Article Attributes#
General#
Item attributes are used to classify and retrieve articles based on their characteristics. Characteristics can be assigned to each article. Either individually or via the characteristics preassigned to the article category.
In the following, the functional enhancements of the item attributes in KUMAVISION factory365 are explained in more detail. Basic information on this area is provided in the Microsoft Dynamics Business Central™ Online Help.
Establishment#
Before you can define the article attributes and assign them accordingly, the following setups must be made in the system:
Units#
For the later creation of the article attributes, the creation of the required units must be defined in advance. To set up the units, call up the "Units" via the user search. Via "New" in the menu ribbon you can create a new unit with the help of the table below.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Code | Assign a unique abbreviation of the unit. If you are working with eCl@ss, enter the eClass identifier for the unit here. |
| Description | Enter a description of the unit here. For example, "kilogram" for kilogram. |
| International Standard Code | Enter the international standard code here. |
| Short name | Enter a short name for the unit here. This can be the common abbreviation for a unit, e.g. "kg" for kilograms. The abbreviation is displayed in the info boxes. |
| SI Dimension name | Maintain the SI dimension name for the base unit here. In the list you see the dimension name and in brackets the unit: • "None-SI Dimension" = No SI Dimension • "Time" = Time (second) • "Length" = Length (meters) • "Mass" = mass (kilogram) • "electric current" = current intensity (ampere) • "thermodynamic temperature" = Thermodynamic temperature (Kelvin) • "amount of substance" = amount of substance (mole) • "luminous intensity" = luminous intensity (candela) |
| Is base unit | Specify here whether the unit is a base unit. For example, set the check mark for meters and make sure that no check mark is set for centimeters. |
| Quantity per unit | In the Quantity per base unit of measure field, enter how many of the base unit's units the new unit of measure contains |
| Base unit code | Assign the base unit for the unit here. For example, for centimeters, maintain the unit code of meters. |
| Base potency | Define here, for an administration the base power for the conversion. For example, maintain the power of ten for centimeters. |
| Exponent | Define here, for an administration the exponent for the conversion. |
| SI Notation | Specify the SI notation here. |
| SI Name | Enter the SI name here. |
| DIN notation | Enter the DIN notation here. |
| ECE Name | Enter the ECE name here. |
| ECE Code | Enter the ECE code here. |
| NIST Name | Enter the NIST name here. |
| IEC classification | Specify the IEC classification here. |
| Parent size DIN | Enter the parent size DIN here. |
Note
If you work with the eCl@ss import, you can import the units via this. Further information can be found in the section "Importing eCl@ss 7.0".
Item Attribute Map#
Before you can work with the article attributes, you have to set up the required characteristics and their attributes. To do this, call up the "Article attributes" via the user search. Via "New" in the menu ribbon you can define a new article attribute with the help of the tables below.
Note
If you work with the eCl@ss import, you can import the article attributes via it. For more information, see the section "Importing from eCl@ss 7.0".
Inforegister General#
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Code | Here you can define a unique code for the attribute, by using codes as unique keys you prevent input errors. |
| Name | Assign a name for the attribute |
| Type | Specifies the type of attribute. You can choose from the following: • Option • Text • Integer • Decimal number • Date Note Please note that by assigning the type, the "Data type" field is automatically pre-populated by the system. |
| NAV data type | This field is updated when the "Type" field is maintained and sets the data type defined in the database. * |
| Constant | Set the switch in the Constant field if you want to define a constant for the formula calculation. In the Default value field, you define the value to be used for the formula calculation. For example, for PI you create 3.14 or the number of decimal places you want. |
| Default value | Define the value of the constant in the "Default value" field. This value will always be output when the attribute is assigned. This makes sense for the formula calculation, for example. |
| Locked | Indicates that the item attribute cannot be used for the processes. The system sets the locked indicator if you have not maintained the code and name. When the locked indicator is released, the system also checks that both fields have values. |
| Duty | Marks the attribute as a "mandatory attribute". |
| Sorting | Set the sorting criterion for tabular display here. If you leave the field empty, sorting will be done according to the Name attribute. |
Inforegister option#
Depending on the type=option, the "Option" info tab is displayed with the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Attribute selection expandable | Allows to expand the attributes selection. The system automatically sets a check mark. |
| Values | Specifies the values of the attribute. |
Furthermore, the following function calls are available in the menu ribbon:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Article attribute values | Opens the item attribute value card where you can define the values for the item attribute. |
| Update attribute values | Use this call to transfer the data records from the reference table to the article attributes. |
| Update reference table | Use this call to transfer the data records from the article attribute values to the reference table |
Information register unit#
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Unit code | Here you can assign a unit code, by the assignment the field unit is assigned in the background and possibly also overwritten. Only for numeric types, and for option if integer or decimal was assigned here. |
| Unit | Specifies the base unit in relation to the unit code. |
Inforegister Formula#
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Formula | In the "Formula" field you can define a formula for determining a value. The formula is composed of already created attributes and the mathematical operator. The following mathematical operators are supported: '^' Potentiation: Specify the value to be exponentiated on the left and the power on the right '%' Percentage calculation '/' Division '*' Multiplication '+' Addition '-' Subtraction '<' Less thanThe value returns a one if the result is positive, and a zero if the result is negative '>' Greater thanThe value returns a one if the result is positive, and a zero if it is negative '=' EqualThe value returns a one in the case of a positive result, and a zero in the negative case Example: You want to show the formula for area calculation in the attribute. Here, the predefined attribute "Length" * the predefined attribute "Width" is specified in the field as follows: Length*Width |
| Minimum value | Here you can define a minimum value in the case of a numeric attribute when defining default attributes for article categories. This is checked when entering attribute values for articles, variants as well as article versions. |
| Minimum value | Here you can define a minimum value in the case of a numeric attribute when defining default attributes for article categories. This is checked when entering attribute values for articles, variants as well as article versions. |
Inforegister Factory eClass#
In the "Factory eClass" info tab, you can assign the standardized eClass data to the article attribute in the fields provided. Alternatively, this data can be imported via the eCl@ss import. You will find further information on this topic in the section provided for this purpose.
Inforegister Factory Article Synchronization#
For a simple and unambiguous recording, values of the article card can be synchronized with the article attributes, so that the data must be maintained only in one place. The necessary setups are made on the "Factory article synchronization" info tab of the respective article attribute. The synchronization setup is described below:
Note
Please note that you can only synchronize fields of the article map that are linked to only one field value on external tables. Normally, these are all fields of the article card.
Note
Please note that you set the field Type=Option, so that the system has the possibility to provide the selection values of the source table as an option as well
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Target field ID | Specify here the field of the item that contains the assignment. For example, the field ID 47 if you want to synchronize data about the customs position. |
| Field name | Specifies the name of the assigned field in "Target Field ID". |
| NAV Tables ID | In this field you specify which table should be synchronized to the options table. For example, the table ID 260 for synchronization of data from the table Customs position. |
| Table designation | Specifies the name of the assigned field in "NAV Table ID". |
| NAV Key Field ID | In this field you specify the primary key of the source table, these are usually "Code" or "No.". This value is transferred to the code field of the item attribute values table. For example, the field ID 1 for the field No. of the table Customs item. |
| Field name | Specifies the name of the assigned field in "NAV Key Field ID". |
| NAV Description Field ID | In this field you specify the information field of the source table that you want to synchronize. This value is transferred to the value field of the item attribute values table. For example, the field ID 2 for the Description field of the Customs Item table. |
| Field name | Specifies the name of the assigned field in "Description field name". After the field assignment, the system automatically determines the "Data type" field. |
Assignment synchronization#
The synchronization is finally assigned with the following functions in the menu ribbon:
Update attribute values#
Use this call to transfer the data records from the reference table to the article attributes.
If changes are made in the article attribute values table, the new data records or corrections are transferred to the target table.
Note
A maintenance in the reference table does not lead to an automatic update of the article attribute values, these must be taken over via Update attribute values.
Update reference tables#
Use this call to transfer the data records from the article attribute values to the reference table.
Synchronization logic#
When synchronizing, note the following:
Article#
If a field defined in the article attribute card is changed on the article card, this value is transferred to the article attributes; if the article attribute is not yet assigned, the assignment is made by the system.
Article variant#
If the affected article has article variants, the changes are also transferred there. Deviating from this are fields that can be maintained in the tables themselves. These are for article variants:
- Description
- Description 2
- Sale locked
- Purchasing locked
- Service locked
- Production locked
Article version#
If the affected article has article versions, the changes are also transferred there. Deviating from this are fields that can be maintained in the tables themselves. These are for article versions
- Material
- Drawing no.
- Drawing format
- Manufacturer code
- Finished parts list no.
- Work plan no.
Please note that expired article versions will not be updated.
Attributes maintenance#
If you maintain the assignment of the attributes, these changes are transferred to the articles as well as to any existing article variants and article versions in the case of defined synchronization.
Call Usage#
The "Usage" call in the ribbon displays the records that currently have the corresponding item attribute assigned in the system. The fields of the "Usage" table are explained below:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Table | The table ID of the item, item category and item variants or version used by the system. This field is not displayed to you. |
| No./Code | Indicates the article no. from the article, article variant or article version as well as the code from the article category and the Lfd. No. from the catalog article. |
| Variant code | The variant code from the article variant or article version. The field remains empty for articles and article categories. |
| Article version code | Specifies the item version code from the item version. For article, article category, article variant the field remains empty |
| Description | Specifies the description. |
Via the menu ribbon - Navigate, the call "Show map" is additionally available, with which you can display the corresponding map.
Article attributes assignment#
KUMAVISION factory365 allows you to use article attributes not only for the article, but also for catalog articles, article variants and article versions and provides the full range of functions here.
The following inheritance logic must be observed:
The diagram shows you horizontally what can be derived from which element and vertically how it is inheritable in itself.
Article#
On the article card, you can assign the attributes for the article via the "Attributes" call in the menu ribbon. In the "Article attributes" info box on the article card, the data of the assigned attributes are displayed directly.
Article category#
On the article category card, you can use the "Attributes" call in the ribbon to assign the attributes for the article category. In the "Article attributes" info box on the article category card, the data of the assigned attributes is displayed directly.
If you assign this article category to an article, the attributes from the article category are transferred to the article.
If changes are subsequently made to the attributes of the article category, they will be inherited by the assigned articles.
Note
Please note that the attributes of the parent article categories are inherited by the child article categories. However, the inherited attributes cannot be changed in the subordinate article categories. Per article, article variant as well as article version these can always be adapted individually.
Catalog items#
On the catalog item card, you can use the "Attributes" call in the ribbon to assign the attributes for the catalog item. In the "Article attributes" info box on the catalog article card, the data of the assigned attributes are displayed directly.
If an article is created from a catalog article, the attribute definitions are taken from the catalog article.
Note
Please note that after the article creation, no more maintenance of the attributes via the catalog articles is possible, but only on the corresponding article card.
If you subsequently assign an article category to the created article, any article attributes stored will be inherited by the article.
Article variant#
When creating new article variants, the attribute assignments of the article are transferred one-to-one to the variant and can be adjusted there according to your requirements.
To do this, call up the "Attributes" callup in the ribbon in the article variant in order to assign the type attributes for the variant. The data of the assigned attributes are displayed directly in the "Article attributes" info box.
Note
Changes to the values of the article attributes are not transferred to the variants.
Article version#
When creating new article versions, the attribute assignment of the article or variant is transferred one-to-one and can be adjusted there according to your requirements.
To do this, call up the "Attributes" callup in the ribbon in the article version in order to assign the attributes for the article version. In the "Article attributes" info box on the article version, the data for the assigned attributes are displayed directly
Note
In the article version, you cannot define print control for sales.
The transfer of new attributes from the associated article or variant is performed depending on the definition via the "Automatically transfer attributes to versions" field in the Design & Development setup:
| Field selection | Description |
|---|---|
| Not | No attributes are transferred. |
| New only | New attributes are only transferred to the versions in New status. |
| Until Certified | New attributes are transferred to the article versions with the statuses New and Certified. |
| until Certified and reset to New | New attributes are transferred to the article versions with the statuses New and Certified. If the article version has certified, this is reset to New, so that manual editing or checking becomes necessary. |
| All | Basically the attributes are transferred. |
Note
Changes to the values of the article attributes for the article and the article variant are generally not transferred to the article version. There is no provision for transferring attributes from an old article version to a new article version; the attributes from the master record of the article or article variant are always transferred.
Attribute search#
The standard allows to control the overview in the article overview via attribute filters. The extension of the attribute usage to article variant as well as article version make this filter possibility incomplete, because it is not usable for article variant, article version as well as catalog articles, for this reason there is the article attribute search.
You can call the attribute search directly via the user search or accordingly from the documents listed below:
- Assembly parts list
- Assembly order
- Project plan line
- Production parts list
- Request
- Frame order
- Order
- Invoice
- Return
- Purchase credit
- Offer
- Framework order
- Order
- Blanket order
- Take back
- Credit
When calling from the documents, the data of the source line are determined and maintained as header data. If you have not yet made any selection other than setting the type to article, no initialization is performed either.
Note
In the listed documents, you can use the attribute search, filter by article and transfer directly to the document. Please note that the article version is not taken into account for consuming documents.
If you want to transfer a catalog article, you must first create it as the correct article via the catalog article. Afterwards, please start the search again or enter the newly created article directly.
In the header area of the attribute search, you can have the search lines suggested via the fields Article category, Article, Article variant as well as Article version by maintaining the fields.
The maintenance of the fields should be done hierarchically from article category to article version. According to the hierarchy, the sequence selections are restricted.
If you do not enter data hierarchically, the higher data will be determined and filled in by the system. For example, if you start with the article version, the system determines and maintains the article category, article and article variant as defined in the article version.
Import from eCl@ss 7.0#
The system allows you to import the entire eCl@ss master into the system. The eCl@ss structure with its classification (Classification CC), property (Property PR) and value (Value VA) is implemented in the factory as follows:
| eCl@ss structure | KUMAVISION Factory |
|---|---|
| Classification | Article category |
| Feature | Article attribute |
| Value | Item attribute value |
To import the eCl@ss master, first call up the "Import eCl@ss structure" via the user search.
The import mask opens on which you can select the import file in the respective fields via the Assist button [...].
The following selections are available:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Units (UN) | Use the Assist button to specify the unit import file. The units (Units UN) are imported into the Units table, for this the following mapping is made. Column heading = Field unit StructuredNaming = Structured name ShortName = Short name Description Definition = Record note Source = Record note Comment = Record note SINotation = SI Notation SIName = SI Name DINNotation = DIN notation ECEName = ECE Name ECECode = ECE Code NISTName = NIST Name IECClassification = IEC classification IrdiUN = IrdiUN The characters 11 to 16 in code NameOfDedicatedQuantity = Parent size DIN The primary key thus corresponds to the characters 11-20 of the IrdiUN (unique identifier plus version status) |
| Classification (CC) | Use the Assist button to specify the classification import file. The classifications (Classification CC) are imported into the Article Category table, for this the following mapping is made: Column heading = Item category field Supplier = Supplier ID IdCC = Identification + version number Identifier = Indentification VersionNumber = Version VersionDate = Publication date / version date RevisionNumber = Revision CodedName = eClass Coded name Code PreferredName = Description Definition = Record note ISOLanguageCode = ISO language code ISOCountryCode = ISO country code Note = Record note Remark = Record note Level = Indirect indentation Indentation = Level - 1 FMD subclass = Is not imported MKKeyword = Is not imported MKBSA = Base attribute yes, if the MKBSA is not equal to 2. IrdiCC = IrDiCC The primary key thus corresponds to the CodeName. |
| Features (PR) | Use the Assist button to specify the feature import file. The characteristics (Property PR) are imported into the article attributes. Supplier = Supplier ID IdPR = No takeover Identifier = Identifier Code VersionNumber = Version VersionDate = Publication date RevisionNumber = Change number of the feature PreferredName = Name ShortName = Short name Definition = Record note Note = Record note Remark = Record note FormSymbol = No takeover IrdiUN = The characters from 11th position in unit code ISOLanguageCode = ISO language code ISOCountryCode = ISO country code Category = Type class AttributeType = No takeover Reference = Record note DefinitionClass = Assignment ICS subject group classification DataType = Data type Here also the data type and NAV data type are determined DigitsBeforeComma = Number of digits before the decimal point DigitsAfterComma = Number of decimal places NumberOfCharacters = Length string IrdiPR = IrdiPR CurrencyAlphaCode = Currency code |
| Classification Feature (CC_PR) | Use the Assist button to specify the classification feature import file. The assignments of the characteristics (Property PR) to classifications (Classification CC) are stored in the assignment table. |
| Characteristic values VA | Use the Assist button to specify the characteristic values VA import file. The values (Values VA) are first temporarily imported by the system into the article attribute values and not directly stored in the database, here the following mapping is made: Supplier = Supplier ID IdVA = Is not imported Identifier = Identifier Code if short name Blank. VersionNumber = Version RevisionNumber = Revision VersionDate = Publication date PreferredName = Value ShortName = Short name Definition = Record note Reference = Record note ISOLanguageCode = ISO language code ISOCountryCode = ISO country code IrdiVA = IrdiVA DataType = Data type The primary key is assigned by Microsoft a consecutive number, the factory has added a code field for better manageability, with which the selection is simplified. This is normally filled with the short name, otherwise the system uses the identifier. |
| Characteristic values fixed (PR_VA_restricted) | Use the Assist button to specify the feature values fixed import file. The assignment of the values (Values VA) to the attributes (Property PR) can only be imported if the value definitions have been read in and the attributes have been read in beforehand. IrdiPR = Based on the value, the system determines the article attribute that was previously read or processed. IrdiVA = Based on the value, the system determines the temporarily imported value definition and writes the record with the attribute ID and the data from the value definition to the database. |
| Characteristic values extensible (PR_VA_suggested) | Use the Assist button to specify the feature values fixed import file. |
| Error behavior | Select here how the system should react in case of an import error. You can choose from the following: Protocol message: All import messages will be displayed in an error message. Error: An error message appears. |
| Sort interval | Enter a sort interval if you wish for the import. |
| Purchasing Print ID Sale Print ID Service Print ID |
Enter the print control before importing so that the data is already entered in the item attributes on the item attribute card in the "Print control" info tab. |
Confirm your selection with "OK" to start the import.