Migrating CAD data can be a daunting task. There are so many things that could be lost, forgotten or looked over. With all of the variables surrounding the transition, it can be overwhelming to define the top items to tackle with data self-migration. Lets uncover some of the top tips and pain points that will occur in the transition.
The Priorities
Having the responsibility of moving data from one system to another may occur only a few times in an engineering career. There are many things to consider when doing so, including:
- Duplicates – file name, file content, or both
- Invalid references – Preexisting or created during migration
- Outdated file naming conventions
- Obsolete folder structures
- Missing or incorrect property values
- Unpacking file version history (where possible)
- Document revisions stored as unique filenames with or without consistent schemas
- Historical references pointing to incorrect revisions of data
- Combining data from multiple sources
- Dedicated resources for the project
- Upgrading the files to the latest version
The Opportunity
Given this rare opportunity to touch every file that has been stored after many years of work, most people will avail themselves to new and efficient methods to address the concerns listed above. Cleaning up file names and properties are generally the highest priorities and the toughest tasks to approach proficiently.
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The image reflects an average of duplicates and invalid references from files found in Windows Explorer, after scanning data from over 200 companies. It is not uncommon to see 50% or more duplicates in a single data source. Windows Explorer is not ideal for managing parametric data with complex, intricate, file relationships. It is, however, the only option that many design teams have.
There are also three types of duplicates to consider:
- Same name, different contents
- Same name, duplicate contents
- Different name, duplicate contents.
The Plan
All in all, migrating your files can be a monumental effort. To make it achievable, we recommend the following:
- Make a plan
- Keep a running list of what has been migrated
- Isolate the data that has been migrated
- Divide and conquer
- Get some tools to help
- Dedicate the time required
Consider this. You can self-migrate, with enough time and effort you will get it done. Do you have the time to dedicate to this? Do you have the skills needed to get it done efficiently?
If you need more expertise and/or guidance, our team of implementation specialists can aide in this transition. Learn more about our services by following the link below.
