> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.sibe.io/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# The Sibe add-in for SolidWorks, in depth

You can run your whole day from the add-in panel, directly in SOLIDWORKS® 3D CAD: find a file, see who has it, check it out, check it back in with a note.

${frame}[](https://www.youtube.com/embed/gfKLktwNyAQ)

The panel lives in the right-hand task pane and has four tabs: **Vault**, **Changes**, **References** and **Settings**.

## Vault tab

* Refresh the vault, open the local folder, clear or re-download the cache, turn sync off for a folder
* Switch between **tree view** and **flat view**, with or without the description column
* The triangle icon collapses and expands folders
* **Double-click** a file to open it. Its name shows in bold while it is open in SolidWorks
* **Right-click → Check-out** to claim a file
* A small **pencil icon** marks a file you have modified locally; new files carry an **added locally** icon
* Non-CAD files work too: double-click a spreadsheet and it opens in its own application
* **Favorite Folders** and **Locate Active Document** get you back to what you were working on

## Find a file

* **Search** across file name and description at the same time, and both are highlighted in the results
* **Sort** by name, description or checked-out state, or by clicking a column
* **Filter** to SolidWorks files only, or to files checked out by you

## Changes tab

You see what is waiting to be checked in on the Changes tab. The notes field is required. The note becomes the version history, so future-you can tell what changed without opening the file.

After a successful check-in the Changes list clears and your files stay open in SolidWorks.

**Discarding local work:** **Undo Check-Out** and **Roll Back** throw away local changes. Re-cache afterward and Sibe pulls down the last known good version.

## References tab

You see your local project status and folder structure here: what is cached, what is not, and how it hangs together.

## Settings tab

You set your workspace name and local cache folder here, and a **send the log in** link opens the logs folder when support asks for it.

Two rules for the cache folder:

* Keep it near the root of C:, for example `C:\SibeCache`. Long paths break at Windows' 260-character path limit.
* Never put it inside OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox. Two things syncing the same files fight each other, and version tracking suffers.

And one habit: **open files from the add-in, not from the cache folder in Windows Explorer.** Opening them directly bypasses Sibe's check-out tracking.

## Common questions

**Do I have to leave SolidWorks to use Sibe?**
No. You check files in and out directly in SolidWorks through the add-in panel, and Sibe tracks every version.

**Does the search look at descriptions too?**
Yes, file name and description at the same time.

**Can I hide everything except SolidWorks files?**
Yes. The **SolidWorks files only** filter hides STL and anything else sitting in the folder.

**How do I see what I have checked out?**
Use the **checked out by me** filter, or sort the list by checked-out state.

**I want to throw away today's changes.**
Use **Undo Check-Out** or **Roll Back**, then re-cache the folder.

**Support asked for my logs.**
Settings tab → **send the log in**. It opens the logs folder.

**That's the series.** Back to the [full onboarding playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX1pqA79Dp_c).

> Still stuck? Start a chat from the bottom-right of any Sibe page, or email [support@sibe.io](mailto:support@sibe.io).
>
> SOLIDWORKS is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation. Sibe is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dassault Systèmes.