Defining CTO Sales Rule Basics — Initial Exercises

Initial Exercises

Purpose: The purpose of these initial exercises is that the instructor will use them for demonstrating the basic functionality in Defining CTO Basics and basic functionality in Sales Rules for Configurable Parts, which entails:

IMPORTANT
These initial exercises are intended for instructor use.

If you are a student, add the XX in the characteristics/parts below with your initials. This ensures uniqueness and makes it easier to locate your data. For example, John Smith would prefix his data with the letters JS: JSGDCOLOR, JS-Part No, etc. You do not need to adhere to this naming convention for the discrete options you create.

Main Exercises

Create Configurable Part

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to familiarize yourself with the basic functionality of creating configurable parts and to use sales rules with configurable parts.

Windows:
Part
Part Configuration Revision

Prerequisites: A configuration family with connected characteristics must be defined.


Steps: To complete this exercise, perform the following steps in the sequence shown.

IFS Racing market garage doors. They have a configuration family named EasyFlex garage door product line. This family is not yet associated with any parts. You should help IFS Racing by connecting the configuration family to some parts. After that, verify that the part configuration revisions are correct.

  1. Open the Part window.
  2. Create (F5) part XX10, with Easy Flex Garage Door and a UoM of pcs.
  3. Select the Configurable check box.
  4. Save (F12).
  5. Click the Part Configuration Revision tab.
  6. Select the EASYFLEX configuration family from the List of Values.
  7. Save (F12).
  8. Click Yes to copy the family characteristics to the part configuration revision.

Note: A new part configuration revision is created in the Tentative state. If you click Yes, the part configuration revision will inherit all characteristics belonging to the family. If you click No, the part configuration revision will not have any characteristics. Always check the part configuration revision to ensure that the characteristics are correct.

Create New Part Spec Revision

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to familiarize yourself with the basic functionality of creating a new part specification revision for a configurable part. 

Windows:
Part
Part Configuration Revision
 

Steps: To complete this exercise, perform the following steps in the sequence shown.

Method 1:

  1. Open the Part window.
  2. Query (F3) for part XX10.
  3. Click the Part Configuration Revision tab.
  4. Create a new record (F5) and enter a description and phase in date of Dec 31st 2010.
  5. Since this method gives you an empty revision, you must re-enter all necessary data. No data from the previous revision is inherited.

Method 2:

  1. Open the Part Configuration Revision window or the Part/Part Configuration Revision tab.
  2. Query (F3) for part number XX10, and family EASYFLEX.
  3. Right-click on the window header and then click Copy Config Part Spec Rev to create a new part spec revision.
  4. In the Phase In Date field of the Destination Revision area, enter the phase in date as Dec 31st 2010 for the new revision.
  5. If required, you can specify a phase out date for the new revision by entering that date in the Phase Out Date field in the Destination Revision area.
  6. Click OK. If an information message appears, click OK.
  7. Now you have created a new revision for the part 14 EasyFlex garage door segment which inherited the data from the original revision. To check all revisions, right-click on the window header and then click Config Part Spec Revision.
  8. To be able to use the part configuration revision, make sure that the effective time range of the revision is not overlapping with an already released revision. Now right-click and then click Release.

Maintain Part Configuration Revision

Purpose: You will learn how to make changes in a base part revision and what data you can maintain.

Windows:
Part Configuration Revision
 

Steps: To complete this exercise, perform the following steps in the sequence shown.

  1. Open the Part Configuration Revision window.
  2. Query (F3) for part 10 revision 2.
    Add characteristic:
  3. Create a new line (F5) and select characteristic GDCOLOR from the List of Values. Only the characteristics connected to the family are available in the List of Values.
    Add option value:
  4. Select the characteristic to which you need to add a new option value.
  5. In the bottom section of the window, create a new line (F5).
  6. Select an option value from the List of Values or enter a new option value. Note: The option value must already have been entered for this characteristic.
    Set default value/qty:
  7. Enter or change a default value/qty for the characteristics. When a configuration is created, this value will be shown as a suggestion but can be changed.
    Set characteristic to mandatory or not mandatory:
  8. Change GDCOLOR to a not mandatory, optional characteristic. When a configuration is created, this characteristic will not be shown from start and a value for this does not need to be defined. To set a value for this optional characteristic, create a new line and add char. and value.
    Mandatory price Yes/No:
  9. This defines if a price for this characteristic is required. If you set this to No, you can set a price for the characteristic but it is not necessary.
    Price break type:
  10. If you are using price breaks, you can set this to the maximum or minimum limit before a price break. For example, if Minimum 10 pcs is set to 10 USD, you would pay 10 USD for an order of 10 pcs or more. If Maximum 10 pcs is set to 10 USD, you would pay 10 USD for an order of 10 pcs or less. The amount of pcs (10 pcs in this example) is set in price functions for the configured part.
    Char.Qty price method:
  11. If you have a characteristic with characteristic quantity, you can define whether the price for this characteristic will be affected by the quantity for this characteristic. For example, if a remote control costs 25 USD and a customer can choose how many he or she wants, setting the Char.Qty method to No means that the price for the configuration will be the same regardless of the number of remotes desired by the customer. Setting the field to Multiply means that the price will change depending on the number of remotes.

Create Configuration Sales Rule Conditions

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is for you to learn how to add a sales rule on a part configuration revision and create a sales rule condition that determines when a action rule shall be executed.

Prerequisites: A configuration part (XX10) must exist with connected characteristics (Configuration family EASYFLEX).

Windows:
Part Configuration Revision
Sales Rule
 

Note: When working with CTO parts, you add characteristics and options to a configured part that is possible to choose during configuration. When using sales rules you will be sure that the complete configuration (added values, calculated or otherwise derived during the configuration explosion) can be produced with the back office rules. The result from the configuration (characteristics and options) will be used to build a configuration structure with the backoffice rules. This exercise handles how to setup the sales rules with conditions and actions.

  1. Open the Part Configuration Revision window, and query (F3) for the XX10 part number.
  2. Select a revision in the Planned status.
  3. Right-click and select Sales Rules, since you will add a condition to this part/revision.
  4. Review the part information. On the header, you can see the family, part, revision and status. You also have a tree structure which will display all sales rules when they are created.
  5. Click the Sales Rule Name field and create a new record (F5).
  6. Enter a name (Example CountryNADefPower) and description (Example Default Power for NA) for the sales rule. Save your changes.
  7. In the condition section, create a new record (F5) or use the + sign in the table.
  8. In the Type 1 field, select Char Value from the drop down list and select Value 1 GDCOUNTRY from the List of Values or select both values using the List of Values where you have both fields displayed.
  9. In the Relation field, select the Equal To relational operator.
  10. In the Value 2 field, select NA from the List of Values. (The values in this list change depending on the characteristics that you select as Value 1.)
  11. Save your changes.
  12. Create a new sales rule and create a new condition record.
  13. In the Type 1 field, select Char Value from the drop down list and select Value 1 GDCOUNTRY from the List of Values or select both values using the List of Values.
  14. In the Relation field, select the Equal To relational operator.
  15. In the Value 2 field, select UK from the List of Values.
  16. Create a new condition row and select AND as the Operator.
  17. In the Type 1 field, select Char Value from the drop down list and select Value 1 GDCOUNTRY from the List of Values or select both values using the List of Values.
  18. In the Relation field, select the Equal To relational operator.
  19. In the Value 2 field, select EUR from the List of Values.
  20. Save your changes.
  21. For evaluation of the rule(s), see the exercise below on Creating Customer Order.

Create Configuration Sales Rule Actions

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to define sales rule actions, to explain when to use the actions, and to see the result of added actions.

Prerequisites: A configuration family and configurable part must exist (XX10), with connected characteristics (EASYFLEX).

Windows:
Part Configuration Revision
Sales Rule
 

Note: Once you have created your sales rule with conditions, it is time to define the actions required to attach another characteristic with values and set specific values to unavailable depending on the value that is chosen during configuration.

  1. Open the Sales Rule window, and query (F3) for the XX10 part used in the exercise above.
  2. Select the sales rule in the treestructure that handles conditions for NA.
  3. Select the Action section for the sales rule, and create a new record (F5).
  4. In the Action Type field, select Attach Required from the list.
  5. In the Item field, select the characteristic GDPOWERSYS from the List of Values. (This is the item that will be attached as required to the configuration if NA is selected in the configuration. Note that the values in the list change depending on the action selected.)
  6. In the Value Type field, select Value.
  7. In the Value field, select the 115 from the List of Values. 115 is the value that will automatically be set as the option value in the configuration.
  8. Create a new record in the action section.
  9. In the Action Type field, select Unavailable from the list.
  10. In the Item field, select the characteristic GDPOWERSYS from the List of Values.
  11. In the Value Type field, select Value.
  12. In the Value field, select the 240 from the List of Values. 240 will not be possible to choose during configuration when NA is chosen in the configuration.
  13. Save your changes.
  14. Repeat the above steps for the second sales rule for UK and EUR. But for UK and EUR, set GDPOWERSYS as Attach required with no value in the Value field, and set 115 V as Unavailable.
  15. For evaluation of the rule(s), see the exercise below on Creating Interim Order.

Create Configuration in Customer Order

Purpose: To understand how a configuration is created and to see the result from the sales rules setup.

Prerequisites: A configuration family and part configuration revision must exist in status Released with connected sales rule.

Windows:
Customer Order
Part Configuration Revision
Sales Rule

Your customer wants to buy two EasyFlex garage doors (part 10):

One aluminum, white color, classic handle, and delivery Country NA and one steel, black color, elegant handle, remote control and delivery Country UK.

  1. Open the Customer Order window and create a customer order header with a planned delivery date that corresponds to the part configuration revision. Save the record.
  2. Enter two order lines for one part 10 each.
  3. Note the Configuration ID field. What is stated in this field?
  4. Select the first order line, right-click and point to Configuration, then click Create. View the displayed characteristics in the window. What is displayed? Why?
  5. Go back to the customer order line without saving the configuration.
  6. Go to the Part Configuration Revision window and check the mandatory settings for the characteristics.
  7. Change so the characteristic GDPOWERSYS is set to No as Mandatory Characteristics.

Note: The part configuration revision valid on the defined planned delivery date/time for the customer order line will be used in the Create Configuration dialog.

  1. Go back to the customer order and select the first order line, right-click and point to Configuration, then click Create.
  2. Enter height, and width of the first door in the Characteristic Value field. Use values according to your customer requirements.
  3. Enter Aluminum for GDFINISH.
  4. Enter White for GDCOLOR.
  5. Enter Classic for GDHANDLE.
  6. Enter NA for GDCOUNTRY. The result is GDPOWERSYS with value 115 is added to the configuration automatically.
  7. Check which values that are available to choose in List of Values for GDPOWERSYS. Review the sales rules why those two values are available.
  8. Keep the default values for all other characteristic values.
  9. Save the configuration.
  10. Review the Configuration ID field on the customer order line. Have the values changed?
  11. Select the second order line, right-click and then click Configuration/Create.
  12. Enter height and width of the second door in the Characteristic Value field. Use values according to your customer requirements.
  13. Indicate that the second door should be black, equipped with an elegant handle, and made of steel.
  14. Choose GDCOUNTRY UK. The result is GDPOWERSYS is automatically added to the configuration with no value.
  15. Check which values that are available to choose in List of Values for GDPOWERSYS. Review the sales rules why those two values are available.
  16. Click New, then click List to add the infrared remote control from the list of vales. Order two remote controls.
  17. Save the configuration.
  18. Review the Configuration ID field on the customer order line for both lines.

Note: This initial exercise continues in Engineering / CTO Define basics for sales rules exercise and in Manufacturing Standards for CTO backoffice rules initial exercises.