OpenText Extended ECM for PLM

Extending the Value of PLM Content across the Enterprise

Manufacturers rely on product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions to develop their products. PLM environments represent the single source of the truth or the “system of record” for the product definition and orchestrates various disciplines such as computer aided design, simulations, configuration management, change management, quality management, sourcing, and manufacturing planning.

However, PLM is inherently limited in its ability to support the enterprise demands for the downstream consumption and collaboration of released product documents and files. As a result, critical product information is effectively trapped leading to systematic inefficiencies that negatively impacts quality, innovation, and overall competitiveness.

OpenText is the industry’s first enterprise content management solution that enables manufacturers to liberate their product information trapped in PLM. It provides a frictionless end-to-end digital thread for the consumption and collaboration of product information with purchasing and sourcing, manufacturing, product support and maintenance/operations. It is the “system of engagement” for users across the enterprise.

Solution Overview

Highlighted Demonstrations with Teamcenter PLM

PLM & PDM Integrations with OpenText

Explore Additional Connectors

Next-Generation Connectivity Platform

Purpose Built for Better, Faster and Easier Information Collaboration

Application Connectors

Workflow Framework

Ready-to-use Transaction Templates

Application agnostic middleware layer optimized to connect PLM and PDM environments to the broader enterprise using an ever-growing library of application connectors preconfigured to interact with the OpenText xECM. Explore the available application connectors.

A workflow framework orchestrates the exchange and transfer of data, files and processes ranging from parts and BOMs to documents and drawings - and everything in between. The framework allows for truly intelligent integrations with logic, routings, and triggers.

Preconfigured and configurable transaction templates automate common use cases such as part/BOM release to ERP, document release ECM, problem reporting, etc. Templates can be combined, customized, or created to accelerate time-to-value.

Highlighted Use Cases

Publishing Released Data and Files from PLM to OpenText Extended ECM

Upon the “Release” of manufacturing/engineering data and files within the PLM environment, an automated process is triggered that publishes the data and files to the OpenText Extended ECM environment. Full configurability is available to meet client specific requirements and typically includes the creation and structuring of a Business Workspace, attribute mappings and assignments, and establishing relationships with the various viewable files (CAD models, specifications, etc.). The resultant data is immediately available for search, retrieval, and collaboration for users across the enterprise.

Initiating an Investigation Request or Problem Report

With product data and files now in the OpenText environment, users are empowered to collaborate and initiate an investigation request (IR) or problem report (PR). Functionality is available that allows users to detail the nature of the issues in question, markup and annotate CAD drawings and documents, and share with others. Upon acceptance of the IR or PR, a corresponding IR or PR is automatically created in the PLM environment. Within the PLM environment the IR or PR is processed and can further activate an engineering change request/order process, that in turn would repeat the previous use case.

Federated Links

The data and files transferred from a PLM environment to the OpenText environment are always “linked.” This means that users within OpenText can see the status of the PLM data and files in real-time without having to exit the OpenText environment. And likewise, this is available for users in the PLM environment. The status data retrieved is for informational purposes only and not saved or stored. For example, in the previous use case, the IR or PR in PLM spawns an engineering change request. This status is available to users in OpenText.