Configuration Maintenance

Form ID: (AM207500)

By using this form, you create and maintain product configurations. Each configuration definition must be linked to a bill of material. Only one active and pending configuration is allowed for a bill of material. A bill of material used for a configuration should include the complete routing. Each operation on the routing can include the following:

  • Fixed materials: Stock or non-stock inventory items always used for a configuration in a specified quantity
  • Overhead, Steps, or Machines: The entities that you use to add costs and or instructions for each process step.

Changes to configurations are accomplished through a pending to active revision process. Changes can only be made to pending revisions of configurations except for description and the pricing.

Configurations consist of two main areas, features and attributes, which must be defined in advance as follows:

  • Features contain options. Options are what users select which represent stock, non-stock, or non-inventory values. Rules are applied to options.
  • Attributes are standard system attributes that control box type and limit value entries. Attributes can also be used as read-only informational fields that are fixed or calculated values. For example, these might be settings such as line voltage or network address that do not impact the components used or price.

Before you can construct a product configuration you will need to do the following:

  1. Create a configurable stock item. This is simply a check box on the Manufacturing tab of the Stock Items (IN202500) form. Before you can create production orders from a sales order for a configured item, you will need to specify a replenishment class with a source of Manufacturing for the item and item–warehouse pair.
  2. Define a bill of material on the Bill of Material (AM208000) with all the operations and if required, any fixed materials. This will need to be the default bill of material for stock item and item warehouse details.
  3. Define the attributes on the Attributes (CS205000) form. Attributes can be specified for features and added in configuration maintenance.
  4. Define the features on the Features (AM203500) form to be used for the configuration.

Form Toolbar

The form toolbar includes standard buttons and form-specific buttons and commands. For the list of standard buttons, see Form Toolbar and More Menu. The form-specific commands can be shown as buttons on the form toolbar, as commands on the More menu, or in both places. These commands are listed in the following table in alphabetical order.

Command Description
Copy Configuration Creates a new configuration as the copy of the current configuration.
Set Active Changes the status of the configuration revision to Active if the revision has the Pending status and changes the status of the current active revision to Inactive.
Set as Default Configuration Specifies the configuration as the default configuration for the item, item–warehouse pair, or both entities; you select the entities in the Set as Default Level dialog box, which opens when you click this button.
Test Configuration Opens the Configuration Entry (AM306000) form where you can test the configuration.
Table 1. Set as Default Level Dialog BoxThe dialog box is used to select which records to update.
Element Description
Item Updates the Configuration ID on the Manufacturing tab of the Stock Items (IN202500) form.
Warehouse Updates the Configuration ID on the Manufacturing tab of the Item Warehouse Details (IN204500) form.
This dialog box has the following buttons.
Update Updates the records and closes the dialog box.
Cancel Closes the dialog box without updating the records.

Summary Area

Element Description
Configuration ID Unique ID representing the configuration definition. Backed by a selector and numbering sequence. A user can start a new configuration or using the selector pull up an existing configuration.
Revision Revision number (alphanumeric value) indicating the selected configuration revision. The user defines each revision value. When a user selects an existing configuration using this page the current pending revision is selected. If a pending revision does not exist, the active revision is selected or the first available inactive revision. A user can pick a different revision value from this field to display the configuration for that revision. The default value for a new configuration would be the default from the Configurator Preferences (AM104000) form.
Note: Users are not allowed to copy configuration and create a new revision before the first save of the configuration. On copying, incorrect Operation ID values are cleared. Saving with an invalid Operation ID is not possible.
Status

Indicating the configuration revision status (independent of BOM revision). The default value for all new configurations is Pending. The options are the following:

  • Active: The current active configuration used for configuration entry. Only one revision for a given configuration ID can be active. Active configurations are disabled from any changes.
  • Inactive: Retired revisions are all status of Inactive. Inactive configuration/revisions cannot be used for new configuration entry and are disabled from any changes
  • Pending: Configuration definitions being modified that are not yet active. This is the only status that allows changes on configuration maintenance.
Description Description of the configuration/revision
BOM ID All configuration IDs are tied to a BOM ID.
BOM Revision The bill of material revision to apply to this configuration. Only active revisions may be selected. The revision can be changed at any time regardless of the configuration status.
Inventory ID Reference linked to the BOM ID inventory ID.
Completion Required Before Production If selected, you must click the Finish button on theConfiguration Entry (AM306000) form before a production order can be created. The default is set on the Configurator Preferences (AM104000) form.

Features Tab

Definition of all features available for the configuration definition. You add to the table features you have defined on the Features (AM203500) form. After adding a feature, you can change any of the column values that have been defaulted.

The table toolbar includes only standard buttons. For the list of standard buttons, see Table Toolbar.

Column Description
Feature ID Selected feature defined on the features form. Feature IDs can repeat within a configuration.
Label Used as the user-friendly label on the configuration entry page. The user will see the label in place of the feature ID. Labels must be unique for all other listed features within a configuration. The default value is the feature ID.
Description Used as user-friendly feature description on the configuration entry. The default value is the description of the selected feature.
Sort Order Number box defines the feature display order on configuration entry. Default value should be 1. Unique values are not necessary as a secondary sort order should be feature label value.
Min Selection Minimum number of options that can be selected for the given feature. Blank indicates an optional feature without restrictions. For example, 1 - indicates you must select at least one of the options.
Max Selection Maximum number of options that can be selected for the given feature. A blank indicates no restrictions. For example, 3 - indicates you cannot select more than 3 options during configuration entry.
Min Qty Minimum total quantity for the feature. A blank indicates no minimum. For example, 1 - indicates the sum the quantity column of all of the options must be at least 1.
Max Qty Maximum total quantity for the feature. A blank indicates an unlimited quantity. For example, 3 - indicates the sum the quantity column of all of the options cannot exceed 3.
Lot Qty Lot quantity restricts the total quantity for all selections to be a multiple of this value. A blank indicates no restrictions. Typically, the lot quantity is used only for individual options.
Visible Indicates if the feature will be visible to the configuring user on the configurator entry page.
Results Copy Indicates if the feature (and any selected options) is to be included (selected) during a configuration copy in sales orders. Features or options that are not included (cleared) are typically optional order special selections or to force the user to select an option. This check box is selected by default.
Print Results This can be used in printed forms and reports as a flag to determine what should be printed or suppressed. The column is both available for the feature and options.

Options for Features

When you add a feature, the options and their settings are added. You can add and remove options and/or change their settings for this configuration. You must associate an option that is an inventory item, stock or non-stock, with a bill of material operation unless the material type is Supplemental.

The table toolbar includes only standard buttons. For the list of standard buttons, see Table Toolbar.

Column Description
Label Labels are what users select within configuration entry. This is a required alternate ID to allow non-stock, stock, and non-inventory options within a feature. When sub items are turned on it will be up to the user to create a Label that makes sense combining Inventory and sub item values. Label values must be unique within a feature for a configuration. If the Inventory ID value is entered first, the Inventory ID will be the default for this field.
Inventory ID For non-stock or stock options select an active inventory item. If the Allow Non-Inventory check box is selected this box is optional, otherwise it is required.
Subitem

When the Inventory Subitems feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form, a user will enter a subitem ID for stock items when the inventory ID box is entered. The box is required when inventory ID contains a stock item. Otherwise this box is not required.

Important: The Inventory Subitems check box has been removed from the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form because the functionality associated with the Inventory Subitems feature will be phased out. If you have this feature enabled in your system, the associated functionality remains available. To disable the feature, contact your MYOB support provider.
Description Option description. The default will be the entered label value (for non-inventory) until an item is entered then the default will be the entered item description. A user can override the description default to any designed value included empty.
Fixed Include If checked this option is automatically included during configuration entry and cannot be cleared. This is best for fixed materials that require dynamic qty. If a feature is visible the required options are auto selected to start a configuration. You must enter a formula for the Qty Required; the default formula is =1.
Qty Enabled Indicates if during configuration time the Qty Required column for the option is enabled. This is useful for selected material with fixed or formula based quantity required.
Qty Required Quantity required of the component inventory item needed to produce one parent item when the batch size is one (1).
Tip: Enter the by-products of the operation as a negative quantity. When you generate materials transactions for a production order, the by-product items will be received into inventory by using an inventory receipt.
Batch Size The quantity required per batch. A batch is will be sales order or production order quantity.
  • If zero (0) the Qty Required is fixed per order.
  • If one (1), the Qty Required is per unit of the parent item,
  • If greater than one (1), the Qty Required is divided by the Batch Size.
Qty Round Up If selected, the Total Required is rounded up to the next integer. This defaults from the Manufacturing tab of the Stock Items (IN202500) form but can be overridden.
UOM Option UOM for reference only. Unit of measure values are not editable or configurable. When the Inventory ID field is entered this value is the inventory items base UOM.
Operation ID Enter or select the operation in the BOM routing on which this option is used. This field is required when the when the option is an inventory stock or non-stock item. It is not required when the material type is Supplemental.
Min Qty Indicates the options minimum qty required. Null value indicates no minimum. A value of zero can be used to force a positive qty.
Max Qty Indicates the options maximum qty required allowed. A blank value indicates no maximum.
Lot Qty When a user specifies or formula calculates the quantity required field and the quantity required field is not a value that is a multiple of the lot quantity, then the value is rounded up to the next lot quantity automatically. A blank value indicates no lot quantity defined. A value of 1 can be used to force whole numbers.
Scrap Factor Material scrap factor.
Backflush When checked, this material will have the corresponding column set on the production order details.
Warehouse This is the warehouse from which this material should be issued. If not specified, the warehouse from the assembly is used.
Location If you specify a location, then only this location is used; that is, you have point of use inventory on the production floor that is periodically replenished from bulk stores.

Otherwise leave blank and the locations will be automatically selected accordingly as explained in Production Processing: Selection of Warehouse Locations.
Material Type The following options available:
  • Regular: This is the default for materials issued to production orders.
  • Phantom: This indicates that the item's component and, optionally, the routing will be included in the production order when created as a phantom. This means that the components and possibly the routing will appear on the production order while the phantom item disappears. Only manufactured items can be phantoms.
  • Supplemental: This item will be a separate line on opportunities, quotes, and sales orders and is not issued to the production order. For more information, see Product Configurator: Supplemental Items.
Phantom Routing A box that indicates whether the routing of the phantom component will be added to the production order (Before or After) or ignored (Exclude). Before is the default.
  • Before: The operations of the phantom component will be included on the production order and positioned in the production order before the parent operation. The time it takes to make the phantom is not included.
  • After: The operations of the phantom component will be included on the production order and positioned in the production order after the parent operation.
  • Exclude: If excluded, none of the phantom operations will appear, only the material components contained in the phantom will appear on the production order.
Price Factor Price factor applied to the base price of the option. This does not apply for non-inventory items or supplemental items. Setting this value to zero will exclude the price from the roll up of the total configured price. The default value for this field is 1.
Results Copy Indicates if the feature (and any selected options) are to be included (selected) during a configuration copy in sales orders. Features or options that are not included (cleared) are typically optional order special selections. By default, this check box is selected.
Print Results This can be used in printed forms and reports as a flag to determine what should be printed or suppressed. The column is both available for the feature and options.

Rules for Features

List of rules to be executed after an option of the current feature is selected/unselected by a user or another rule execution. For more information and rule examples, see Product Configurator: Rule Processing.

The table toolbar includes only standard buttons. For the list of standard buttons, see Table Toolbar.

Column Description
Rule The type of rule being applied. The options are the following:
  • Include: Include the target option.
  • Exclude: Exclude the target option.
  • Required: Make the target option required.
Source Option A specific option value restricting the rule execution to only take place when this option is selected/unselected. When this field is empty, any selected option will execute the rule. This is an optional field where the blank value is displayed as <ANY>.
Target Feature The feature the rule is to be applied against
Target Option A specific option of the target feature the rule applies to. If this applied option is empty, the rule applies to all options of the applied feature. This is an optional field where the blank value is displayed as <ALL>.

Attributes Tab

The table toolbar includes only standard buttons. For the list of standard buttons, see Table Toolbar.

Attributes must be defined on the Attributes (CS205000) form before you can use them in a configuration definition. The exception is a <FORMULA> you can use to calculate a variable; they do not need to be predefined. You use attributes to capture values you wish to use in formulas or create rule based on attribute value or Value ID for a feature.

Column Description
Attribute ID Is either the attribute ID or <FORMULA>. A <FORMULA> line is used to a variable and does not allow data entry but they can be validated and made visible. For example, you could calculate Length* Width to display area and use a rule to validate that the area does not exceed value.
Label A label is used to display the attribute on configuration entry. The user does not see the attribute ID. The Label is displayed in place of the attribute ID. This allows for more unique label to be assigned to the attribute for this configuration different from other configurations as attribute id are global to the organization. The default value is the entered Attribute ID.
Variable Used as the ID for formulas such as to calculate the quantity required of an option.
Tip: Because attribute values are text fields, use the formula function CDec to convert them to decimals in a formula.
Description A user-friendly attribute description to go along with the label. The default value will come from the entered Attribute description, but a user can change it for a configuration level unique description.
Enabled Check box indicating if the attribute allows for user updates during configuration entry.
Formula Check box indicating if the formula value contains a formula value. When this check box is selected the Enabled check box cannot be selected.
Required Check box indicating if the attribute is required to have a value during configuration entry.
Visible Check box indicating if the attribute is visible to the user during configuration entry. An attribute that is not visible should have a value entered by a user which could drive features or formulas during configuration entry.
Default Value The value of the attribute. On this page it represents a fixed value (enabled = false) or a default value that a user can decide during configuration time to edit. Also allowed are formulas when the Formula check box is selected. Allowing formulas will help in simplifying the formulas for material and to display for reporting and results window.

Rules for Attributes

When the values of attributes are changed, rules can be executed the same as when Options are selected/changed. Attribute rules only apply to features and not to other attributes. For more information and rule examples, see Product Configurator: Rule Processing.

The table toolbar includes only standard buttons. For the list of standard buttons, see Table Toolbar.

Column Description
Rule The type of rule being applied. The options are:
  • Include: Include the target option.
  • Exclude: Exclude the target option.
  • Required: Make the target option required.
Condition This is a formula or condition box that must be a true value before the rule is executed. The formula can look at the attribute value or any other currently configured value, the same as any other formula field.
Value 1 The value ID of the attribute you wish to compare.
Value 2 The second value ID of the attribute you wish to compare.
Target Feature The feature the rule is to be applied against.
Target Option A specific option of the applied feature to which the rule applies. If this applied option is empty, the rule applies to all options of the applied feature. This is an optional field where a blank value is displayed as <ALL>.

Keys Tab

This tab defines how a configuration key and related data are generated. The key and key description can be used to select prior configuration results on the Sales Orders (SO301000) and Opportunities (CR304000) forms. Selecting a configuration key populates all of the options and attribute values and allows the user to amend the configuration.

The standard formula editor can be used to create the key, key description, and transaction description. After entering the formula, you should click Validate in the editor. For more information, see Functions and Operators.

A formula can use any of the functions, operators, as well as attribute values. Text can be used to label the data. For example, [W] and [H] are attribute values, as in the following formulas:

Key ID 
='Width:  ' + [W] + ' Height: ' + [H]
Tran Description 
='Oak 6 Panel Door, ' + [H] + ' Inches High by ' + [W] + ' Inches Wide'
Element Description
Format This defines the format for the Key ID. The options are the following:
  • No Key: A configuration key is not required.
  • Formula: Allows the use of text and attribute variables.
  • Number Sequence: Use a numbering sequence defined on the Numbering Sequences (CS201010) form.
Formula This defines the construction of the configuration Key ID. This element is only visible when the Format is Formula. The maximum length of the key ID is 120 characters,
Number Sequence Each configuration can have it's own or shared numbering sequence. This element is only visible when the Format is Number Sequence and is required.
Key Description This is available for all key formats and is used to further define a configuration result. The maximum length is 256 characters.
Tran Description This is also available for all key formats and can be used to override the sales order or opportunity line description. If not defined the inventory item description is used. The maximum length is 256 characters.

Before activating the configuration for use in opportunities, sales orders, or production orders, we recommend that use the Test Configuration command for testing the formulas used in keys and descriptions. When you have entered your data, click the Finish button and then select Help > Trace on the form title bar to open the Trace, which will show the Config. Key, Key Description, and Tran Description.

Price Tab

This tab defines how selling prices are generated. The values and if override is allowed are defined in the Price section of the Configurator Preferences (AM104000) form.

Element Description
Hide Price Details The selling price for an option is not displayed when configuring an item. The total configured price is always displayed.
Rollup This determines how the selling price is calculated. The options are the following:
  • Parent: Only the parent stock item is the source of the configured price. (Fixed price)
  • Children All: The selling price is calculated as the rolled-up selling price of each option, including any fixed materials on the bill of material, times the quantity of each option.
  • Children CFG: The selling price is calculated as the rolled up selling price of each option, excluding any fixed materials on the bill of material, times the quantity of each option.
  • Parent/Children: The selling price is calculated as both Parent and Children All.
Calculate This determines when the selling price is calculated. The options are the following:
  • On Completion: At the end of configuration
  • After Selection: After each option selection and attribute value change

Selection is only enabled when the Override Default on Configuration check box is selected on the Configurator Preferences (AM104000) form for Calculate.