Recommended Steps: Plan |
While deciding if you are ready to upgrade to the latest version of Creo, we recommend reviewing the features available with each version of Creo.
Read about what’s new in the latest release of Creo on the What’s New page.
Read technical details on Creo’s Core Features and Functionality on the Help Center.
PTC’s Creo is a global leader in Product Design 3D CAD software. Read how Creo helps re-invent how we design, create, and innovate better products with our broad range of functionality:
Many current Creo customers upgrade simply because they want to be on the latest and greatest version of the software. Here are a couple more reasons to upgrade:
You can find a summary of all the capabilities added to Creo since Creo 1!
Upgrading an established system often seems daunting – from planning all the way to installing an update to all users’ machines, getting everybody onboarded for quick productivity, and possibly adjusting workflows – sounds like quite a task.
Every customer is different and there is no one-size-fits-all approach for upgrading. However, with our expertise from servicing customers over many years, our Customer Success team has the expertise to support you with your upgrade project.
Recommended Resources
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To support your move to latest Creo release we have created this guide to help you plan, set up, and deploy your upgrade.
We have centralized our top resources from across the company into this single path to support you. In this webpage, you will not only find the general step-by-step instructions for all Creo versions, but also find the latest version-specific documentation, training courses, and PTC services to help you along the way.
It is the central hub for everything on Creo upgrades.
The information is useful for:
A Success Path is an online guide to help you implement a specific PTC product at your organization. Each path provides step-by-step instructions from the early planning stages all the way through to deployment. Use a Success Path to help your organization get the most out of a product and achieve your business goals.
Did you find this helpful?
While deciding if you are ready to upgrade to the latest version of Creo, we recommend reviewing the features available with each version of Creo.
Read about what’s new in the latest release of Creo on the What’s New page.
Read technical details on Creo’s Core Features and Functionality on the Help Center.
PTC’s Creo is a global leader in Product Design 3D CAD software. Read how Creo helps re-invent how we design, create, and innovate better products with our broad range of functionality:
Many current Creo customers upgrade simply because they want to be on the latest and greatest version of the software. Here are a couple more reasons to upgrade:
You can find a summary of all the capabilities added to Creo since Creo 1!
Upgrading an established system often seems daunting – from planning all the way to installing an update to all users’ machines, getting everybody onboarded for quick productivity, and possibly adjusting workflows – sounds like quite a task.
Every customer is different and there is no one-size-fits-all approach for upgrading. However, with our expertise from servicing customers over many years, our Customer Success team has the expertise to support you with your upgrade project.
Recommended Resources
Before upgrading your Creo, review your existing system and determine the effects of upgrading. Be sure your hardware is ready to support the latest version.
When upgrading Creo, refer to our guidance on hardware and software requirements (access to this link requires logging into eSupport). Evaluate what your needs may be:
Depending on your needs and the extensions you choose, you will have different hardware requirements. Common examples of special hardware requirements are graphics cards for View Client and View Adapters or Creo Simulation.
Refer to the recommended resources below for links to hardware and software resources.
Recommended Resources for Hardware
Recommended Resources for Software
Recommended Resources
Our Creo software connects to our industry-leading PLM software, Windchill. When preparing for an upgrade, it is essential to think about your connections to a PLM system.
The key considerations to make:
Note: If you use Creo with a non-PTC PLM System, please refer to the documentation provided by the PLM company.
We know that product design in Creo is a highly collaborative process. You may choose to have multiple teams within a company or even a third-party partner contribute to your design. When making an upgrade, you should be cognizant of the current Creo versions used, align on version requirements between teams and partners, as well as map the potential compatibility change from the upgrade.
Creo Parametric models are fully forward compatible (i.e., models from an older Creo version can be opened in newer Creo versions, but not vice versa).
When working with other CAD systems, such as CATIA, NX, please be sure to review Creo Parametric system compatibility and version support information, as well as applications that support the connection.
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Creo configurations and customizations allow you to set-up your environment just for you.
When upgrading, it is crucial to keep track of all configurations and customizations made beforehand, as well as review what configurations have changed, then re-configure (access to this link requires logging into eSupport) during the installation of the new software.
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To achieve a successful upgrade, you’ll need an experienced team. Explore the skill sets and experience your project team needs. Determine whether your organization internally employs the right talent. Hire outside resources to bridge any gaps if needed.
You’ll need a variety of contributors to upgrade your Creo system. The number of team members will vary, depending on the scope of your use case. Having experience upgrading Creo will be a significant advantage. PTC and experienced partners can often fill gaps in skill sets and experience.
Although their titles may differ, you need the following team members.
We know that product design in Creo is a highly collaborative process. You may choose to have multiple teams within a company or even a third-party partner contribute to your design. Before you make an upgrade on your Creo version, you should align version requirements between your teams and partner companies. We recommend that on your upgrade team, you have an informed member from each party to help ensure that upgrade changes will not affect any collaborative work between teams.
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When necessary, organizations hire contractors or consultants to bridge skills gaps in their organization. If internal employees are non-existent or unavailable, hire outside resources. Verify that the individuals you hire have the right skills and experience to meet your project goals.
If you purchased a Success Plan from PTC, you have access to Creo experts who will support and guide you. Customer Success Management can help you plan your upgrade. Your PTC Customer Success Manager will ensure you have the right mix of resources on your team. They’ll help make sure each contributor has extensive experience with Creo and is well suited for the role. If you don’t have a Success Plan, contact your sales representative.
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In many instances, you may have access to download an upgrade and replicate your production instance on another server. Piloting the upgrade ahead of time assures that you:
Before you can deploy the upgrade, review your acceptance criteria, and confirm your development environments. Your technical lead and testing team works together to create and update existing testing plans.
In general, we recommend the following testing:
Identify what testing you need to do in each of your environments. Remember to consider security and compliance requirements at every stage.
Document the plan for how you will test the solution. Be as thorough as possible. Update any changes to your existing test plans as necessary. You will need these details for the next upgrade.
You will know this upgrade was successful if:
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If your plan is to upgrade your Creo system and not take advantage of any new configurations or customizations, this objective will be straightforward for you to tackle. If you plan to take advantage of the impressive new functionality available, you’ll want to make sure to get your end users excited and ready to use them.
Create a list of the personas in your organization who are involved in creating, supporting, and viewing in Creo. Then articulate what they need including in documentation to do their jobs.
Consider when, how, and for whom documentation will need to be available. Once you define each audience and end-user documentation needs, communicate this within your organization. Individuals responsible for creating documentation will have a clear picture of what needs to be included.
Identify who your end users are and what they need to adopt the upgraded technology. They need to understand how the system will change and how it works now so they can continue to do their jobs. This is especially important for super-users—those in positions to help or direct others.
Each user may need different levels of understanding and education. Determine what level of documentation is necessary to inform them. You may need technical documentation, presentations, or instructional material. Be sure to update any existing training materials.
As part of change management, create a communication plan to connect with the appropriate audiences.
Use these questions to guide your communication plan:
Once all of these questions have been answered, consider how to update your change management plan. The key to a successful upgrade is a seamless transition for your end users.
Compile the plans to upgrade your Creo system into one project plan.
Now that you understand the functionality available to you and the requirements necessary to upgrade to Creo Parametric, you need to document how and when you will execute the customization and configuration of the system. You will also need to be prepared to reconfigure the Creo system.
Your project plan should provide a detailed view of everything you need to do to complete your project. This plan should include:
Use the documented plans you've created so far as a place to begin. No task is too small and should be included. Everything from development and launch tasks to training and communication plans are important for the project plan.
Significant changes in functionality require substantial buy-in from your stakeholders. Your stakeholders include the project's sponsor as well as key end-users of the system. Make sure to gather your project team before kicking off to ensure everyone is on the same page with the pending changes to the system.
To finalize your upgrade project plan, compile a final list of project costs.
Add up the final costs of:
We recommend that you include a 10-15% contingency on your final budget to support unplanned costs that may come up during the project.
At PTC, we use FlexNet Publisher as our chosen provider for License Management. To learn more about license types and systems at PTC, please review our licensing basis table for ‘PTC Creo & Other MCAD Products.’
Before you begin, it is crucial to check on the compatibility, hardware, and software requirements of FlexNet Publisher to ensure that you can successfully check-in or check-out licenses for usage. Be sure to review:
When you are ready to download FlexNet publisher, find the link under Additional Downloadable Software Updates in the Order or Download Software Updates webpage.
The Creo Installation Central Resource offers step-by-step instructions to perform common Creo tasks like installing license servers.
You can find more details between the two manager services (LMGRD and LMADMIN) in the FlexNet Publisher’s License Administration Guide (see link below in recommended resources).
Recommended Resources
To start, be sure to check your license entitlements with our PTC Licensing Tool or Request a License Report. When working with Creo, you'll need to manage licenses available at the company. This includes who, when and where a user checks in or checks out the license for usage. Review how to manage licenses using PTC Licensing Tool.
New license files for Creo are retrievable from the PTC Installation Assistant, as well as the PTC License Management Web tools, where you can request a license pack via email.
Note: Creo licenses are backward compatible (i.e., a newer release license can be used on older Creo versions). However, you must update the older license to a new release level when installing the new version.
If you have recently increased the number of licenses purchased or are a new customer, you will have to apply or update new license files on FlexNet Admin License.
These pages include written instructions and a video tutorial to guide you through the license update process for LMGRD and LMADMIN. You need to be signed into eSupport to access these pages.
In Creo, you can also borrow or reserve licenses for users in advance. Visit Advance License Setting (you need to be signed into eSupport to access this page) to learn more about:
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To access the materials within this guide, download the Creo Software or get Technical Support, you will need a PTC account to enter the eSupport Portal.
If you are new to your organization or need a new account, this is how you do it: create an account and be sure to provide one of the following numbers:
PTC will send a software order fulfillment email after your purchase is complete. That email will give you the information listed above. If you can't find the information you need, contact your sales rep or renewals.
Recommended Resources
Before you begin, we recommend you review Evaluate Requirements to Upgrade, which details hardware and software system requirements, PTC Product Compatibility, and configurations and customizations.
Detailed installation steps are available on the Creo Installation Central Resource Page. PTC created the installation guide to help you find information about installing and upgrading Creo that relates to your situation. Select which situation describes your needs best and then information will be filtered to you.
To complete the Creo Installation, you will need to:
For our larger customers, we provide the option and instructions for silent installation and mass deployment, monitoring silent installations, and silent un-installations. A silent install is the installation of a software program that requires little user interaction. It is a convenient way to streamline the installation process of an application.
Alternatively, you might also choose to use desktop virtualized environment for your users. Desktop virtualization is a software technology that separates the desktop environment and associated application software from the physical client device that is used to access it.
At PTC, we partner with Citrix for virtual desktops. Virtual desktops allow users to connect to their corporate desktop applications of Creo without having to install these desktop applications on users' systems. Once Citrix is installed, and the virtual desktops are created, you can install Creo on them.
Recommended Resources:
It is crucial to ensure that other partner apps are co-upgraded to compatible versions. Review "System Requirements" and "PTC Product Compatibility" in our previous step Evaluate Requirements to Upgrade to ensure that other third-party applications are compatible.
If you have Creo extensions, the associated data and especially your library data must be transferred as well. Refer to our PTC Software Download Page for libraries:
Creo configurations and customizations are designed to help you adjust Creo to your needs and make the most out of our technology. When upgrading, it is essential to keep track of all configurations and customizations made beforehand, check that they are imported successfully, and reconfigure if needed.
At PTC, we regularly improve our configurations based on user needs and provide CSV files that document all config.pro options for our latest and earlier releases. Refer to the recommended resources for where to find documentation for all config.pro options for all Creo versions.
Before the upgrade, you should check what has changed between versions. You can do this by accessing the configuration options for each version in our eSupport Portal's Reference Document Search Tool (refer to the link in recommended resources below), and then downloading the appropriate CSV files, and making a side-by-side comparison of the options.
When the upgrade is complete, review how to reconfigure Creo Parametric (refer to the link in recommended resources below), and check that configurations and customizations migrated successfully.
We recommend 'Model Quality' as a standard configuration for all users. By default, Creo is set for optimum performance of speed. Depending on your needs, users may need to increase or decrease the model display quality. For example, in large assembly management, you will need to decrease display quality for smoother performance.
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Customizations are special builds made in the language of Java, C, or C++ and you can code and adjust Creo based on your needs. Examples of customizations include:
During your upgrade, while evaluating your system requirements and documenting test strategy, you should have documented the needs of your customizations and whether they are compatible with the upgrade. You should also have a plan to test and verify all customizations still perform as necessary.
When making customizations, you will need Creo Toolkit APIs and Creo Toolkit coding language applications. Please read the following options and details carefully:
Using Creo Parametric VB API, users can develop VB.NET or VBA programs that access the internal components of a Creo Parametric session to customize Creo Parametric models. This is a free customization tool and therefore supports limited and very basic customizations only. Learn more at our ToolKit VB API Knowledge Hub.
For a more robust customization capability, we recommend using our primary PTC application for programming 'ToolKit API.'
Toolkit API is the primary PTC application for the programmer's interface and will require licenses. It provides customers and third-parties the ability to expand Creo Parametric capabilities by writing C programming language code and then seamlessly integrating the resulting application into Creo Parametric. Read more at our ToolKit Central Resource Page.
Recommended Resources:
At PTC, we offer multiple programming languages depending on your needs- C, C++, or Javascript.
Using Java as your programming language of choice provides a large library of Java interfaces to allow external application safe and controlled access to the Creo Parametric database and applications. PTC offers two versions of Java:
Using C++ as your programming language of choice allows you to use both C++ and C programming languages together in the same application. This is especially useful if there isn't an equivalent API for the C++ toolkit, and therefore in a Creo Parametric ToolKit C++ application, the ToolKit API for C can be used. Learn more at our C++ Knowledge Hub.
Lastly, remember that customizations are special builds that may not always be supported by PTC. For details on Creo Toolkit Customizations or Customization Support, refer to our Customization Support Policy for Creo.
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Deploy your Creo build for your existing DevOps and testing processes. Only when the version has been tested and verified, should it be promoted to production.
Stick to the strategy you created in the Plan phase. As a reminder, here are the things you want to cover when you test in a development, quality assurance (QA), and/or testing environment(s).
Remember that testing is an iterative process and follow your testing plan thoroughly to verify the new version. If you find issues, submit IT tickets to get support and go back to your test cases to address any issues. Remember to document changes as you write and record test results.
Test the application in a test/QA environment with a select group of existing users to make sure that the upgrade has not impacted their experience negatively. User acceptance testing should answer questions like:
You may get insights during testing and choose to act on them later. If the application does not meet all user needs, decide whether to pause deployment or to launch as-is.
Ensure your end user support team is ready for the changes in the product to support your end users, and that your end users are ready to use the new functionality.
Document any customizations that were implemented and the steps taken to update your Creo system. This documentation is critical for supporting the software on ongoing bases. We recommend you document the changes with every release and change you make.
Documentation should include:
Create documentation on how to use the application and how to get support in case of issues. This 'How to' and 'Support' is the only documentation your end users will need. Keep these documents consistently updated whenever changes are made to the application.
Train the teams who will give technical support to end users after deployment. Make sure they're familiar with the updates made to the application and its documentation, as well as understand how the end users should reach them for support. Your admin and support team should be the first people who are contacted when end users encounter bugs or errors.
Training your support team should involve:
To support your admin and support team training, we recommend all members:
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Depending on the new functionality, version updates, configurations, and customizations you've opted for, your training may range from extensive to none at all for your end users. Review the documentation you previously created along with the UAT results to make sure you cover significant changes. When communicating version updates with end users, make sure to always include your training documentation, go-live dates, and future follow-up for feedback details.
If more extensive product training is required for your engineers, review sample curriculum and contact PTC University for our Creo Product Service Trainings.
Recommended Resources
PTC supports Creo engineers no matter where in the world they are. Creo Parametric and our help centers are available in multiple languages. Please find details of Creo Language Support documentation, which outlines language support for:
We recommend you localize the language you want in the Creo Help Center. This feature is controlled by 'PRO_LANG' and needs to be adjusted at start-up. We offer Help Centers in the following languages:
You can also install and start Creo Parametric in a specific language.
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You will need to monitor end user usage, ensure there are no issues with your upgrade, and prepare your internal application support team.
During and immediately following deployment, the project team and support team should be readily available to resolve any issues. They should also know how to contact PTC Technical Support if necessary.
Thorough testing of the Creo version is vital to ensure the data integrity of models and reduce critical emergencies. PTC offers services to support you in your upgrade implementation, such as Dedicated Support Engineers & Technical Support Account Managers. If interested in an expert, contact Renewal Advisor to learn details.
If pursuing an upgrade on your own, we recommend that during any testing and deployment activity, at least one CAD Admin and Support member are available.
Recommended Resources
After deployment of the new Creo version is completed, the team who implemented the version upgrade will transfer ownership to your trained and dedicated support organization. This team is responsible for providing technical support to your CAD Admins as well as Creo end users, among other duties. Ensure the application support team is trained and prepared to resolve potential issues.
After the handoff, your support organization should never make changes to the application in production. Finally, note the change(s) in the documentation.
Recommended Resources
Technical Support at PTC is here to help you succeed during your upgrade and beyond. With your subscription we offer:
When looking for help, we recommend you:
Recommended Resources
Take time to evaluate how the project went and review how end users are responding to the upgrade.
At the end of the upgrade process, we recommend summarizing the work in a Post-Upgrade review to help improve or jumpstart future upgrades. We recommend you note:
Upgrading to the latest version of Creo ensures that you have all the latest enhancements and features. With these new enhancements, you can operate at your teams’ maximum potential. Revisit your original goals and measure the business impact of the upgrade. For example, after training, how has the design process or time changed?
As your team continues to learn and utilize the updated capabilities, we advise that CAD admins keep track of usage metrics from end users, as well as bugs or errors. To help your CAD admins, PTC provides Performance Advisor, our product telemetry tool powered by PTC ThingWorx, to everyone.
With Performance Advisor, a CAD admin can get aggregated views of usage and diagnostic data from Creo and other PTC products. Reports may include:
Making use of these reports and dashboards can help your team improve operational productivity by detecting performance issues early, predicting usage, and managing users accordingly.
Learn more about the Performance Advisor tool in our Help Center Overview and how to access it in the PTC Creo Dashboard Environment.
Recommended Resources
Find detailed technical documentation on Creo Parametric in our Help Center.
Visit PTC's Creo Community to get support Peer-to-Peer, from our product management and assistance teams. Share ideas, give feedback and browse the wealth of information on using Creo Parametric.
Need help from our support team? Log a case with eSupport using our Case Logger or find an answer using our new Creo Admin Troubleshooter tool.
Have a question? Submit your contact information and we’ll reach out within 1 business day. You’re never obligated to purchase or commit.
A Customer Success Manager will reach out with more information. You're never obligated to purchase or commit.
If you’re a PTC customer who needs technical help, open a support case instead.
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