Working on technical support we receive many calls regarding licensing. The most common queries to do with licensing are related to Activation, as to many users this is a mystery. The best explanation that I’ve ever been given to explain how activation works is “the cookie jar” analogy.

The cookie jar analogy goes like this; In the US (the home base of SolidWorks) there is a license server with every bodies license and details of their entitlements. If you purchase 1 license from your local reseller you then receive 1 cookie in the big cookie jar in the US. The cookie remains in the jar until you decide to take it. When you install your new license onto your PC you are asked at the end of the installation to enter in your details and activate either automatically online (which is instant) or via email, where you send the information to the server manually via an email. During the activation process your PC communicates with this server in the US (the cookie jar) and takes your cookie from the jar, and your seat is licensed immediately. So once you have taken the cookie from the jar you cannot use it on another PC until you return (or transfer) it to the jar via a license transfer. So in the instance where you activate at the office and you would like to go home and continue working, you would need to return (or transfer) your cookie back to the jar in order to take it back again from your home PC.

For more information on this Activation process please visit the link below.

https://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/product-activation.htm

Some of the SolidWorks users love the ability to transfer and activate their license to and from locations, and some do not. From my experience the ones who do not like activation, often do not understand it.

Remember the dongle that was used to license SolidWorks 2006 and earlier version? This dongle could be lost, broken, or even in many cases drowned in a washing machine! This lead to a replacement dongle requiring a replacement fee! We also had many dongles failed, and many driver issues that left users sitting on their hands until a replacement could be issued. The activation license has eliminated all of this. Another great option with activation is the ability to transfer your license from site to site remotely as many times as you like throughout the day. If you had a dongle you would need to physically deliver your dongle to the alternate site if you needed to use SolidWorks on an alternate site if and when you only have a single license.

Another great advantage of product activation is that it has sped up the ordering process as a dongle does not need to be generated and shipped out to you, you can have a license running in just a few days! Activation also speeds up the process of modifying your license, say if you want to upgrade you can just notify your reseller and have them alter your activation license, then a quick reactivation and you’re off.

Remember: Your activation retrieves an ID from your hard drive, so if you remove your hard drive (say to upgrade) remember to transfer first because if you do not and you throw away your drive you’re throwing away your license too!

Things to note:
• Your activation stays with your PC until you transfer so once you activate you are licensed forever in that PC you do not need to activate again unless you transfer.
• Upgrades; When you upgrade SolidWorks to the next major version you will be asked to reactivate, this is not another license just a conformation for the server to know what you are running.
• If you are moving to another PC you MUST transfer first, so the license can be taken down at the alternate location. Your reseller cannot deactivate for you.
• You can activate and transfer as often as you like.
• Upgrade of a service pack does not require activation
• 1 License means 1 activation, in 1 location.

For more FAQ’s please see the link above…

Adios!
Micah Speight
Intercad Pty - Authorized Solidworks Reseller in Autralia & New Zealand

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