Webinar Series Delivers PLM, 3DX Insights
By Marc Young, Founder and Owner, xLM Solutions
xLM Solution’s 3-part webinar series and quarterly 3DEXPERIENCE Roundtable deliver actionable insights on data migration and PLM implementation.

We’ve had an insightful series of webinars this summer and early fall, starting with data migration and ending with our quarterly 3DEXPERIENCE Roundtable. We’re eager to share the results from each. Migrating Data to 3DEXPERIENCE Our first webinar this summer focused on our tried-and-true methodologies for migrating data to 3DEXPERIENCE when upgrading from a legacy system. Best practices that we follow include:
- A thorough pre-migration data analysis to review the type and location of the data.
- A review of business processes and user experiences to identify areas for improvement
- A comprehensive identification of source and target system environments relating to data access, search options, permissions, data mappings and license implications.
- A complete review of all data loading options
- A decision to select the best data extraction formula, format, and tools/methods such as XPDM. We also develop customized scripts and programs where needed.
- Project Manager (DPM) – This is the main project management role. It relates to a waterfall management solution, with a plan, milestones, gates, and tasks, where a projects cascades from one task to another. It is available in the cloud and on premise.
- Project Planner (XPP-OC) – This role is a cloud solution for project management that includes agile methodology for small projects where a plan may be evolving. In addition, DS offers Collaborative Tasks for on-premise implementations to manage tasks with an agile method.
- Project Portfolio Manager (DPS) – This role involves more analytics and reporting with additional applications and using various services/licenses/products, such as EXALEAD search engine to track and dashboard project information.
- Data migration is an essential step as users move data from legacy systems to 3DEXPERIENCE. It’s important to differentiate processes between cloud and on-premise solutions. Critical steps: mapping the data, picking the correct migration technology, and testing and validating the migration.
- 3DEXPERIENCE implementation involves assessing the scope, identifying any process or organizational changes needed, and engaging with the proper resources of solution architects, infrastructure experts, developers, testers and project managers. Our implementation processes follow a phased approach.
- Collaboration best practices specifically related to 3DEXPERIENCE, often with external suppliers and vendors. It’s important to assess collaboration scenarios and how they will work and which data will be shared. Security is an important component to consider.
- Widgets and customizations beg the question – to customize or not. When users customize PLM solutions, they often see multiple benefits in time savings and reduction of errors and repetitious tasks, among others.
- Cloud vs. on-premise implementations. We described the differences among DS public cloud, private clouds, hosted/on-premise clouds. When deciding which way to go, we suggest keeping in mind: server maintenance and backup, upgrades/schedules, ITAR/security, customizations/configurations and testing environments.