Initial Setup
This guide walks you through the first time you start WSi — from activating your licence to getting the interface ready for your first project.
Step 1 — Activate your licence
When WSi starts for the first time (or after a reinstallation), the licence key dialog appears automatically.
- Enter your licence key in the field. The key is a 32-character code in UUID format:
xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx - Click OK. WSi contacts the licensing server to verify the key.
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If the OK button stays disabled, check that you have the complete key — it should contain five groups of characters separated by hyphens.
Once the key is verified, you proceed to database selection.
Step 2 — Choose a database
After activation, WSi prompts you to select a database by name.
- Ask your administrator for the correct database name if you are connecting to an existing company database
- If this is a new installation, your sales representative at WSoptics provides the database name
- You can switch databases later via Settings → Client → Reset → Change Database
Step 3 — Configure client settings
Before importing parts, check a few client settings:
- Language and units — Settings → Client → Localization settings: set your language, unit system, and currency
- ERP connection (if applicable) — Settings → Client → Local ERP settings: enter your ERP server URL and credentials
- Autosave — Settings → Client → Autosave configuration: enable automatic saving to avoid losing work
For all settings, see the Settings section.
Step 4 — Familiarise yourself with the interface
WSi uses a panel-based interface. The most important panels are:
| Panel | Where to find it | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Tree View | Windows → Tree View | All articles and workstep nodes in a hierarchy |
| Graph View | Windows → Graph View | Visual manufacturing graph with node connections |
| Details | Windows → Details | Selected node or article properties and costs |
| Cost Analysis | Windows → Cost Analysis | Project-level cost breakdown |
| Messages | Windows → Messages | Warnings and errors from calculations |
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If you have closed a panel, open the Windows menu and click its name to bring it back into view.
Step 5 — Import your first part
You are now ready to work with real data. Choose your starting point:
- Follow the Import to Quote guide to import a STEP file and produce a quotation
- Follow the Expanded Workflow guide to walk through all available process types with a complete assembly
See Also
- License Key & Database Name — full licence activation reference
- Localization — language, units, and currency
- GUI Overview — all panels and views explained