Machine shop ERP data export: who owns your records in Plex, SOLIDWORKS PDM, DELMIAworks and your QMS

What machine shop ERP, MES, QMS and PDM systems hold

A shop's history is spread across several systems, all keyed to job, part and customer numbers. That linkage is what AI buyers pay for, so the goal of an export is to keep it intact.

Our manufacturer data licensing guide covers which buyers want which records, and what an export-control screen removes before any of these systems is touched is covered in our guide to ITAR technical data, EAR99 and CUI.

Who owns manufacturing ERP data: the terms, system by system

We read each vendor's published terms on October 18, 2026. These are general terms; an order form or negotiated agreement can change them, so treat this as a map of what to check, not a reading of your contract.

SOLIDWORKS PDM export data and DELMIAworks: the Dassault clause

Dassault Systemes' Customer License and Online Services Agreement for US indirect customers (CLOSA V13.2.1) is the one set of terms in this category that speaks directly to AI training. Section 2.2 says that, except as specifically permitted in the agreement or in a separate written agreement, the customer may not “use and permit any third party to use, any 3DS Offering and/or any part or output of any 3DS Offering, including content, data or results generated by the use of any 3DS Offering” to develop software for use by or distribution to third parties, or competing software, “including through artificial intelligence model or system training” (source: Dassault Systemes CLOSA (Indirect) USA V13.2.1 (2.2, 10.1)).

Section 10.1 of the same agreement says the customer or its licensors remain the owner of Customer Data (source: Dassault Systemes CLOSA (Indirect) USA V13.2.1 (2.2, 10.1)). So the issue is not ownership; it is a use restriction on what comes out of a 3DS product. In our reading, a license that lets an AI buyer train models on records generated in SOLIDWORKS PDM, DELMIAworks (formerly IQMS) or 3DEXPERIENCE plausibly falls inside it. What that means in practice:

• Check the version. The AI wording is in V13.2.1, which we read today. Older versions may differ, so read the version your order references.
• Get written consent. The clause applies “except as specifically permitted” in the agreement or a separate written agreement, so written permission from Dassault is the clean route.
• Scope around it. If DELMIAworks is only your ERP, records that also exist outside it (email, a separate QMS, a CMMS) may still be in scope; records that exist only in the 3DS product wait for consent.
• SOLIDWORKS PDM export data. A PDM vault holds files, revisions, data cards and workflow history. For a build-to-print shop most of the files are customer prints and stay out anyway; for an OEM, own-product engineering is the valuable part, which is why the consent question matters most for OEMs.

Plex Manufacturing Cloud: ten days to download your data

Plex and Fiix are covered by Rockwell Automation's Software and Cloud Services Agreement (Rev. April 2026), which names them as cloud services in §2.4.2. Its data clause is friendly to owners: “You retain all right, title, and interest in any data and information You made or make available to the Software,” with a license back to Rockwell, including to improve its products (§1.10.4) (source: Rockwell Automation Software and Cloud Services Agreement, Rev. April 2026 (1.4.9, 1.10.4, 1.11, 2.13)).

The constraints are about method and timing. Section 1.4.9 bars using tools, interfaces, utilities or programming techniques for purposes Rockwell has not authorized, so run the export through Plex's own reporting, export and API features rather than a scraper. Section 2.13 gives you “a period of ten (10) days to download a copy of Your Data” after termination or expiration, after which Rockwell may delete it or make it inaccessible (source: Rockwell Automation Software and Cloud Services Agreement, Rev. April 2026 (1.4.9, 1.10.4, 1.11, 2.13)). Section 1.11 makes you responsible for checking AI Output; strip it from an export for the same reasons as other vendor AI text. Plex is a common system in plastics and automotive suppliers, where ten years of history can be the most valuable thing in the building.

JobBOSS², E2, Epicor Kinetic and Global Shop data exports

These are the systems most job shops run, and none of their current customer agreements could be read on October 18, 2026. ECI's legal index lists JobBOSS², E2 Shop and E2 Pro, but the terms text was not available (source: ECI Software Solutions, legal documents index (JobBOSS², E2)); Epicor's customer agreement page returned an error; and we found no public Global Shop Solutions or SYSPRO customer agreement. So we can't say what they provide about exports or AI. What we can say:

• On-premises installs (older JobBOSS, E2, Epicor ERP 10, many Global Shop sites) keep the database on your own server, and your own IT staff or partner can export from it without a vendor retrieval window.
• Epicor Kinetic export to Excel works for single grids and BAQ results. A full history export for a license is usually built from BAQs or a database extract, keeping job, part, customer and operation keys intact.
• Hosted JobBOSS² and Kinetic cloud: read the termination section of your signed agreement before a migration or cancellation, and take the export first.
• Third-party access. Some ERP agreements limit an outside party's use of the software or require the vendor's approval first. Have your own staff run the export, so no outside party needs access.
• Leave vendor documentation, schema guides and data dictionaries out of what you send.

Quality system data: ETQ Reliance and MasterControl

Commercial quality records are among the most valuable a shop has, because NCRs, CAPAs and 8D reports pair a problem with a verified root cause and fix. Both large QMS vendors confirm customer ownership, with limits.

ETQ Reliance (Octave). The June 2026 master subscription agreement says that as between the parties, the customer owns and retains all right, title and interest in Customer Data (§3.2). On request within 30 days of the end date, Octave provides a file of Customer Data in an industry standard format at no charge, after which it may delete it (§2.3). Section 1.9.1(d) bars using the Services in a service bureau or “otherwise allow direct or indirect use of the Services” to generate revenue for the customer (source: Octave Reliance (ETQ) Master Subscription Agreement, June 2026 (1.9.1, 2.3, 3.2)). In our reading, that targets reselling access to the software rather than licensing your exported records, but it is worth getting Octave's comfort in writing before a quality-heavy deal.

MasterControl. The October 2025 SaaS terms define Client Data as client-specific data “in managed documents” and exclude Resultant Data (§1.6). The client owns its Client Materials (§4.1); MasterControl may use data anonymously for benchmarking (§5.1) and will not train its federated AI on Client Data without an opt-in (§5.2(c)). After termination it provides an electronic file of Client Data on written request (§7.2) (source: MasterControl SaaS Terms, October 8, 2025 (1.6, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 7.2)). Expect your documents and records to be yours to license, and usage-derived data not to be.

Maintenance and machine monitoring data: CMMS and MachineMetrics

• MaintainX. You remain sole owner of Customer Data, but MaintainX owns the aggregated and de-identified data it derives, and says it will not use Customer Data to train large language models without consent (§7.2). Section 4.5(n) bars using its AI Features or AI Output to develop, train or improve machine learning, and §12.5 gives 30 days of electronic retrieval (source: MaintainX Terms of Service, January 3, 2025 (4.5, 7.2, 12.5)).
• Limble. Customer owns Customer Data and grants Limble aggregated, de-identified use for analytics, benchmarking and marketing (§4.1). Ask in writing within 30 days after the term ends for a copy (§6.6); otherwise Limble deletes within 90 days (§6.5.3) (source: Limble Terms of Service, Version 7, December 10, 2025 (4.1, 6.5.3, 6.6)).
• Fiix. Covered by the Rockwell agreement above, including the 10-day download window (source: Rockwell Automation Software and Cloud Services Agreement, Rev. April 2026 (1.4.9, 1.10.4, 1.11, 2.13)).
• MachineMetrics. Customer is sole owner of Customer Data, with a license to MachineMetrics to enhance its services (§5.1). It may share data with other users for benchmarking unless you exclude your machines in settings (§5.2), and gives up to 90 days to export after termination on written request (§9.4(b)) (source: MachineMetrics Master Services Agreement, November 22, 2022 (5.1, 5.2, 9.4)). Switch benchmarking off before you license, and tell an exclusive buyer it was on.

Maintenance history is often the cleanest record a shop has: it describes machines, not customer parts, and it carries outcomes (downtime hours, repeat failures) that buyers value.

Fishbowl, MRPeasy and Paperless Parts

Fishbowl. The May 2026 terms say the customer retains all rights in its data and let Fishbowl aggregate and anonymize it (§9.2), bar using the services to “train or benchmark competing AI systems” without written consent (§17.4(e)), and delete data in the product on termination (§14.2) (source: Fishbowl Subscription Terms, May 12, 2026 (9.2, 14.2, 17.4)). Export first, and leave Fishbowl's AI forecasts out.

MRPeasy. The published terms contain no clause on customer data ownership; they say the account is deleted after 28 days of non-payment and “No data can be restored after the deletion of the Account” (§19), and that the customer may delete the account at any time (§49) (source: MRPeasy Terms (19, 35, 49)). Treat a lapsed MRPeasy account as gone.

Paperless Parts. No public customer contract was found. Its AI page says it has used “a random sample of technical drawings uploaded to Paperless Parts to train proprietary models,” uses a limited set of customer data in aggregated and abstracted form to improve AI features, and honors requests to be left out (source: Paperless Parts, Artificial Intelligence in Paperless Parts (updated May 1, 2026)). Your quote history there is valuable; tell an exclusive buyer what the vendor may already hold.

Export deadlines: what happens to shop data after you cancel

Checklist: exporting machine shop data for a license

1. Find each system agreement (ERP, QMS, CMMS, PDM, quoting, monitoring) and note the version.
2. Read the ownership, termination, AI and third-party access sections of each.
3. Flag any Dassault product and decide whether to seek written consent or scope around it.
4. Run the export-control screen and detach customer prints before any export.
5. Have your own staff or your partner export with native tools, keeping job, part and customer keys.
6. Strip vendor AI outputs, documentation and schema guides.
7. Switch off vendor benchmarking where you can, and tell an exclusive buyer what vendors already hold.
8. Finish exports before notice of non-renewal, a go-live on a new system, or a sale closing.

To see what an export like this could be worth, try our data value checker, or see what your shop's production records could qualify for. Buyers differ on how much of each system they want; our buyer directory lists the programs and links to their published terms.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Vendor terms read on their own pages or PDFs on October 18, 2026. Epicor's customer agreement page returned an error that day, ECI's JobBOSS² and E2 terms text was not available from its legal index, and no public Global Shop Solutions, SYSPRO or Paperless Parts customer agreement was found. Our buyer directory lists the programs and links to their published terms, checked October 15, 2026.

1. Dassault Systemes CLOSA (Indirect) USA V13.2.1 (2.2, 10.1)
2. Rockwell Automation Software and Cloud Services Agreement, Rev. April 2026 (1.4.9, 1.10.4, 1.11, 2.13)
3. Fishbowl Subscription Terms, May 12, 2026 (9.2, 14.2, 17.4)
4. MRPeasy Terms (19, 35, 49)
5. Octave Reliance (ETQ) Master Subscription Agreement, June 2026 (1.9.1, 2.3, 3.2)
6. MasterControl SaaS Terms, October 8, 2025 (1.6, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 7.2)
7. MaintainX Terms of Service, January 3, 2025 (4.5, 7.2, 12.5)
8. Limble Terms of Service, Version 7, December 10, 2025 (4.1, 6.5.3, 6.6)
9. MachineMetrics Master Services Agreement, November 22, 2022 (5.1, 5.2, 9.4)
10. Paperless Parts, Artificial Intelligence in Paperless Parts (updated May 1, 2026)
11. ECI Software Solutions, legal documents index (JobBOSS², E2)
12. program terms, Regulr buyer directory