Release 8.5 of the PRO.FILE PLM software offers intuitive usability and even more flexibility for enterprise-wide product lifecycle management: a new dashboard, mobile access apps, and an intelligent server infrastructure that is able to run jobs in the background. This adds even more efficiency to the administration and documentation of technical document management.

The new “PRO.FILE Cockpit” serves as the homepage and lets users access the most important features for their everyday PLM tasks with a single click. Graphical overviews deliver at-a-glance information on the tasks at hand or the status of individual projects and processes. Configurable widgets make it easy to add new dashboards that can be customized to reflect the workflows of departments and groups. This means companies can give their engineers a different dashboard than the one used in production planning and so on. All documents are stored in a central location to eliminate redundancy.

Flexible control over jobs
The PRO.FILE Generic Job Server is a “digital machine” that can run any job in the background to ensure maximum flexibility. This includes the creation of drawings or documents in a neutral data format, the generation of BOM reports, or the merging of documents to create a machine file. The built-in monitoring feature lets users control their jobs and, if need be, change their processing order.

Mobile apps
The apps available for PRO.FILE 8.5 are another important step towards enhanced usability and flexibility. They make product data available on mobile devices and greatly simplify PLM processes. An app can make available the features needed for specific applications. Users can take the initiative and create their own apps. For this purpose, PROCAD makes available the REST interface. Representational state transfer (REST) provides a platform-independent means for processing external data and documents in a user interface or in other IT systems.

Assistance functions and integrations
PRO.FILE 8.5 adds new features for the engineering portion of the PLM process. The “Managed Version” feature allows engineers to version even highly complex assemblies with just a few clicks. This new assistance function adds to the options already available to accelerate the creation of variants. With its CAD integration for AUTOCAD PLANT 3D, PRO.FILE makes it easier for mechanical and plant engineers to model process plants and design pipes.
Another highlight is the PRO.FILE integration with the document exchange platform PROOM. It provides a virtual project room to exchange CAD models and other project documents stored in PRO.FILE with development partners, customers, and suppliers. PROOM makes the exchange of data easier and more secure than any other solution known in the PLM community and provides unprecedented visibility into who received, viewed, and possibly modified what data and when.