Code SnippetSolidWorks API2026-03-10

Export BOM to CSV from SolidWorks

Extract a Bill of Materials from an active SolidWorks assembly document and write it to a CSV file with part number, description, quantity, and material.

csharp

public void ExportBomToCsv(ModelDoc2 model, string outputPath)
{
    var feat = model.FirstFeature();
    while (feat != null)
    {
        if (feat.GetTypeName2() == "BomFeat")
        {
            var bom = (BomFeature)feat.GetSpecificFeature2();
            var table = (BomTableAnnotation)bom.GetTableAnnotations()[0];
            using var writer = new StreamWriter(outputPath);
            writer.WriteLine("Part Number,Description,Qty,Material");
            for (int row = 1; row < table.RowCount; row++)
            {
                var cells = Enumerable.Range(0, table.ColumnCount)
                    .Select(col => table.Text[row, col]);
                writer.WriteLine(string.Join(",", cells));
            }
        }
        feat = feat.GetNextFeature();
    }
}

How It Works

This method iterates through all features in a SolidWorks model looking for a BOM (Bill of Materials) feature. When found, it:

Gets the BOM table annotation — the actual table object with rows and columns
Writes a CSV header with standard BOM columns: Part Number, Description, Quantity, Material
Iterates rows (starting from row 1 to skip the header) and joins all cell values with commas

When to Use This

ERP integration: Exporting BOM data to feed into enterprise systems (SAP, Oracle, custom databases)
Reporting: Generating procurement lists, cost rollups, or material summaries
Comparison tools: Exporting BOMs from multiple configurations to diff them

Tips

Row 0 is always the header row in a SolidWorks BOM table — start your data loop from row 1
For indented BOMs, the first column often contains the item number with dots (e.g., '1.1', '1.2') — parse accordingly
Always check that GetTableAnnotations() is not null — BOMs can be deleted or hidden

SolidWorks APIC#BOMCSV