OpenBOM vs Propel PLM

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Our analysts compared OpenBOM vs Propel PLM based on data from our 400+ point analysis of PLM Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

OpenBOM Software Tool

Product Basics

OpenBOM is a cloud product lifecycle management tool that governs product data, purchases and supply chains for manufacturing and engineering organizations. It helps bridge the gap between communication and data management, and optimize production operations. It offers effective collaboration tools for individuals, groups and businesses around the world along with production and procurement planning.

Real-time bill of material (BOM) updates, data sharing, instant calculations and purchase planning are some of its primary functions.
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Propel PLM is a solution designed to facilitate the management of a product's lifecycle from start to finish. Users can initiate the production of top-notch quality and original products that hit the market faster while decreasing costs, raising product throughput and establishing internal collaboration.

Some of the key accessories Propel PLM possesses include computer-aided design (CAD) integration, bill of materials (BOMs) management, regulation compliance and cost supervision.
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$40/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$35 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Assistance

Documentation
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24/7 Live Support
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Product Insights

  • All-in-One Databank: Pair part numbers, descriptions, modifications, costs, suppliers and more with an item for thorough data records. 
  • Monitor BOM Changes: Govern and track BOM changes as well as make updates to a BOM. 
  • One-Click BOMs: Develop BOMs with the push of a button instead of manually counting material, saving time and effort. 
  • Swift Data Sharing: Activate instant data sharing in just one click of a button or with automatic role-based content sharing with various team views. 
  • Improved Collaboration: OpenBOM streamlines communication and data sharing among teams, enabling seamless collaboration across departments and locations.
  • Enhanced Productivity: Its intuitive interface and automated workflows streamline processes, reducing manual tasks and increasing efficiency.
  • Reduced Costs: By eliminating data silos and automating tasks, OpenBOM helps businesses minimize waste and optimize resource allocation.
  • Increased Agility: Its cloud-based platform provides real-time data access and enables rapid response to market changes.
  • Improved Decision-Making: OpenBOM provides comprehensive data analysis and reporting, empowering users to make informed decisions based on accurate insights.
  • Enhanced Compliance: Its robust security measures and audit trails ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards.
  • Scalability: OpenBOM's flexible architecture accommodates the growing needs of businesses, enabling seamless expansion as operations scale.
  • Increased Innovation: By freeing up resources and improving collaboration, OpenBOM fosters a culture of innovation and encourages out-of-the-box thinking.
  • Improved Supplier Management: Its integrated supplier portal simplifies communication and collaboration with suppliers, streamlining procurement processes.
  • Reduced Risk: OpenBOM's centralized data repository and version control minimize the risk of data loss and errors.
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  • Accelerated Innovation: Propel PLM streamlines product development processes, enabling teams to bring new products to market faster by automating tasks, centralizing data, and fostering collaboration.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: The platform provides a central hub for cross-functional teams to share ideas, track progress, and make informed decisions, fostering a collaborative and efficient work environment.
  • Improved Product Quality: Propel PLM's robust change management and traceability features help ensure product quality by providing a comprehensive record of product changes and enabling teams to identify and address potential issues early on.
  • Reduced Costs: The software helps businesses reduce costs by eliminating redundant tasks, optimizing resource allocation, and minimizing errors through its automated workflows and centralized data management.
  • Increased Agility: Propel PLM empowers teams to adapt quickly to changing market demands by providing real-time visibility into product data, enabling them to make informed decisions and adjust product specifications swiftly.
  • Improved Compliance: The platform helps businesses comply with industry regulations and standards by providing comprehensive audit trails, version control, and traceability features.
  • Enhanced Decision-Making: Propel PLM provides powerful analytics and reporting tools that empower teams to make data-driven decisions, optimize product design, and identify areas for improvement.
  • Scalability and Flexibility: The software is designed to scale with growing businesses, accommodating the increasing complexity of product portfolios and the evolving needs of diverse teams.
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  • Effortless Integrations: Merge with computer-aided design (CAD) systems as well as other PLM and ERP solutions. 
  • Automatic BOM Updates: Generate and update BOMs from any CAD application with this apparatus. 
  • Instant Calculations: Fuse numerous assemblies into one multi-faceted BOM and immediately cipher all data required for product planning and purchasing. 
  • Data Sharing: Initiate instant sharing with real-time collaboration and concurrent editing tools that ensure information is current and distributed to the right people. 
  • Purchase Planning: Adjust the amount of products, track inventory levels on hand and execute automatic purchase order generation procedures. 
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  • Immediate Collaboration: Propel PLM offers a collaboration accessory that's equipped with whole data transparency, teamwork across the entire company, blended analytics and full access control. When users connect people, systems and procedures with this tool, they can make better business choices and rupture project silos. 
  • Interchange Information: Users can use the collaboration tool to employ relevant upgrades in user adoption rates. These upgrades will enable users to swiftly trade information with the sales, services and product groups to get their merchandise out to the market sooner. 
  • Create Edits and Cancellations: This program offers enhanced adaptability, clarity and efficiency when contrasting and supervising product versions. Users can review and compare revisions without interrupting workflows. This accessory enables users to effectively cancel any product traits such as bill of materials (BOMs), pricing, product catalog attributes and structure rules to specifically pinpoint what changed and where. 
  • Administer All BOMs: Users can use the BOM management tool to safely share their current BOM information and cooperate with several internal teams, suppliers and partners connected to the product's lifecycle. Users can plot and conceive all product options and features to formulate the ideal business decisions.  
  • Manage Changes and Revisions: Propel PLM's change management accessory enables users to adjust the precise approval work procedures and monitors product updates throughout the entire value sequence. Users can seamlessly evaluate and validate workflows from their phone, tablet or laptop thanks to Propel PLM's cloud-based deployability.  
  • Task and Project Accomplishment: Users can supervise and trace project accomplishments with Propel PLM's active collaboration and data transparency. This module can assist users in supervising project schedules and collaborating with suppliers, internal team members and manufacturers. Users speed up production by recognizing and rectifying the precise causes of delays and downtimes. 
  • Integrate Computer-Aided Designs (CADs): Propel PLM can integrate with on-premise or cloud-based CAD solutions to produce parts, BOMs and change orders. This integration permits users to expedite time to market, dwindle errors, reinforce innovation, gain prompt teamwork, automatically formulate parts and receive thorough 3D CAD visualization. 
  • Oversee Costs and Profits: Users can deplete costs and boost profits with effective design, supply chain maximization and precautionary maintenances. Propel PLM traces, supervises and studies material, prototype, labor, maintenance, production and supply chain so users can assess product growth and linked profit margins.  
  • Intricate Analytics: Propel PLM's analytics capability enables users to collect and review cost information received from distributors and manufacturers. Users can input this information into a BOM to examine and compare costs throughout various products and time intervals.  
  • Lawful and Environmental Compliances: Users can comply with stock-keeping units (SKU) and global trade item number (GTIN) regulations by managing adjustments, regulation requirements and allocation principles. This module ensures a product is sold in global markets by cooperating with local market requirements. Users can also verify compliances with environmental specifications such as restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS), waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals (REACH), China RoHS, joint electron device engineering council (JEDEC), Japanese Green Initiative and Conflict Minerals standards.  
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Product Ranking

#29

among all
PLM Software

#16

among all
PLM Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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83
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78
100
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Change Management
Project Management
Part Management
Document Management
Design Management
Bill of Materials Management
Change Management
Compliance Management
Document Management
Part Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

OpenBOM
Propel PLM
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Bill Of Materials Management Change Management Compliance Management Design Management Document Management Packaging And Label Management Part Management Platform Capabilities Project Management Quality Management Recipe And Formula Management Reporting And Dashboard Requirements Management Supplier Management 84 100 78 88 95 27 99 83 100 48 57 72 75 75 100 100 100 93 100 18 100 100 100 93 57 100 100 100 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

67%
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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 40 reviews
Great User Sentiment 73 reviews
84%
of users recommend this product

OpenBOM has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 40 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

84%
of users recommend this product

Propel PLM has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 73 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

4.2 (40)
4.2 (72)
n/a
5.0 (1)

Awards

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SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Propel PLM and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Bill of Materials Management and Requirements Management.

Bill of Materials Management Award
Requirements Management Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Low Learning Curve: OpenBOM is praised for its user-friendly interface and straightforward functionality, making it easy for users to navigate and quickly become proficient in the system.
Flexibility and Customization: Users appreciate OpenBOM's adaptability, allowing them to tailor the platform to meet their specific PLM requirements and workflows, reducing the need for extensive customization or third-party integrations.
Cloud-Based Collaboration: OpenBOM's cloud-based architecture facilitates real-time collaboration among team members, regardless of their location or device, fostering seamless communication and project coordination.
Integration with CAD and ERP Systems: OpenBOM's seamless integration with popular CAD and ERP systems enables users to streamline their PLM processes, eliminating data silos and enhancing data integrity across the enterprise.
Affordability and Scalability: Users often cite OpenBOM's cost-effectiveness and flexible pricing options as key advantages, making it accessible to businesses of various sizes and budgets. Its scalability allows companies to grow their PLM capabilities as their needs evolve.
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Powerful Data Management: Propel PLM provides a centralized platform to manage product data, enabling efficient access, collaboration, and version control.
Seamless Integration: It integrates seamlessly with other business systems such as ERP, CAD, and MES, eliminating data silos and streamlining workflows.
Enhanced Collaboration: The collaborative features facilitate real-time communication, document sharing, and change tracking, fostering efficient teamwork.
Improved Product Quality: Propel PLM's robust quality management capabilities help identify and mitigate product defects, ensuring high-quality deliverables.
Increased Productivity: The automation of repetitive tasks and the elimination of manual processes significantly increase productivity and reduce time-to-market.
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Confusing User Interface: Many users have found the OpenBOM user interface to be unintuitive and difficult to navigate, with many features and functions buried in menus and submenus.
Limited Customization: OpenBOM offers limited customization options, making it difficult for users to tailor the software to their specific needs and workflows.
Lack of Integration: OpenBOM has limited integration with other software tools, making it difficult to exchange data and collaborate with other systems.
Inconsistent Support: Users have reported inconsistent levels of support from OpenBOM, with some experiencing long wait times and unhelpful responses.
Frequent Bugs and Errors: OpenBOM has been plagued by frequent bugs and errors, which can disrupt workflows and cause data loss.
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High Cost of Ownership: Propel PLM can be expensive to purchase and maintain, requiring significant upfront investments and ongoing subscription fees.
Steep Learning Curve: Users often find Propel PLM's interface complex and challenging to navigate, requiring extensive training and support.
Limited Integration Options: Propel PLM may not seamlessly integrate with other enterprise systems, creating data silos and hindering efficient collaboration.
Poor Customer Support: Some users have experienced delays and unsatisfactory responses from Propel PLM's customer support team, affecting their productivity.
Lack of Customization: Propel PLM's out-of-the-box features may not meet the specific requirements of all businesses, limiting customization and tailored solutions.
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Over the past year, OpenBOM has carved out a niche for itself in the PLM software market, distinguishing itself through its user-friendly interface and robust feature set. Users have lauded its real-time collaboration tools, which streamline the product development process by allowing team members to work simultaneously on projects, reducing the time to market. This feature, in particular, has been highlighted as a game-changer, setting OpenBOM apart from competitors like Autodesk Fusion Lifecycle and Arena PLM, which, while powerful, can sometimes lag in real-time data synchronization. However, some users have pointed out weaknesses, such as the initial learning curve and occasional glitches in the system, which can disrupt workflow. Despite these hiccups, the consensus is that OpenBOM offers comprehensive integration capabilities, particularly with CAD software, which enhances its utility for engineering teams. This seamless integration facilitates a smoother transition from design to manufacturing, a critical factor in product lifecycle management that some users felt was less efficiently handled by alternatives like PTC Windchill. What makes OpenBOM stand out is its scalability and affordability, making it an attractive option for small to medium-sized businesses. The platform's ability to adapt to various business sizes without significant performance degradation is a testament to its robust architecture. This scalability, coupled with a transparent pricing model, underscores its appeal to startups and growing companies that require a flexible, cost-effective PLM solution. In conclusion, OpenBOM is most suited for small to medium-sized enterprises seeking a user-friendly, scalable PLM solution that excels in real-time collaboration and CAD integration. Its unique blend of features, affordability, and performance makes it a compelling choice for businesses aiming to streamline their product development processes without breaking the bank.

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Over the past year, Propel PLM has garnered attention for its innovative approach to product lifecycle management, distinguishing itself from competitors like PTC Windchill and Siemens Teamcenter. Users have praised Propel for its user-friendly interface and cloud-based deployment, which significantly reduces the IT overhead for small to medium-sized businesses. A standout feature is its seamless integration with Salesforce, allowing sales and engineering teams to collaborate more effectively than ever before. This integration has been a game-changer for companies looking to streamline their operations and enhance cross-departmental communication. However, some users have noted that while Propel PLM excels in ease of use and integration capabilities, it may lack some of the advanced features found in more established PLM systems. For instance, complex product data management and simulation tools are areas where users feel improvements could be made. Despite these criticisms, the consensus is that Propel's strengths in collaboration, cloud-based flexibility, and user experience significantly outweigh its limitations for a wide range of businesses. Propel PLM is most suited for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that prioritize ease of use, cloud-based solutions, and strong integration with CRM systems. Its ability to facilitate communication and collaboration across different departments makes it an invaluable tool for companies looking to improve their product development processes without the heavy IT infrastructure typically associated with traditional PLM systems. For businesses at the forefront of innovation and in need of a flexible, user-friendly PLM solution, Propel emerges as a compelling choice.

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