Is there a way to preserve notes or model colors after updating model from designers?

[Cody_Godines]

If I am not a designer, but an analyst that adds cad to my workspace and labels, takes pictures, makes leader notes for my own reports, is there a way to preserve items like notes, model colors, after i perform a model updated to check new geometry, fasteners, materials.  I usually work in a separate self made assembly, so technically i could make items in this assembly that are unique and don't belong to the real cad being built but it seems like notes refer to part features.

[kdirth · Accepted solution]

I think assembling the "real" cad into your own working assembly, as you are doing, is the best option. 

All of your notes and color assignments will need to be made in your working assembly.  If you open or activate a lower assembly or part to apply your notes and colors, they will be applied at that level and are subject to being overwritten with an update.  Any assemblies/parts/features that are replaced or removed from the "real" cad that you have referenced will cause a lost reference.  

[Cody_Godines]

Thank you for taking the time to answer the question.  Everything you said makes sense.  I marked it as a solution, but I have a quick question.  Where is the part color stored, is it just internally in the binary file?  I don't see it as a parameter.

[kdirth]

The part color is stored in the part file.  However, that color can be overwritten in an upper-level assembly; a green part can be colored Red in a sub assembly and Blue in a top-level assembly.

Top assembly - Blue

Sub assembly - Red

Part - Green