30 April, 2014

Centric Software Adds Two Mobile Apps, Expands Product Lifecycle Management

LOS GATOS, Calif. Wednesday, April 30, 2014 –

The product design and development process will become faster, easier, more accurate and more productive for consumer goods companies with the addition of two innovative mobile apps to Centric Software’s portfolio of patent-pending mobile apps.

Switchboard Mobile App and Material Sample Mobile App are the latest mobile apps for the Centric 8 product lifecycle management (PLM) solution. Product introduction, driven by tremendous product variety and a relentless need for speed to market, is revenue-critical for consumer products companies, says Chris Groves, president and CEO of Centric.

“With these new mobile apps, a designer who has a moment of inspiration while sitting at a coffee shop, traveling on a train, or attending a textiles show can capture that inspiration immediately, bring it to fruition faster, and spur the product introduction process,” says Groves. The apps offer easy-to-use ways to bring the benefits of the mobile enterprise to the design and development processes of consumer goods companies without frustrating creative talent, he explains.

Switchboard Mobile App: The Switchboard Mobile App harnesses the power of iOS third-party applications and enables these apps to upload images and content directly to Centric 8 PLM business items, such as inspirations, styles, themes and materials. For example, designers can sketch out products concepts using their favorite iOS drawing app, and then transfer the concept sketches to Centric 8 using the Switchboard Mobile App—all with the ease of a few clicks.

The Switchboard Mobile App allows key contributors to work with familiar tools, promotes high levels of creativity, and reduces reliance on myriad paper sketches and boards, says Groves. “PLM’s critical role as the ‘single source of truth’ about the product is fulfilled, leveraging the vast array of third-party iOS app content with unprecedented ease of use.”

Material Sample Mobile App: The Material Sample Mobile App allows designers and others to capture and share material inspirations while on the go. Using their iPhones, designers can quickly capture material details such as photos, vendor information, and material properties. This information is automatically uploaded to Centric 8 PLM, allowing early access to team members for costing, quality testing and other evaluation.

The Material Sample Mobile App will be of particular interest for brand owners that use materials as a competitive differentiator, says Groves. These include makers of high-end products, companies looking to exercise great control over materials, and those for whom material performance is integral to the brand itself, such as technical apparel makers. Centric was the first to market with mobile apps for PLM. The company continues to innovate and has introduced more mobile apps than any other PLM provider in the industry, says Groves. Centric’s mobile apps for Centric 8 PLM are available in the Apple App Store. Centric’s other apps include:

Capture It for iPhone Mobile App, allowing capture and upload of photos directly to Centric 8 for instant review, mark-up and analysis;
Collection Book iPad Mobile App, directly linking a collection of styles from Centric 8 to customers through an interactive mobile device;
Sample Review Mobile App, providing quick view and edit functions for Centric 8;
Factory Audit Mobile App, enabling brand owners to conduct and document onsite factory audits with any iOS- enabled mobile device, and link audit information to vendor scorecards in the Centric 8 software.

“The Switchboard Mobile App and Material Sample Mobile App continue to extend Centric’s position as the innovative leader of PLM software for retail, apparel, footwear, luxury and consumer goods,” says Groves. “Switchboard Mobile App and Sample Review Mobile app are the latest examples of how Centric is extending the role of PLM and bringing the consumer closer than ever to the designer and the latest trends.”

Centric Software, Inc.
Centric Software is a leading provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software for retail, apparel, footwear, luxury and consumer goods companies. The Centric 8 PLM suite delivers easy-to-use functionality to manage critical, inseparable business processes, including product development, sourcing, business planning, quality management and collection management. Centric 8 implements and delivers value rapidly using an Agile Deployment methodology. Centric received the Frost & Sullivan 2012 Global Product Differentiation Excellence Award in Retail, Fashion and Apparel Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). Red Herring named Centric to its North America Top 100 and Global Top 100 lists for 2013. WhichPLM recognized Centric as the overall PLM market leader for fashion in its 2012-2013 Annual Review.

Centric is a registered trademark of Centric Software. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.