may prompt you to manage any associated revision callouts that would normally point to the revised area on the sheet.

Understanding the Z1Column

Many engineering drawings divide the sheet into a grid of zones to make it easier to reference a specific location. The edges of the drawing may show letters across the top or bottom and numbers along the sides. A zone entry like B6 or A3 directs a reviewer to a specific square on the sheet.

If the drawing does not display zone markers, the zone column is not useful. In that case, the cleanest option is to remove it from the table.

• Right-click the Zone column header.
• Select Delete Column.

Switching from Numeric Revisions to Letter Revisions

Some documents default to a numeric revision like 0, but many teams prefer alphabetical revisions (A, B, C, and so on). If the current revision field is showing a numeric default and you want to use letters, update the file properties so the drawing does not start at a number you do not intend to use.

1. Right-click and open the relevant model or drawing properties path.
2. Go to File Properties.
3. Find the Revision field.
4. Replace the default numeric value with an underscore placeholder.
5. Save and close.

If the displayed table does not update immediately, use Rebuild to refresh the document view so the revision field updates accordingly.

Ready for Future Changes

With the revision table placed, formatted, and cleaned up, the drawing is now prepared for real-world iteration. The table is ready to capture future revisions clearly, without scrambling to add change tracking after updates have already started.

Save your work again before moving forward. The next stage typically involves more advanced drawing techniques, including more complex section views.