Freeze each revision, give every connector and wire a stable ID that survives renaming, and derive the cut list, BOM, board and quote from the revision instead of editing each one. Then a diff between two revisions shows exactly which wires, lengths, parts and operations changed.
Why harness documents drift
In many shops the from-to list, the cut list, the label list, the BOM, the board drawing and the quote are separate files. A customer change has to be made in each. Builders on forums describe the same rule over and over — remember to update every sheet after each change — and the same failure: losing track between the from-to table and the drawings.
A workable method
- One record per revision. Each revision (A, B, C…) is a frozen snapshot; you never edit a released revision.
- Stable IDs. Connectors, cavities, wires and branches keep an internal ID when they are renamed, so renaming X3 to X30 is one change, not a deletion and an addition.
- Derived documents. The cut list, BOM, labels, board and quote are produced from the revision, never edited by hand.
- A diff before release. Compare the new revision with the last: changed connections, and what they change downstream — cut lengths, BOM lines, operation counts.
- Re-quote from the diff. Labour and material move with the changes; check the price before you confirm the change to the customer.
- Withdraw old prints. Mark the old board drawing and cut list superseded on the floor.
Example
Revision B lengthens one branch by 50 mm. Every wire routed through it gets 50 mm longer in the cut list and the BOM's wire metres follow; the number of cuts, crimps and inserts does not change. A diff lists all of that in one view, and leaves you to decide whether the tape on that branch should grow too.
In Zorowire
Revisions are frozen, IDs are stable, and every output is derived. The diff compares the inputs and the derived cut list, BOM and operation counts. Free keeps the last two revisions; Starter and up keep the full history. Showing the price delta between revisions is planned.
Questions
Should a renamed connector be a new connector?
No. Keep its ID and change its designator, so the history and the diff stay readable.
Does a longer branch also lengthen the tape on it?
Not automatically in Zorowire: coverings are stored as offsets from the ends of the branch, so the diff shows the wire change and you decide whether to extend the covering.
How many revisions does Zorowire keep?
The last two on Free; the full history from Starter up.
Sources
- HP Academy forum, 'How to make wiring diagrams' (2016) · retrieved 2026-10-30
- Hacker News thread on keeping a from-to table and diagrams in sync (2025) · retrieved 2026-10-30
- Zorowire technical research: data model, formboard PDF, 1:1 printing plan — Zorowire test or research, 2026-10-30
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