How to Make PLM Migration a Seamless Transition

Many companies use legacy systems for managing product data, but over time, these systems often reveal limitations that hinder growth and efficiency. Migrating to a modern PLM system offers a solution to these challenges, positioning businesses for long-term success.

Addressing Legacy Limitations

Older systems can become bottlenecks, slowing down operations with outdated interfaces, limited scalability and high maintenance costs. These legacy systems often struggle to accommodate the rapid growth and evolving needs of modern businesses.

As companies scale, they need a system that can handle increased data volumes, support cross-functional collaboration and adapt to new technologies. Migrating to an updated PLM platform addresses these pain points, providing a more agile, robust environment.

Enhancing Collaboration and Accessibility

Modern PLM solutions, especially those built with cloud-native capabilities, improve data accessibility and facilitate collaboration among various teams—such as R&D, engineering and supply chain management.

Cloud-based PLM allows employees to access real-time product data from anywhere, breaking down silos that once isolated departments. This ease of access speeds up product development timelines and reduces errors, making the entire organization more agile.

Scalability and Improved Product Innovation

PLM tools support the scalability required by growing businesses. Advanced PLM solutions not only offer the flexibility to handle increasing product data but also integrate with emerging technologies like AI and IoT, helping companies innovate and stay competitive.

By migrating to a system that scales with business demands, organizations future-proof their product data management and build resilience against market shifts.

Understanding the scope of data involved is crucial to planning a successful PLM migration. Here are some of the primary data categories that require careful management during the transition.

• CAD Models and Drawings: CAD files and technical drawings are essential for maintaining design integrity. Ensuring these files are accurately migrated without loss of quality or detail is key to preserving product specifications.
• Bills of Materials (BOMs): BOMs contain structured product information, including parts and components necessary for production. Migrating BOMs ensures consistency in manufacturing, avoiding production delays and ensuring seamless workflow transitions.
• Change Orders and Regulatory Data: Change orders track modifications to designs or processes and regulatory data ensures compliance. Both are critical for maintaining quality control and legal compliance, particularly in regulated industries. This can also extend to sustainability standards.
• Supplier, Quality Control and Vendor Data: Supplier data, along with quality control records, help maintain continuity across the supply chain. Migrating this information ensures that vendors and suppliers are properly integrated into the new system, preventing disruptions.
• Historical and Document Attachments: Migrating historical data provides context for ongoing projects, supporting continuity and allowing teams to access past records. This data includes everything from past project notes to customer feedback, which can be instrumental in guiding current and future decisions.

Data types can also vary widely by industry. Fashion and apparel brands, for example, may have much different data points than a food and beverage brand, or a multicategory retailer. In each instance, PLM solutions can provide customizable, adaptable processes that fit each business’s goals and processes.

To be sure, PLM migration is a complex and multifaceted project. For a simple overview, here’s a look at some of the main aspects of a migration to consider beforehand.

Current Technology Analysis

Start with a thorough assessment of your current system. Identify areas that require data cleanup or reorganization and map out data quality needs to avoid transferring obsolete or incorrect information into the new system.

Define Processes and Workflows

Establish a clear vision for how the new PLM system should operate, ensuring alignment with business goals. This future state, or “To-Be” model, helps identify necessary system features and functionalities that align with your operational needs.

System Selection and Testing

Select the right tools and run pilot migrations to test data integrity, identify gaps and address potential challenges. A pilot phase allows your team to evaluate system performance and gather feedback before full implementation.

Implementation and Validation

Data validation is crucial for ensuring integrity throughout the migration. Use data mapping and validation processes to confirm that information transfers accurately and without compromise.

This phase requires meticulous attention to detail to ensure data reliability post-migration.

Post-Migration Support

Supporting your team post-migration is essential for successful adoption. Provide resources, training and troubleshooting to help users adapt to the new PLM system. Continuous support helps users maximize the platform’s capabilities and fosters long-term system adoption.

Centric Software® offers comprehensive tools and support to ensure a seamless migration, tailored to the unique needs of each business.

Here’s Centric PLM Software can help

• Scalable Migration Tools: provide flexible migration options, allowing companies to choose phased or big-bang migrations based on their needs. This adaptability supports smoother transitions regardless of organizational complexity or data volume.
• Comprehensive Data Integration: consolidate diverse data types, including CAD, BOMs, engineering change orders (ECOs) and regulatory data, into a single platform. This integration ensures all relevant data moves together, facilitating continuity and reducing the risk of data silos.
• User-Centric Design for Faster Adoption: an intuitive interface simplifies onboarding, reducing the learning curve for new users. With its user-friendly design, Centric PLM enables teams to quickly get up to speed, minimizing productivity loss during the transition.

While the transition period of a PLM migration requires careful planning and execution, the long-term benefits far outweigh the challenges, positioning your company for growth and innovation well into the future.

Businesses worldwide are prioritizing efficient, end-to-end product lifecycle management to support real-time collaboration, drive innovation and align with evolving market demands. An agile, “single source of truth” platform like Centric PLM enables companies to adapt quickly, reduce operational costs and maximize value across every phase of the product lifecycle.

If your business is ready for a scalable product development platform that improves margins, reduces time to market and grows sales, we’re here to help.