Arena - a hassle free database and workflow tool
October 03, 2018
Arena - a hassle free database and workflow tool
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Arena
Arena is used by Engineering and Operations to build and track BOMs, store datasheets and design records, and communicate design information with our CEM.
- Arena has great support for migrating current data as well as uploading individual or bulk records into a new database. Our Solutions Architect worked with us at our pace and helped to import all relevant data with a minimum of extra work.
- Arena is straightforward and easy to use - its interface is intuitive and well thought out, and the tool does what you need it to do with a minimum of customization. Component categories, BOM structures, part numbering schemes, and component sourcing from vendors and manufacturers all worked great right out of the box.
- Arena allows clear and comprehensive control over updates and messaging as well as delivery of needed information to third party manufacturers. The administrator can set up in a straightforward manner who gets what and when, who has visibility, and an effective change release process.
- A large business with many different groups all having different needs and requirements might see limitations using Arena. Though this was not the case in my company, I have seen a previous company struggle to implement a competing product that required extensive customization.
- As a small company, my company would get better use out of Arena if the per-seat licensing cost were lower. We are currently unwilling to pay for a license for the people who would be a 'nice to have' in accessing data but don't particularly need to create or edit information.
- From an engineering standpoint, the impact that Arena has had on cost-related factors is not clear. What is clear, however, is that clear, consistent documentation is a must-have when managing a design across countries and across time zones. Document quality and consistency is certainly improved, as are development decisions and documentation thereof.
- Product Features
- Product Usability
- Prior Experience with the Product
The single most important factor in choosing Arena was its usability. After all, if a tool such as Arena is not pleasant or effective, then it's not worth the time and monetary investment. Arena has shown itself to be a powerful tool with a great track record that worked well with minimal customization.
Implementation of Arena was very straightforward. Our implementation team walked us through what was needed in a clear and concise fashion and once the data was provided, he was able to do bulk uploading to a pre-production database. This allowed us a sandbox to work in to review, manage, and edit the data until we became comfortable with the contents and the environment. With the pre-production database created and then cleaned up, our implementation team was easily able to migrate the data to a production environment and take us through the steps necessary to release the data live to our customers. The whole process went incredibly smoothly and we continue to be very happy with the pre-production and production level support that was received.
Having worked previously with Windchill, I found Arena to be far more intuitive and easy to use, needing much less customization. Though the use of Windchill was at a much larger company, Arena was clear and flexible and able to meet our needs with only a fraction of the time needed for mere introduction of Windchill to its large user base.