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Introduction to Linked Materials

Create a library of materials that automatically update inside products

Bill Hoffman avatar
Written by Bill Hoffman
Updated over a week ago

Have a large library of materials? Have multiple products that reference common materials?

3E Exchange's Linked Materials simplify your library.

With Linked Materials, you can edit a material and have your changes automatically updated in all the products that reference the material.

To create a material, in your library select "Import Data" and "Single Material (Spreadsheet)." You can also choose to create an "Empty Material" on the "My Materials" page. This process is similar to uploading or editing product data in the BOM. For using linked materials, its best to also enable the summary row within your 3E Exchange view. 

To embed a material in a product, insert a Homogenous Material above or below a row, and select "Insert a Link" when you choose the material:

When you've inserted a linked material, you'll see something like the following:

The linked material is now in the Product BOM. To edit the linked material directly, click the link/paper clip icon. Within the Product, the linked rows are grayed out, indicating that they can't be editing within the product, only directly in the source material.

You can also save a material from a product to create a linked material. Use the editor features in the product to save the material. It will also link the material in that BOM and add it to your material library.

Whenever the material is edited, all the products that link it will automatically be updated!

Read more about the importing linked materials here

Getting Help

If you have questions about using 3E Exchange or the material covered in this help article, reach out in chat in the bottom right-hand corner or email support@3eco.com.

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