> ## 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.
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# Upload CAD files: web upload vs local import

You can get CAD into Sibe two ways: drag it into the browser, or copy it into your local cache folder and check it in from SOLIDWORKS® 3D CAD with every reference intact.

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## Which one to use

* **Local import, via the add-in**: for SolidWorks parts, assemblies and drawings, so references resolve.
* **Web upload, in the browser**: for anything else you want alongside them.

**One rule before you start: file names must be unique across the whole workspace.** Duplicate file names are rejected, wherever the two files sit.

## Local import

1. Create the project folder in the Web Dashboard first.
2. Copy your files into the matching folder in your local cache.
3. Open the Sibe panel in SolidWorks and switch to **Local Import**.
4. New files appear in the **Changes** tab marked *added locally*.
5. Use the checkbox at the top of the list to select everything.
6. Write a **Version Description**. It is required, and "v1" is fine for a first import.
7. Check them in.
8. Refresh. The files show as **Version 1**.

To edit one afterward, right-click it in the **Vault** tab and choose **Check-out**.

## Web upload

1. Create a top-level folder.
2. Choose **public** or **private**.
3. Click the **Upload Files** icon on the right.
4. Drag in individual files, or a whole folder including subfolders and nested files.
5. Review the list on the **Check your input** screen. It names every file it is about to upload, so you catch mistakes before they land.
6. Write the Version Description and upload.

Then go back to SolidWorks and refresh the Sibe panel so the add-in sees them.

## Check-in and check-out, in one line each

* **Check out** locks a file so only one person edits it.
* **Check in** uploads your local changes and creates a new version.

## Public and private folders

**Public** means everyone in the workspace has access. **Private** means only the people you add directly do.

## Common questions

**Can I upload a whole folder at once?**
Yes. Web upload takes folders, subfolders and nested files. Local import takes whatever you copy into the local cache folder.

**What file types can I put in Sibe?**
SolidWorks parts, assemblies and drawings, plus DWG, DXF, STEP, STL and PDF. Non-CAD files sit alongside them too. Double-click a spreadsheet in the add-in and it opens in its own application.

**Why does it matter which method I use?**
Assembly references resolve on check-in from SolidWorks. Dragging an assembly into a browser does not carry that relationship the same way.

**My upload was rejected.**
Check the file name. Names have to be unique across the entire workspace.

**Next:** Versions, references and where-used

> 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.