Product Lifecycle Management

Actions for linked objects

Previously, when checking out a PLM object, its linked objects such as item structures and document structures were also checked out.

Now, the actions to be performed on the linked objects have been made interactive. When checking out or deleting a PLM object, you can decide whether the action also applies to the linked objects. For example, you can check-out a PLM item without checking out the document at the same time.

Addition of thumbnail column to session grid of items and documents

For PLM items and PLM documents, the visualization of thumbnails in the grid of the related sessions can be activated by selecting the new Show Thumbnails for Item/Document in Session Grid parameter in the PLM Preferences sessions for users.

If this parameter is selected, users are no longer required to open a record to see the thumbnail. The addition of thumbnails to the grid also provides a quick and visual recognition point when looking through a series of records.

CAD application utilities - Batch Register

Batch Register is a new utility to upload files in PLM, which requires no user interaction during the operation. The batch register includes an input directory with files that must be uploaded in PLM. After clicking the Register button, the files are sent to PLM. The utility shows the status of the operation, such as the number of files uploaded, and the number of files that could not be uploaded.

The utility supports these options:

  • Saving drawing files along with model files
  • Rebuilding configurations in parts/assembly files
  • Specifying the save operation type
  • Generating neutral files (PDF, BMP, etc.)

Conditional workflows

Conditional workflow supports the automation of rule-based workflow step assignment. Conditional workflow supports these rules:

List Driven conditions
Conditions that can be set based on the value of a business-process list attribute and that can be used for these scenarios:
  • Assign to User: A selected step in a workflow that can be assigned to a particular user based on business attribute values.
  • Assign to Group: A selected step in a workflow that can be assigned to a group based on business process attribute values.
  • Leave Alone: A step without conditions that follows the predefined settings from the workflow design.
  • Skip Step: A step that is skipped in a specific workflow-based business process attribute value.
Non Updatable Step
This condition is used for steps that cannot be modified at the business-process level. The user or group assignment of the steps is retrieved from the conditional workflow setup and this assignment cannot be modified.
Step Depends on Step
This condition is used if steps later in the workflow must be assigned to the same person as in the previous step.
Skip Steps Assigned to Originator
This condition skips the step if the step is assigned to the user who is the originator of the business process. Consequently, the workflow step is redundant if it is assigned to the originator.
Skip if No
This condition skips the step if the value of the business process attribute that is specified in the condition is NO.
Unskippable Step
This condition is used if a workflow step can never be skipped.

Copy of product structures for documents and folders

With the Copy Product Structure command, which starts the Copy Product Structure (pdcps1601m000) session, you can create new structures based on the attributes and links of a source object to facilitate the design of similar products. This feature was already available for PLM items, but has been extended to PLM documents and PLM folders.

In the Copy Product Structure (pdcps1601m000) session, you can perform these tasks:

  • Copy the structure within the current project or to another project.
  • Use copy and link options to specify exactly how to copy or link objects that are linked to the parent object.
  • Copy the full structure.
  • Set rules for naming the objects and for determining if they apply to the new objects by type, such as item and document.
  • Intervene in the pre-copy structure for each object, and decide not to copy the new object but to skip it or link it to an existing object.

This functionality provides full flexibility in how the target structure and the links are created.

Electronic signatures

A business process can have the approval processes supported by an electronic signature. To achieve this, users must authenticate themselves when approving or rejecting business process tasks.

Electronic signatures can be configured at the workflow-template level or at the business-process step level. This is supported for user and user group workflow steps.

Item structure workbench

From the Actions menu of the PLM item and the PLM document, you can click Structure to start the Item Structure Workbench (pdpdm8100m000) session. This basic workbench has been extended to include all actions that can be started from the grid and that are more widely applicable. Functions such as impact analysis, cost roll-up, and check-in and check-out can now be performed from the workbench, by right clicking on the PLM object that requires the action.

Mass BOM changes for unreleased parents

Mass BOM Changes (MBC) is used to change multiple bills of material. Within the MBC, you can specify modification rules for any BOM that matches the modification rule. After the rule is set for one of the child items, applicable parents can be shown for selective application of the rule.

The MBC can be used to replace parts with new parts. In the setup of the rule, the BOM quantities can be recalculated and modified as part of the process.

Previously, MBC was limited to released parents. Now, MBC can also be used for unreleased or in design parents.

Object IDs based on item ID for copy product structures

If you click Copy Product Structure on the Actions menu of the PLM Items, Documents, or Folders sessions, the Copy Product Structure (pdcps1601m000) session is started. If you then use the composite session Pre-Copy Data (pdcps1501m000), you can click Set Up on the Actions menu to start one of these sessions:

  • Set up and Options (pdcps1104m100): For items
  • Set up and Options (pdcps1104m200): For documents
  • Set up and Options (pdcps1104m300): For folders

In these Set Up and Options sessions, the Object IDs Based On Item ID check box has been added. If this check box is selected, new objects are generated based on the item ID. The next available masking of the item is used for this.

Remaining enhancements

These features are now supported:

  • In the Masks session, a sequence range for key fields in masks can now be specified. Customers can specify the start and end sequence for the key fields, depending on their business needs.
  • The Revisions satellite session of PLM Items, Documents, and Folders now shows an indicator if the revision has content in the Text field. It allows users to quickly see whether a revision of an object has a text.