Frequently Asked Questions

Designs and files

Which design tools does EEforce work with?

Siemens Xpedition (all VX-series versions and the newer year-based releases such as 2409, 2504, 2604) and PADS Professional (all versions). These get the full experience: one-click open, previews, and bills of materials.

What is the small EEforce toolbar on my Xpedition or PADS Professional window?

That's the EEforce Companion. EEforce puts it on every editor it opens, so you can save a version with Save & Check In and read and add comments without leaving the tool. See Working in Xpedition & PADS Professional.

Can I store other things — PDFs, specs, mechanical files, older PADS designs?

Yes. Put anything into a Generic Container (called a Folder in earlier versions). It's kept and versioned just like a board, but shown as a list of files rather than with a picture preview. See Designs & Versions.

Do I need Xpedition or PADS Professional installed just to look at designs?

No. Previewing designs, comparing versions, commenting, browsing files and downloading them all work without any design tool installed. You only need Xpedition or PADS Professional when you want to edit a design.

Can a colleague without EEforce look at a design?

Yes, with EEforce 365 in a web browser. They need an EEforce account and at least the Viewer role on the project, but no installation and no licence seat. See Reviewing in the Browser.

Can I give a colleague access to a project without the desktop app?

Yes, if you are a Manager of the project. Open the project in EEforce 365, click Access, and add the person or their group with the role they need. See Managing Access.

How do I see what changed between two versions?

Use Compare. It shows both versions on top of each other and marks what exists only in one of them. You can also compare with another board. See Comparing Designs.

Your data

Where are my designs kept?

On your company's EEforce server, in an encrypted store — on the server's own disks or in cloud storage, as your IT team chose. Every version you've ever checked in is kept there. You reach it all through the EEforce app or EEforce 365 — see Browsing & Downloading Files.

Can I always get my files back?

Yes. Any file, from any version, can be opened or downloaded at any time. Nothing is deleted when a new version is saved; an old version only goes away if a project Manager or an administrator deliberately prunes it — and even then its files wait in the server's trash, where an administrator can restore them.

What if a design is deleted by mistake?

Deleted projects and designs are moved to the server's trash rather than erased. An administrator can restore them from the web administration — back where they were, or under a new name when that place has been taken since. See Storage Assistant.

Are my designs backed up?

Backups are set up and looked after by whoever manages your EEforce server. If you have concerns about backups, ask your administrator.

What happens to our designs if the licence expires?

Nothing is lost or locked away. If the server licence expires, EEforce switches to read-only mode: you can still sign in, browse, preview and download everything, but you can't check designs out or in until the licence is renewed. See Signing In.

Access and connection

Can I use EEforce from home or on the road?

Usually yes — connect to your company network the same way you'd reach shared drives (often a VPN), and EEforce works normally. Your IT team will tell you what's needed. To work on a design with no connection at all, see Working Remotely.

Can several people work in the same project at once?

Yes. Different people can edit different designs in the same project at the same time. A single design can only be edited by one person at a time — everyone else can still view it.

Why can I look at a project but not change anything in it?

Your role in that project is Viewer, so EEforce shows a Read-Only Project banner. Viewers can look, download and comment. Ask the project's manager if you need to check designs out. See Access & Roles.

Why was I asked to "switch to this machine"?

EEforce allows one active desktop session per person. You're still signed in on another computer, and switching signs that one out. If you have designs checked out there, check them in on that computer first — switching from here would throw away their changes. See Signing In.

Signing in and licences

The licence step says "None available"

All of your company's seats for that licence are in use. Wait for a colleague to close EEforce, or ask your administrator about adding more seats. If you only need to look at a design, EEforce 365 needs no seat.

I don't see "Sign in with SSO"

The button appears only when single sign-on is switched on for your server. Sign in with your username and password, or ask your administrator.

EEforce says "A newer client version is required"

Your server has been updated, and your administrator has switched automatic updates off. Ask your IT team to install the new version — see Updating EEforce.

I'm on a new computer — what do I need?

Install the app (see Installing EEforce) and sign in as usual. If you're still signed in on your old computer, EEforce offers to switch to the new one.

Something's not working

"Cannot connect to server"

1. Check your own internet or network connection.
2. If you work remotely, make sure your VPN is connected.
3. Confirm the Server URL in Tools → Settings (or Server Settings on the sign-in screen) matches what your administrator gave you.
4. Wait a minute — EEforce keeps retrying. If it stays disconnected, contact your administrator. See Staying Connected.

A check-in is slow or fails on a big design

Turn on Chunked upload in Tools → Settings (it's off by default). EEforce then uploads large designs in smaller pieces, which copes better with slow or unreliable connections.

A design is checked out, but no one seems to be editing it

The design list shows who has it checked out. Ask that person to check it in, or to cancel the check-out if they don't need their changes. If they can't — for example they have left the company — your EEforce administrator can cancel the check-out for them. Any changes they hadn't checked in are then lost.