KB: Harness Bundle Covering Length Override and Display in Draftsman BOM

Created: October 10, 2025 | Updated: October 10, 2025

Altium Designer

Harness Bundle Covering lengths revert to the default covering length from the Harness Layout drawing in the Draftsman BOM document even when the dimension length is overwritten in the layout drawing . When multiple bundle coverings of the same length exist in the same layout drawing they are displayed as individual line items in the Draftsman BOM instead of being grouped. To ensure correct length display and grouping, users must define a managed component with a consistent length parameter for each covering.

Solution Details

Unexpected BOM Behavior with Covering Lengths

When generating a Draftsman BOM, the length of a Harness Bundle Covering defaults to the value from the Layout Drawing (*.LdrDoc), ignoring any manually applied Linear Dimension overrides. Furthermore, identical coverings are listed as individual line items rather than grouped.

Why the BOM Ignores Overwritten Dimensions

The Draftsman BOM references the source Layout Drawing for covering length values. Overwritten dimensions applied via Linear Dimension tools are not recognized as authoritative data for BOM generation. Without a managed component and parameter definition, Draftsman treats each covering instance as unique.

How to Ensure Correct Length Display and Grouping

To resolve this issue:

Create a managed component for the harness covering.
Assign the source of each covering to this managed component.
Define a consistent parameter for length.

This ensures that the BOM recognizes and groups coverings based on the defined parameter.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Create a Managed Component

In your A365 workspace, create a managed component for the harness covering. This component does not require a symbol or footprint.

2. Place and Assign Covering in Layout Drawing

While placing the harness covering, press Tab to pause.
Assign the source to the managed component created in step above

Placing Covering in Harness Layout Drawing

3. Define the Length Parameter

Open the Properties Panel for the covering.
Navigate to the Parameters section.
Create a new parameter:
- Name: Length (case-sensitive)
- Value: Enter the desired length in your preferred units

Additional Notes

When the BOM is generated, coverings with identical type and length will be grouped.
The displayed length in the Draftsman BOM will reflect the total value defined in the Length parameter.