Likelihood to Recommend Arena PLM is well suited for part number, BOM and file management. Processing changes (ECNs, ACOs, DCO's, etc.) in Arena is very easy to do and provides great visibility on the status of submitted requests. The ability to communicate with Suppliers and grant them access to files in Arena is extremely helpful. Arena does not appear to be the best suited system for managing software
Read full review This is one of the most user-friendly QMS programs I have used because it does not require lengthy training to navigate the system. We are able to bring on a new employee and have them start their own initial onboard training in Qualio with only a simple introductory message that shares a few key instructions. The available training in Qualio Help has proved very effective when needed. An individual can pick whatever training is appropriate at that moment and there will be instructions on demand on any topic related to Qualio operations. Qualio is relatively new software and is maturing with a responsive staff that releases new updates on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis. It has grown incapability in the two years I have used it and it continues to evolve through customer inputs and looking at other state-of-the-art products. The staff listen and respond quickly compared to my past experiences with other QMS software. There is an opportunity for them to provide more and better features, but the gap is closing and the Qualio engineers have been very collaborative to work with, providing us opportunities to participate in their directions for growth.
Read full review Pros It provides easy, 'login-anywhere' internet cloud-based access to fundamental PLM functions. It provides secure access control for employees & vendors (but you pay per person for access licenses). Data is effectively 'always backed up' in the internet-cloud. There is an option to attach thumbnail graphics representative of each item and create a Bill of Materials view that also displays the graphics to help provide item recognition for BOM readers. Read full review Is flexible enough to customize for use for different types of medical devices, enabling us to integrate it into our processes and support our quality automation initiatives. Supports a distributed/remote workforce by enabling electronic record-keeping and signatures. Generally supportive of the quality system regulations we are subject to. Jen Baird Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Director
Read full review Cons In my opinion, the Help Pages clearly do not realize that a picture is worth a 1,000 words; need illustrations and screenshots! I think the 'Save' button when editing Quality Processes needs to "float" on the active page, not lurking at the bottom. In my experience, the Arena PLM and QMS Training programs need to be revamped to include "real-world" examples and working through examples, not simply reading through a training manual. David Martin Sr. Dir., Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs
Read full review I would appreciate if similar documents are grouped together. For instance if engineering documents are put in one category and management document in a different category Qualio has links to external documents but it would be helpful if it linked the user to sections within the document also I would prefer that users be able to purchase licences directly without contacting a representative Read full review Likelihood to Renew We have so much time and effort invested into Arena. The history of approvals, revisions, etc. are necessary for many of our customers. We also have entire device histories recorded. Having to re-create that on another platform would be a feat requiring years of effort. But mostly, Arena just works. It's transformed our business into a much more streamlined system, resulting in a massive cost and time savings.
Read full review Usability Arena has improved their UI over the years that I've used it to make it more user friendly. Additionally, there is a lot of redundancy within Arena (multiple ways to achieve the same end), which makes it easier to learn.
Read full review Reliability and Availability Seems like when I need to access our workspace for an emergency situation, this is when maintenance is scheduled, just the luck of the draw, I guess, and I just wait until the maintenance is complete, and then can proceed
Read full review Performance We use a few other software or systems (Silicon expert) and it is seamless to us, pages load quickly and efficiently.
Read full review Support Rating Upon initial observation, Arena Solution appears to possess a rather intricate nature, yet this complexity was effectively navigated during the initial configuration phase with the invaluable assistance of an expert well-versed in Arena, a factor that greatly contributed to our comprehensive mastery and autonomous handling of Arena Solutions thereafter.
Read full review Two great things Qualio has for customer support. 1. They are available online and on the phone, if needed, 24/7 with very friendly and knowledgeable people. Usually, the wait is no more than 10 or 15 min, and while you wait, you can search their online help library. I used to call first, but now I've found that their online help library usually has he answers already and the instructions are clear. Usually, I learn more than I needed. So I now go there first and only call if I don't find anything in the online help library.
Read full review Online Training The On line training was easy to understand and was very efficient for most of our users. We used the training tools to make sure we use all of the features to their fullest and correctly! After a few weeks mos of our users were very proficient with ARENA PLM and were able to work on their own and use mos of the sections and PLM capablilities.
Read full review Implementation Rating Pretty straightforward, from OOB
Read full review Alternatives Considered Arena is much better than
QAD in terms of BOMs and ECOs and Revision Control. We use Arena concurrently with SAP and they integrate very well together, which is nice. The integration team was really helpful in making sure that the SAP to Arena functionality runs smoothly, and when there are any issues, they are very responsive to help make changes to fix the problem that might be there.
Read full review Much better suited to a small start-up environment than Green Light Guru. Less suited in terms of usability compared to Q Pulse which has more bespoke configuration options, is easier to configure, and has more modules that interact with each other. Have tried Q Pulse and Green Light Guru.
Read full review Scalability Arena is easy to customize and therefore easy to scale. Different user groups with access restrictions can be easily created and new training plans can be created to support different user bases. Suppliers can also easily be added or items can be shared with them
Read full review Return on Investment Decreased the company's time to market for release of its second generation flagship product. Decreased the turn around on non-conformance reports (NCRs), supplier corrective action reports (SCARs), and corrective and preventative actions (CAPAs). Better organized the company's process maps, DHF, and other regulatory related information so that major audits are completed faster and with fewer findings. Read full review The number of emails received.. end up just deleting as it is spamming my inbox. Benefitting from E-sign approvals. Keeping track of our documents in a efficient and better way. Amazing to use a cloud based system where everything is not on paper. Read full review ScreenShots Arena PLM and QMS Screenshots