There are four levels of database provided by Multisim.

The Master Database is read-only, and contains components supplied by National Instruments.

The User Database is private to an individual user. It is used for components built by an individual that are not intended to be shared.

The Corporate Database is used to store custom components that are intended to be shared across an organization. Various database management tools are supplied in order to move components between databases, merge databases, and edit them.

Your edition of Multisim may also include one or more Manufacturer Database. This kind of database is read-only, and contains components provided by a specific manufacturer.

  The maximum number of manufacturer databases is 25. If you have more than 25, the first 25 are chosen in alphabetical order in dialogs where they display.

All the databases are divided into groups and then into families within those groups.

When you choose a component from the database and drop it onto the design, it is a copy of the component that is placed. Any edits made to the component in the design do not affect the original database copy, or any similar components previously placed on the design. Likewise, any edits made to the component in the database after a copy has been dropped do not affect the previously placed components, but will affect all subsequently placed ones.

When a design is saved, the component information is saved with it. When you re-open the design, you can keep the loaded components as they are, make copies to place into the User or Corporate Database, or update similarly-named components with the latest values from the database.