Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) includes storage, administration and supply of all product-related as well as all supplemental data during the entire operational order processing and thereafter.
PLM is the product data management system that supervises the entire process, the product life history. It interacts with project managers, engineers as well as employees in quality assurance. Foremost support is given to the design department. It provides all required functions for design management, including those for passing work results from the technical designers to the neighboring departments. Workflow management, scan and plot management as well as document viewing in large heterogeneous networks and over the Internet complete the range of powerful PLM features employed.
Most modern knowledge management solutions evolve from a comprehensive embedding of a consistent product data management. PLM meets all
requirements for a comprehensive product life cycle management. PLM’s modular structure makes it an extremely flexible instrument, which can easily be adapted to the respective requirements in an enterprise.
Document Linking: Link product specific documentation (for example, electronic
drawing and machine instructions) for easy access and document control using document management.
Document Management: Documents are usually drafted in a context that is
specific to a project or design process. They are part of the product data or the project documentation. Epicor PLM connects product data management with the traditional document management.
Export or Import Documents: Documents can be retrieved from Epicor PLM’s
protected electronic vault for external processing. At any time later they can be checked in again. While checked out, drawings are labeled as ‘locked’, avoiding any modification conflicts.
Microsoft Office Integration: PLM records documents at their place of origin and
works fully integrated in Microsoft Word, Excel and other Office applications. Text documents or spreadsheets that have been drafted using these applications are directly stored in the database.
Workflow Management: Epicor PLM provides configuration functions that
describe the rules for workflow state transitions.
Product Configuration
Product configuration enables on-the-fly configuration of highly customizable and dimensional products via a straightforward question and answer evaluation. Product Configuration can be accessed from Quote Entry, Order Entry, and Job Entry. It is Web-enabled, and is also available to disconnected users employing Mobile Connect.
Add Comments to Rules: Within the Configurator there is the capability to add
comments to document formulas used when creating the rules.
Approval: Formally approve all configurations before they can be put into
circulation. When a configuration revision has been formally approved, it can be pulled into a quote, order or job. An audit trail logs user ID and approval date.
Cost Rollup Group Report: Print what-if changes prior to posting. Review
proposed change detail including variance percentage.
Create Part Numbers: Optionally create actual part numbers in the inventory
master file using the configured smart part number. Creating the part automatically eliminates manual entry when a new part is configured and ordered.
Ensure Rule Accuracy: Test rules and inputs during design mode to eliminate
surprises during processing. Full reporting is available as an audit trail.
Excel Interface: Optionally interface to Microsoft Excel to map values to tables
instead of building complex rules within the configurator.
Generic Part / Multiple Rules: Allow use of the same generic Part with multiple
rules on multiple assemblies.
Global Variables: Provide the ability to hold and use Global Configurator
variables.
Import/Export Configurations: Provides the capability to import/export
configurations.
Keep When Rules: Allow for a configuration at all levels of a part, but only for the
subassemblies that are stored. Subassemblies have Keep When rules.
MRP Inclusion: Configured parts can optionally be included within MRP to help
manage mass produced custom product lines.
Multicompany Configured Parts: This feature enables the system to handle
multicompany configured parts with the ability to be able to configure and sell in one company, with the configured assembly being produced in another.
Options: Define the features and options of a product at design time, then
customize during quote and order entry.
Pricing: Calculate pricing as a product is configured. Either features/options or
rules-based pricing can be applied.
Revisions: Optionally create unique configurations and rules for each revision of
a BOM. Configuration responses are stored with other product information for historical auditing and accuracy.
Rules: Build your own unique rules with an easy-to-use expression builder.
Process rules during quote and order entry to create an accurate BOM from the features and options selected.
Screen Input Builder: Build custom screens in which product features and other
inputs can be entered during quote and order entry. Form controls (for example, fill-ins, combo boxes and toggle boxes) are used to prompt users for data.
Smart Part Number: Build a smart part string during entry of a configuration to
allow easy identification of the options selected.
Use Alternate Methods: Optionally use alternate routing in performing cost