How to configure product variants and generate product structures

The procedure to configure product variants and generate product variant structures is composed of a number of separate steps.

The product variant configuration process differs dependent on the module it is initiated from:

If you initiate a product variant from Product Configuration, you must define a product variant code before you start the configuration process. The product variant has the Standard Variant reference type.

In the other modules, LN generates a product variant code so you can start the configuration immediately. The product variant has one of the following reference types: Sales Quotation, Sales Order, Budget, Project (PCS), Standard Variant, or Project.

The configuration process

The configuration process section consists of the following subsections:

  • To configure a product variant
  • To select an option value
  • To validate an option value
  • To validate an option set
  • To validate a product variant
To configure a product variant
  1. Open the Product Variants (tipcf5501m000) session, and start the details session.
  2. Determine the generic item for which you want to configure a product variant.
  3. Start the configuration process from the Product Variants (tipcf5501m000) details session.
  4. LN reads the generic configuration structure and searches for the option set for the top of the product structure.
  5. If the option set is found, the set is displayed in the Product Configurator (tipcf5120m000) session; go to step 6. If the option set is not found, nothing is displayed in the Product Configurator (tipcf5120m000) session; go to step 10.
  6. LN reads the first option set of the generic item. Refer to subsection To read option sets.
  7. Click the Option field of a product feature. Double click '...' to display the valid options. The options are displayed in the Options by Product Feature and Configurable Item (tipcf1110m000) session. Select the desired option value. Refer to subsection To select an option value.
  8. LN validates the selected option value. Refer to subsection To validate an option value.
  9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for each new feature. After you selected a option for each product feature, LN validates the entire option set. Refer to subsection To validate an option set.
  10. Click the next group button to prompt LN to search for the next (lower level) option set for the item.
  11. LN searches for the next option set and performs the constraint section Validation for the components of the generic bill of material.
  12. LN checks if another option set is available on this level. If Yes, go to step 5. If No, go to step 13.
  13. LN validates the product variant. Refer to subsection To validate a product variant.
To read option sets
  1. LN reads the product features of the generic item and searches for the first product feature (the first option set) of the generic item in the top of the structure.
  2. LN checks if a product constraint is linked to the product feature. If Yes, go to step 3. If No, go to step 7.
  3. LN reads the product constraint and performs the Before Input constraint section.
  4. LN checks if the input or display of option values is allowed. If Yes, go to step 5. If No, go to step 6.
  5. LN checks if there are any additional features for which steps 2 through 4 must be performed. If Yes, go to step 8. If No, go to step 7.
  6. If the input of an option value is not allowed, LN initializes the option with the value defined in the Before Input constraint section, and continues the procedure from step 8. If input and display are not allowed for any of the options, LN disables the option field. Such option sets are called invisible option sets. Invisible option sets are option sets in which the input or display of an option value is not allowed for any product feature. These invisible option sets are automatically initialized and subsequently validated by the product configurator.
  7. Select the option values. Option values are discussed further in the To select an option value subsection.
  8. LN searches for the next product feature of the first option set.
To select an option value
  1. Double click the Option field of the product feature for which you want to select an option value.
  2. LN checks if a product constraint is linked to that product feature. If Yes, go to step 3. If No, go to step 5.
  3. LN reads the product constraint and performs the Before Input constraint section.
  4. LN checks if the input or display of option values is allowed. If Yes, go to step 5. If No, go to step 6.
  5. Zoom to the allowed options. Click '...' to display all valid features in the Options by Product Feature and Configurable Item (tipcf1110m000) session. To compose the list of allowed options, LN carries out the Validation constraint section of the relevant constraints for each available option. Go to step 7.
  6. If the input of an option value is not allowed, LN initializes the option with the value defined in the Before Input constraint section. Continue the procedure from step 9.
  7. Select the option value.
  8. LN validates the option value selected. Refer to subsection To validate an option value.
  9. Check whether another product feature is present for which options must be selected. If Yes, go to step 1. If No, go to step 10.
  10. LN validates the option set. Refer to subsection To validate an option set.
To validate an option value

The option value is only validated:

  • If the input of an option value is allowed for the product feature.
  • If the option value is not empty.
  1. LN checks if the options are selective (that is, a set of option values of which you can select one), or whether you must type a value yourself. If selective, go to step 2. If not selective, go to step 3.
  2. If a product feature has selective options, LN checks if the selected option value is part of a set assigned to the feature. Then LN checks if the selection date falls within the validity period of the option.
  3. If the product feature has no selective options, LN checks if the entered option value falls within the option value domain.
  4. LN reads the product constraint and performs the constraint section Validation, which determines whether the selected option value is allowed.
  5. LN checks if the selected option value is allowed. If Yes, go to step 6. If No, go to step 7.
  6. Double click the Option field of the next product feature.
  7. If you entered a value that is not allowed, you can call the constraint expression involved.
  8. You can record an extensive description or explanatory text that relates to the product variant option by selecting the record in the Options by Product Feature and Configurable Item (tipcf1110m000) session, and click Text..
To validate an option set

Option set validation occurs for each product feature of the product variant option set. LN performs this step before searching for another option set and before terminating the configuration process.

  1. LN reads the first product feature of the option set.
  2. LN reads the product constraint and carries out the Before Input constraint section.
  3. LN checks if the input or display of option values is allowed. If Yes, go to step 4. If No, go to step 5.
  4. LN checks if the options are selective. If Yes, go to step 7. If No, go to step 8.
  5. If the input of an option value is not allowed, LN initializes the option with the value defined in the Before Input constraint section.
  6. LN performs the Parameter Substitution constraint section. You can give the option a fixed value in this constraint section. This value may or may not be calculated with a formula.
  7. If the product feature has selective options, LN checks if the option value selected is part of a set assigned to the product feature. Then, LN checks if the selection date falls within the validity period of the option.
  8. If the product feature has no selective options, LN checks if the option selected falls within the option value domain.
  9. LN reads the product constraint and performs the Validation constraint section, which determines whether the option value selected is allowed.
  10. LN checks if the option value selected is allowed. If Yes, go to step 11. If No, go to step 12.
  11. LN reads the next product feature of the option set.
  12. If you have selected an option value that is not allowed, you can correct the option value.
To validate a product variant

The product variant is only validated if you have selected an allowed option value for each product feature of each option set.

Note

You can validate a range of product variants in the Validate Product Variants (tipcf5200m000) session.

The generation process

After you configured a product variant, you can continue to generate the product variant using the following sessions:

  • Generate (Project) Structure for Product Variant (tipcs2220m000) session.
  • Generate (Budget PCS) Structure for Sales Quotations (tdsls1201m100) session.
  • Generate (Project PCS) Structure for Sales Orders (tdsls4244m000) session.

The generation process is explained in the following subsections:

  • To generate a product variant structure
  • To generate item data
  • To generate a variant routing
  • To generate a purchase/sales price
To generate a product variant structure
  1. Select the product variant for which you want to generate the product variant structure.
  2. Click Generate to start the process.
  3. LN reads the generic product structure and searches for the first item in the top of the structure.
  4. LN reads the product constraint linked to the bill of material component and performs the Validation constraint section.
  5. LN determines whether the item is part of the generic product structure. If Yes, go to step 6. If No, go to step 7.
  6. LN reads the item type of the item. If the type is Generic, go to step 8. If it is another item type, go to step 7.
  7. LN searches for next item on this level.
  8. LN searches for the product variant and reads the selected features and options.
  9. LN includes the item in the variant structure.
  10. LN generates the product variant structure on the basis of the features and options selected. The following are generated consecutively: product variant item data, purchase/sales price, bill of material, and routing. Refer to the subsections below for more information.
  11. LN checks if the item is a generic, purchased, or manufactured item. If the item is Manufactured, go to step 7. If the item is Purchased, go to step 12.
  12. LN continues the search for the next item on the next lower level. The procedure is resumed from step 4.
  13. LN generates the item data, the purchase and sales data, the bill of material and the routing of the product variant.
To generate item data
  1. LN reads the first line of the generic item data.
  2. LN reads the product constraint and performs the constraint section Validation.
  3. LN determines if the item data element can be included in the variant structure. If Yes, go to step 4. If No, go to step 5.
  4. LN includes the data element in the product variant structure.
  5. LN reads the next line of the item data.
  1. LN reads the first component of the generic bill of material.
  2. LN reads the product constraint and performs the constraint section Validation.
  3. LN determines if the component may or may not be included in the variant structure. If Yes, go to step 4. If No, go to step 5.
  4. LN performs the constraint section Parameter Substitution. Using the formulas of this constraint section, LN calculates the length, width, number of units, and net quantity of a bill of material component.
  5. LN includes the bill of material component in the product variant structure.
  6. LN reads the next component.
To generate a variant routing
  1. LN reads the first operation of the variant routing.
  2. LN reads the product constraint and performs the constraint section Validation.
  3. LN determines if the operation can be included in the variant structure. If Yes, go to step 4. If No, go to step 5.
  4. LN performs the constraint section Parameter Substitution. Using the formulas of this constraint section, LN calculates the setup time and the run time for the operation.
  5. LN includes the operation in the product variant structure.
  6. LN reads the next operation.
To generate a purchase/sales price
  1. LN reads the first line of the generic price list.
  2. LN reads the product constraint and performs the constraint section Validation.
  3. LN determines if the price list line can be included in the price structure of the product variant. If Yes, go to step 4. If No, go to step 5.
  4. LN performs the constraint section Parameter Substitution. Using the formulas of this constraint section, LN calculates the purchase/sales price or the surcharge/discount percentage.
  5. LN includes the price list line in the purchase/sales price structure of the product variant.
  6. LN reads the next price list line.
To configure product variants that contain purchased configurable items

You can configure product variants that contain purchased configurable items. You can use a configurable item to create a item structure that can hold a configurable purchased sub-assembly. The purchased sub-assembly is issued at the assembly line like other assembly parts.

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