Why Integrating Cloud PLM With Microsoft 365 Is a Game Changer

Nowadays, Microsoft 365 is the preferred software suite for creating and maintaining documents. Cloud authoring tools like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel offer advanced editing capabilities that simplify the creation of procedures, proposals, reports, and other business documentation.

As manufacturing companies increasingly embrace modern cloud product lifecycle management (PLM) and quality management system (QMS) solutions to enhance collaboration and speed product development, it becomes essential to fully integrate their supporting Microsoft documents with these systems for complete traceability, visibility, and revision control.

In this interview, Arena Product Manager Alan Goodrich discusses how the new Cloud Documents Connection for Microsoft 365 in Arena PLM and QMS supports these needs while also helping product teams maximize productivity.

WHAT WERE THE KEY DRIVERS BEHIND THE ADDITION OF THE CLOUD DOCUMENTS CONNECTION FOR MICROSOFT 365 IN ARENA’S LATEST PLM AND QMS SOFTWARE RELEASE?

Alan: Moving to the Cloud is not exclusive to PLM and QMS; it’s widespread across numerous business enterprises. The Cloud offers a more efficient way to work, especially for global engineering, operations, quality, regulatory, and supply chain teams who are not all under the same roof. Since most Arena customers use Microsoft’s cloud document authoring programs like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, we connect these applications to Arena PLM and QMS as a single source of controlled documentation.

The new Cloud Documents Connection in Arena eliminates any upload, download, check-in, and check-out steps required with traditional PLM solutions. Using Arena, organizations manage documents more efficiently.

WHAT IS THE MOST EXCITING/IMPORTANT ASPECT OF CONNECTING MICROSOFT 365 DOCUMENTS WITH ARENA FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE?

Alan: The ability to edit and release document revisions directly in Arena without downloading and uploading from Microsoft is a game changer. Other Cloud PLM and QMS solutions at most allow you to search and grab files from Microsoft. We extend the capability further by establishing permanent links between Microsoft documents and the product record.

With this tight connection, users can open the latest draft in Arena and continue to make edits until the document is ready for approval and release. In turn, teams gain greater visibility into working, in-review, and completed files.

Essentially, organizations can fully leverage collaboration in the Cloud while maintaining document accuracy, security, traceability, and revision control within Arena. The Arena Watermarking feature streamlines processes further by automatically generating PDFs to help companies expedite reviews and meet regulatory requirements.

DESCRIBE THE PROCESS FOR SETTING UP THE CLOUD DOCUMENTS CONNECTION IN ARENA.

Alan: Because the Cloud Documents Connection runs on an API, there’s no need for users to download or install any software. Through the Microsoft Azure portal, which is like the IT command center for managing the account, customers can register Arena as an application. They will obtain three unique values to paste into the Arena workspace setting and configure the connection. Subsequently, users with a valid Microsoft login credential can access the functionality within Arena. It’s that simple!

WHICH PRODUCT TEAMS (OR USERS) ARE MOST LIKELY TO USE THIS NEW CAPABILITY? HOW WILL IT IMPACT THEIR DAILY WORK ROUTINE?

Alan: Anyone who authors and collaborates on product and quality documentation will benefit from this new capability. This includes document control, regulatory, quality, engineering, project managers, and training managers. The connection helps these teams reduce manual, repetitive tasks and stay focused on high-value work.

WHAT TYPES OF DOCUMENTS WILL USERS ROUTINELY MANAGE IN ARENA THROUGH THE CLOUD DOCUMENTS CONNECTION?

Alan: The connection is ideal for Microsoft documents that need to be revision-controlled, referenced in product literature, compiled as regulatory evidence, and/or distributed to employees and external partners for product development and other supporting business activities. Examples include standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, company policies, nonconformance reports, and product specifications.

WHAT FEEDBACK HAVE YOU RECEIVED FROM CUSTOMERS SINCE THE RELEASE OF THIS NEW FUNCTIONALITY?

Alan: Early on, many customers provided us with valuable insights that informed the design and functionality of the connection. They appreciate the time savings and efficiency it offers. There are fewer clicks needed to get a document to the next iteration and fewer copies of documents floating across their personal computers. Customers also find the setup process straightforward and appreciate its simplicity.

DO YOU SEE FURTHER EXPANSION FOR THE USE OF ARENA’S CLOUD DOCUMENTS CONNECTION CAPABILITY?

Alan: We’re planning to connect Arena with more authoring tools like Google in upcoming software releases. This is an exciting and rapidly evolving area, driven by advances in AI. We will keep gathering customer feedback to ensure future PLM and QMS integrations continue to deliver the most value to our users.

Learn more about the Cloud Documents Connection and Arena’s document management capabilities. Watch the on-demand demo or visit our web page.