DC1 Product Configurator set-up process

In order for the configuration to work, you must set up both the configurable parent item and all the components in the Item file.

• Configurable parent item
  The only prerequisite for the configurable parent item is that it must be defined with item class set to 3 (configurable item) in the Item file. Apart from that the configurable items are set up in the same way as other items.
• Components
  All components, and all material that is used in the sub-assemblies, must be set up in the Item file as normal items (item class 1 or 2).

Note: You can create an item structure with configurable sub-assemblies. This is referred to as configuration at lower levels. Configurable components are set up in the same way as configurable parent items, i.e. with item class set to 3 (configurable item) in the Item file.

When the parent items and the components have been entered in the Item file you must identify the so-called family items. A family item is an end item that you want to configure, i.e. items that are variations of a standard design.

A family item can also be identified for a group of component items with the same characteristics. For example, TABLE LEG could be used as family item for the table legs of different types of wood.

For each family item you must now identify attributes. The configurator attributes characterise and define the variants of a configurable product. For example, TYPE of WOOD could be attribute for the family item TABLE LEG.

An attribute code must be created for each identified attribute. This code identifies the attribute during the configuration.

The attributes must also be given values. The values will point to the optional components that the customer can select during the configuration of the item. For example, when you configure the table the customer can select different types of wood. The attribute TYPE OF WOOD will therefore have the values PINE, BEECH, CHERRY and BIRCH.

See About setting up configurator attributes for detailed information about how to set up the codes.

Configurable items consist of one or several configurator parameters, i.e. variable items. The configurator parameter is used to define a parameterised item for each family of variable items. The parameters define what attributes will be used to characterise the family item. For each identified family item, a configurator parameter code must therefore be created.

Attributes must be added when the parameter codes are created. The parameter defines what attributes can be selected during the configuration.

See About setting up configurator parameters for detailed information about how to set up the codes.

The formula codes that are used during configuration to calculate the quantity of components used in the bill of material, etc., must be set up as well. They refer either to an equation that is created from variables that are pre-defined in the system or to a user defined calculation program.

The equation can contain any or all of the following:

• Active system defined variables
• Numeric attribute codes
• Numeric constants (0-9)
• Arithmetic operators: +, -, *, /
• System defined functions:
• SEARCH(“User defined table”)
  Searches and returns a value from the specified user defined table. The table defined the search argument (keys) and the search method to be used.
• ROUNDD(“No of dec”)
  Rounds down the “current” calculated value of the formula to the specified number of decimal digits (0-3).
• ROUNDU(“No of dec”)
  Rounds up the “current” calculated value of the formula to the specified number of decimal digits (0-3).
• Parentheses

Refer About setting up configurator formulas and About setting up user defined tables for use in DC1 Product Configurator for detailed information about how to set up the codes.

The configurator bill of material is used in the configuration process to generate a unique bill of material for the configured item. The configurator bill of material includes the rules for selecting real component items and the rules for calculating quantities.

There are two ways of setting up the bill of material for a configurable item. You can either set up both the fixed and the variable items in the configurator bill of material, or you can set up the fixed items in the Structure table and the variable items in the configurator bill of material.

See About setting up a bill of material for configurable items for detailed information about how to set up the codes.

The configurator bill of routing (BOR) is used in the configuration process to generate a unique routing for the configured item. It shows the equipment, personnel and operation sequence necessary to build the item.

There are two ways of setting up the bill of routing for a configurable item. You can either set up all operations in the configurator BOR, or you can set up the fixed operations in the Structure table and the variable operations in the configurator BOR.

If necessary, you can set up alternative bills of routing. This can, for example, be useful if the product is to be assembled or painted in different work centres depending on the attribute selection in the configuration.

You can also connect one or several conformity criteria to an operation in the configurator BOR. When creating manufacturing orders, included criteria will be copied to the manufacturing order operation and be printed on the operation cards as informational text.

See About setting up a bill of routing for configurable items for detailed information about how to set up the codes.

The configurator tables that have been set up must be connected to the items that you previously entered in the Item file. This is important for the configuration to function. Both the configurable parent item and the components must be connected to configurator parameters. The real parent item and the configurable components must also be connected to bills of material and bills of routing.

When the real items are connected to the parameters, several important definitions can be set up. You can:

• Define the type of configuration entry to be displayed during the sales order entry which includes:
  

  Attribute entry	The attribute entry (prompted entry) displays all available product attributes during the sales order entry. You enter or select a value for each attribute.
  Component item selection	The component item selection (part selection) displays all possible component items for each variable component (configurator parameter) in the configurator bill of material. You select a component item for each attribute that is displayed.

• Define if product costing should be performed.
• Define constraints for a specific item, meaning that certain combinations of attributes and values are valid or invalid.
• Define defaults for values that are frequently selected during product configuration.
• Define attribute value overrides for a configurable item.
• Define if new standard items should be created automatically for the configurator item, and in that case how this should be done.
• Define if an alternative bill of routing should be connected to the configurator item.

Refer About setting up and working with configurator items for detailed information about the set-up.

The sections above have described the mandatory set-up steps for the configurable item. However, if you wish, you can also define configurable text for the parent items and components.

The use of configurable texts creates item descriptions and order line texts that reflect the selected attributes of a configured parent item. The use of substitution variables makes the configuration possible. You enter % followed by attribute codes or formulas. The substitution variables will be replaced by the actual attribute or formula values during the product configuration. The configured texts can be printed on external documents and on shop floor documents.

For example, when the variables in the configurable item description Table %P1 %P2 are replaced by the selected attribute values the result might be Table Beech 1200.

Note: When an attribute code is used as a substitution variable, a blank must be entered after the attribute code before any following text.