I seem to be having trouble using the cut with surface. Is it not possible to cut a part(solid) with another part(surface) in a assembly. the solid is in edit part mode. Do the solid and surface have to be in the same part?
If not, you can export your surface as it's own part and import it into the part you wish to cut as imported geometry. Then use the cut with surface feature. The surface needs to extend all the way through the part edges to make a successful cut.
I doubt it because that surface is located in another file. You would have to make a sketch in the other part (while editing it at the assembly stage), then use the surface to derive the sketch. Make that sketch into a surface and cut the model.
Ya that might work, but you would still have to be editing the part at the assembly level. Essentially that is the same thing I described, except probably a little easier.
0mm offset surface cut is very efficient. Make sure that the cutting surface is over-built which means that it extends beyond the borders of the solid. Someetimes Solidworks is very smart and figures out what to do itself -other times you help it alomg by using various commands like untrim surface and extend surface