Documentation / PCB

Synchronize schematic and PCB

Use Design Sync: Push to PCB to review exact component, footprint, and net changes before a controlled apply.

Level: Advanced
Estimated: 22 min
Instructions updated: 2026-07-12
Product context: Updated for the July 12, 2026 web release

Start task All documentation

Outcome

Apply an understood schematic delta to a PCB copy without silently accepting unrelated or destructive changes.

Before you start

An editable disposable project copy containing a saved schematic and PCB
A frozen schematic/PCB baseline and approved expected delta
Reviewed reference-to-footprint mappings and net intent
Permission to apply and undo PCB changes

Task record

Time: 22 minutes
Level: Advanced
Instructions updated: 2026-07-12
Product context: Updated for the July 12, 2026 web release

Execution record

Prepare the role, starting state, and evidence record before acting.

Keep these records beside the project state so the task steps can stay focused on the action, passing result, and stop condition.

Step	Required role	Starting state	Evidence to retain
01 / Save and identify the source	Electrical/PCB editor authorized to change the disposable copy	One project contains the intended schematic and PCB; expected additions/modifications/removals, rollback method, and reviewer are recorded before opening sync.	Project and document identities, saved-state timestamps, schematic/PCB inventories, placement landmarks, DRC baseline, expected-delta table, role, and product context
02 / Review mappings	Electrical/component/PCB reviewer authorized to approve mappings	The expected-delta table names every affected reference and net; authoritative package and connectivity sources are available.	Affected-reference table, symbol/footprint identities, pin-pad exceptions, source citations, net endpoints, current board object, and mapping disposition
03 / Preview the change set	Project editor authorized to preview design sync; no apply permission is exercised yet	Steps 1-2 pass; the expected-delta table and frozen schematic/PCB inventories are open beside the dialog.	Complete computed-change table, selected/unselected rows, Report when available, preflight result, conflict/warning text, expected-versus-observed reconciliation, and preview timestamp
04 / Apply approved changes	PCB editor authorized to apply the reviewed change set and recover the disposable copy	The preview has zero blocking conflicts; selected rows exactly equal the approved delta; destructive and warning rows have named approval; rollback evidence is current.	Confirmation counts, selected row IDs/descriptions, apply timestamp, per-row success/error status, partial-failure text, resulting object/net inventory, and exact board delta
05 / Validate the result	Independent PCB reviewer or applying editor performing a separate validation pass	Step 4 has a terminal per-row result and exact board delta; failed rows and unplaced objects remain visibly blocked.	Post-apply saved state, changed-object/net table, placement coordinates/dispositions, connectivity/ratsnest observations, initial/final DRC records, unrelated-object comparison, and reviewer decision

Procedure

Run the documented task in order.

Record an unavailable action or failed assertion; do not infer that the operation ran.

01
Save and identify the source
Action
Save the intended schematic state and record its revision.
Resin schematic and PCB editors / Disposable project > Schematics > Save; PCB Editor > Project > Document > Save: Save both intended documents and inventory references, footprints, nets, board objects, placement landmarks, and current DRC context
Pass when
The source schematic, destination PCB, expected delta, and pre-apply board state are uniquely identified.
Stop if
Stop before Push to PCB when either document is unsaved or ambiguous, concurrent edits exist, the expected delta is incomplete, rollback is unverified, or the board is not a controlled copy.
02
Review mappings
Action
Check references, footprints, and net names for affected components.
Resin schematic properties, component mapping, and PCB properties / Schematics > affected references > Properties/mapping; PCB Editor > corresponding footprints and nets: Reconcile every affected reference, symbol-to-footprint identity, pin-to-pad treatment, net name, and intended add/modify/remove status
Pass when
No affected component has an unexplained missing mapping.
Stop if
Stop when a footprint is absent/ambiguous, reference sets differ unexpectedly, pin-pad treatment is unresolved, net intent is disputed, or a removal lacks explicit approval.
03
Preview the change set
Action
Open the synchronization action and inspect additions, removals, and updates before applying.
Resin Design Sync: Push to PCB dialog / Schematic editor > Sync flyout > Push to PCB > Design Sync: Push to PCB: Wait for change computation; inspect all categories, add/modify/remove labels, descriptions, details, warnings, selection state, preflight conflicts, and the downloadable Report
Pass when
Every displayed change and warning is mapped to the approved expected delta or explicitly left unselected.
Stop if
Do not select Apply to PCB when computation is active/failed, no PCB is loaded, a blocking conflict appears, any row is unexplained, a destructive row lacks approval, or selected counts differ from the approved delta.
04
Apply approved changes
Action
Apply only the reviewed change set and place new objects deliberately.
Resin Design Sync confirmation and PCB editor / Design Sync: Push to PCB > Apply to PCB > confirmation summary > Confirm apply > PCB Editor: Confirm selected add/modify/remove and warning counts, select Confirm apply once, retain per-row status, then inspect newly added footprints before placement
Pass when
Every selected row reports success or has an exact failure record, and the resulting board delta equals the approved selected change set.
Stop if
Stop after one Confirm apply when any row fails, completion is ambiguous, resulting counts differ, an unselected object changes, or a new footprint overlaps geometry; do not click Confirm apply again.
05
Validate the result
Action
Review connectivity, placement impact, and current DRC findings.
Resin PCB Editor and DRC / PCB Editor > changed objects/nets > Properties; PCB Editor > DRC > Run DRC: Inspect every changed reference and net, place or quarantine new footprints deliberately, save, run DRC, and compare board and finding inventories with the baseline
Pass when
The saved board contains exactly the approved object/net delta, every new footprint is deliberately dispositioned, and the post-apply DRC comparison has no unexplained change.
Stop if
Stop closure when a selected row is missing, an unrelated object/net changed, placement is unreviewed, Save/DRC fails, findings increase without disposition, or rollback/recovery remains uncertain.

Verification

Do not call the task complete until these checks pass.

Source revision known
Mappings reviewed
Change set reviewed
New objects placed
Connectivity checked
DRC rerun

Evidence and exercise files

Download the evidence used by this guide.

Each repository-backed file is labeled with its contents, provenance, license or publication boundary, and current limitations.

Repository-backed file

Blank schematic-PCB synchronization record

CSV / blank exercise record / Resin documentation exercise record

Provenance: Repository-tracked blank worksheet for comparing expected and observed component and net deltas, retaining synchronization evidence, assigning review, and recording the final handoff decision.

Current limit: This record contains no synchronization run, validated delta, cleared blocker, or product proof. Complete and review it against a controlled project revision before handoff.

Download file

Evidence boundary

Keep preparation separate from product proof.

The procedure defines what to run and retain; it does not claim that the task ran successfully on any project.

This guide can establish the displayed Push to PCB change set, the selected apply result, and the inspected board/DRC delta for one saved disposable project state. The blank synchronization record and any fixture are planning aids, not evidence that Resin computed or applied a change; preview success also does not prove placement, routing, or manufacturing correctness.

Failure recovery

Diagnose and recover without hiding the original state.

Preserve the symptom before changing anything, apply one bounded recovery, and repeat the affected assertion against the named project state.

DOC-SYNC-F01

Push to PCB is absent, cannot load the PCB, cannot compute changes, or reports a blocking preflight conflict.

Diagnosis: Record project, schematic and PCB identities/saved states, role, Sync flyout/control state, load/computing state, exact conflict text, affected reference/change ID, and whether any apply control is present.

Recovery: Close without applying, reconcile document identity and saved state, resolve only a source-backed mapping or duplicate-reference cause in the controlled copy, then reopen the dialog once.

Stop or escalate: Escalate when the intended PCB cannot be loaded, the same preflight conflict remains after a verified correction, availability differs for the authorized role, or recovery would alter production data.

Evidence: Document inventories, control/dialog captures, conflict rows, exact messages, mapping source, bounded correction, retry result, and product-owner issue

Recheck: The dialog computes a complete change set for the exact saved documents with zero blocking conflicts; all rows still require expected-delta reconciliation.

DOC-SYNC-F02

The computed change set contains an unexpected removal, footprint, net change, warning, or count.

Diagnosis: Compare every displayed row and selected state with the frozen reference/net inventories and expected-delta table; record type, description, details, warning, object IDs, and source mapping.

Recovery: Leave the row unselected, close the dialog, resolve source identity or intent outside the apply flow, save a new controlled state, and recompute the complete change set.

Stop or escalate: Block apply when a destructive row lacks explicit approval, mapping/net intent remains disputed, or recomputation changes unrelated rows.

Evidence: Before/after reports, expected-delta table, row-level reconciliation, source/mapping citations, selection captures, approval or issue IDs, and recompute result

Recheck: Every computed row maps one-to-one to an approved expected delta, selected counts match by type, and no unexplained warning or removal remains.

DOC-SYNC-F03

Apply is partial or ambiguous, an unselected object changes, a footprint overlaps geometry, or post-apply DRC changes unexpectedly.

Diagnosis: Freeze the copy and record confirmation counts, per-row statuses/errors, complete before/after object and net inventories, new footprint coordinates, unrelated deltas, save state, and initial/final DRC rows.

Recovery: Do not apply again. Use the retained rollback method on the disposable copy when authorized, or quarantine failed/new objects outside the outline while the partial state is investigated.

Stop or escalate: Escalate when rollback cannot restore the baseline, per-row status conflicts with the board delta, unrelated changes remain, or any failed apply could affect connectivity.

Evidence: Confirmation and status captures, reports, before/after inventories, board captures, DRC comparison, rollback/quarantine action, exact errors, and owner

Recheck: The copy either returns exactly to the frozen baseline or a newly approved apply produces only the selected delta, deliberate placement dispositions, and a fully reconciled DRC result.

Task-specific troubleshooting

Resolve these states without changing the evidence boundary.

The synchronization action is unavailable

Confirm both a schematic and PCB exist in the same editable project and that the intended source state is saved.

Unexpected removals appear

Cancel, compare the complete schematic and PCB reference sets, and resolve source identity before applying.

A footprint is missing

Cancel and resolve the component-to-footprint mapping in a controlled project copy before reopening synchronization.

Net names change unexpectedly

Compare exact hierarchy, labels, and pin connectivity on the schematic before continuing.

A new footprint lands over board geometry

Keep it outside the outline until placement is reviewed; do not accept automatic location as intentional placement.

DRC findings increase after synchronization

Compare the applied change list and board geometry, then classify each new finding before further routing or placement.

Decision gate

Decide whether the synchronized board state can enter setup and layout review

Did Push to PCB compute and apply only the approved schematic delta, with terminal per-row results, deliberate placement disposition, and no unexplained board, net, or DRC change?

Required evidence

Saved schematic/PCB identities, baseline inventories and DRC, approved mappings and expected delta, computed Report/change table, selection and confirmation counts, per-row apply result, exact board/net delta, placement dispositions, post-apply save and DRC comparison

Remain blocked when

The control/run is unavailable or incomplete, a conflict/removal/warning is unresolved, apply is partial or ambiguous, an unselected object changed, placement is unreviewed, or DRC differences lack object-level disposition.

Next task after this gate passes: Inspect board setup

Next decision

Carry this result into an owned engineering decision.

Choose the next route only after the task record names the project state, observed assertions, exceptions, evidence custodian, and decision owner.

EvaluateTest this task with your own project

Use the evaluation kit to choose a representative input and define the result your team needs.

ExecuteRun the task in Resin

Use an approved project or disposable copy and preserve the actual result separately from this guide.

ContinueInspect board setup

Advance only within the scope permitted by the completed decision gate.