SAP Product Lifecycle Management (SAP PLM) enables and accelerates collaborative processes for engineering, product development, and project management. How? By allowing all parties, both inside and outside the enterprise, to share information quickly and easily.

SAP PLM lets you control information flow across the extended engineering supply chain, using Web-based interfaces to share data and designs among development partners, contractors, suppliers, and customers.

The solution employs XML-based Web standards to communicate information such as project plans and product structures within a virtual development team and among business partners. It also allows contractors, suppliers, and customers to exchange quality data directly – for example, recording inspection results, requesting a deviation from a specification, or exchanging quality certificates electronically.

In addition, you can access and exchange drawings, manuals, service bulletins, and parts information over the Internet. This includes the creation and maintenance of Web-based, illustrated parts catalogs. For asset management, you can procure supplies electronically and monitor equipment online.