PLM and Document Management Systems (DMS)

PLM tools have document management functionality. Does that mean that your PLM tool can and should cover general document management needs in your company? Should it handle ALL product related documentation or just the CAD files?

If you already have or are about to implement a PLM tool you might consider using it for general document management, not only management of strictly product related documentation. Is that a wise way to go? Or should you use a common Document Management System (DMS) instead? I will shed some light on the areas you should consider in such situations.

I agree with the Virtual Dutchman that a data centric approach instead of documents is the right way to go. But for the time being there will still be a few documents around.

Document Management in PLM

Document Management functionality in PLM (or PDM) is focused on structure and control. In PLM you gather product related documentation in one place, put it in a product context under formal control. The primary documentation is documentation that defines the product from a design or manufacturing perspective.

PLM tools typically focus on advanced document management functionality for expert users. Some examples:

• Formal review and approval processes
• Rigid change management principles
• Automatic conversion to PDF with stamping
• Strictly defined document types with metadata and other behaviour
• Strong mechanisms for access control
• Integration to authoring tools to manage drawings

The documents are put into context and their behaviour is depending on the context. E.g. You cannot change a document unless the part is open for change.

You end up with an advanced and complex functionality to reach the level of control you need. An example can be complying with FDA regulations in the medical industry. Engineers can live fine with such solutions, but it is harder for other people managing large volumes of general documentation.

What you typically don’t get is easy-to-use and flexible document management for general documentation. The processes and functionality is often too specific and far from user-friendly enough.

Too often we also see that the PLM solution has ended up as an archive solution and not the working tool it was supposed to be. The users start on and work on their documents on file folders until they are approved and “must” be put into PLM for control and tracking purposes. The result is that a document can be found several places. On the file server (probably several different places), in your mail system and in the PLM solution.

Document Management in DMS

DMS come in many different shapes and colours. Some of them are highly specialized for a specific purpose or industry while others are more generic and focuses on general document management. I focus on the last group here. An example is Sharepoint for document management.

DMS typically focuses on large user groups with various needs for document management. Some examples:

• Easy creation and update of a new document
• Smooth collaboration around documents
• Flexibility to handle any kind of document
• Flexibility to define your own processes, document types and metadata

You can handle any kind of document as single documents that live their lives independent of context.

You get a solution that is generic and flexible. You can extend to support certain domains. The focus is on replacing file folders with something that is easy to use and yet gives more collaboration possibilities and more control.

What you typically don’t get is the possibility for functionality that requires that the document is put into a certain context. It is not recommended to replicate the PLM functionality with for example change processes with dependencies to the status of the product.

You can of course add advanced functionality and many solutions are very rich in functionality. If you already have a PLM solution you should be careful of introducing a complex DMS.

Positioning PLM with DMS

If you take requirement for requirement for document management you will see that a PLM solution on paper probably can cover all document management in your company. In reality this is not true. I have yet to see a PLM solution successfully being used for all document management in a company (if you have more than 50 users). It is not easy enough to use and lacks flexibility.

DMS cannot cover the PLM document management needs. It lacks the product context capability.

In my view PLM and DMS has different profiles, approaches, focus, content and audience. If you have PLM needs it is not recommended to try to manage that in DMS. And vice versa: It is not recommended to use PLM for the general audience and documents that are not related to the product somehow. You will be better off having both. See also this blog at Beyond PLM.

The question is how to define the roles of PLM and DMS in such a way that the boundaries are clear. You do not want users to wonder where to put a document or where to look for it. You should have easy-to-understand guidelines for PLM and DMS. One simplified approach can be:

• PLM for all product related documentation and for documentation that requires formal configuration management (change control) - Streamline PLM for this and do not attempt easy management of large volumes of general documents
• DMS for all other documentation - Streamline DMS for easy management and collaboration and get rid of your file servers. Leave the complex context related functions to PLM

What you should have is a clear strategy for both. What is the role for PLM and DMS? What do you do in each and not least: What do you not do? Try to have as little overlap as possible. Both in terms of what documents and users you target. As well as what functionality and processes you cover.

Summary

PLM and DMS has complementary roles. They fill different purposes and in most cases should not replace the other. Try to find clear boundaries and have an overall strategy for document management that covers both. The strategy must be easy to understand to avoid unclear roles and usage. PLM and DMS together should make it possible to turn off your file folders.

Tore Brathaug

www.infuseit.com