Product design

The site where the new product is assembled. The production site also forms part of the product design identifier.

• Leave blank if the product is assembled at multiple sites.
• Select a production site if the product is assembled at a single site. This site needs to be defined on the company.
• Leave blank if you are not sure where the product is assembled.

The new product design revision is automatically initialized to In development status. You can change this to a status that's further through the design cycle, if necessary.

Each product design BOM revision needs to follow the standard design and approval processing cycles. The stages of the product design cycle are defined in the 3511—Product design status local menu.

For a product design BOM revision that will be processed through to completion, the standard design cycle is: In development > Development completed > Submitted for approval > Production.

For a product design BOM revision that will be rejected, the standard design cycle is: In development > Development completed > Submitted for approval > [Suspended] > Obsolete.

This field is populated automatically after a product design BOM revision is released as a new product, and as a full production BOM. It displays 1 of the following values:

• Released: If the selected product design BOM revision was released as a new product, and as a full production BOM.
• Abandoned: If the selected product design BOM revision was not released as a new product because a different revision of the product design BOM was selected for release.

The Design product code becomes the final product code, the code that's written to the Products table (ITMMASTER) when the product design is published. You have 3 options for this field. You can:

• Leave blank, if the new product design has not been assigned a final product code.
• Enter the product code, if you know what the final product code will be.
• Leave blank, to assign the product code when the product design is published to the Products table (ITMMASTER).

The major version of the product that applies. Major versions might be used where there have been increased or significant changes to the original or previous version. The "form, fit, or function" has changed.

This field is not populated if the product code defined in the Product field is not version managed.

The minor version of the product that applies. Minor versions might be used where there have been minor features or changes in functionality, or significant fixes applied to a specific major version.

This field is not populated if the product code defined in the Product field is not version managed.

Selected if the product design was published to the Products table (ITMMASTER).

Selected if the product design BOM revision was published as a full production BOM.

Links production of the product design with a specific project.

Select one of the following:

• A customer relation (CRM) project code from the CRM project table (OPPORCRM).
• A resource planning project code from the PJM project table (OPPORPJM).
• A combined project code and project budget code from the Project budget table (PJMBUD).
• A combined project code and project task code from the Project task table (PJMTSK), that is a material task code, a labor task code (sales only), or a combined (mixed) labor and material task code.

If the value of this field includes a character such as an exclamation mark "!", this field links to the structure of the project. The character is the separator between a project code and the structure, either the project budget structure or the project operational (task) structure. For example, if a material task code is "USA-P3" and a project code is "USA12345678", this field displays a link to the project operational structure as "USA12345678!USA-P3".

This field is significant for costing your product design revision. The default cost type is Standard cost. You can choose to cost the product design revision using one of the following cost types:

• Standard cost
• Revised standard cost
• Budgeted standard cost
• Simulated standard cost

The Cost type is mandatory for the cost calculations.

Existing products that you add to your design as components read from the defined product-cost record to contribute to the overall unit and total cost of your design.

New materials that you add to your design as components do not initially have any costs associated with them. You add the costs manually either to the component line or when you publish the new material to the Products table (ITMMASTER). Publishing the new material creates the appropriate product-cost record simultaneously, writing the costs from the new material to the defined product-cost record. The overall unit and total cost of your design are then updated to include the new material costs.

This field defaults to the value defined in the DESIGNUOM—Design BOM UOM parameter (TC chapter, NPI group). Leave the default value or select the unit in which the product is costed and/or manufactured.

The Design UOM is mandatory for the quantity calculations.

Indicates if component quantities for the product design revision are recorded and calculated based on percentages.

This checkbox is only available if the Design UOM field (NPIUOM) is set to a unit that represents weight or volume.

The quantity of the product design revision that's to be costed / manufactured based on a percentage calculation or recipe.

This field is only available if the Design UOM field (NPIUOM) is set to a unit that represents weight or volume and the % calculation checkbox (PRCCLC) is selected.

Indicates if the costs for the product design revision for the component types selected in the following checkboxes are updated:

• Existing product
• Design assembly
• New material

The sequence number of the component in the BOM (bill of material). It identifies a component where multiple components with the same product code are defined as variants or options.

The BOMSTE—Component sequence increment parameter (TC chapter, BOM group) defines the first sequence number and the increment applied to subsequent component sequence numbers.

Defines the type of component. You can set it to one of the following values:

• Existing material: The component currently exists as a stock record in the Products table (ITMMASTER).
  If an image is attached to the product in the Products function (GESITM), the image is copied to the component line.
• Existing assembly: The component is a subassembly or a semi-finished product that currently exists as a stock record in the Products table, and as a production or subcontracting BOM in the Products–BOMs table (ITMBOM).
  If an image is attached to the product in the Products function (GESITM), the image is copied to the component line.
• New material: The component does not currently exist as a stock record in the Products table. You can enter a temporary code and description for your new product and create it as a stock record later.
  When saved to a product design BOM, a New material component can be selected and included in other product design BOMs.
• Design assembly: The component needs to be a subassembly, but the product currently only exists as a product design BOM that has not yet been published to the Products and Products–BOMs tables.
  
  A Design assembly type component changes to an Existing assembly component type when the product design is published to the Products table (ITMMASTER), even if the product design is still in design mode.
• Generic product: A placeholder product. Use this type of component if you are in the early stages of designing your product or have not yet decided upon a specific component. A placeholder product can be an existing material or assembly that exists as a stock record, or a "new" material or assembly that does not yet exist as a stock record.
  For example, your organization stocks multiple transistors, all of which are similar in design. Your design engineer adds a T-A1 transistor to the product design as a placeholder for the component, a Generic product. When the design engineer confirms the correct transistor is T-B2, they change the component type to Existing material and the component to product code T-B2. The product design BOM is ready to be published.
  
  You'll need to change a Generic product to an Existing material or an Existing assembly when you've finalized your product design before you can publish it.
• Costing: This is a costing element. You can use it to manipulate the cost of the product design.
• Text: This is a text element. You can use it to record notes for the product design.

The component product code.

A description for the component / component line, maximum of 30 characters. This field is only available for entry for New material, Generic product, Costing, and Text component types.

For Existing material and Existing assembly component types, this field displays the description from the product record.

For Design assembly component types, this field displays the description from the Product design header table (NPIHEADER).

The major version of the component that applies. Major versions might be used where there have been increased or significant changes to the original or previous version. The "form, fit, or function" has changed.

Select a version code from the list of version codes displayed. This field is not available for entry if the component code defined in the Component field is not version managed.

The minor version of the component that applies. Minor versions might be used where there have been minor features or changes in functionality, or significant fixes applied to a specific major version.

Select a version code from the list of version codes displayed. This field is not available for entry if the component code defined in the Component field is not version managed.

The unit in which the component is costed and/or manufactured. This field is only available for entry for New material and Generic product component types.

If the component is an "existing" component, this field defaults to the unit of measure for the component.

• For Existing material and Existing assembly component types, this field displays the unit of measure from the product record.
• For New material component types, this field displays the unit of measure from the New material "parent" record.
• For Design assembly component types, this field displays the unit of measure from the Product design components table (NPICOMPONENT).

The Design UOM is mandatory for the quantity calculations.

The percentage of the component that's needed to make the design product. This field is only available for entry if the Design UOM field (NPIUOM) is set to a value that represents weight or volume, and the % calculation checkbox (PRCCLC) is selected.

The sum of the percentage of each component needs to equal 100.

This field is calculated automatically if the Design UOM field (NPIUOM) is set to a value that represents weight or volume, and the % calculation checkbox (PRCCLC) is selected. It displays the quantity of the component in the component unit of measure (UOM field (BOMUOM)) that's needed to make the design product, based on the percentage defined in the % quantity BOM UOM field (PRCBOMQTY) if the component unit of measure also represents weight or volume.

For all other units of measure such as EACH, AREA, LENGTH, use this field to define the quantity of the component in the selected unit (BOMUOM field) that's needed to make the design product.

The conversion factor between the component unit (UOM field (BOMUOM) and the product design unit (Design UOM field (NPIUOM)). It's always set to 1 unless a product design unit is set to a value that represents weight or volume.

If the product design unit is one value and the component unit an unrelated value, for example, Design UOM = g (grams) and component UOM = l (liter), a Warning icon is displayed to indicate an unexpected field value.

The Warning icon is displayed to indicate an unexpected field value. For example, the product design unit is one value and the component unit an unrelated value. For example, Design UOM = g (grams) and component UOM = l (liter).

The warning is non-blocking and will not prevent you building your product design.

Defines how the quantity of the component in the stock unit that's needed to make the design product is determined:

• Proportional: The quantity of the component is multiplied by the quantity needed for the parent product.
• Fixed: The quantity of the component is fixed, regardless of the quantity needed of the parent product.

The conversion factor between the product design unit of measure (Design UOM field (NPIUOM)) and the component unit of measure (STK field (STU)). For example, if the Design UOM field = kg and a component STK field = g, this field displays the value 0.00100 as the conversion factor from kg to g.

The Warning icon is displayed to indicate an unexpected field value. For example, the product design unit is one value and the component unit an unrelated value (for example, Design UOM = g (grams) and component UOM = l (liter)).

The warning is non-blocking and will not prevent you building your product design.

The rounding rule to be applied to adjust the calculated quantity of the component to the number of decimal places defined for the stock unit of the parent product. You can set the field to 1 of the following values:

• Round to the nearest
• Greater than: Round up.
• Less than: Round down.

The percentage of the component that you expect to be scrap or lost during the production process.

Inquiries can display the following figures:

• Net quantities: The loss or scrap percentage is not included in calculations of the quantity required to produce a parent product.
• Gross quantities: The loss percentage is included in calculations of the quantity needed to produce a parent product.

If the component type is Existing material or Existing assembly and it does not have a product-site record, the note "This component is not available for the production site "[production site code]"" is displayed in this field.

Select Line text entry from the Actions icon to add text to the component line.

Select Image from the Actions icon to view or change an image associated with the component.

Select Product detail from the Actions icon to view or amend the details of the component / product.

Select Reference from the Actions icon to add circuit and drawing references to the component line. There's no limit to the number of circuit or drawing references you can add. An information message warns where line references are not equal to the component quantity.

For example, a design engineer includes a circuit board as a component of a production BOM. The circuit board needs 10 LED lights to be attached. The design engineer uses the Circuit references column to describe where to add the LED lights to the circuit board and the Drawing references column to cross-reference to the CAD, manual drawings, or file name.

Select Where used from the Actions icon to locate every product design BOM revision and every level of a product design BOM revision with the component.

The subject matter expert that has the expertise to review the business case and the requirements for the product design BOM revision.

Subject matter experts or "approvers" have a user role with Internal approver or External approver authorization. They have the authority to approve or reject the suggested design.

The current status of the decision in the review of the business case and requirements for the product design revision.

The standard approval cycle is: Approval pending > Approval submitted > Approval in progress > Approved for prototype > Approved for production.

The standard approval cycle for a product design BOM revision that will be rejected is: Approval pending > Approval submitted > Approval in progress > Approval rejected.

You can be flexible with the approval cycle status. For example, for a product design BOM revision that reaches Approved for prototype status then a prototype is sent to customers for approval and is subsequently rejected, the approval cycle could be: Approval pending > Approval submitted > Approval in progress > Approved for prototype > Approval rejected.

Use this field following your review as an "approver" for the product design revision to indicate how many of the design you approve for production as a prototype product (by raising prototype work orders). Your figure should represent the maximum number of prototype products you need to run through your approval cycle.

Use this field following your review as an "approver" for the product design revision to define the unit in which the maximum quantity of the component should be produced as a pilot product or for full production.

Summarizes your decision on your review of the business case and the requirements for the product design BOM revision. You could use it to state assumptions or make recommendations to the engineer responsible for this particular design revision. As the design engineer for the product design BOM revision, you could use it to respond to comments or recommendations added by an "approver".

Select the Header text action to add supporting text to the product design revision. A free-format Text entry box is displayed. You have unlimited characters to add information to support your design revision.

Select the New material action to manage a new material "parent" record before you publish the component to the Products table (ITMMASTER).

Select the Publish new material action to convert a New material component type to a stock item.

Publishing a new material creates the following records:

• A product in the Products table (ITMMASTER).
  You can view the new product using the Products function (GESITM). Alternatively, select Product detail from the Actions icon on the component line.
• A product-site record in the Products-sites table (ITMFACILIT).
  You can view the new product-site record using the Products-sites function (GESITF) or by using the Product-site action in the Products function (GESITM).
  If the selected product Category is set up for multiple "storage sites", a product-site record is created for each storage site.
• A product-cost record in the Products-costs table (ITMCOST).
  You can view the new product-cost record using the appropriate standard costs function (GESICD, GESICA, GESICB, GESICS).

The New material "parent" record is deleted.

For every product design BOM revision in which the published new material exists as a component:

• The published component is now an Existing material component type.
• The Component code is now the component Product code or the next sequential product category sequence code.

A detailed log file is displayed upon completion.

Select the Where used action to locate every product design BOM revision and every level of a product design BOM revision in which a specific component is used.

Select the Publish product action to convert a design product for a Design assembly type to stock. You need to publish a design assembly before you can create it as an "in-production" production BOM.

Publishing the design product creates the following records:

• A product in the Products table (ITMMASTER).
  You can view the new product using the Products function (GESITM).
• A product-site record in the Products-sites table (ITMFACILIT).
  You can view the new product-site record using the Products-sites function (GESITF) or by using the Product-site action in the Products function (GESITM).
  If the selected product Category is set up for multiple "storage sites", a product-site record is created for each cost site.
• A product-cost record in the Products-costs table (ITMCOST).
  You can view the new product-cost record using the appropriate standard costs function (GESICD, GESICA, GESICB, GESICS).

The product design Product published checkbox is selected.

A detailed log file is displayed upon completion.

Select the Publish BOM action to convert a published design assembly revision to an "in design" production BOM. A BOM is created in the Production BOMs function (GESBODP) with a New product in design mode warning attached in the home section. The warning indicates that the product has only been released as a prototype product and has not yet been released as a full production BOM.

You can view the published "in-design" assembly in the Production BOMs function (GESBODP).

For every product design BOM in which this published design assembly revision exists as a subassembly:

• The published design assembly is an Existing assembly type.
• The Component code is changed to the Design product code, or the next sequential product category sequence code.

The product design BOM published checkbox is selected.

This action (Publish BOM) is now disabled.

A detailed log file is displayed upon completion.

Select the Product detail action to view or amend the details of the product created from the product design BOM revision.

Select the BOM detail action to view or amend the details of the production BOM created from the product design BOM revision.

Select the Work order action to create a prototype work order for the "in design" production BOM created from the product design BOM revision. The production BOM has a New product in design mode warning displayed in the home section.

Select the Release action to select which revision of the product design to release as a new product.

Each revision of the product design that has been approved for production and advanced to Production status is listed in the Revisions table (Release product screen). Select the Release checkbox (NBLIG1) for the product design BOM revision that you want to release as a new product, and as a full production BOM.

The linked production BOM is automatically selected for release. Using the Production BOMs table you can now do the following:

• Select the Release checkbox (RELSEL) for each additional production BOM alternative that matches the selected product design BOM revision that you want to release in conjunction with the default linked production BOM.

• Set each Release use status field (USESTA). This field sets the default assembly status of the selected production BOM. You can set this field to 1 of the following values:

  • In development, while the components that make up the product are being defined.
  • Available to use, if the structure of the bill (BOM) is complete and has been validated.
  A BOM can only be assigned to work orders when its status is Available to use.

For the default production BOM and each additional production BOM alternative selected for release:

• You can view the released assembly in the Production BOMs function (GESBODP).
• The production BOM no longer displays the New product in design mode warning.
• The New product in design mode warning is removed from the Products table (ITMMASTER).
• Work orders are no longer raised as "prototype" work orders.

For the product design BOM revisions:

• The Release status field in the home section of the released product design BOM revision is set to Released.
• The Release status field in the home section of all other revisions of the product design is set to Abandoned.
• The product design BOM revisions can no longer be modified.