Previous	Next		Contents	Index	Glossary	Library

Much of the information for an item is optional. You define only the information you need to maintain the item.

Note: Throughout this document, we refer to engineering items generically, as items.

Updating Item Attributes

You must use the Organization Item window to update Organization level item attributes. This update window only updates Organization level attributes in your current organization. See: Updating Organization Level Items. If you change an Organization level attribute with the Master Item window, you are simply defining the default value for that organization level attribute (and changing the value in the master organization). This default is used when you assign an item to a new organization.

Prerequisites

• Organization parameters

• Item attribute controls

• Units of measure

• Statuses

• Categories

• Other entities such as planners when you want to assign them to items

   To define an item:

1. Navigate to the Master Item window.

2. Enter a unique designator for the item.

3. Optionally, select a Control Level to enable only Master level or Organization level attributes. The default is to enable all attributes.

4. Select an alternative region to display an item attribute group where you can specify values for attributes in that group.

For information on the attributes for each group and the values you can enter see Item Attributes Listed by Group Name.

Note: To locate a particular attribute without manually looking through the alternative regions choose Find Attribute from the Special menu.

5. Save your work.

   To display existing items:

• Choose Find from the Query menu and enter search criteria in the Find Master Items window. If you do not enter search criteria and choose Find, the search is made for all items. The results display in the Master Items Summary folder window.

   To define an item by copying attribute information from an existing item:

1. From the Master Item window choose Copy From on the Special menu to open the Copy From window.

2. Enter the name of the item whose attribute information you want to copy.

3. Choose Cancel to close the Copy From window, choose Apply to copy attribute information, or choose Done to copy attribute information and close the Copy From window.

Item attribute information is copied from the copy item to the new item you are defining. You cannot use this process to copy attributes to an existing item.

Attention: Category relationships, organization assignments, catalog group information, and costs are not copied.

4. Save your work.

   To define an item using a template:

1. From the Master Item window choose Copy From on the Special menu.

2. Enter the name of the template you want to apply.

3. Choose Cancel to close the Copy From window, choose Apply to copy template information, or choose Done to copy template information and close the Copy From window.

You can apply multiple templates to the item. The more recent attribute values (from the last template applied) override previous values unless the previous value is not updatable (such as the Primary Unit of Measure, which is never updatable). See: Item Templates.

4. Save your work.

   To copy attributes from an existing item and apply a template at the same time:

1. From the Master Item window choose Copy From on the Special menu.

2. Enter the name of the template and the item you want to apply.

3. Choose Cancel to close the Copy From window, choose Apply to copy attribute and template information, or choose Done to copy attribute and template information and close the Copy From window.

Note that the item is copied first, and then the template is applied.

4. Save your work.

See Also

Customizing the Presentation of Data in a Folder

Searching for Information