The Future of Manufacturing: iLogic & CPQ Software Unleashed
In the ever-changing world of manufacturing, the emergence of iLogic-based CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) technologies, such as SolidCAD’s Variant, represents a significant turning point. These innovations are leading us into a new era characterized by remarkable efficiency and unparalleled customization. This blog will look into how the combination of iLogic’s rule-based engineering and the versatile capabilities of CPQ systems is transforming industry standards.
We’ll explore the significant benefits that iLogic-based CPQ solutions bring to the table, including streamlined operations, improved product customization, and enhanced operational efficiency. By examining these cutting-edge technologies, we’ll show how manufacturers are now better equipped to tackle the challenges of today’s complex markets with increased agility and accuracy, thereby achieving higher levels of customer satisfaction.
Come with us to explore the endless possibilities that new ideas are bringing to the manufacturing industry. This is leading to a future with no limits, only what we can imagine.
iLogic: The Driving Force Behind Automated Design
iLogic, a key component of Autodesk Inventor, is revolutionizing the world of design automation. By allowing users to create rules that automate and control design processes, iLogic significantly enhances engineering efficiency. This tool is not just about simplifying tasks; it’s about redefining how we approach design in the manufacturing software landscape.
Decoding CPQ: More Than Just a Tool
CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) software streamlines the way businesses sell complex, configurable products. When integrated with Inventor models, this software empowers sales teams, dealers, and even customers to quickly generate accurate quotes, ensuring manufacturing efficiency and optimizing sales processes. CPQ is more than a tool; it’s a game-changer in the business solutions arena.
Real-World Applications of CPQ Software
The practical applications of CPQ software are vast and varied. From small businesses to large corporations, the implementation of CPQ software has led to significant workflow improvements and sales acceleration. Check out mk North America’s success story to see how CPQ made a tangible difference.
The Evolution of Manufacturing Technologies
As we look to the future, it’s clear that technologies like Variant are not just shaping current manufacturing processes but is also paving the way for a more efficient, productive, and innovative future in the manufacturing sector. Subscribe to our blog channel to stay tuned as we continue to explore these exciting developments in the world of manufacturing technology. To learn more about Variant CPQ, try it for yourself on our website, or contact us today at variant@solidcad.ca
In the ever-evolving landscape of engineering and asset management, organizations seek robust solutions to streamline their documentation processes. Accruent Meridian has emerged as a game-changer, empowering companies across various industries to efficiently manage their critical information. Let’s explore some real-life success stories where Meridian played a pivotal role:
1. Energy sector: optimizing workflows
THE CHALLENGE:
A leading energy company faced challenges in maintaining accurate records for its vast network of power plants, substations, and transmission lines. Manual paper-based systems resulted in inefficiencies, data duplication, and compliance gaps.
THE SOLUTION:
The company implemented Meridian to centralize its engineering documents, including schematics, equipment manuals, and maintenance logs. With Meridian’s version control and access permissions, engineers could collaborate seamlessly. Integration with their Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) ensured real-time updates.
THE BENEFITS:
Reduced Downtime: Faster access to critical information minimized downtime during maintenance.
Compliance Assurance: Auditors praised the system’s transparency and adherence to industry standards.
Cost Savings: Elimination of paper-based processes led to significant cost savings.
2. Manufacturing: accelerating product development
THE CHALLENGE:
A global manufacturing firm struggled with document version chaos. Engineers often worked with outdated drawings, leading to errors, rework, and delays in product development.
THE SOLUTION:
Meridian’s automated version control and revision tracking transformed their engineering change process. Integration with Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools allowed seamless updates. Engineers could collaborate on designs in real time.
Regulatory Compliance: Meridian ensured compliance with industry standards.
3. Construction: managing complex projects
THE CHALLENGE:
A construction company faced information overload during large-scale projects. Managing blueprints, specifications, and vendor documentation became overwhelming.
THE SOLUTION:
Meridian’s centralized repository organized project documents. Role-based access control allowed stakeholders to access relevant information. Mobile access enabled field teams to retrieve data on-site.
THE BENEFITS:
Project Efficiency: Quick access to project plans improved decision-making.
Collaboration: Contractors, architects, and project managers collaborated seamlessly.
4. Healthcare: ensuring regulatory compliance
THE CHALLENGE:
The hospital system struggled with maintaining accurate records for its medical equipment. Compliance audits were time-consuming and error prone.
THE SOLUTION:
Meridian’s robust metadata management allowed tagging equipment with critical details. Integration with the hospital’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) system ensured seamless data flow.
THE BENEFITS:
JCAHO Compliance: Quick access to project plans improved decision-making.
Cost Control: Contractors, architects, and project managers collaborated seamlessly.
CONCLUSION:
Accruent Meridian isn’t just software; it’s an enabler of efficiency, collaboration, and growth. These success stories demonstrate how organizations, regardless of their industry, can leverage Meridian to unlock measurable benefits. Whether it’s reducing downtime, improving compliance, or enhancing collaboration, Meridian continues to shape the future of engineering documentation management.
Remember, success stories aren’t just about technology—they’re about the people who embrace it and drive positive change. So, consider Meridian as your partner in achieving excellence! To learn more contact us today SolidCAD Meridian Team.
Engineering documents and drawings are vital assets for any organization that needs to design, build, operate, and maintain physical assets. However, managing these documents can be challenging, especially when they are scattered across different systems, formats, and locations. How can you ensure that your documents are secure, compliant, and accessible to the right people at the right time?
That’s where Accruent Meridian comes in. Meridian is a comprehensive software solution that helps you manage your engineering documents and drawings throughout the asset lifecycle. Meridian enables you to store, access, and share documents in a centralized and controlled way, while also providing features such as version control, workflow automation, and collaboration tools.
But that’s not all. Meridian also leverages rendition and OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to enhance document management, collaboration, and security. In this blog, we’ll explore how these technologies work and how they can benefit your organization.
WHAT ARE RENDITIONS AND WHY DO YOU NEED THEM?
A rendition is a copy of a document in a different format than the original file, usually in a non-editable format such as PDF or DWF. Renditions are useful for several reasons:
They provide a consistent and reliable way to view and share documents across different platforms and devices, without requiring the original software or application.
They protect the integrity and quality of the original source documents, which are kept for editing and revision purposes.
They reduce the risk of unauthorized changes or tampering with the documents, as renditions are read-only and can be digitally signed or encrypted.
They improve document performance and storage efficiency, as renditions are typically smaller in size than the original files.
Meridian integrates with Accruent Publisher, a separate software component that renders and optionally publishes renditions to the same or to other document management systems. Accruent Publisher supports various rendering modules that can convert different types of files into renditions, such as AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and more.
WHAT IS OCR TECHNOLOGY AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
OCR, or Optical Character Recognition, is the process of converting scanned images of text into editable and searchable text. OCR technology can help you to extract information from scanned documents, such as invoices, contracts, or reports, and store it in Meridian as metadata or content.
Meridian uses OCR technology in two ways:
To index the content of scanned documents for full-text search. This allows you to find documents based on their content, not just their properties or file names.
To extract data from scanned documents and map it to Meridian properties. This allows you to automatically populate document properties based on the information in the scanned files, such as document number, title, author, date, etc.
By using OCR technology, Meridian helps you to unlock the power of scanned documents and reduce manual data entry.
HOW DOES MERIDIAN ENSURE DOCUMENT SECURITY AND COMPLIANCE
Document security and compliance are critical for any organization that deals with sensitive or regulated information. Meridian ensures document security and compliance by:
Using a centralized repository with secure global access to store and manage documents, ensuring that only authorized users can view and edit them.
Supporting various rendering modules that can convert different types of files into non-editable renditions, such as PDF or DWF, for reference, printing, or distribution purposes.
Integrating with network and application firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and multi-factor authentication to keep data repositories safe from intruders.
Applying security roles to the folders of a vault, which defines the privileges of the members of the role. The members can be network domain groups, Meridian Enterprise groups, or individual user accounts.
Enforcing document workflow statuses, which restrict the actions that users can perform on a document depending on its state. For example, only the owner of a document can change it when it is in the Under Change state.
HOW ACCRUENT MERIDIAN CONNECTS WITH OTHER APPLICATIONS TO BOOST DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCY
Accruent Meridian is not just a standalone software solution. It also connects with other applications to enhance document management efficiency and collaboration. Whether you need to work with 2D & 3D CAD applications, EAM software, or other document management systems, Meridian has you covered.
APPLICATION INTEGRATION: WORK WITH YOUR FAVOURITE CAD APPLICATIONS
If you use popular 2D & 3D CAD applications like Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Revit, and Solidworks, you can integrate them with Meridian and enjoy the following benefits:
You can access and manage your documents directly from your CAD application, without switching between different systems.
You can view the latest and most accurate information about your assets and their documentation, ensuring compliance and safety.
You can initiate document change requests from your maintenance management system, triggering workflows and notifications in Meridian.
You can link your maintenance work orders to your engineering documents, ensuring traceability and accountability.
DMS INTEGRATION: COLLABORATE AND SHARE DOCUMENT WITH OTHER DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
If you use other document management systems like SharePoint, Documentum, or OpenText, you can integrate them with Meridian and enjoy the following benefits:
You can collaborate and share documents with other departments or external parties, without compromising security or quality.
You can publish renditions of your documents to other document management systems, ensuring that everyone has access to the same information.
You can synchronize metadata and content between Meridian and other document management systems, ensuring consistency and accuracy.
You can leverage the best features of each system for different purposes, such as document creation, review, approval, distribution, or archiving.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
For those interested in exploring the capabilities of Accruent Meridian and how it can revolutionize their document management processes, the SolidCAD website offers valuable insights and the opportunity to schedule a demo.
In a world where information is power, Accruent Meridian empowers organizations to harness the full potential of their documents, streamline workflows, and enhance security, ultimately driving efficiency and success.
To learn more about how Accruent Meridian can help you integrate your EDMS with other software applications, contact us today SolidCAD Meridian Team. We would love to hear from you and show you how Accruent Meridian can transform your engineering document management process.
Accruent Meridian is an engineering document management system (EDMS) that helps organizations streamline document management, ensure safety and compliance, maximize collaboration, and achieve a single source of asset information. But how does it align with the agile principles that guide many software development teams today?
The agile principles are statements that define the agile methodology and act as best practices for agile teams. The agile principles and core values are documented in the agile manifesto, a brief document that defines agile. Agile principles also apply to other project management methodologies derived from agile, such as kanban or scrum.
In this blog post, we will explore how Accruent Meridian supports some of the key agile principles and how it can benefit your engineering projects.
Agile Principle 1: Satisfy the Customer Through Early and Continuous Delivery of Value Software
The first principle of agile is to deliver value to the customer frequently and consistently. This means that instead of waiting for a long time to release a final product, agile teams deliver small increments of working software that can be tested and validated by the customer.
Accruent Meridian helps you achieve this principle by enabling you to manage and share engineering documents across the entire asset lifecycle. You can easily create, review, approve, distribute, and access documents from any device, anywhere, anytime. You can also track changes, revisions, and versions of documents to ensure accuracy and consistency. By using Accruent Meridian, you can deliver valuable information to your customers and stakeholders faster and more reliably.
Accruent Meridian helps you streamline document management, ensure safety and compliance, maximize company-wide collaboration, and achieve a single source of asset information.
Agile Principle 2: Welcome Changing Requirements, Even Late in Development
The second principle of agile is to embrace change as an opportunity to deliver better value. This means that instead of resisting or avoiding changes in requirements, agile teams welcome them and adapt their plans accordingly.
Accruent Meridian helps you achieve this principle by providing you with flexible and configurable workflows that can accommodate changing needs and expectations. You can easily modify or create new workflows to suit different types of documents, projects, or processes. You can also use Meridian Explorer to search and browse documents by metadata properties or text content. You can filter your search results by specific values or criteria to find the most relevant documents for your current situation.
Agile Principle 4: Business People and Developers Must Work Together Daily Throughout the Project
The fourth principle of agile is to foster collaboration between business people and developers. This means that instead of working in silos or communicating sporadically, agile teams work together daily throughout the project to ensure alignment and understanding.
Accruent Meridian helps you achieve this principle by enabling you to integrate with other systems and applications that are used by different stakeholders in your organization. You can connect Meridian with ERP, CMMS, GIS, CAD, BIM, Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and more. This way, you can ensure that everyone has access to the same information and can collaborate effectively across different platforms.
Accruent Meridian enables you to integrate with other systems and applications that are used by different stakeholders in your organization.
Agile Principle 7: Working Software Is the Primary Measure of Progress
The seventh principle of agile is to measure progress by delivering working software. This means that instead of relying on documentation or reports, agile teams demonstrate their work by showing functional software that meets the customer’s needs.
Accruent Meridian helps you achieve this principle by allowing you to publish and distribute documents in various formats that are compatible with different devices and systems. You can export documents as PDFs, DWGs, DWFs, TIFFs, JPEGs, PNGs, etc. You can also use the Meridian mobile application to access documents on your smartphone or tablet. By using Accruent Meridian, you can show your work in a way that is convenient and accessible for your customers.
Case Studies & Testimonials
Staples, a leading office products company, uses Accruent Meridian to manage over 1.5 million engineering documents across 2,000 stores in North America. Accruent Meridian helps Staples reduce costs, improve compliance, and increase productivity.
GNC, a global health and wellness retailer, uses Accruent Meridian to manage over 300,000 engineering documents for more than 8,000 locations worldwide. Accruent Meridian helps GNC streamline workflows, enhance collaboration, and ensure data accuracy.
Total Olefins Antwerp, a petrochemical company, uses Accruent Meridian to manage over 300,000 engineering documents and 150,000 objects for its plants in Belgium. Accruent Meridian helps Total Olefins Antwerp optimize engineering change processes, integrate with other systems, and link documents with assets.
AbbVie, a biopharmaceutical company, uses Accruent Meridian to manage over 100,000 engineering documents for its manufacturing facilities in the US and Europe. Accruent Meridian helps AbbVie maximize efficiency, improve communication, and ensure compliant control of engineering information.
Accruent Meridian is a powerful EDMS that can help you align your engineering projects with the agile principles. By using Accruent Meridian, you can deliver value to your customers faster and more reliably, embrace change as an opportunity to improve, foster collaboration across different stakeholders, and measure progress by delivering working software.
Accruent Meridian offers you powerful search, ease of use, extensive configurability, and scalability with its Meridian Explorer feature.
If you want to learn more about how Accruent Meridian can help you achieve agility in your engineering projects, request a demo today!
Accruent Meridian is a software solution that helps organizations manage their document (Agreements, Compliance, Contracts, Drawings, Financial, Insurance, Plans) needs throughout their entire lifecycle. It is designed to streamline document management, ensure safety and compliance, maximize collaboration, and achieve a single source of asset (equipment) information.
But is it the right software for your needs?
In this blog post, we will explore some of the benefits and how the SolidCAD Meridian Team can help you implement, configure, manage, and troubleshoot Accruent Meridian software for its best uses.
Benefits of Accruent Meridian
Purpose-built for engineering document management: Unlike generic document management systems, Accruent Meridian software is tailored to the specific needs and challenges of engineering document management. It creates a single source of truth for all engineering documents and drawings with audit and version control functionality. It supports parallel changes, concurrent engineering, release management, handover management to internal and external stakeholders, and more. It provides regulatory compliance and reduced risks and costs associated incomplete or outdated data. It also integrates with popular CAD applications and other enterprise systems1.
Scalable and configurable: Accruent Meridian software can handle large volumes of documents and users without compromising performance or usability. It integrates with most major EAM systems and allows maintenance teams to access accurate documentation at click of a button. It can also be configured to meet your specific business processes, workflows, and standards. You can customize metadata properties, document types, user roles, permissions, notifications, reports, and more3.
How the SolidCAD Meridian Team can Help You
Learning curve: Accruent Meridian software is a powerful and complex solution that may require training and guidance to use effectively.
How can the SolidCAD Meridian Team Help You:
Live in-person or on-line training using your fully configured Meridian system as the interface.
Review all features, functions, and best practices you may need to familiarize yourself with Accruent Meridian.
Migration challenges: If you are switching from another document management system to Accruent Meridian software, you may face some challenges in migrating your existing data and documents. You will need to ensure that your data is compatible, consistent, and complete before importing it into the new system. You will also need to map your old metadata properties and document types to the new ones.
How can the SolidCAD Meridian Team Help You:
Create a data migration strategy and plan to define the scope, objectives, risks, and timeline of the project.
Audit and cleanse the source data to ensure its quality, accuracy, and completeness.
Map document type and metadata fields between source and Meridian and resolve conflicts and inconsistencies.
Design and implement the data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) process using specific tools and techniques.
Test and validate the migrated data to ensure integrity, functionality, and performance.
Monitor and troubleshoot any errors or issues throughout and after the data migration.
Document and report the data migration results and outcomes.
Cost: Accruent Meridian software is not a cheap solution. It is an enterprise-grade software that comes with a price tag that reflects its value and capabilities. The cost of the software depends on various factors such as the number of users, licenses, modules, features, deployment options, support levels, etc.
How can the SolidCAD Meridian Team Help You:
Scope of Work: Assist in streamlining the size and complexity of your Meridian implementation:
Features
Integrations
Number of Users
Deployment Model (Cloud or on-premise)
Infrastructure Model: Cost effective and efficient way to host, store and manage Meridian.
Dedicated Servers
Cloud Services
Hybrid Solutions
Professional Management: The Meridian implementation and management is not a one-time event. Meridian will need regular updates and maintenance, let the SolidCAD team lower the:
Management Costs
Headaches
Testing
Security
Future Updates and Maintenance
Changing Needs
Advancements
Industries using Accruent Meridian:
Manufacturing
Oil & Gas
Chemical
Pharmaceutical
Utilities
Infrastructure
Government
Engineering
Conclusion:
Accruent Meridian software is a comprehensive solution for document management that can help you streamline your processes, ensure compliance and safety, maximize collaboration, and achieve a single source of asset information.
To learn more about Accruent Meridian and how it can help your team, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the SolidCAD Meridian team.
Public transportation – buses, trains, subways, and more – have a wide range of complex assets that are both mobile and stationary. Upgrades, expansions, and new assets become intricate engineering projects involving a broad array of information and documents.
Hardcopy and manual methods for managing this information and changes are ad hoc and unreliable – causing engineers to use outdated information. This spawns rework, cost increases, schedule delays, and conditions out of specification. This chaos is brought under control with Accruent Meridian’s software for managing engineering information. As a result, projects are more likely to meet the leading KPIs for on-time, in-budget, and within spec.
Engineering information management reduces rework and helps assures completion of projects on-time, in-budget, and on-schedule.
Société de Transport de Montréal uses Accruent Meridian in its engineering teams for information management and business process automation replacing unreliable ad hoc manual methods.
Société de Transport Montréal
Public transportation has existed in Montréal for over 150 years, starting with horse-drawn tramways in 1861. Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) became a public corporation in 1951 with the mission to provide Montrealers with fast, reliable, economical transit service. The company now has over 11,000 employees.
Large Infrastructure with Complex Assets
From its beginnings in 1861, STM has grown to include four subway lines with 68 stations and over 1,000 cars. The bus system includes 186 bus routes and over 2,000 vehicles. Its paratransit service has 80 mini-buses and other taxi services for people with mobility issues. The infrastructure is widely distributed throughout the city, including rail lines, switchgear, signaling, rail yards, bridges, ticketing stations, bus stops, depots, garages, offices, and more. STM has a wide variety of complex assets.
The consultation
First used in Paris, France in 1951 and then Montreal, Canada in 1966, the passenger trains use wheels containing both rubber tires for improved traction and traditional railway steel wheels for guidance through conventional switches. Montreal has steep hills with inclines beyond the capability of steel wheels alone. Engineering projects and maintenance occur throughout the bus and rail infrastructure. The maintenance shop performs upgrades and repairs for the trains.
Substantial Investment Plan
STM’s “Organizational Strategic Plan 2025” provides a 10-year strategy, including many bus and metro projects. The C$8 billion investment plan for 2015 to 2025 focuses on improving customer transit experience. The plan initiates a shift that aims to both qualitatively and quantitatively improve the customer experience. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives like converting to electric buses are also included.
Project Execution Barriers
The strategic plan involves many projects to engineer the design, procure materials, construct upgrades and obtain new assets. Fundamental to the success of the plan requires an examination of STM’s engineering software tools.
Engineering Project Execution
The execution of the plan involves a complex set of timed engineering projects with performance penalties if behind schedule. A study by McKinsey has shown that 98 percent of projects are completed behind schedule and over budget. Obviously, this poor performance would have a serious negative impact on STM’s strategic plan.
Large Ecosystem for Engineering Projects
STM engages with multiple contractors across various projects involving trains, buses, stations, and related infrastructure. This ecosystem includes about 20 major contractors, hundreds of smaller contractors, and their subcontractors. Individual engineers and contractors phase in and out of a project over its lifespan of 5 to 8 years.
Evils of Balkanized Engineering Data
Storing and managing engineering information using hardcopy documents in file cabinets is problematic. Engineers typically spend 30 percent of their time searching for information, which negatively impacts productivity. Too often, they also end up with older versions. Perhaps a holdover from hardcopy prints in file cabinets, each siloed engineering department stores its copy of drawings with its markups. Unfortunately, older versions of the documents are retained, and the markups are not shared.
When an engineering department edits a document or makes a change that affects another department’s records, the change stays local and is not known by others. Hardcopy documents and Adobe files in a server do not accommodate automated business processes for synchronization across silos. Manual processes – like remembering to send an email – often fail. This issue gets magnified with the ecosystem of contractors and subcontractors involved in a project. Balkanized engineering data leads to using outdated information, rework, schedule delays, and cost overruns.
Weak Information Management Compromises Project KPIs
The key cause of poor project performance involves the use of outdated engineering information and documents. This cascades into many problems, including ordering of wrong materials, fabricating components out of specifications, construction errors, and a variety of other issues. Recovery requires rework that adds costs and creates schedule delays. Sometimes the rework cannot fully bring the work back within specifications causing design compromises. The project KPIs – on-time, in-budget, and within specifications – are compromised.
Modernization Enabler
Fundamental to the execution of a project within the common leading KPIs – on-time, inbudget, and within specs – is getting all participants “on the same page” and using current information. This includes the extended enterprise comprising STM’s engineers, suppliers, and subcontractors.
Common Engineering Information
Asset information changes many times during an asset’s lifecycle, from asset creation through operations and maintenance and to end-of-life. Data about the asset are handed over numerous times from engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms; supply chain partners; owner-operators; and internally within each of these organizations. Valuable data can be lost, misinterpreted, or keyed in incorrectly. Tag and equipment data are difficult to manage because they are often in differing formats, exist in various applications and systems, and transmitted by different means. Naming conventions and asset hierarchy provide additional avenues for divergence.
Managing asset information is difficult among balkanized organizations with independent workflows and KPIs. Balkanized data is often found in mutually distrusting and sometimes hostile groups or functions within an organization. This dysfunction commonly involves the design/build process for assets among the engineering, procurement, and construction functions. It also occurs during the operate and maintain phase of an asset’s lifecycle for reliability engineering, maintenance, control engineering, and others. A common repository for asset information breaks through these barriers by connecting silos to provide access to data and information. This enables an integrated view of the asset’s information, documentation, and data throughout its lifecycle across the traditionally siloed functional perspectives.
Fit Types of Users
STM organized access to the engineering data via mobility devices along three types of users:
Engineering software application user
Technician executing a work order
Casual user including subcontractors and management
Each type of user has specific permissions that fit their roles. This includes organization, locations within that organization, physical location, and permission levels. Permissions has two choices i.e., read/write access, or read only which does not permit editing.
Business Process Automation
Business process execution involves cross-functional activities. For example, a change in the maintenance strategy for an asset by the reliability team evolves into changes needed in other areas like maintenance or inspections. Manual approaches, such as email, phone calls, or paperwork orders, are unreliable, often leading to lost alerts and continuing with the old way of doing things. Business process automation ensures that the alerts go to the correct people and the needed action can be confirmed. In addition, a dashboard provides visibility to open alerts.
Meridian Implementation
SolidCAD has been partnering with STM for the last 20+ years to implement, support and train resources with Meridian.
Being the largest Autodesk partner and the only Accruent Meridian partner in Canada brought extensive value to STM, as SolidCAD has been able to deliver tailor made configurations to different engineering departments within STM. Software such as AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Inventor or even Revit are heavily used and generated file formats are handled in Meridian.
When an engineer opens a document in any of these CAD platforms, the file comes from the Meridian server for the engineering information. Saved changes also go into Meridian.
Conclusion
STM has been using Accruent Meridian since 2001. With each new project, its use expanded and now encompasses 12 different engineering departments for a wide variety of assets – buses, trains, lines, and infrastructure. It has proven to substantially reduce the use of the wrong document version and the associated rework. This also improved engineering productivity by nearly eliminating searching for information. The reduced rework and improved engineering productivity enables delivery of projects on time, within budget, and within specifications.
For further information or to provide feedback on this article, please contact your account manager or the author at rrio@arcweb.com. ARC Views are published and copyrighted by ARC Advisory Group. The information is proprietary to ARC and no part of it may be reproduced without prior permission from ARC.
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Organizations recognize the need for an electronic document management solution to store and manage their documentation
In many cases to fulfill their business needs the decision is to use a ‘Generic’ document management solution. In the beginning, it seems to be a cost-effective solution however in reality a ‘Generic’ document management solution is missing key features such as:
Key Feature
Description
Benefits
Document Lifecycle
Create, Store, Share, Revise and Archive
Easy Access, Cost Efficient, Integrated, Secure and Increased Productivity
Automated Workflows
Access Control, Permissions, Edit, Review, Approve and Issue
Easier Collaboration, Improved Document Quality, Streamlined Metrics, Audit Trail, Time, and Money Savings
Management of Change
Request, Initiate, Create, Version, Review, Update, Approve and Implement
Increased Productivity, Effective Communication, Better Teamwork and Collaboration
There are several ‘Generic’ document management solutions available, like Dropbox Business, Google Docs, Microsoft SharePoint, PDFelement Pro. Today, many businesses continue to rely on these types of solutions for their document management needs. Their reasons are generally:
‘It’s what we have always used.’
‘It’s saving us money by avoiding the implementation costs of a fit for purpose document management solution.
Unfortunately, hindsight is 20-20 and Organizations realize the implementation of a ‘Generic’ document management solution came with limited capabilities such as no document lifecycle, management of change, and workflow functionality. This causes inefficient processes, and additional costs according to a McKinsey Global Institute report:
Employees spend the average of 1.8 hours per day or 9.3 hours per week searching and collecting document information.
Approximately 20% of business time – the equivalent to one day per week is squandered by employees searching for documentation to do their job effectively.
The McKinsey Global Institute data shows a knowledgeable employee spends 2.5 hours per day or 30% of the workday searching for document information.
To remedy the ‘Generic’ document management solution’s inefficient functionality additional budget is utilized to customize the functionality to allow for more efficient functionality and processes. These customizations can cause the document management to become unstable and may void any software warranties.
Generic Document Management Solutions can work
Generic document management solutions like Dropbox Business, Google Docs, Microsoft SharePoint, PDFelement Pro and other ‘Generic’ solutions are appropriate for:
Small to mid-sized Organizations.
Only basic document management functionality is required.
Collaboration across departments or external parties is not required.
These solutions tend to work as a digital filing cabinet, allowing Documentation to be saved and shared to groups in an accessible location. This only functions for non-technical Documentation that don’t require technical reviews or approvals. It provides:
The ability to save, search and share internally across the Organization.
Cloud-based file synchronization.
Mobile device access.
User friendly and easy access to main page, libraries, and lists.
WHERE GENERIC DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS FAIL
While these ‘Generic’ Management Solutions provide a role, the robust functionality required to manage engineering and technical documentation in a project environment is lacking.
‘Generic’ Document Management Solutions work best is in a static documentation lifecycle from create to archive. Typically, there are three main documentation lifecycles:
Lifecycles
Description
Concurrent
Create, Simultaneous Reviews, Simultaneous Revisions, Approve, Finalize, Issue and Archive
Dynamic
Create, Review, Revise, Approve, Finalize, Issue and Archive
Static
Create, No Changes, Issue and Archive
Concurrent and dynamic documentation lifecycles are commonly applied to engineering and technical documentation within a project or facility environment. Due to nature of the project and facility environments these documentation types generally follow a rigorous management of change process involving multiple reviews, revisions, and approvals. This causes the documentation to be difficult to manage, access and distribute to the stakeholders.
Organizations try to integrate Construction Information, Design Information, ‘Generic’ Document, Finance Information and to the ‘Generic’ Document and Finance Information Management Solution which can cause additional challenges due to the complexities of the integration between the systems along with the limited functionality of the ‘Generic’ Document Management.
THE TRUE VALUE OF MERIDIAN ENTERPRISE AND MERIDIAN CLOUD
To effectively manage, access and distribute the unstructured engineering and non-technical documentation requires a robust document management solution powered by for a purpose-built document management system like Meridian Enterprise and Cloud.
Unfortunately, Organizations struggling with the limitations of their current ‘Generic’ Document Management Solution often struggle to measure and rationalize the benefits of a dedicated Document Management Solution.
Quantifiable benefits to better understand the Return On Investment (ROI) for a Document Management Solution.
STREAMLINE AND CONTROL DOCUMENTATION SHARING
DIFFICULTY: MANAGING PROJECT AND FACILITY DOCUMENTATION
Organizations often have difficulties managing their medium-to-large projects and facilities due to their inter-department, multi-discipline, and external resources allocated to the projects and facilities. This leads to mishandled documentation because of the multiple reviews, revisions, and approval cycles required to ensure the organizational, legal, and regulatory requirements are adhered.
An example is a ‘XREF’ file an ‘external reference’ to another drawing file or component. One file can reference multiple files then display them as if they were one file. ‘XREF’ files can be revised, attached, or removed from the main drawing. ‘XREF’ drawings can reference other ‘XREF’ drawings within them called ‘nesting’. Throughout the documentation handover process from the projects to facilities or external resources to the projects, this documentation is often mismanaged then required by the maintenance or operations personnel.
This type of documentation mismanagement can impact maintenance times and safety leading to additional cost and re-work.
SOLUTION: MERIDIAN
Meridian streamlines the project and facility documentation management by utilizing a controlled digital environment to manage the Organizations ‘incoming’ and ‘outgoing’ submissions from their inter-department, multi-discipline, and external resources. This controlled digital environment eliminates the necessity to use uncontrolled or unsanctioned tools such as Dropbox, network drives or email to transfer project, facility legal and regulatory documentation.
ELIMINATE EXCESSIVE AND UNPLANNED EXPENSES
DIFFICULTY: HIGH COSTS DUE TO A ‘GENERIC’ DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTION
The maintenance of a ‘Generic’ Document Management Solution and the ‘make it work’ strategy becomes very expensive to manage. The Organization’s IT team often don’t have the extensive training or experience to customize, maintain, and overcome the limitations of the ‘Generic’ Document Management Solutions.
This type of excessive and unplanned expenses can cause added pressure to the IT team.
SOLUTION: MERIDIAN
Meridian’s Software as Service (SaaS) subscription provides the complete maintenance, support, upgrades, and patches required. The upgrades are provided quarterly, and all users are actively invited to suggest improvements in the application. Outsourcing the system design, maintenance and services reduces the Organizations internal IT team’s maintenance and labor costs by more than 50% when compared to a ‘Generic’ Document Management Solutions maintenance.
OPTIMIZE THE FACILITY MAINTENANCE DOCUMENTATION
DIFFICULTY: INADEQUATE WORK ORDER AND MAINTENANCE DOCUMENTATION
The ‘Generic’ Document Management Solution, project and facility engineers’, technicians, and inter-departmental personnel struggle to locate the correct documentation and specific revisions. This occurs because they are required to search multiple systems. Once the work order or maintenance
documentation is located, it’s difficult to verify the documentation is the latest revision and latest information. This can drastically slow down the work order and maintenance package preparation leading to:
Errors
Safety Issues
Higher Costs
Undocumented Changes
Bootleg Revisions
Lack of a Single Source of Truth
SOLUTION: MERIDIAN
Meridian provides a single source for all documentation with several ways to search for all types of critical documentation, drawings, and associated assets. A user can locate the documentation required via an asset search, location, asset name and several other identifiers. In just a few mouse clicks, the maintenance teams will have all their required information necessary to complete the task efficiently with less man hours.
Users can also easily mark-up documentation on their mobile device, adding comments and pictures to submit management of change requests directly to the project and facilities teams in Meridian. This type of access allows the most current documentation on any device anywhere.
Organizations can ensure that the project, facility engineers’, technicians, and inter-departmental personnel can execute work orders efficiently, reducing errors, unnecessary trips, and prep time when executing work-orders. This leads to a reduction in the time, lower associated labor costs, lower preparation, and delivery times. Meridian could save your engineers’, technicians, and inter-departmental personnel approx. an hour a day.
Calculation:# of Personnelx$X (hourly rate)x 1 hr. =YOUR POTENTIAL
This would provide faster issue remediation and the ability to use the savings in other ways.
REDUCE OPERATING EXPENDITURES
DIFFICULTY: HIGH LICENSE AND PAPER EXPENSES
There are significant costs associated with providing documentation to the correct recipients in a timely manner this generally includes printing, copying, collating and courier pick-ups and deliveries to various stakeholders. If any of these tasks are delayed or missed this could cause schedule delays and unnecessary added cost. A dedicated Document Management Solution can eliminate these unnecessary schedule delays and added costs.
SOLUTION: MERIDIAN
Meridian offers solutions to both problems. With Meridian, Organizations can often consolidate vendors and licenses into one system, reducing the costs associated with duplicate legacy ‘Generic’ Document Solutions and associated systems. Additionally, by allowing users to access the most up-to-date documentation on any device, Meridian eliminates a large quantity of manual labor thus assisting the Organizations to execute scopes of work and maintenance on schedule and budget. This ultimately leads to savings not only in project and facility costs but also stakeholder time and employee efficiency.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In short, the true cost of maintaining a ‘Generic’ Document or Legacy solution is higher than you might expect. Thanks to the large inadequacies (and increasing costs) that come with these solutions, these ‘Generic’ solutions increase an Organizations time, efficiency, and revenue in the long run.
Managing Auditoriums, Hospitals, Educational Facilities, Hotels and Data Center Documents, Equipment, Content and Meta Data is a Challenge to say the Least.
The 2019 Intelligent Information Management Benchmark Report Indicates:
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT ISSUES
These issues can cause a loss of productivity to the tune of 21%. To put a dollar amount to this stat poor document management can cost up to $4,000 per employee per month.
This number only accounts for the actual monetary losses due to poor productivity. The cost gets even higher when you take into consideration potential losses, such as upset clients and missed opportunities.
If you don’t have a clear and standardized approach to Information Management, your business is likely hemorrhaging capital.
In this blog, we will show you how Meridian can assist in the Initiation, Planning, Execution and Control stages of managing types of buildings such as Auditoriums, Stadiums, Hospitals, Educational Facilities and Data Centers.
MERIDIAN FOR AN AUDITORIUM
An Auditorium is a large building or hall designed to accommodate large audiences and they are used for public gatherings, typically speeches or stage performances. Buildings such as opera, theater, assembly hall, exhibit halls, etc. would also have the same design considerations as an auditorium.
The Engineering, Construction, Procurement and Maintenance teams require an Information Management System with Meridian’s functionality to manage the Documents, Equipment, Content, and their associated Meta Data to Design, Construct, Build and Maintain the Building Structures, Bathrooms, Change Rooms, Furniture, and Maintenance Equipment since these are the Key Components for the Overall Planning, Designing, Building and Maintenance of an Auditorium.
MERIDIAN DOCUMENT, EQUIPMENT CLASSIFICATION, CONTENT MANAGEMENT CONTENT
Building: Architectural, Electrical, Piping, Structural and Maintenance
Chairs: Foldable Chairs
Lights: Downlights, Wall Mount Lights and LED Lights
Furniture & Fixtures: Podium Tables, Dressing Rooms, Green Room, and Dinner Room
Security: CCTV
Material & Fabric: Curtains, and Seat Fabric
Insulation: Soundproofing
Digital Signage
HVAC: Heating and Air Conditioning
CASE STUDY PROJECT: AUDITORIUM
In this project an Engineering Procurement Construction company developed lightweight and parametric electrical lighting fixtures. The project included creating, reviewing, revising, and approving the documents, content and assigning equipment identifiers by categorizing into 3 Types of Lighting Fixtures- Indoor, Outdoor & Decorative.
The Engineering, Procurement, Construction team required a single source Information Management System with Meridian’s functionality to manage the Documents, Equipment, Content, and their associated Meta Data to manage the Documents, Equipment, Content, and their associated Meta Data to Design, Construct, Build and Maintain the Building Structures, Bathrooms, Change Rooms, Furniture, and Maintenance Equipment since these are the Key Components for the Overall Planning, Designing, Building and Maintenance of an Auditorium.
MERIDIAN FOR A HOSPITAL
Hospitals usually are a multi-story building with multiple patient rooms, operation theaters, and a large quantity of medical equipment. The facility aims at delivering a message to patients, visitors one that conveys welcoming, caring, comfort, and compassion, commitment to patient well-being and safety.
The Engineering, Construction, Procurement and Maintenance teams would require Meridian to manage documents, equipment, content and associated meta data for the design, construction, building and maintenance for the Building Structure, Medical Equipment, Patient Bed, Operation Rooms, and Maintenance since these are the key components for the overall planning, designing and maintenance of a healthcare facility.
MERIDIAN DOCUMENT, EQUIPMENT CLASSIFICATION, CONTENT MANAGEMENT
Building: Architectural, Electrical, Piping, Structural and Maintenance
CCTV: Security Equipment
Patient Room: Beds, Lights, Medical Trunking; Headwall
Operation Rooms: Beds, Stretcher, Medical Equipment
Lights: Downlights, Wall Mount Lights and LED Lights
Waiting Room: Benches, Chairs and Tables
Nurses Station
Conference Room: Tables, Chairs, Computers, Screens and Projectors
Cafeteria: Tables, Chairs and Kitchen Equipment
Staff Locker: Cabinets and Bathrooms
Server Room: Computer and Network Equipment
Elevators
HVAC: Heating and Air Conditioning Equipment
CASE STUDY PROJECT: 2021 PANDEMIC RELATED PROJECT
When COVID-19 first occurred like a wrecking ball in early 2020, hospitals were among the most affected. Faced with a huge surge in patients infected with an unknown life-threatening virus, hospitals took immediate action to keep patients and staff safe while quickly moving to adapt to structural needs that were changing by the day.
From day one, the Engineering, Construction, Procurement and Maintenance teams focused on critical issues like upgrading ventilation, creating isolation rooms, expanding emergency departments, and building temporary structures to handle patient overflow. Due to COVID-19 hospitals had to redirect resources to, many facilities had to delay other construction projects while they reassessed their current needs.
Most hospital construction projects were impacted in a variety of ways by the pandemic, according to the 2021 Hospital Construction Survey, which included responses from more than 300 facilities professionals at hospitals.
The survey showed that 76% of respondents have delayed one or more construction projects due to COVID-19, while 29% have canceled at least one project altogether. For projects started before the pandemic, renovation was overwhelmingly the main project delayed, canceled, or fast-tracked. During the pandemic, renovation is also the focus, the survey shows.
The Engineering, Procurement, Construction team required a single source Information Management System with Meridian’s functionality to manage the Building Structures, Bathrooms, Change Rooms, Furniture, and Maintenance Equipment Documents, Equipment, Content, and their associated Meta Data since these are the key components for the planning, designing, building and maintenance of an Auditorium
The Renovations included the addition of:
Isolation Rooms
Upgrade & Replace HVAC Systems
Upgrade & Expand Laboratories
Modified Designs to In Progress Projects
Expedited Drawing Process (Create, Review, Modify, Approve, Construct and Build)
MERIDIAN FOR EDUCATIONAL FACILITY: CLASSROOMS
Educational facilities are buildings or structures used to teach students. It includes Schools, Colleges, and Universities however they can also include Day-Cares, Nurseries, Private Institutions, Fitness Centers, and Sports Venues.
Designing an educational facility certain aspects like daylighting, accessibility for the students, specification of sustainable and non-toxic building materials, etc. are a high priority.
The Engineering, Procurement, Construction team require an Information Management System with Meridian’s functionality to manage the Documents, Equipment, Content, and their associated Meta Data to manage Documents, Equipment, Content and their associated Meta Data for the Design, Construction, Building and Maintenance for the Building Structures, Classrooms, Bathrooms, Change Rooms, Furniture, and Maintenance Equipment since these are the key components for the overall planning, designing, building and maintenance of an Educational Facility.
CASE STUDY PROJECT: HIGH SCHOOL
In this project an Engineering Procurement Construction and Management company completed multi-phased project at a high school throughout the school year. The students were moved around the school to allow construction to continue. The project included hazardous material abatement, demolition and renovation to the library, science room, sports venue, washrooms, common areas and home economic labs. Structural modernization to the exterior, replacing and modifying the windows to allow for more natural light.
The Engineering, Procurement, Construction team required a single source Information Management System with Meridian’s functionality to manage the various types of the hazardous material abatement, demolition and renovation to the library, science room, sports venue, washrooms, common areas and home economic lab Documents, Equipment, Content, and their associated Meta Data.
MERIDIAN FOR EDUCATIONAL FACILITY: SPORTS VENUES
The Sports Venues are generally multi-level, open space, large walkways, stairs, elevators, and a variety of rooms and large seating areas. A Sports Venue is used for indoor or outdoor sports along with concerts, or other events.
The Engineering, Construction, Procurement and Maintenance teams require an Information Management System with Meridian’s functionality to to manage Documents, Equipment, Content and their associated Meta Data for the Design, Construction, Building and Maintenance for the Building Structures, Walkways, Bathrooms, Change Rooms, Stairs, Elevators, and Maintenance Equipment since these are the key components for the overall planning, designing, building and maintenance of a Sports Venue.
MERIDIAN DOCUMENT, EQUIPMENT CLASSIFICATION, CONTENT MANAGEMENT
Building: Architectural, Electrical, Piping, Structural and Maintenance
CCTV: Security Equipment
Change Rooms: Bench
Lights: Downlights, Wall Mount Lights and LED Lights
Rooms: Benches, Chairs and Tables
Conference Room: Tables, Chairs, Computers, Screens and Projectors
Cafeteria: Tables, Chairs and Kitchen Equipment
Staff Locker: Cabinets and Bathrooms
Server Room: Computer and Network Equipment
Elevators
HVAC: Heating and Air Conditioning Equipment
MERIDIAN FOR A HOTEL
Hotels are multi-story buildings with a large quantity of guest rooms and amenities. Hotel space type requires flexibility, durable finishes, attention to regular maintenance, and special HVAC systems and lighting. The rooms specially require comfort for the guests and the other areas’ design often involves skylights and generous glazing areas that provide an infusion of natural light which make them prominent areas well suited to serve ceremonial and social functions.
The Engineering, Construction, Procurement and Maintenance teams require Meridian to manage Documents, Equipment, Content and their associated Meta Data for the Design, Construction, Building and Maintenance for the Building Structures, Guest Rooms, Furniture, and Maintenance Equipment since these are the key components for the overall planning, designing, building and maintenance of a hotel.
MERIDIAN DOCUMENT, EQUIPMENT CLASSIFICATION, CONTENT MANAGEMENT
Building: Architectural, Electrical, Piping, Structural and Maintenance
CCTV: Security Equipment
Hotel Rooms: Beds, Closet, Lights, Table, Chair and Bathroom
Lights: Indoor Lights, Decorative Lights, and LED Lights
Conference Room: Tables, Chairs, Computers, Screens and Projectors
Fitness Centre: Weights and Cardio Equipment
Elevator
HVAC: Heating and Air Conditioning
CASE STUDY PROJECT: MARRIOTT: FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES
The Engineering, Construction, Procurement company completed a remodel and renovation. The project scope included the construction of a public space area and additional guestrooms.
The Engineering, Procurement, Construction team required a single source Information Management System with Meridian’s functionality to manage the various types of Project Documents, Equipment, Content, and their associated Meta Data.
MERIDIAN FOR DATA CENTRES
Data centres are home to the computer, network, power, storage, and applications necessary to support an enterprise business. The data center infrastructure is central to the IT architecture, from which all content is sourced or passes through. Proper planning of the data center infrastructure is critical, and performance, resiliency, and scalability need to be carefully considered while designing one.
The Engineering, Construction, Procurement and Maintenance teams require Meridian to manage Documents, Equipment, Content and their associated Meta Data for the Design, Construction, Building and Maintenance for the Data Centre Server Racks, Power Lines, and HVAC Equipment. Since these are the key components for the overall planning, designing, building and maintenance of a Data Centre.
MERIDIAN DOCUMENT, EQUIPMENT CLASSIFICATION, CONTENT MANAGEMENT
Building: Architectural, Electrical, Piping, Structural and Maintenance
Equipment: Hard Drives, Mounts, Racks, Servers, Switches and Routers
Power Sources: Battery Banks, Generators, UPS
Environmental Control: Computer Room AC (CRAC), HVAC, Exhaust System
Data Centre Cabinets:
Workstations
CASE STUDY PROJECT:
A global Data Centre provided required to a new data hall for a leading cloud services provider with overhead busway. The Data Centre DATABAR system, with the MCMS monitoring system, was installed during COVID-19. Through proper factory safety protocols, The Data Centre was able to maintain the projects required lead times without manufacturing delays due to a single source Information Management System with Meridian’s functionality to manage the various types of Project Documents, Equipment, Content, and their associated Meta Data.
CONCLUSION
Inefficient processes can lead to severe inefficiencies with your Corporate, Contractor, Project, Vendor, Operations, and Maintenance Documents, Equipment, Content and Associated Meta Data. You need a robust electronic information management system to make your processes efficient. Meridian features provide robust capabilities for your enterprise-wide data and documents needs while also meeting your compliance requirements.
The next step is to determine the right Information Management System which is determined by your current Document, Equipment and Content Management pain points and needs.
To learn more about Meridian solutions (EDMS and CMMS) and how they can help your team, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the SolidCAD Meridian Team.
1. Installation Package provides New PowerWeb IIS Application 2. Meridian E-Mail Manager Retired 3. The Default Store Table Data Provider is now Microsoft Access 4. Customizable PowerWeb JavaScript Modules 5. Meridian Cloud Rendering Profiles
MERIDIAN ENTERPRISE SERVER What is Meridian Enterprise Server? Meridian Enterprise Server is the core product in the Meridian Enterprise product suite. It provides centralized, scalable, web services and administration for use with Meridian Enterprise, Accruent Project Portal, and other business systems. Besides the shared services, Meridian Enterprise Server includes the latest generation of Publisher and Meridian Explorer technology.
MERIDIAN POWERWEB What is PowerWeb? Meridian PowerWeb is a web application designed to create, modify, documents and data stored in Meridian. Power users include Engineering Managers, Project Managers, Engineers, Drafting Technicians and Document Management. PowerWeb implements your company’s document and data lifecycle business rules, including automatic document naming, document filing, managing complex AutoCAD and other native reference files including exchanging AutoCAD data with Office files, and other applications. PowerWeb is broken into several sub-sections
CONCEPT
FUNCTION
APPLICATION INTEGRATION
Application Integration: is provided by the Meridian Cloud Connector. The Meridian Cloud Connector can be downloaded and installed from the home page of the Meridian Cloud tenant. The Meridian Cloud Connector installs Site Cache with Local Workspace and provides application integration with MS Office, AutoCAD, and MicroStation applications.
DOCUMENTS
Documents: in a Meridian Enterprise vault are like files in a file system. They are in folders where you can copy, rename, move, and delete them. However, vault documents differ from files in a file system.
The fundamental difference between vault documents and ordinary files is that Meridian Enterprise distinguishes between a document and its contents. A document’s contents may be regarded as the file to which you are accustomed. Meridian Enterprise considers a document to be the file and its container (metadata properties). In Meridian, a document can exist without contents (for example, to represent a hard copy-only document), but contents cannot exist without a container.
EDM PRINCIPLES
Engineering data management (EDM): A generic term for a wide variety of functions. In general, it is the process of managing engineering documents throughout their life cycle, from inception through creation, review, storage, and distribution all the way to archiving or destruction. Depending on specific requirements, document management is different for every customer.
HISTORY
History: The Meridian history feature maintains all changes to vault data over time, including revisions to documents. History is enabled or cleared for each vault by a System Administrator.
The last released revision of a document is always the default one shown in a vault. However, by using the Show Revisions command, you can see all previous revisions and their effective dates
INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC
Industry Specific: Certain industries present unique challenges in document management. When configuring Meridian Enterprise for these industries, consideration must be given to document workflow, revision control, and project workflow.
NAVIGATION VIEWS
Navigation Views: Navigation views are different ways of viewing a vault for different purposes. Each view displays documents organized in a hierarchical tree structure like Windows Explorer, like the following figure. The tree structure is determined by a predefined set of properties. You can use Navigation views to find and select documents according to the property values of the documents. Navigation views help you to find documents based on whatever information you know about the documents that you want to find.
PROJECT WORKFLOW
Project Workflow: The project workflow is a simple two-step workflow that defines the current state of the project. There are only two states available in a project workflow: Open and Closed.
SCOPES
Scopes: Meridian manages a wide variety of documents and the information about them. Scopes are a way of limiting vault functionality and information to named sets that are easier to understand and use. You may select a scope that more closely meets your needs without experiencing information overload.
A scope is used to control the visibility of commands, views, and documents in PowerWeb. By default, PowerWeb provides the following built-in scopes that each correspond to a branch in the vault structure.
SEARCH
Search: It can find either documents or folders. It gives you complete flexibility of the search scope, properties, and conditions. Find can include referenced documents in its results and its results can be saved and shared with other users.
VAULTS
Vaults: A vault is a combination of a Meridian database and a document store. It contains all the documents you place in the vault, the data about those documents, all revisions of those documents made in the vault, and redline data for the documents. If some of your documents use references to other documents, such as with CAD files, then those references between documents will automatically be managed by Meridian. This means that you can move files between folders within the Meridian vault (such as from one project to another), and the references will not be lost, because they are managed by Meridian.
MERIDIAN EXPLORER
What is Explorer Classic?
Meridian Explorer provides an innovative way to browse and search for documents and tags stored in one or more vaults. The main benefits of Meridian Explorer are its powerful search, ease of use, extensive configurability, and scalability. You can easily navigate your way to the document you need and view its information with just a few mouse clicks.
Meridian Explorer provides you with text search capability on both custom metadata properties and document text content. You can also find documents by navigating a folder tree. Best of all, you can search a repository interactively by selecting from specific property values found in the current search results. With this method, you can quickly narrow your search from potentially hundreds of thousands of documents to just the documents you are interested in. Search results are presented in tabular format or as easily recognizable thumbnail images.
The Meridian Explorer Key Features Include:
Incremental synchronization of data, documents or assets and their related metadata from one or more Meridian Enterprise vaults to a Meridian Explorer consolidated repository.
Zero install, web browser-based read-only client. Management of change and engineering change requests.
Electronic redlines are available to be sent to vaults configured with the Meridian Asset Management Module.
Support for server-based viewing.
Configurable property pages, search pages, and views.
What is Cloud Explorer?
Cloud Explorer is a web application for searching and retrieving engineering information.
Target users include Maintenance Managers, Planners, Engineers, Operations Managers, and Operators.
Cloud Explorer allows you to easily locate data, documents or assets and see their related references within your browser. By default, when the Explorer is opened the Explorer Landing Page allows you to view all the data, documents, or assets in the repository, depending on which view is active, Documents or Assets.
If Explorer was opened by another application such a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), you might be viewing only the items in the repository that are related to a document or asset in the other application.
Only documents in the Master or Documentation scopes of a repository are available in Explorer. Data, Documents or Assets in a project or that are archived are not available to you. Filters are implemented to view the items that meet your required criteria.
CONCEPT
FUNCTION
ASSETS
Assets: By default, when Explorer is opened from the landing page, you can see all the assets in the repository, depending on which view is active, Assets. If Explorer was opened by another application such a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), you might be viewing only the items in the repository that are related to an asset in the other application.
DOCUMENTS
Documents: Cloud Explorer lets you easily find documents and see their related counterparts right in your browser. By default, when you first open Explorer from the landing page, you can see all the documents in the repository, depending on which view is active, Documents. If Explorer was opened by another application such a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), you might be viewing only the items in the repository that are related to a document in the other application. Only documents in the Masters or Documentation scopes of a repository are available to you in Explorer. Documents in a project or that are archived are not available to you. You can use filters to see only the items that meet criteria that you determine.
INTERGRATION URLS
Create Integration URLs: You can create dynamic URLs that link users to their asset documents in Explorer. This functionality is typically used with our integrations with CMMS- or GIS-type applications like Maintenance Connection, Maximo, or SAP.
SAVED SEARCHES
Saved Searches: Saving a search stores your search filters so that you can return to the same list of items later. Saved searches, you can:
§ Overwrite an existing saved search with a new result set,
§ Revise the filters and save the new criteria,
§ Share a saved search with another person,
§ Delete a saved search you no longer need
SIGN-IN
Meridian Cloud Sign: Allows you to sign in with either your Google, Microsoft Windows Live, or Azure AD account. You must have an account with one of these services to use Meridian Cloud. Additionally, if your System Administrator has enabled SAML, you can sign in using a SAML Identity Provider. The email address that you use to sign in can be different than the one which was used to invite you.
MERIDIAN PORTAL
What is Meridian Portal?
Meridian Portal is a web application designed to allow Project Documents, Data and Asset Collaboration. Users include Document Management, External Contractors, Regulatory Organizations, and other External End Users.
Meridian Portal provides a Personal Dashboard with Project Document, Data and Asset status reports and packages workflow progress. Meridian Portal contains a central repository for Project Documents, Data and Asset with text search and dynamic filtering to allow users to quickly find what they require. Specific document detail views can be implemented for internal and external use.
The Meridian Portal Key Features of Include:
Internal and external collaboration in a secure cloud-based project portal
Easy-to-use task-based user interface
Formal and informal work packages information exchange
Collaborative document review and approval processes
Automated document compliance and completeness checks
Full audit and history log on actions performed by internal and external participants
CONCEPT
FUNCTION
AUDIT TRAIL
Audit Trail: Meridian Cloud keeps track of almost every activity in the system. Administrators can trace user authentication, access logs, project activities, and even electronic signatures, which are critical for the life sciences industry.
CLIPBOARD
Set Under Change: When a package is received and accepted from a contractor, small modifications on the received documents may be necessary. To support this the documents can be assigned to an internal member.
DASHBOARDS
The Dashboards: Give you valuable insights to your projects, packages, and documents in one place. With them, you can view a variety of metrics and filter the results by project names and dates. If desired, you can export the data in spreadsheet formats for further analysis.
DOCUMENTS
Documents in Portal: Documents are combinations of files managed by Meridian users via one or more workflows. Documents are composed of three “parts”: The source file, the rendition (which can be generated in the system), and the document metadata. Document metadata consists of document properties, used to capture information to describe the document details. As documents are revised, Portal tracks the changes to the document and records these changes as are saved as revisions in the document’s history.
PACKAGES
Packages: Meridian Cloud packages contain documents for the exclusive use of the project members to which the packages are issued. Packages can be used as submittals and transmittals between project teams. A transmittal sheet (Microsoft Excel workbook) is included for package content verification. Packages are also used to exchange documents between Meridian Cloud and Meridian Enterprise. Project members can download documents from packages. Meridian Cloud assigns a status to each package for each step in its life cycle to make finding, tracking, and processing packages easier.
PROJECTS
Projects: The primary workspaces in Meridian Portal. After you create projects, you can invite others to join the projects via email. Meridian Portal uses containers called packages within projects to assign sets of documents to other project members for action. After the recipients accept their project invitations, they can work with the packages that are assigned to them. They can also upload documents of their own to packages in the projects.
Projects in Meridian Portal can be linked to projects in PowerWeb at the project-level.
QUICK SHARES
Quick Shares: Quick Share is a temporary package that you can create to share documents with other project members securely. Quick Shares expire after 30 days and then are deleted automatically. They are not otherwise tracked by Meridian Portal, so you should use them only for informally sharing documents, not as official transmittals.
To learn more about how Meridian 2022 and the CMMS solution can help your team, don’t hesitate to contact the SolidCAD Meridian Team.
Does your company need an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) with the ability to manage your Corporate, Contractor, Project, Vendor, Operations, and Maintenance data and documents while continuing to practice consistent Information Management practices.
The following features are a must.
1. File Structure
Consistency matters. Like navigating around your house, it’s nice to know where everything is and that items are placed in a logical order (hopefully your kitchenware isn’t found in your bathroom). The same holds true for managing your data and documents. Knowing where your data and documents are, and how to locate it leads to streamlined processes, productivity, shareability and consistency across multiple projects and facilities.
How you organize your file structure and where the data and documents are stored is seen as an overall map to your Electronic Document Management System (EDMS).
2. Security
Your vital data and documents should not only be stored but also protected. An Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) with the capability to provide security roles allow your users to perform specific actions on specific data and documents. Security roles are named sets of security privileges. Each security privilege controls a specific command or function that can be either granted or revoked. Your users or groups are assigned to security roles for specific folders in a project or facility.
By default, your users can perform the same actions on data and documents. If additional control is required, the privileges of security roles can be updated by the folder and document type.
3. Ease of Use
Ease of Use is a subjective topic. Your users will find an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) easy-to-use by reducing the number of “clicks” used to manage the data and document information.
The Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) – Meridian creates a rendition (copy of a document in a format other than the original) Typically, the rendition is in a noneditable format and is distributed only for reference or hard copy printing while the original, editable source document is not distributed outside of the organization. Examples of rendition formats are Portable Document Format (PDF) and Autodesk Drawing Web Format (DWF). Renditions can often be created by the same application that is used to edit the original document or they can be created by a different application. In some cases, the renditions are stored in a separate project or Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)
4. Access
More than 70% of the population is continuing to work remotely, an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) solution should offer a great remote and mobile user experience. This will ensure tasks and transactions are continued when remote or on-the-go.
A robust file type support is a key Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) feature allowing a wide range of support from various applications like AutoCAD, AutoDesk and other design applications to common file types like Word, PDF, JPEG, PNG, TIF, and more. Additionally with the emerging file formats like 3D, panoramic, virtual reality, and augmented reality an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) must have the capabilities to support them.
6. Search
Have you ever tried shuffling through a disorganized stack of papers and folders, you know how much time is wasted doing the cumbersome task. The Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) – Meridian makes organizing, searching, and managing data and documents easier to ease the painful process.
Meridian’s optical character recognition technology and global search capabilities enhance the data and document searchability based on their attributes such as the name and title. The data and documents can also be stored using their name, title, number, and type attributes as well as others. This increases the search and retrieval speed by utilizing a full-text search and attribute categories criteria.
7. Version Control
Version control is a method of organizing the file structure, so your data and documents are filed in an easy-to-trace order. Version control allows your employees to track and monitor document changes by creating updated versions of the document each time it’s modified. It enables you to track how the document has been modified and evolved. The version control number is updated when a document is edited, indicating that you see the most recent version.
Version control is extremely useful when several of your employees are working on the same document simultaneously. In addition, it enables each document modifier to understand the review process and see how a document has changed and who has made modifications in the past.
8. Software Integration
A robust software integration service can boost your company’s overall efficiency. Integration with software such as AutoCAD, Revit, MicroStation, SAP and 3rd party Construction Maintenance Management Software.
Like when you prune a plant, pruning your outdated software can lead to better, more efficient growth. When your outdated or broken software pieces aren’t taking up your company’s storage capacity anymore, you’ll get to work at faster speeds. As a result, you’ll be able to accomplish more with your software. Furthermore, you can also get rid of other inefficiencies like data and document duplication. Synchronize your data and documents using Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) – Meridian this will mean fewer mistakes and better accuracy, which will also contribute to your business efficiency.
9. Workflows
More than 70% of the population is working remotely, and to accommodate, 75% of businesses are already using applications with workflows. While we were still working from the office, it was easier to define, track and remind your team members of their daily tasks. But it became difficult with the implementation of the work from home model. Now even post-pandemic, the world still prefers working from home or a hybrid model of working. So how do you track or remind your team members of outstanding tasks?
The answer is simple; you can track the daily activities by using a workflow. The Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) – Meridian contains ad hoc workflow requirements in an environment to support work processes, including concurrent document modification practices, batch plotting, created work packages and multiple files.
10. E-Signatures
Do you think you waste too much time signing papers or documents? Your employees format a document, print it, sign it, and scan into the computer. It takes both time and money. In this digital age, there are new software innovations, like e-signatures. E-signature lets your employees sign documents in seconds. The business world acknowledges the advantages of these techniques for digital signatures. It is a comfortable and effective way to sign electronic documents. E-signatures prevent unnecessary delays also; it is a secure way to sign documents because traditional signatures can be forged or copied.
The Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) – Meridian e-signature provides a fast service to you and your company. This feature allows you to sign documents in seconds and enables you to send the signed documents without the need of envelopes, stamps, or delivery costs. It’s time to quit your traditional ink pen signature method. With the e-signature, it cuts down turnaround time by more than 80%.
Final Thoughts
Inefficient processes can lead to severe inefficiencies with your Corporate, Contractor, Project, Vendor, Operations, and Maintenance data and documents. You need a robust electronic document management system (EDMS) to make your processes efficient. The Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) – Meridian features provide robust capabilities for your enterprise-wide data and documents needs while also meeting your compliance requirements.
The next step is to determine the right Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) which was determined by your current Data and Document Management review and identified pain points and needs.
To learn more about Meridian solutions (EDMS and CMMS) and how they can help your team, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the SolidCAD Meridian team.
Benefits of Accruent Meridian
