How's your Solidworks maintenance costs these days?

[Marvel]

I agree. With SW, MS Word, Excell, etc, etc... These are all mature products that do what they do well. Nothing really needs to be done other than fix bugs. But with this thinking how do you keep the party going at HQ? Got to charge these fees. Software as a service is this on steroids. Total BS!



Very similar situation for me. When I need SW support there is so much info on the web I can generally get what I want to know quickest using a web search. I wanted the CAM support. In my case I use SW CAM so can't call CAMWorks directly. My first Var was not a CAMWorks seller and really didn't know CAM well so I switched to another. The second had some CAMWorks support but I knew more than the guy that I was trying to help me. And, it seemed like they were more interested in selling 3D printers than supporting the software. The current VAR I changed to because they claimed to be more machining oriented.

My VAR used to be a sole CAMWorks reseller, I don't know that they offered anything else and the guys were incredibly knowledgeable but they were bought out by HawkRidge a few years ago and I feel the guys from my original VAR have pushed to keep the knowledge up with CAMWorks for support. When needed I get great help.

I also try to tell myself the $3700 a year I pay for maintenance is less than 1% of my annual sales, in all reality I probably break more than that a year in tooling on making a bad off set with a tool or missing something in my program, mistakes that I could easily prevent if I slowed down somedays, or even just my aluminum chip recycling easily covers the maintenance cost annually. There's so many other aspects of my business I could save money easily and that $3700 is for software that essentially is the foundation to every part machined in my shop.

 

[mmurray70]

I also try to tell myself the $3700 a year I pay for maintenance is less than 1% of my annual sales

Problem with looking at it like that is there might be 99 other expenses the same way!

I find money just scatters everywhere running a business. So many tiny little expenses that just seem like nothing, but add them all up at the end of the year and it might be price of a new machine. Blows my mind.

 

[boosted]

Problem with looking at it like that is there might be 99 other expenses the same way!

I find money just scatters everywhere running a business. So many tiny little expenses that just seem like nothing, but add them all up at the end of the year and it might be price of a new machine. Blows my mind.

Agreed. I often say that every time I buy something with the business account, a line forms. There are always more individuals who are looking to make a living by taking a percentage of the action. Our SW VAR is one of the worst offenders. They have probably made thousands of dollars off of my business and have literally provided no service outside of recording and invoicing the sale.

 

[Marvel]

Problem with looking at it like that is there might be 99 other expenses the same way!

I find money just scatters everywhere running a business. So many tiny little expenses that just seem like nothing, but add them all up at the end of the year and it might be price of a new machine. Blows my mind.

Agreed. I often say that every time I buy something with the business account, a line forms. There are always more individuals who are looking to make a living by taking a percentage of the action. Our SW VAR is one of the worst offenders. They have probably made thousands of dollars off of my business and have literally provided no service outside of recording and invoicing the sale.

Oh, I agree 100%! I hate paying the annual fee, I think it's ridiculous and over priced and doesn't justify the "upgrades" that are suppose to be the "latest and greatest" in any way!

 

[jj80909]

OK, I have a stupid question. I have SolidWorks and my annual "maintenance" is due by the end of next month and I need to make a decision to either pay or sit tight for a few years.

I am running 2021 SP5.1 even though the latest SW is 2022 SP2.0. I've found the last service pack (typically 5.x) is the most stable for each vintage of SW.

My question is if I quit SW maintenance next month and SW is only on service pack 2.0, will I still be able to download and install service pack 5.x for SW 2022 when it comes out later this year? I recall asking my VAR this very question before paying for my SW seat and they said I would have access to all service packs for that particular year, but my VAR is terrible and I don't trust them at all.

If I can't update SW 2022 to SP 5.x, then I think I'm better off sticking with 2021 SP5.1.

For reference, maintenance for a single seat of bare bones SW is $1295.

 

[mmurray70]

OK, I have a stupid question. I have SolidWorks and my annual "maintenance" is due by the end of next month and I need to make a decision to either pay or sit tight for a few years.

I am running 2021 SP5.1 even though the latest SW is 2022 SP2.0. I've found the last service pack (typically 5.x) is the most stable for each vintage of SW.

My question is if I quit SW maintenance next month and SW is only on service pack 2.0, will I still be able to download and install service pack 5.x for SW 2022 when it comes out later this year? I recall asking my VAR this very question before paying for my SW seat and they said I would have access to all service packs for that particular year, but my VAR is terrible and I don't trust them at all.

If I can't update SW 2022 to SP 5.x, then I think I'm better off sticking with 2021 SP5.1.

For reference, maintenance for a single seat of bare bones SW is $1295.

I was also told you are entitled to the latest version available when your maintenance expires. And any older versions are also available.

I only wanted a perpetual license but bought one year maintenance since it was on sale for first year (around $400 for first year), and this would get me compatibility with windows 11. No plans of upgrading windows yet but if its forced down the road, at least solidworks will still work.

 

[Pete Deal]

Personally I’d get what I needed prior to discontinuing service. I doubt you’ll really know what you’ll be able to download till you get there.

I haven’t followed the policies lately but I thought sw made it so after two years or so of no service contract that resigning is the same as buying a new seat.

 

[len_1962]

Personally I’d get what I needed prior to discontinuing service. I doubt you’ll really know what you’ll be able to download till you get there.

I haven’t followed the policies lately but I thought sw made it so after two years or so of no service contract that resigning is the same as buying a new seat.

I agree with you on downloading everything you are entitled too before you decide to drop subscription, even older versions!

So if your version is at SP2.0 that all you would ever be entitled too when subscription expires.

Yes SW enacted back subscription cost, so you'll pay for missed ones and the current one due, which works out after 3 years the cost of a standard seat of SW $1295 X 3 = $3885 plus tax. Standard seat is and has always been $3995.95 since 1995.

 

[TrollTuner]

The removal of the online licensing so it just works on workstation or home laptop in the evening.. Having to Deactivate / activate the license every day is a pain.. Is there any updates/ workaround on this? Before online licensing I had 1 seat and a home seat, lost that when online came.


I have heard that there's a limit of 999 activations? Anyone know if this is true?


I can't see any reason to stay with maintenance while actively losing daily used features. Especially since Autodesk/HSM CAM has been abandoned.


The plan this year was to add another seat of Solidworks for the new guy... My maintenance cost will add another seat of F360 with the manufacting extension.. That just works with modern online licensing.

 

[len_1962]

The removal of the online licensing so it just works on workstation or home laptop in the evening.. Having to Deactivate / activate the license every day is a pain.. Is there any updates/ workaround on this? Before online licensing I had 1 seat and a home seat, lost that when online came.


I have heard that there's a limit of 999 activations? Anyone know if this is true?


I can't see any reason to stay with maintenance while actively losing daily used features. Especially since Autodesk/HSM CAM has been abandoned.


The plan this year was to add another seat of Solidworks for the new guy... My maintenance cost will add another seat of F360 with the manufacting extension.. That just works with modern online licensing.

I remote desktop into my work PC from home and run SW, works awesome so no need to have 2 installs......

 

[mmurray70]

I remote desktop into my work PC from home and run SW, works awesome so no need to have 2 installs......

Interesting. What software do you use for this? Might work better then switching back and forth. I guess it would also be a good idea if one computer was a POS too.

 

[Seesecurity]

The removal of the online licensing so it just works on workstation or home laptop in the evening.. Having to Deactivate / activate the license every day is a pain.. Is there any updates/ workaround on this? Before online licensing I had 1 seat and a home seat, lost that when online came.

Yes, I'm livid about this.

I have heard that there's a limit of 999 activations? Anyone know if this is true?

Yes, this is true, there is a charge to get this reset...

 

[len_1962]

Interesting. What software do you use for this? Might work better then switching back and forth. I guess it would also be a good idea if one computer was a POS too.

windows 10 remote desktop

using a VPN connection

yep works great with lower end PC's, but again depends on your internet speed.

been doing this for 3 years now, spoiled because ASU has the bandwidth.

Also use GrabCAD Workbench for files, but you might not be able too because of ITAR since it is cloud based, I call it drop box on steroids', has local and cloud.

 

[motox2121]

Yes, I'm livid about this.



Yes, this is true, there is a charge to get this reset...

Are you kidding me? I daily activate / deactivate when I go home. This means I may only have 6 months left. What is the friggin fee to "reset" this activation limit LOL.?

 

[mmurray70]

Are you kidding me? I daily activate / deactivate when I go home. This means I may only have 6 months left. What is the friggin fee to "reset" this activation limit LOL.?

I asked about resetting they say there is no charge but may take couple days to process.

 

[Seesecurity]

This means I may only have 6 months left. What is the friggin fee to "reset" this activation limit LOL.?

I don't know, they said they'd discuss it when it came around
This is in Australia so things may be different...