4 Replies Latest reply on Jul 22, 2008 4:38 PM by Jennifer Bahnsen

    PDMWorks Enterprise and multiple facilities

    Jennifer Bahnsen
    Jennifer Bahnsen Jul 22, 2008 2:41 PM
      I'm looking for advice from any of you who are using PDMWE at multiple offices. I realize that from one company to another there will be differences in how each one uses PDMWE but how different can (or should) things be from one office to another within one company?

      Right now we have one office who completes the models and drawings outside of the vault and doesn't check them in until they are complete. They fill in the custom properties in the SW file and wants them to propagate to the data card. Another office uses the templates we created within PDMWE to start parts and assemblies, fills in the properties on the data card and that info propagates to the SW file.

      What I run into is that a minor change on a data card for one office can turn into what they perceive as a showstopper for another office.

      I would like your opinion on how consistant the process should be from office to office. Are we just setting ourselves up for problems if we try to make PDMWE so flexible that everyone can use it how ever they want?

      TIA, Jennifer
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      • Categories: Data Management, Enterprise PDM
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        • PDMWorks Enterprise and multiple facilities
          Corey Hinman
          Corey Hinman Jul 22, 2008 2:44 PM (in response to Jennifer Bahnsen)
          I think you answered your own question Jennifer
          • PDMWorks Enterprise and multiple facilities
            Jeff Sweeney
            Jeff Sweeney Jul 22, 2008 3:50 PM (in response to Jennifer Bahnsen)
            Certainly greater efficiencies can be obtained if everyone works the same way....if you do much [any] collaboration between sites this is certainly something not to be overlooked....the list can go on and on about the problems you'll run into....

            However if the politics are too much, each office can run in their own little environment. I've seen some that go to the point of each business unit has their own vault. It is a pain to set up 'cause you have to do the setups several times, but once it is up and running it is just like managing several companies through one interface.
            • PDMWorks Enterprise and multiple facilities
              Heather Nelson
              Heather Nelson Jul 22, 2008 4:14 PM (in response to Jennifer Bahnsen)
              Do you have many fields on the data card that aren't part of your SW template? Personally, I feel data cards are a bit of a waste and I fill out all of my information in SW. I'd much rather be able to edit the properties via the columns in the explorer window but alas that is not an option.
                • PDMWorks Enterprise and multiple facilities
                  Jennifer Bahnsen
                  Jennifer Bahnsen Jul 22, 2008 4:38 PM (in response to Heather Nelson)
                  Our PDM was set up by committee!. The data cards are a nightmare because there are so many duplicate fields on the model cards and on the drawing cards and it is very hard to help a new employee understand which ones are used and which ones aren't. And there are several that I don't think should even be on the data cards.

                  I am working on developing new cards with just the necessary fields which is why I asked this question. Our company isn't that big and diverse so I think we should all be doing things the same way.