PDM+ to EPDM

List-

We are working on setting up EPDM instead of PDM+.

Currently we are using CSM for sales order entry & COM for shipping/billing. Our sales dept enters the item infomation if it is a new item and then enters the sales order. Manufacturing is being done in a legacy system. We are working on using XA for the manufacturing and are starting with Routings.

I have a couple of questions that have come up:

1. From what I have seen in the documentation the information for Items have to start in EPDM Item Revision then get released to PDM for item warehouse to be created and to be used in order entry. Is this correct?

2. Is there any way to keep all of our secondary databases, cards, cardfiles, templates, etc on Item and still use EPDM? In otherwords, can I create the Item first, and then create the item revision later?

3. We are going to EPDM because it is the product that is getting all the enhancements and will provide us the flexible and features we may need at somepoint in the future. I imagine it is easier to do this now when we have ~ 1 years worth of data in Items and no other PDM databases used then in 5 years when we have fully used PDM+ and now need one feature that is only in EPDM. Are there any reasons why we shouldn't use EPDM?

Also, if there are any other helpful hints of the conversion process or the mindsets changes needed that would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

-Tom Stieger