- How the Exam Is Built (and What the 13 Domains Are)
- Domains 1-6: Creating and Controlling Views
- Domains 7-8: View Focus and Sketch Transfer
- Domains 9-13: BOMs, Item Numbers, Visibility, Notes and Model Items
- Registration, Fees and Test-Day Mechanics
- Sequencing Your Prep Across the Domains
- Who Values This Credential
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The issuer publishes 13 top-level exam objectives for Drawing Tools but assigns no weights, so prepare every area evenly.
- The exam is hands-on: 100 minutes, 75% minimum grade, SOLIDWORKS 2019 or later, and the clock never pauses.
- BOM Table creation and modification carries seven nested objectives, so it deserves the deepest practice block.
- The current catalog lists USD 20 per attempt in North America; a failed attempt means a 14-day wait.
How the Exam Is Built (and What the 13 Domains Are)
Before you study any individual topic, it helps to understand what kind of exam this is. Certified SOLIDWORKS Advanced Professional Drawing Tools (CSWAP-DT) is a hands-on drawing assessment. You are not picking answers from a list of definitions. You open SOLIDWORKS, build or modify drawings, and report measured results. The issuer's current public exam title is SOLIDWORKS Drawing Tools Professional (CSWP-DT), and you will also see the older alias CSWPA-DT in search results and study materials. All of these refer to the same Drawing Tools certification. If you are new to the naming, our explainers on what CSWAP-DT is and what CSWAP-DT stands for cover the terminology in more depth.
The exam objectives published by SOLIDWORKS list 13 top-level areas. They are reproduced below in the issuer's order. Two caveats matter here. First, the issuer does not publish percentage weights, so any article claiming a "30% sections, 20% BOM" split is inventing numbers. Second, the list is a set of objective headings, not an exhaustive question-by-question blueprint. The nested items under BOM Table creation and modification show how much detail can hide beneath a single heading.
| # | Domain | Nature of the Work |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic View Creation | Standard and projected views, scale and placement |
| 2 | Section Views | Cutting planes, section behavior, view output |
| 3 | Auxiliary Views | Views perpendicular to an inclined edge |
| 4 | Alternate Position Views | Showing a moved configuration over the base view |
| 5 | Relative to Model Views | Orienting a view from selected model faces |
| 6 | Broken-out Section | Local cutaway within a view |
| 7 | View Focus when creating 2D geometry | Drawing in the correct view context |
| 8 | Transferring sketch elements to/from Views | Moving sketch geometry between sheet and views |
| 9 | BOM Table creation and modification | Several nested BOM objectives |
| 10 | Item numbers and their display | Balloon behavior and numbering |
| 11 | Hide/show components | Visibility control within views |
| 12 | Linked notes | Notes tied to model or property data |
| 13 | Importing Model Items | Bringing model annotations into drawings |
For a broader plan that ties these domains together, see our CSWAP-DT study guide, and for a sense of relative difficulty read how hard the CSWAP-DT exam is.
Domains 1-6: Creating and Controlling Views
The first six domains are all about getting the right view onto the sheet in the right way. They look like separate skills, but they share a pattern: the exam wants you to produce a view with specific properties and then read a value from it, so small setup mistakes carry through to wrong answers.
Domain 1: Basic View Creation
This is the foundation everything else builds on. Expect to create standard views and projected views from a model, set the correct scale, and place them so later views derive properly.
- Know the difference between a model view and a projected view, and which one a given instruction implies.
- Check view scale and display style before you measure anything.
- Understand which view is the parent, because deleting or re-creating it affects dependents.
Domain 2: Section Views
Section views test whether you can define a cutting line correctly and control what the section shows.
- Practice sections with offset cutting lines, not just a single straight cut.
- Learn how components can be excluded from the cut so their appearance in the section matches the instruction.
- Be able to flip direction and confirm what is being cut before reading dimensions.
Domain 3: Auxiliary Views
An auxiliary view is projected perpendicular to a reference edge, which makes it the standard tool for showing true length or true shape of an inclined feature.
- Select the right reference edge, since the wrong edge produces a view that looks plausible but measures differently.
- Know how to control the arrow direction and the view's alignment to the parent.
- Practice measuring an inclined face in the auxiliary view to confirm you have the true dimension.
Domain 4: Alternate Position Views
Alternate position views overlay a second position of an assembly on the base view, usually to show range of motion.
- Understand that the alternate position is driven by a configuration or a repositioned component state.
- Be comfortable with how the overlay is displayed and how to edit the underlying positions.
Domain 5: Relative to Model Views
This view type orients itself using faces you pick on the model, rather than a named standard direction. It is a favorite for parts that were modeled at an angle.
- Remember that the two selections define the orientation, so the order and choice of faces matters.
- Practice cases where standard orientations would show the part skewed or rotated.
Domain 6: Broken-out Section
A broken-out section removes material inside a closed profile to reveal internal detail without creating a full section view.
- Know how the closed profile is sketched and how cutting depth is defined.
- Understand which view the profile belongs to, which connects directly to Domain 7.
Key Takeaway
For Domains 1 through 6, build one practice part with an inclined face, an internal pocket, and an offset hole pattern. A single model can generate every view type in this block, which saves setup time and lets you compare how each view type presents the same geometry.
Domains 7-8: View Focus and Sketch Transfer
These two domains are the most commonly underestimated, because they are about drawing behavior rather than a named view command. They are where the "advanced" in the credential shows up for many candidates.
View focus when creating 2D geometry
In a drawing, sketch geometry belongs to either the sheet or a specific view. Which one depends on what is active when you start sketching. Geometry created in the wrong context will not move with the view, will not appear in the same places, and can affect how a broken-out section or a detail profile behaves. The exam objective name literally points at this: you must know how to put focus on the right view before you create 2D geometry.
- Practice activating a view before sketching, then confirming where the new geometry lives.
- Notice what happens to sheet-level geometry when you move or scale a view.
- Link this skill back to Domain 6, where a profile sketched in the wrong context makes the broken-out section fail or behave unexpectedly.
Transferring sketch elements to and from views
Sometimes geometry needs to move between the sheet and a view, or between views, without being redrawn. The exam tests whether you can do that cleanly and understand what changes when you do. Transferring geometry changes its relationship to the view, so scaling, positioning, and dependencies shift with it.
Domains 9-13: BOMs, Item Numbers, Visibility, Notes and Model Items
The back half of the list moves from view geometry to documentation: the bill of materials, balloons, what is shown, notes, and imported annotations. These are the skills that matter most when a drawing leaves your desk and goes to a shop floor or supplier.
Domain 9: BOM Table creation and modification
This is the largest single heading, and the issuer lists seven nested objectives beneath it. They are preserved here rather than inflated into extra top-level domains:
- Top level: a BOM that lists only the top-level components of an assembly.
- Parts-only: a BOM that flattens subassemblies and lists individual parts.
- Indented: a BOM that preserves the assembly hierarchy with subassembly structure shown.
- Part configuration grouping: controlling whether configurations of the same part are grouped or listed separately.
- Missing items: handling and displaying items that appear in the BOM but are absent from the model.
- Accessing custom properties in BOM: pulling property data into BOM columns.
- Using equations with BOM data: calculating values from BOM columns.
What to master in the BOM block
Because the BOM lives on the sheet but pulls from the model, most mistakes come from not understanding that connection.
- Know which BOM type to choose from the wording of a task, and how switching type changes the quantities reported.
- Practice editing column definitions so a custom property appears where you expect it.
- Build at least one BOM with an equation column, since this is the objective most candidates have never touched.
- Check quantity totals after every change, because a wrong BOM type often shows up first as a wrong count.
If you want exercises targeted at this block, search practice material specifically for BOM table exam practice, and build your own assemblies with subassemblies and multiple configurations of one part so you can see grouping behavior firsthand.
Domain 10: Item numbers and their display
Item numbers (balloons) connect the drawing view to the BOM. The exam interest here is in how numbering behaves and how balloons display information. Practice adding balloons to views, controlling what text they show, and observing what happens when the BOM order or content changes. The key insight is that balloon numbers come from the BOM, not from a free-standing count.
Domain 11: Hide/show components
Hiding and showing components within a drawing view lets you clean up crowded assemblies or isolate a part of interest. Know how to control component visibility in a specific view without altering the model itself, and understand how this interacts with section views and with what a BOM reports.
Domain 12: Linked notes
A linked note pulls its text from a source such as a custom property or other model data, so it updates when the source changes. The skill is in establishing the link correctly and verifying that the displayed value matches the underlying property. Practice creating a note, linking it, then editing the source value and confirming the note updates.
Domain 13: Importing Model Items
Model items are annotations created in the part or assembly, such as dimensions, that can be brought into a drawing. Know how to import them for the whole model or for selected features, how to direct them to the right views, and how to avoid duplicates. This domain rewards understanding what already exists in the model before you start dimensioning from scratch.
Key Takeaway
Domains 9 through 13 are connected: the BOM feeds the balloons, visibility changes affect what appears in views, and linked notes and model items both pull data from the model. Practice them together on one assembly drawing rather than as five isolated topics.
Registration, Fees and Test-Day Mechanics
Knowing the domains is only half the preparation. The other half is understanding how the exam is delivered, because several test-day rules directly affect how you should practice.
| Item | What the Issuer States |
|---|---|
| Governing body | SOLIDWORKS, Dassault Systemes |
| Format | Hands-on SOLIDWORKS drawing assessment |
| Time limit | 100 minutes |
| Minimum passing grade | 75% |
| Software requirement | SOLIDWORKS 2019 or later (a minimum version, not an outline year) |
| Delivery | SOLIDWORKS/3DEXPERIENCE Certification Center via VirtualTester |
| Current catalog price | USD 20 per attempt in North America |
| Retake rule | 14-day wait and a new exam credit after a failed attempt |
| Prerequisites | No formal prerequisites for professional certification exams |
Setup and procedure
Current program instructions and the linked SOLIDWORKS Exam Procedure use the VirtualTester Web Client. Some older or general instructions still refer to TesterPRO. Do not treat those interfaces as interchangeable; follow the current linked procedure. You need your own working SOLIDWORKS installation and internet access, and dual monitors are recommended so you can keep the exam instructions visible while working in SOLIDWORKS.
Cost and eligibility details
The current catalog lists USD 20 per attempt for North America, which is far lower than older prices some sites still quote. Unused purchased exam credits do not expire, but that is a statement about credits, not about how long the credential remains valid. Training and your SOLIDWORKS license are separate from the exam fee. Eligible commercial subscription customers may qualify for exam benefits under the issuer's subscription offer, which provides up to three eligible exams per seat twice a year, subject to license and exam restrictions. For a fuller breakdown, see our CSWAP-DT certification cost guide, and for eligibility questions read CSWAP-DT requirements.
One point worth stating plainly: the issuer recommends its Drawings course and the CSWP-Drawing Tools Exam Prep Course, but a course prerequisite is not an exam eligibility requirement, and a prior CSWP credential is not imposed for this exam. Details on the grade threshold are in our CSWAP-DT passing score guide, and scheduling specifics are covered in CSWAP-DT exam dates.
Sequencing Your Prep Across the Domains
Since the issuer does not weight the domains, a sensible plan is to sequence by dependency rather than by guesswork about which area is "worth more." Foundational view skills come first because every later domain depends on them, and the BOM block gets the longest stretch because of its seven nested objectives. The schedule below is one reasonable arrangement for a four-week effort.
View foundations (Domains 1-3)
- Build your practice part with an inclined face and internal pocket.
- Create basic, section, and auxiliary views until placement and scale are automatic.
Specialized views and sketching (Domains 4-8)
- Add alternate position, relative to model, and broken-out section views.
- Drill view focus and sketch transfer, since these underlie the broken-out section.
BOM depth (Domains 9-10)
- Build all seven BOM variations on a multi-level assembly.
- Add balloons and watch how they respond to BOM changes.
Annotation and timed runs (Domains 11-13)
- Practice hide/show, linked notes, and model item import on one assembly drawing.
- Run a full timed session against the 100-minute limit and review where time leaked.
Because the exam is timed and hands-on, speed with the interface matters as much as conceptual knowledge. Use the final week for timed work, and review the CSWAP-DT cheat sheet for a compact refresher on the facts above. You can also test yourself with the practice questions on our main practice test site.
Who Values This Credential
Drawing Tools proficiency is most relevant to roles where the drawing is the deliverable: detailers, drafters, design engineers who release their own documentation, and manufacturing engineers who depend on clear BOMs and views. Employers and clients in those spaces tend to treat a drawing-focused credential as evidence that you can produce clean, complete documentation without extensive rework.
It is worth being realistic about what the credential does and does not prove. Software drawing-tool proficiency is not itself an ISO or GD&T qualification. This exam tests whether you can drive SOLIDWORKS to produce correct views, BOMs, and annotations, not whether you apply a drafting standard correctly. Pair it with standards knowledge if your work requires it.
On earnings, no certification-specific salary premium is established, and none is claimed here. The credential is better thought of as a portfolio signal and a skills checkpoint. Drawing Tools can also count as one of the advanced-topic certifications used alongside CSWP toward the SOLIDWORKS Design Expert (CSWE) credential, though the Expert-path prerequisites are not admission requirements for this exam. For a balanced treatment, read whether the CSWAP-DT is worth it and our salary guide, and browse CSWAP-DT jobs for the roles where it comes up.
Frequently Asked Questions
The issuer publishes the 13 top-level objectives but does not assign percentage weights, so you should prepare all of them. Treat any article citing exact domain percentages as unsupported.
The issuer's current public exam title is SOLIDWORKS Drawing Tools Professional (CSWP-DT). CSWPA-DT is a common legacy and search alias for the same Drawing Tools certification. It is not the core CSWP exam.
The exam has a 100-minute limit and a minimum passing grade of 75%. It cannot be paused, and the clock keeps running if your computer crashes or restarts.
No. The program FAQ states that professional certification exams have no formal prerequisites, and a prior CSWP credential is not imposed for this exam. The issuer does recommend its Drawings and exam prep courses.
A failed attempt requires a 14-day wait and a new exam credit. The current catalog lists USD 20 per attempt in North America, and unused purchased credits do not expire.
With the 13 domains mapped, the next step is turning this list into hands-on repetition. Work through each domain on a real assembly, time yourself against the 100-minute limit, and use the related guides above to fill any gaps before you schedule your attempt.