KB: Failed to Publish to PLM Due to "Error Retrieving Part by Number"

Solution Details

Understanding the Error: "Error Retrieving Part by Number"

When publishing a project to PLM, the system attempts to create BOM items for all components in the project. If any component has an invalid PLM Part Number, the publish process fails with the error: "Error retrieving part by number." This indicates that the system could not locate or match the component in PLM based on its part number.

Root Cause: Why PLM Part Numbers Matter 

PLM Part Numbers serve as primary key attributes for component synchronization. If a component’s part number is invalid, missing, or incorrectly mapped—especially when using special strings or server parameters—the PLM system cannot retrieve the corresponding item. This mismatch causes the publish operation to fail.

Resolution Overview

To resolve the issue, identify the component with the invalid PLM Part Number and update it with a valid value. Ensure that any special strings used for mapping are correctly configured and can fetch values from server parameters.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. After the publish fails, check the log file and confirm the error: "Error retrieving part by number."
2. Open the project and navigate to: Tools » Parameter Manager
3. In Parameter Manager:
   • Enable only "Parts"
   • Disable all other filters
4. Locate the column "PLM Part Number" (or your configured primary key parameter).
5. Sort the column and identify any invalid or missing part numbers.
6. If a special string (e.g., PCB_Number) is used to populate the PLM Part Number, verify that it is correctly defined and fetches the expected value.
7. Update the problematic component with a valid PLM Part Number.
8. Retry the project publish to PLM.

Additional Resources

• PLM Integration
• Component Parameter Mapping