I think we're making this harder than it needs to be.

I'm trying to build a cabinet that has 7 different configurations. The only thing that really changes in each configuration is the size of the cabinet (height, width, depth). One of the CAD users, who has prior experience with SolidWorks, advised me to use reference planes in the assembly to control the size of each configuration and make the dimensions in the part "driven" by these planes.

That was fine, since I was able to switch between each configuration and have the model update with no problems. However, when it came time to do the drawings for each of the configurations, the drawings would only work properly if the assembly configuration matched the drawing configuration.

I'll try to explain a little deeper. Let's say I have the following sizes of cabinets:

24x30x12

30x30x12

30x30x18

All configurations work at the assembly level and I can change between them without any problems.

I make a drawing for the 24x30x12 config, which is the current assembly state, and everything is fine. When I go to make the drawings for the 30x30x12 config, only some of the parts adjust to the proper size. The only way to fix it is to change the current config in the assembly to match the drawing I am working on, but then the drawings for the previous size are wrong. Therefore it becomes a game of tennis, going back and forth between the drawings and the assembly, but there is no winner in this game.

If there is a method to this madness that I'm not seeing, I'd love it if someone could share it.

http://www.solidworks.com/sww/proceedings/proceedings-presentations.htm

look for chris castle - master model for everyone presentation. The master model technique(single part) using equations(simple ones like width = 30) and configurations will make this easy. If you make the part a Weldment(seems odd i know) you will get a cut-list in your drawing file. It will also let you do end conditions like over lapping or 45degree cuts. You might have to add a custom profile to the structural database to do it that way.

I think in the presentation his example about half way through is a cabinet.

here is a video i did on custom profile for weldments.

http://www.mymlcservices.com/index.php?option=com_hwdvideoshare&task=viewvideo&Itemid=306&video_id=366