PDM, ECM and CRM Review

[snowshoe2]

So, We are taking a large bite to move forward and implementing PDM, and possibly CRM (Customer Relationship Management).

We are a manufacturing company that use Solidworks and need a PDM system to manage data, currently the short list is SW PDM Enterprise and Adept Synergis. Have used SW workgroup previously and don't want to go there. QUESTION - Without going to the PLM route, are there high caliber PDM systems we should be considering to use with SolidWorks (and the odd Acad file)?

The CRM component is because we do custom designs for our customers and the projects can go several months with thousands of emails per project and customer. Our desire is to pull togethor the emails and phone logs with the CAD data into an easily searchable form. Have been researching many CRM packages and it seems to me too many of them are focused on high marketing scenarios and not project situations. QUESTION - Has anyone found an elegant solution to manage the communications with the customers and have it stored with the other project data, in a way that minimizes the work to do so?

BTW, been using "mail manager" from Oasys on a trial basis and quite like it.

Thanks all
Snowshoe2

 

[mx2street]

Go take a look at Aras Innovator (solidworks plugin here:

http://www.aras.com/integrations/MCAD/solidworks-connector.aspx).

It is a highly scalable, open source package that is free to download and use and you just pay when you need support. Huge community built around the software that is VERY modular so that you're not stuck buying 2-3 software packages when you only need 20% of each of those packages.

Here are all of the connectors currently available (

http://www.aras.com/solutions/plm-solution.aspx?name=CAD-File-Management).

In case you have multiple CAD systems you don't have to worry about having a "new" software to buy to get integration or a degraded experience using a package tailored only to one CAD system.

Tons of other plugins/add-ons for project management (GANTT charts), part costing, ECM, quality, risk mgmt; it's all there.

Tony Greising-Murschel, CSWP

 

[snowshoe2]

Thanks Mx2street, I have been reading the details on the Aras website, we are not sure that we want to use web based for the engineering data, but nothing is off the table yet.

Another product I have been researching is Kinnosa from First Trace, as well as their new Tego product. Haven't seen much chatter about this company with Solidworks on the net, but reviewing it all the same.

Still find it interesting there isn't a CRM package that is tailored specifically for project engineering teams, there is an app for one on Salesforce called Scafold, but again not sure we want to go to salesforce just for the one app.

the search continues
Snowshoe2

 

[snowshoe2]

I have added BlueCielo, Smarteam, Product Center and a couple of others to the mix as well.

 

[snowshoe2]

Well, an update.

I ended up crafting a document to outline a longer term plan for what we could do with available technologies that are in the marketplace. With this document I was able to evaluate the vendors as well as the software packages, basically giving myself something to measure against. It was interesting as it became quite clear of which companies could be eliminated quickly by their response to my document. Prior to the longer term plan there was easy promises of support and integrations, but once I laid out a plan several vendors disqualified themselves one way or another. My favorite was the pat on the head type, "we are the experts and we know what you need, no further questions required." Not a direct quote, but that's what I heard.

We haven't made a decision yet, however one company has stood out with how they have approached my requests and who they have on staff. I have reviewed functionality differences between the products, however I have put a lot of weight on the capabilities of the staff involved, essentially asking "can these people work with us to ensure success in a reasonable time frame?"

Now I am at the position of, Have I missed anything? what are my risks? If it's true that most PDM implementations fail, how do I avoid that?

all the Best,
Snowshoe2

 

[mx2street]

I see you're still reaching for something that may not be there.

Was at a good trade event last week discussing implementations and what you need to gauge is how much time your engineers spend in PDM vs how much is that CRM component going to be used. For instance during the talk the SAP integration with the PDM system out-of-the-box was crucial at the beginning and really held up finding that "right" software but when the time was calculated for how much the SAP integration was used (~300 hours/yr) vs the PDM integration (~5000 hours/yr) the importance level became pretty clear.

If you are a Solidworks house Enterprise PDM is by far the most integrated and easiest to implement and support. The CRM tracking could be done with Outlook integration or even paying a little extra to have a plug-in written by your VAR to get that goal accomplished vs going to too big of a PLM/ERP just to get PDM/CRM together, if that makes sense.

So make sure you calculate how much time and how important said CRM integration is and what else can be done without sacrificing a more-used feature such as full-on Solidworks integration.

To answer your last question, most <insert acronym for large and expensive software implementation here> implementations fail due to lack of prioritizing needs as well as resources. You need to be realistic with management up-front about the cost and time to go live. Don't short cut money or time because those are the two things that will cause anything from a Workgroup PDM install to a SAP international roll-out to fail. People get impatient and don't like seeing money go out the door so if they understand up front it will be timely and expensive and then when it is there are no shockers. If you do happen to come in early and under budget then a gold star for you sir

Tony Greising-Murschel, CSWP

 

[SonicFlow]

We haven't made a decision yet, however one company has stood out with how they have approached my requests and who they have on staff.

Which one? (the software company, not the people)

 

[snowshoe2]

Hello SonicFlow,
We chose SolidWorks Enterprise PDM for various reasons.

1. SolidWorks/Dassault isn't going any where
2. new versions of SW and EPDM are linked
3. meets current functional requirements
4. If further functional requirements are required we hope SW/D have an upgrade path to Enovia by then
5. Several VARS are available to implement and support, whereas the other PDM Packages are mainly sold by the author of the software and we didn't see as many technical resources

there are other reasons, but those are the main ones for our PDM Choice, now we must make it successful.

smilin in deep snow
Snowshoe2