Do you have questions about what you should be doing with your legacy product data management (PDM) system such as ENOVIA SmarTeam? If the answer is yes, you may be surprised to learn that you are not alone. 

Moving away from a legacy system toward a modern alternative is a big decision and one many companies delay because it likely took a lot of time and significant investment to get their current solution working just right. Such legacy PDM/PLM systems may be outdated compared to newer options, but your team is familiar with the solution, it’s relatively efficient for day-to-day operations, switching could be costly and making a change could come with unforeseen complications.

We get it, and many of our customers come to xLM Solutions with the same concerns. They know their legacy solution isn’t working as well as a newer one might, but they’re hesitant to upgrade or enhance the system and want to explore their options. That’s where we come in.

Is it Time to Update Your Legacy PDM Solution?

Did you know that an estimated 74% of manufacturing and engineering companies are still using legacy software and spreadsheets post-pandemic? This figure might sound shocking, but it makes sense. After all, Gartner defines a legacy application as an “information system that may be based on outdated technologies, but is critical to day-to-day operations.”

The key phrase there is “critical to day-to-day operations.” Upgrading or enhancing a legacy system can be extremely complicated, but it often becomes necessary as a company’s software stack evolves. 

Old systems and data formats may not be compatible with newer software solutions and legacy solutions tend to silo data, which slows innovation and time to market. Data is king in our digital world and having the ability to quickly access the right information is key for making informed decisions and retaining a competitive edge. 

Migrating a legacy software solution may be daunting, but that doesn’t have to be the case with SmarTeam. That’s because the benefits of moving to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform far outweigh any complications that may arise, and having a partner like xLM Solutions can make the process smooth and efficient.

Moving to the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform with xLM

The market is changing rapidly and customer needs continue to evolve. Modern businesses need a solution that enables them to respond to change with speed and agility, and that’s the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Our customers choose the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud for many reasons, but here are the top 3:

1. A secure and scalable cloud-based platform enables collaboration among global product teams while reducing the strain on IT resources.
2. It puts product data at your fingertips, no matter where you are in the world or which device you’re using. You can work on projects, view and fix issues, complete multi-CAD design markups and much more from any browser-enabled device.
3. The 3DEXPERIENCE ecosystem enhances the way you work with CATIA and SOLIDWORKS. By replacing your traditional PDM system with Dassault’s cloud-based innovation platform, you can collaborate in real time and quickly make data-driven decisions.

Your customers aren’t standing still, and neither should your business. There is no “right” time to move from a legacy PDM system like SmarTeam to 3DEXPERIENCE. The best time to switch, or enhance your existing solution, is now, and one of the key variables for success is finding the right partner to help you along the way.

SmarTeam Support and Upgrade Options

It’s also important to note that SmarTeam is still supported today, and no official end-of-life date has been mentioned. I have been told that as long as Dassault supports the V5 platform that includes SmarTeam and CATIA V5, support for the solution will also continue. That doesn’t mean, of course, that Dassault couldn’t announce an end-of-life date for SmarTeam at any time.

We have many customers today that actively use SmarTeam and intend to continue doing so in the future. We are constantly upgrading SmarTeam to the latest released version, which as of this writing is V5-6R2023, and implementing additional customizations and features around SmarTeam to make it more productive in their enterprises.  

When dealing with SmarTeam we know there are options; Do I upgrade? Enhance it? Migrate to something else? ie. 3DEXPERIENCE? We help customers answer these exact questions all the time and are here to do the same for you. Together, we’ll ensure you make the best decision for your unique needs.

xLM Specializes in SmartTeam Upgrades, Migrations and Enhancements

Our experts have worked with SmarTeam for years and recognize the solution still has many benefits. For example, it’s easy to create data models and change workflows with SmarTeam. There’s also a good chance that your team is very comfortable with the inner workings of SmarTeam and your current processes. In some cases, it may be appropriate to enhance the solution rather than pursue a broader upgrade.

xLM Solutions can help you decide which is right for your team and unique operations. We’ve helped many customers move to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, but we also specialize in tools, integrations and other services that can help you make SmarTeam work the way you need and expect it to.

Some of our common services include:

• ENOVIA SmarTeam to 3DEXPERIENCE Migration: Comprehensive migration tool from SmarTeam to 3DEXPERIENCE, including full revision history
• ENOVIA SmarTeam: Microsoft SharePoint Integration
• ENOVIA SmarTeam: Outlook Integration
• Vault Processor: provides the ability to perform batch operations on files stored within the SmarTeam Vaults
• Quick Create Tool: easy creation and document-linking for new SmarTeam objects based on existing objects

Having worked on dozens of similar projects, I can say with confidence that having a business partner you can trust makes all the difference. Our end-to-end lifecycle management services include requirement analysis, implementation, integration, data migration and customization, but our work doesn’t stop when the initial project is complete. 

We’ll listen closely to your unique requirements from Day 1 and continue to work with you after the process is complete to help streamline your business and engineering processes, increase productivity and achieve cost savings in the entire product lifecycle. We also offer custom PLM and PDM training to fulfill any requirement. 

If you’re interested in learning more about our SmarTeam services, or whether an enhancement or move to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is right for your business, get in touch today.