What areas of OrCAD Capture would users like to see improved?

Engineers like to complain about CIS.  I've used Orcad and occasional DxDesigner/Viewdraw since the late 80's so it takes a lot to bug me. 

Need a way to define the page sequences in intelligent PDF exports to Acrobat distiller.  PDF pages don't follow the Capture project manager sequence.

Most important:  resolving and preventing duplicate designators could be easier.   Have to compile a netlist to find them then search for them.   Would be nice if you could flag conflicts while annotating unassigned designators.  When engineers do the "annotate reset designators to ?" and re-sequence, I have to make them start over and redo their changes to the released DSN of the previous board release. 

"Update Part Instance UI" for Part Manager.  Thank you for highlighting the property mismatch.   Any chance you could pop open a window and show me the schematic page where that part is located?   

It took years to get engineers to stop taking a CIS-derived passive instance and changing just the value without re-linking the part.  Some very smart RF Engineers hate that no-loading parts is a two step process.   We can't set a part to Not-Present directly on the schematic page.  I goad my engineers to put them in a STUFF or NOSTUFF group, then go to part manager, select all the parts in the No-Stuff group, set Not-Present.  If they create new ways to avoid this two-step process, they don't accept how PART_NUMBER mistakes lead to corrupt BOM exports.  They cross their arms and look angry after showing them Variant View Mode, again.

Please consider adding something similar to Variant View, except instead of showing Stuffing status, add a piece of text to each symbol for the group(s) the parts are assigned in.

Occasionally engrs complain I won't let them buy licenses for Viewdraw/DxDesigner as it supports multiple orientations with property locations saved (to prevent overlapping text.)  We show value, voltage rating, package size, composition, tolerance on capacitors to address BOM mistakes.   Engineers waste layout schedule going full "Martha Stewart" on their schematics to resolve overlapping text with rotation. 

But, please don't break the current DSN format that works all the way back to 16.x.  Someone here has to retire before I can float our old workflow to the center of a pond and set fire to it.   Their translator was written for 16.3 and can't read the 17.x padstack change.

Engineers like to complain about CIS.  I've used Orcad and occasional DxDesigner/Viewdraw since the late 80's so it takes a lot to bug me. 

Need a way to define the page sequences in intelligent PDF exports to Acrobat distiller.  PDF pages don't follow the Capture project manager sequence.

Most important:  resolving and preventing duplicate designators could be easier.   Have to compile a netlist to find them then search for them.   Would be nice if you could flag conflicts while annotating unassigned designators.  When engineers do the "annotate reset designators to ?" and re-sequence, I have to make them start over and redo their changes to the released DSN of the previous board release. 

"Update Part Instance UI" for Part Manager.  Thank you for highlighting the property mismatch.   Any chance you could pop open a window and show me the schematic page where that part is located?   

It took years to get engineers to stop taking a CIS-derived passive instance and changing just the value without re-linking the part.  Some very smart RF Engineers hate that no-loading parts is a two step process.   We can't set a part to Not-Present directly on the schematic page.  I goad my engineers to put them in a STUFF or NOSTUFF group, then go to part manager, select all the parts in the No-Stuff group, set Not-Present.  If they create new ways to avoid this two-step process, they don't accept how PART_NUMBER mistakes lead to corrupt BOM exports.  They cross their arms and look angry after showing them Variant View Mode, again.

Please consider adding something similar to Variant View, except instead of showing Stuffing status, add a piece of text to each symbol for the group(s) the parts are assigned in.

Occasionally engrs complain I won't let them buy licenses for Viewdraw/DxDesigner as it supports multiple orientations with property locations saved (to prevent overlapping text.)  We show value, voltage rating, package size, composition, tolerance on capacitors to address BOM mistakes.   Engineers waste layout schedule going full "Martha Stewart" on their schematics to resolve overlapping text with rotation. 

But, please don't break the current DSN format that works all the way back to 16.x.  Someone here has to retire before I can float our old workflow to the center of a pond and set fire to it.   Their translator was written for 16.3 and can't read the 17.x padstack change.

@RFinley - Great feedback and some of these I believe are low hanging fruit. Please see my questions and comments below:

I'll speak with development about:

• PDF page sequencing and see if we can add an option to follow project sequence
• Flagging duplicate designator on placement
• Update part instance seems we need to support cross probe navigation
• Setting a Not-present part directly in the schematic as a one step process

1. In terms of adding a graphic to each part to visually indicate the group they belong in - I assume you are referring to component groups?
2. For the "Martha Stewart" engineers is the ask here to support the same text orientation locations DxDesigner supports? I believe DxDesigner supports nine orientation points.
3. No plans to change the DSN format as its been in circulation for a long time. One of the things OrCAD user love is the backwards compatibility of the design format.
4. Have you filed any of these issues with support?

Thanks again for sharing and I look forward to other user inputs!