A practical first pass
Plan the parts.
Keep the record.
Practice importing rows, reviewing a cutting plan and recording remnants with three synthetic jobs.
Choose one practice job
| Job | Parts | Stock | Practice settings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet plywoodmm | Parts CSV4 rows · 7 pieces | Stock CSV1 row · 1 piece | Kerf 3.2 mmTrim 10 mm each edge Minimum remnant 100 × 100 mm |
| Inch-fraction workshopin | Parts CSV3 rows · 5 pieces | Stock CSV1 row · 1 piece | Kerf 1/8 inTrim 1/4 in each edge Minimum remnant 2 × 2 in |
| Mixed offcut reusemm | Parts CSV3 rows · 6 pieces | Stock CSV3 rows · 3 pieces | Kerf 3 mmTrim 0 mm Minimum remnant 50 × 50 mm |
From rows to a reviewed record
Protect your work
Choose Back up workspace and complete the export. Then choose Remnant library → Start a separate empty library… → Create Empty Library. The prior workspace stays retained locally. New project… keeps the existing library.
Set units and allowances
In Parts & stock, choose Display units. In Settings, enter the table’s allowances; enable Prefer usable remnants in the available stock, choose Balanced and Either axis. Changing display units preserves sizes; explicit mm/in suffixes override import units.
Preview before applying
Open Workspace actions → CSV row exchange…. Set Rows: Parts and Apply action: Replace rows; choose Open CSV. Check Import measurements without a unit suffix and Separator. Select Preview and validate; review issues before Replace job parts with these rows. Repeat for Stock using Replace job stock with these rows. Choose Done.
Review the plan
Check quantities, exact material names, thickness, grain and rotation. Stock is finite; zero means exhausted. Choose Create cutting plan. Inspect every sheet and Unplaced parts: a checked partial plan still has unmet demand. Search results are best found, not proven optimal.
Record selected remnants
Planning consumes nothing. Back up; select qualifying Keep remnants, then Review stock commitment… → Commit stock & checked remnants. This records software quantities, not physical cutting. Label material with its Inventory stock ID; a source plan node identifies geometry. Back up again.
Reuse current stock
Select library rows, then Use selected stock for next plan… → Use selected stock. CSV stock affects job inputs only. Reimporting allocates fresh IDs; Append rows adds without merging and can lead to double-counting if recorded. CSV remnant rows are manual inputs, not committed-history proof. Use another empty library for another exercise.
Keep a portable copy
Save on this device and autosave update local storage. Open project backup… → Open Selected File replaces the workspace with a local working copy; the selected file stays unchanged. Use Back up workspace for updated portable copies and check the exported destination.
A provider may synchronize an exported file under its own settings; app stock records have no synchronization or cross-device lock. CSV omits IDs, history, plans and settings. PDF is fixed output. Neither replaces an editable native workspace backup.
Look through the PDF samples
Historical synthetic samples use a separate repeat-shop job, hand-derived witness and oversized unplaced demand. They are not solved outputs of these CSV jobs or verification of the current app. Each size includes a five-page packet and two one-page label files. Fixed sample dates may show 1970.
Use written dimensions; diagrams scale to fit. Labels use plain paper, without adhesive-sheet alignment. Review page size and material before printing. Exporting or reprinting consumes nothing.
When something needs attention
CSV validation or application is blocked
Use UTF-8 CSV, at most 2 MB. Repair the CSV text, then Preview and validate again; the native preview has no editable cells. Review duplicate warnings. Errors block the entire import. Repair unfinished project fields; preview again if the job changed.
Stock or a previous plan is out of date
Select current library stock and generate a fresh plan. If imported job stock differs from the existing library, review a deliberate stock adjustment or choose current library rows; importing never updates the library automatically. For practice, use a separate empty library. Unplaced reasons can involve material, grain, size or search limits.
Saving or reopening fails
Keep the workspace open; follow its recovery notice. Export if possible. Use Recover previous local save… → Replace with previous local save when offered, or Open a verified backup…. Reconcile physical quantities before continuing, then export a new backup. Avoid opening managed app storage manually.
An older stock backup opens at a new checkpoint
Existing or older stock copies may preserve old history read-only while clearing the active plan and input drafts. Keep the original backup for those details. Reconcile physical quantities before creating a fresh plan; the older record may predate real cuts.
The history checkpoint is approaching
Back up before and after Remnant library → Review archive & carry forward… → Archive & carry exact stock forward. History stays read-only; exact quantities carry forward, the plan clears and undo stops here. Recovery, prior-library snapshots, archives and exports are distinct retained copies; replacing a workspace or deleting one export does not erase them all.