Tables in Drawings

Explaining table specifications, features, and tips for managing tables in drawings.

General tables

Create as empty tables with specified number of rows and columns. The tables use the object style and layer specified for the General Table item in Object Defaults. The default table size is four columns and ten rows, except if the active Table style has the number of columns defined in the Default Column Settings. In that case, the default number of columns is as specified in the style.

General tables linked to an external data sheet use an external .xls, .xlsx, or .csv file as the source of table data.

Configuration tables

Display configuration data of an iPart or iAssembly.

You can add custom properties available in the source file or create new custom properties. Newly created properties are applicable only as columns in the table.

Configuration tables use the object style and layer specified for the Configuration Table item in Object Defaults. By default, all key columns are included in the table.

Bend tables

Display bend data for sheet metal parts. You select a sheet metal part as the source file, or a drawing view of the sheet metal part (and the corresponding source file is selected automatically). If the selected source file includes several sources for table data, select the appropriate source from a list.

The tables use the object style and layer specified for the Bend Table item in Object Defaults. The bend identification can be specified to be either alpha or numeric.

Please refer to the Create a bend table procedure to learn details of creating bend tables.

Tips

The upper left corner of the table can be constrained to selected view geometry or the border or title block.
If you change the sheet size, reposition the table.

Updating tables with external data source

If the table references an iPart, iAssembly, or presentation based on an iAssembly, updates to the Author table in the model are automatically updated in the table.
If the table references an .xls, .xlsx, or .csv file, right-click and select Update to update the table. Changes to text are shown in bold blue text.
Nailboard files reference a .csv file.

Copying tables

You can copy tables to another drawing sheet or drawing.

You can move tables from one drawing sheet to another by dragging them.

Notes:

A table copy is placed at the same position on the sheet as the original table.
You cannot copy a table and paste it into the same drawing sheet.
If the table is linked to an external source (for example to an xls file), the link is preserved for the table copy. Both the original table and the copy have then the same source.
Tables can be copied only within one Autodesk Inventor session.

Default Table Style

The active styles assigned to Table objects in Objects Default determines the default appearance of tables in a drawing. During creation or table placement, the referenced table style can be changed by selecting a different table style from the style list on the Annotate tab.

To change the defaults for tables, edit Table Style. Click Manage tab Styles and Standards panel Styles Editor . In the Style and Standard Editor dialog box, click Table and edit values. The changed values are valid for the current document only, unless you select click Manage tab Styles and Standards panel Save to replace the library style. Use caution because the changed setting could affect all other documents that use the style.