Create and Maintain Combination Tables

Explanation

This activity is used when you want to create a combination table for use in configuration back office rules. A combination table allows you to express a value result depending on the combinations of configuration factors.  A combination table can be referenced in back office configuration rules in a similar way to a configuration formula.  Structured like a spreadsheet, a combination table is defined by identifying the factors affecting the result (i.e. the columns of the spreadsheet) then filling in the data combinations and the associated return value.  The factors can include any type of value derived from a configuration including characteristic values, characteristic quantities, formulas, or even other combination values.  Factors can be used more than once in a table to handle value ranges, as shown in the example below.

For example, a combination table used to derive the necessary quantity of material depending on the height and material type of a product configuration could be expressed with three factors -- HEIGHT, HEIGHT, and MATERIAL, as shown below:

 
Sequence Characteristic HEIGHT Characteristic HEIGHT Characteristic MATERIAL Return Value
1 > 0 <= 10 WOOD 14
2 > 10 <= 20 WOOD 16
3 > 20 WOOD 20
4 > 0 <= 15 STEEL 18
5 > 15 STEEL 24

As shown above, each value in the combination table is accompanied by a comparison operator, and values left null will match all possible values.  A return value is specified for each row in the combination table.  When processing a combination table, the system selects the first row in the table where there is a match to the factor values specified.  If no rows match, the default return value for the combination table is returned.

Prerequisites

IFS/Configuration Back Office and IFS/Configuration Characteristic must be installed. A configuration family must exist to be referenced by this combination table.

System Effects

As a result of this activity, a combination table is created for use in the configuration back office rules.

Window

Configuration Combination Table

Related Window Descriptions

Combination Table
Combination Table/Combination Factors
Combination Table/Combination Values

Procedure

  1. Open the Configuration Combination Table window and create a new record. 
  2. In the Combination ID field, enter an alphanumeric code to identify this configuration formula, and then enter a description in the Description field.
  3. In the Return Data Type field, select a value from the drop-down list to indicate the type of values returned.
  4. In the Config Family ID field, select a configuration family from the List of Values. This also sets the config family ID description, which defines the set of configuration characteristics that can be used.
  5. Save your changes. The Status field defaults to Incomplete, indicating the formula is not yet ready for use.
  6. Click anywhere within the Combination Factors tab, and then click New to create a new combination factor line.
  7. In the Display Sequence field, enter a number or leave null to indicate the order of appearance for this factor.
  8. Select a Factor Type value from the drop-down list, then enter or choose from the List of Values a value identifying the factor of that type to use.  A factor description will be retrieved automatically.
  9. Enter a value in the Test Value field to be used for testing the combination table. This is used to simulate an actual value from a configuration.
  10. Continue entering combination factors as described above until the combination factors of interest are all defined.
  11. Click anywhere within the Combination Values tab and then click New to create a new combination value line.
  12. Enter a sequence number, or leave null for the system to generate, then select the desired operator and value for each factor used in the table.  The window will display an operator and factor value column for each factor you defined on the previous tab.
  13. Save your changes.