1. SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
Marc Young, CEO
xLM Solutions, LLC

2. SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
Strategies to ease the migration pain…
Loading, or migrating, data into EPDM can be a daunting task…
With diligent planning and thorough testing, the process can go smoothly

3. SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
Data Clean-up and Process Review
Data Formats
Data Loading Rules
Migration Cost Estimation
1. Pre-Migration Data Analysis
Manual Processing
EPDM Import and Export Tools
Custom Scripts (executables, add-ins, etc)
Combined Manual Processing and Custom Scripting
Pre-Developed Data Migration Programs
2. Data Loading Options
Testing the Migration Process
Data Verification
Pre-Data Load Planning
Production Data Load
3. Execution

4. Analyze the Data to be Loaded
Data Analysis
Analyze the Data to be Loaded
Determine legacy data nature and location
File-/Folder-based
Legacy systems (databases, vaults, etc.)
Hard copy (e.g., aperture cards)
Type of data: CAD (with internal links), office, etc.
Anticipate data access issues
All sources available?
Third-party systems accesses?
Additional experts?
Additional resources?
Is CAD data conversion needed?
e.g., ProE → SolidWorks
Data volume and estimated time to load
Will/Can downtime be scheduled for data loading?

5. Analysis Data Clean-Up
Opportunity for Data Clean-Up
Typically involves human intelligence
May be time consuming
May not be worthwhile

6. Analysis Data Clean-Up
What types of data clean-up are required?
Duplicated part numbers per file
Duplicated file names
Missing or incorrect file attributes
Missing or incorrect file associations or links
File revision not current
Non-current parts in current assemblies
Non-compliance or old revision/versioning scheme
Validate data accuracy

7. Analysis Process Reviews and Updates
An opportunity to review business processes
Opportunity to evaluate and update user experiences
Important: new changes to the underlying data model must be verified with the migration processes

8. Analysis Data Formats CAD Data CAD Data
File-based
Typically has relationships among files
Attributes and properties contained within the file
Meta Data to be Loaded or Added
Text description of data external to the associated (CAD) file
Users
Establish a list of users that needs to be loaded into the system
Determine and collect the information required for each user
Manually create or import the user information
Import by automation
Import from existing Active Directory
Lists
Combined Data
CAD data with embedded relationships; but…
Attributes and properties reside outside of the CAD file
e.g., in an Excel spreadsheet
Construct a link between the CAD file and attribute data
CAD Data
Meta Data to be Loaded or Added
Combined Data

9. Analysis Determine the Data Loading Rules
What are the rules to determine where the data goes?
How will data fields be mapped from legacy system to EPDM?
What state(s) will the data be loaded to?
Will the data be linked to other PDMWE data?
How to handle the cases with missing data?
Which data revision to load: latest or full history?
Should the data be located in a folder?
Should a folder be automatically created for the data?
Text, serial number, special values (date, time stamp, etc.)
If so, what is the ruleset?
If a full data history is desired, determine how the revision history is maintained in the legacy system

10. Analysis – Effort and Cost Estimations
Data Load Project Cost Quantification
Time (data loading tools development and testing)
Price
Resources involved
Impact of downtime for users

11. SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
Data Clean-up and Process Review
Data Formats
Data Loading Rules
Migration Cost Estimation
1. Pre-Migration Data Analysis
Manual Processing
EPDM Import and Export Tools
Custom Scripts (executables, add-ins, etc)
Combined Manual Processing and Custom Scripting
Pre-Developed Data Migration Programs
2. Data Loading Options
Testing the Migration Process
Data Verification
Pre-Data Load Planning
Production Data Load
3. Execution

12. Data Loading Options Manual Processing – Load Data as Needed
Legacy System
EPDM
Update/Verify Attributes:
Part no.
Revision
Descriptions …
Read
Write
Execute

13. Data Loading Options Manual Processing – Load Data as Needed
Pros
Pros
Eliminates migration software development cost and time
Data is manually verified during the process for
Valid and correct intra- and inter-file relationships (e.g., drawing is linked to the latest revision of model)
Updated attributes (part number, revision, descriptions, etc.)
Cons
Need to maintain two PDM systems for an extended period of time
Confusion in data physical location
Increased processing time for the user in organizing and moving file(s)
Only the latest revision is migrated into EPDM
Cons

14. Data Loading Options Manual Processing – Drag-and-Drop
EPDM
Conditions
Migration approach is limited to pre-defined variable mappings with consistent data properties
SolidWorks, Inventor, AutoCAD, PROE
Alternatively, perform queries and check-in returned results

15. Data Loading Options Manual Processing – Drag-and-Drop
Pros
Simple method to load data, with minimal time consumption
Cons
Only latest data revisions can be loaded
EPDM data attributes must already exist in legacy file properties
Assumes valid CAD references and that they reside properly in the respective EPDM folder(s).
May become complicated if a large number of folders need to be loaded and/or the legacy folders contain corrupted data
Pros
Cons

16. Update/Verify Attributes:
Data Loading Options Combined Load Data as Needed and Drag-and-Drop Approach
EPDM
Legacy System
Legacy Folder
Read
Write
Execute
Update/Verify Attributes:
Part no.
Revision
Descriptions …
Read
Write
Execute
Production Folder(s)

17. Data Loading Options Combined Load Data as Needed and Drag-and-Drop Approach
Pros
A single location for all data accesses and searches
Cons
Data copied from the Legacy Folder to Production Folder are disassociated (no revision history between the two data versions)
Still a manual process in moving the files
Pros
Cons

18. Data Loading Options EPDM Import and Export Tools
EPDM Import and Export tools – Originally developed for communicating with other enterprise applications such as ERP/MRP systems
Import tool can also be used to import or update data in EPDM for migration purposes
SolidWorks plans to expand the tools to become the main conduits for importing and exporting data for EPDM
Descriptions on the Import and Export tools as well as the associated XML format are in pages of the PDMWorks help manual

19. Data Loading Options EPDM Import and Export Tools
Pros
Can update attribute information with minimal to no coding
Attributes are updated using built-in EPDM functionalities
Cons
At present, an Import can only be triggered from a workflow trigger event
Difficult to update revision history
Pros
Cons

20. Data Loading Options EPDM Import and Export Tools – An Import Example
Drag-and-drop the legacy files into EPDM
Use the export tool to create the base XML file
Modify the XML file with legacy attribute information
Run import tool to update EPDM with the legacy attribute information
Example…

21. Data Loading Options Overview of Custom Scripts and Programs
Best suited for larger data volume migrations
Manipulates both meta data and data files simultaneously
Data relationships and links may be created programmatically in the system
Supports custom logging and error handling
Highly suitable for implementing complex data load scenarios
Supports all data loading rules
Best suited for larger data volume migrations
Manipulates both meta data and data files simultaneously
Data relationships and links may be created programmatically in the system
Supports custom logging and error handling
Highly suitable for implementing complex data load scenarios
Supports all data loading rules
Supports all data loading rules
Dynamic determination of target data directory
Modification of incoming data based on existing data in the system
May optionally reformat the data before entering into EPDM
Allows updating the revision number and workflow state of the data if the entire data history is imported
etc.

22. Data Loading Options EPDM Custom Script Tool
Examples of Custom Script Functions
Define target folder structure
Automate variable mappings
Change and increase the data revision number programmatically if full history is imported
Create links among files
Load data from legacy databases
And more…
A Scripting Example
Given a set of legacy folders containing files with multiple revisions
Each file name contains attribute information
Excel files should go into a Manufacturing folder
Word documents should go into an Engineering folder
All files are to be loaded in “Release State”
Examples of Custom Script Functions
A Scripting Example

23. Data Loading Options Pre-Developed Data Migration Tools
Requires a basic, one-time configuration
When properly configured, tool execution requires no operator intervention
Most tools support full
Migration of revision history
Attribute mappings
Events logging
And more…
Existing tools
PDMWorks Workgroup  Enterprise PDM (
SmarTeam  Enterprise PDM (
Pro/Intralink  Enterprise PDM (in progress?)

24. SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
1. Pre-Migration Data Analysis
Data Clean-up and Process Review
Data Formats
Data Loading Rules
Migration Cost Estimation
2. Data Loading Options
Manual Processing
EPDM Import and Export Tools
Custom Scripts (executables, add-ins, etc)
Combined Manual Processing and Custom Scripting
Pre-Developed Data Migration Programs
3. Execution
Testing the Migration Process
Data Verification
Pre-Data Load Planning
Production Data Load

25. Execution Testing the Migration Process
Test the migration process!!!
Mitigate all discovered issues
Legacy data issues
Missing data files
Orphan links and/or blank fields
Inconsistent legacy data such as revision schema
Bad formats
E.g., Attempts to load characters into integer fields
Class determination rules fail
Repairing the legacy data
Manual clean-up
Change data load rules (i.e., change the code)
Modify the EPDM data model to better accommodate the legacy data
Bug(s) in the migration tool code
Data loading procedural issues
e.g., failure to delete all files with a creation date before 12/31/1999
Document the migration procedure or update the tool to automate the migration process
Test again!!!

26. Execution Data Verification
Crucial to implement a data verification strategy
Analyze migration process log files
Spot-check data
Randomly verify the data objects loaded
Check at least 10% of data
User validation (done through testing with the pilot system) – an important part of the verification process
User validations >> IT/CAD administrators sign-offs
Develop a tool to compare and analyze the data in EPDM and legacy system(s)
Verify the number of records between systems
Ensure pertinent fields and data are preserved in both systems

27. Execution Pre-Data Load Planning
When will the legacy system be turned off?
How long will it take to load the data?
Will the data loading occur during non- business hours?
Specify the data load process:
What are the required pre-data loading activities/events?
e.g., legacy data clean-up
Document the data load sequence
Populate the lookup tables
Import users before documents
Import projects and documents, followed by the associated links
Create references to class data
Identify personnel responsible for the various parts of the data load process

28. Execution Final Data Load
With proper planning and testing, the final data load process “should” go smoothly
Advices:
Follow the documented procedures
Allocate buffer time for unexpected issues
Prepare to support users in the new system

29. SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies
Thank you!
Questions?
Script example shown is available at:
Marc Young
xLM Solutions, LLC.