Arena PLM and QMS is a purpose-built solution - just make sure you have a purpose before purchase!
Updated August 17, 2023
Arena PLM and QMS is a purpose-built solution - just make sure you have a purpose before purchase!
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Arena PLM and QMS
Arena PLM and QMS is used as the core tool of our QMS. It addresses revision control, training, and tracking of various processes for us. As a start, it brought our company digital. We previously had a number of dusty filing cabinets being controlled by a few select employees with lock and key. Every iteration or Change had to be meticulously tracked and controlled via excel sheets and Data Drive folders with restricted access. Arena PLM and QMS streamlines all of this and keeps changes, and revisions, out in the open so there aren't any questions as to what is the latest and who is responsible for it. Another problem Arena PLM and QMS addresses is files. Purchasing frequently did not have a spec to purchase what amounts to hundreds of small products from various vendors. A clean and tidy file system, complete with approved vendors and PNs, makes this a much simpler issue to tackle. Lastly is training; while Arena PLM and QMS training is pretty rudimentary, at least it is automated and revision controlled. It is pedantic to tie entire groups of employees to an SOP for their review and sign offs where before someone would have to chase them around and get them to wet sign a training log.
- Revision Control
- Advanced Searching
- User Access management
- Item deprecation is an issue for us (calibrated items coming up for calibration, SOPs up for review)
- Because it is a web-based system, it is prone to the usual web-based bugs. Hitting the "back" key in the browser instead of the on-screen back button usually locks up the form and requires you to back all the way out and start over.
- Initial setup. Because our initial setup was so customizable, and done by employees who are no longer with the company/had differing views of what they wanted from the system, we were left with quite a mess to clean up. Not sure how I would go back in time to fix this besides make sure there were less voices in the room, and more out-of-the-box solution selections.
- NPD and NPI is more structured.
- Time to market is probably slower, initially, but that is because the team finally understands everything that goes into a market push and all of the things said push touches.
- Quality of product and processes has improved, but only as far as we can get employees to adopt the system - which is a paint point
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
Price drives everything and this is no different. Management chose Arena PLM and QMS because it's price was the most competitive.
Implementation was honestly a nightmare. We had two companies which recently merged, with conflicting systems straight down to PN and Change control, and we tried to stuff them in the Arena PLM and QMS box supported by an on-site team that had little to no experience setting up and running an eQMS. We are still seeing ripple effects from that botched implementation.
Do you think Arena PLM and QMS delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with Arena PLM and QMS's feature set?
Yes
Did Arena PLM and QMS live up to sales and marketing promises?
I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process
Did implementation of Arena PLM and QMS go as expected?
I wasn't involved with the implementation phase
Would you buy Arena PLM and QMS again?
Yes