Open files stored on your local network directly from SavantPLM
The Savant Viewer Agent (SavantVA) is a small desktop application that runs on your computer and acts as a bridge between the SavantPLM web portal and files stored on your local network or shared drive. Because web browsers cannot open files directly from a network share, SavantVA handles that request locally on your machine.
When you click a file button in SavantPLM, the portal sends the file path to SavantVA, and SavantVA opens the file using the appropriate application on your computer — just like double-clicking a file in your file explorer.
5050).localhost:[port] with the relative file path.Cross-platform: SavantVA automatically converts UNC paths (\\server\share) to the correct format for macOS, Windows, and Linux — so a single File Repo Root path works across all operating systems.
SavantVA must be running on your computer for the Files tab to work. If it is not running, an info icon (ⓘ) will appear next to the agent status indicator in the Files tab with a link to download SavantVA.
The Files tab in the Part View shows file launch buttons for the currently loaded part. Each button corresponds to a file type that SavantVA can open.
Buttons are grouped by category. Each button shows the file type label and a status indicator:
Supported file types include:
| Group | Button | Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Document | .pdf | |
| Document | DXF | .dxf |
| Document | STL | .stl |
| Document | STEP | .step |
| Document | STP | .stp |
| AutoCAD | DWG | .dwg |
| Solid Edge | SE Assembly | .asm |
| Solid Edge | SE Part | .par |
| Solid Edge | SE Sheet Metal | .psm |
| Solid Edge | SE Drawing | .dft |
| SolidWorks | SW Assembly | .sldasm |
| SolidWorks | SW Part | .sldprt |
| SolidWorks | SW Drawing | .slddrw |
| Inventor | INV Assembly | .iam |
| Inventor | INV Part | .ipt |
| Inventor | INV Drawing | .idw |
| Inventor | INV Presentation | .ipn |
Below the file type buttons is an Open Folder button that opens the part's file repo folder in your file explorer, rather than a specific file.
Below the File Repo Files card, a Fusion Links card appears when the loaded part has a Fusion Model Link or Fusion Drawing Link stored on its record. These are web-based links (typically to Autodesk Fusion 360) and open directly in your browser — SavantVA is not required for these.
fusion_link field).fusion_dwg_link field).The card only appears when at least one of these fields has a value. The links can be edited in the Part View Details tab.
The Fusion Links card can be hidden using User Settings. See User Settings — Visibility below.
A Product Links card appears below the Fusion Links card when the loaded part has a Product Page Link or Datasheet Link stored on its record. These open in your browser — SavantVA is not required.
product_link field).datasheet_link field).The card only appears when at least one of these fields has a value. Both fields can be edited in the Part View Details tab.
Each user can control which CAD package button groups are shown in the Files tab by going to Settings → User Settings in the SavantPLM sidebar.
The following toggles are available:
These settings are per-user and do not affect other members of the workspace. They are useful if your team uses only one CAD package and you want to reduce clutter in the Files tab.
The Document group (PDF, DXF, STL, STEP, STP) is always visible and is not affected by User Settings.
A small dot in the top-right of the Files tab section shows the current SavantVA connection status:
Workspace admins configure SavantVA settings in SavantPLM under Admin Settings → File Repo Logic. These settings tell SavantVA where your file repo is located and how file paths are structured.
Settings are workspace-wide — all users in the workspace share the same configuration.
The File Repo Root Directory is the top-level path to your file repo — a network share or local folder where all part files are stored.
Examples:
\\192.168.1.31\Engineering\ReleasedC:\Released/mnt/releasedYou can use the Test Path button to verify SavantVA can reach the file repo root from your computer.
A UNC path works across all platforms — SavantVA translates it automatically to the correct OS format. You only need to configure this once for the whole workspace.
The File Path Pattern defines how individual file paths are constructed relative to the file repo root. The pattern uses placeholders that SavantVA substitutes with the part's actual values.
The default pattern is {pn}/{pn}{ext}, which organizes each part's files in its own folder named after the part number.
A live preview of the resolved file path and folder path is shown below the pattern field as you type.
| Placeholder | Substituted With | Example |
|---|---|---|
{pn} | Part number | 1001 |
{rev} | Revision (empty string if none) | A |
{ext} | File extension including the dot | .pdf |
{bucket} | Numeric bucket folder (requires Bucket Size) | 1000 |
When your file repo contains thousands of parts, storing every part folder directly under the file repo root can make the directory unwieldy. Bucket Size solves this by grouping parts into sub-folders based on a numeric range.
The bucket folder for a part is calculated as:
bucket = floor(numeric_part_of_PN ÷ bucket_size) × bucket_size
For example, with a Bucket Size of 1000:
1 → bucket 0999 → bucket 01000 → bucket 10001001 → bucket 10002500 → bucket 2000
This creates evenly-spaced top-level folders (0/, 1000/, 2000/, …) each containing up to bucket_size part folders.
To use buckets, include {bucket} in your File Path Pattern, for example: {bucket}/{pn}/{pn}{ext}.
The Bucket Size field is only shown when your File Path Pattern contains {bucket}.
File Repo Root: \\192.168.1.31\Engineering\Released
| Pattern | PN | File Type | Full Path |
|---|---|---|---|
{pn}/{pn}{ext} |
1001 | \\…\Released\1001\1001.pdf |
|
{pn}/{pn}{ext} |
1001 | SE Drawing | \\…\Released\1001\1001.dft |
{pn}/{pn}-{rev}{ext} |
1001, Rev A | \\…\Released\1001\1001-A.pdf |
|
{bucket}/{pn}/{pn}{ext} |
1001 (bucket size 1000) | \\…\Released\1000\1001\1001.pdf |
|
{bucket}/{pn}/{pn}{ext} |
2500 (bucket size 1000) | STEP | \\…\Released\2000\2500\2500.step |
{bucket}/{pn}{ext} |
1001 (bucket size 1000) | \\…\Released\1000\1001.pdf |
The Desktop Agent Port is the local port that SavantVA listens on. The default is 5050. SavantPLM connects to localhost:[port] to communicate with SavantVA.
You only need to change this if port 5050 is already in use on your computer by another application. The port configured here must match the port SavantVA is configured to use.
If you have questions or need assistance, please visit our Contact page to get in touch with our support team.
For other SavantPLM topics, see the SavantPLM Help index.