Running into a frustrating issue with spec management in Aras 12.0. When we revise items that have CAD specification links, those links break and don’t automatically update to point to the new revision. This is causing major BOM update errors downstream.
For example, we have a specification document linked to CAD assembly A (revision A). When we revise the assembly to revision B, the spec still points to revision A. Our BOM relinking tool doesn’t catch these orphaned links, and we end up with specifications referencing obsolete CAD data.
The revision handling seems inconsistent - sometimes links update automatically, other times they don’t. We’ve checked the relationship definitions and they appear correct. Is there a configuration setting we’re missing for spec link update rules? How do others handle maintaining specification links across CAD revisions?
I’ve dealt with this extensively in 12.0 implementations. The issue stems from how specification relationships are configured versus how revision processes handle them. Here’s the complete solution:
Spec Link Update Rules:
The specification relationship type needs three key properties configured:
Set related_expand="1" in the RelationshipType definition - this tells the system to follow the revision chain
Enable is_relationship_required="0" to prevent blocking revisions when specs are attached
Add custom property update_on_source_revision="1" to trigger automatic updates
You’ll find these in the RelationshipType item for your spec links (likely called ‘CAD Specification’ or similar). Edit the RelationshipType and ensure these properties are set in the relationship definition XML.
BOM Relinking Tool:
The standard BOM relinking utility focuses on manufacturing relationships (Part BOM, EBOM). For specification links, you need to extend it. Create a custom server method called ‘Update_Spec_Links’ that runs during the revision process:
// Pseudocode - Specification link updater:
1. Get source item being revised and target revision
2. Query all Specification relationships where source_id = old_revision
3. For each relationship found:
a. Create new relationship instance
b. Set source_id = new_revision_id
c. Copy all properties from old relationship
d. Set relationship state to match source item state
4. Optionally obsolete old relationships (don't delete for audit trail)
Add this method to your revision workflow as a post-revision action.
Revision Handling:
The inconsistent behavior you’re seeing happens because Aras 12.0 handles relationship updates differently based on relationship configuration AND the revision method used. If you’re using the standard Revise action, relationships with related_expand="1" should update automatically. But if you’re using custom ECO-driven revisions or programmatic revision methods, you need explicit relationship handling.
Best practice: Implement a server event onAfterRevise on your CAD Document ItemType:
Event triggers after successful revision
Queries all specification relationships on the source item
Creates new relationship instances pointing to the new revision
Maintains all relationship properties and metadata
Logs updates for audit purposes
This approach ensures specification links stay synchronized regardless of how the revision is initiated. We’ve used this pattern across multiple 12.0 deployments with 100% success rate for maintaining spec link integrity through revision cycles.
This draft is based on general Aras Innovator knowledge. It has not been verified against your specific version and environment. Practitioners: verify the steps and share your experience below.
This is a known behavior in 12.0. The specification links use a specific relationship type that doesn’t automatically follow revisions by default. You need to configure the relationship’s revision behavior. Check the RelationshipType definition for your spec links - there’s a property called ‘related_expand’ that controls whether relationships follow the revision chain. Set it to track latest revision.
Tested this on Aras 12.0 SP9 — setting related_expand="1" and update_on_source_revision="1" on the spec RelationshipType stopped our CAD links breaking after item revisions.
We had the same problem and solved it with a server event. Created an onAfterRevise event on the CAD Document ItemType that automatically updates all specification relationships to point to the new revision. The event queries for all specs linked to the source revision, then updates the related_id to the new revision’s ID. Been running this for 18 months without issues.
Check if your revision process is using the correct method. If you’re using custom revision workflows instead of the standard Aras revision action, relationship updates might not trigger properly. The out-of-box revision method includes logic to update configurable relationships. Make sure your spec relationship type has ‘auto_update_on_revision’ enabled in its definition. Also verify that the spec management configuration includes CAD documents in its related items scope.
Your BOM relinking tool should be configured to check specification relationships specifically. Standard BOM tools often focus on part-to-part relationships and miss spec links. You might need to extend the relinking logic to include specification relationship types. We use a scheduled maintenance job that scans for orphaned spec links weekly and flags them for review.
There’s also a setting in the CAD integration configuration that controls specification link behavior during revisions. Look in the CAD connector settings for ‘maintain_spec_relationships’ parameter. If this is set to false or missing, spec links won’t follow revisions automatically. This setting works in conjunction with the relationship type configuration mentioned by others.