SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading StrategiesMarc Young, CEO

xLM Solutions, LLC

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

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

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?

AnalysisData Clean-Up

Typically

involves

human intellige

nce

May be time consuming

May not be worthwhile

Opportunity for Data

Clean-Up

AnalysisData 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

AnalysisProcess 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

AnalysisData Formats

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

AnalysisDetermine 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

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

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

Data Loading OptionsManual Processing – Load Data as Needed

EPDMLegacy System

ReadWriteExecute

Update/Verify Attributes:

• Part no.• Revision• Descriptions• …

Data Loading OptionsManual Processing – Load Data as Needed

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

Pros

Cons

EPDM

Data Loading OptionsManual Processing – Drag-and-Drop

• 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

Data Loading OptionsManual 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

EPDMLegacy System

ReadWriteExecute

Update/Verify Attributes:

• Part no.• Revision• Descriptions• …

Data Loading OptionsCombined Load Data as Needed and Drag-and-Drop Approach

Production Folder(s)

Read Write Execute

Legacy Folder

Data Loading OptionsCombined 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

Data Loading OptionsEPDM 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 148-158 of the

PDMWorks help manual

Data Loading OptionsEPDM 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

Data Loading OptionsEPDM Import and Export Tools – An Import Example

U

s

e

t

h

e

e

x

p

o

rt

t

o

o

l

t

o

c

r

e

a

t

e

t

h

e

b

a

s

e

X

M

L

fil

e

Run import tool to update EPDM with the legacy attribute information

Example…

Data Loading OptionsOverview 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

• 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.

• 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

Data Loading OptionsEPDM 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

Data Loading OptionsPre-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 (www.solidworks.com)• SmarTeam Enterprise PDM (www.xlmsolutions.com)• Pro/Intralink Enterprise PDM (in progress?)

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

• 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!!!

ExecutionTesting the Migration Process

ExecutionData 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

• 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:o What are the required pre-data loading

activities/events?»e.g., legacy data clean-up

o 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

ExecutionPre-Data Load Planning

ExecutionFinal 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

SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Data Loading Strategies

Thank you!

Questions?

Marc YoungxLM Solutions, LLC.248-926-5932myoung@xlmsolutions.com

Script example shown is available at: http://www.xlmsolutions.com/sww2009/example.zip