Product Administration Guide > Smart Part Numbers >

Creating Dynamically Generated Part Numbers

When you create dynamic part numbers, you first create a template that contains a placeholder for each attribute you want to include in the part number. You then define mappings that specify how attribute values replace the placeholders. When the user chooses attribute values, the system inserts the mappings into the part number template to generate the part number.

The following definitions are important to understanding dynamically generated part numbers.

• Part number template. A sequence of sections in a specified order.
• Section. A portion of a part number template. Each section contains one attribute name that acts as a placeholder. Sections can also contain a prefix and a postfix.

  For example, you want to create part numbers that begin with ENU- and end with -MC. You want to include values for two attributes, Attrib1 and Attrib2, and separate them with a dash (-). Here is an example: ENU-S-GRN-MC. In this part number, S is the value substituted for Attrib1 and GRN is the value for Attrib2.

  To create a part number template, you would define two sections. In Table 16, the first row is the first section of the part number. The second row is the second section.

  Table 16.  Part Number Template

  Prefix	Attribute Name (Placeholder)	Postfix	Sequence
  ENU-	Attrib1	-	1
  	Attrib2	-MC	2

• Mapping. A mapping is a string of characters you define for an attribute value. The mapping is what the abbreviation method uses to determine what characters to insert in the part number. If you do not define a mapping, the abbreviation method uses the attribute value itself.
• Abbreviation method. The abbreviation method determines how the characters are derived from the mapping. These characters replace the attribute's placeholder in the part number template. The mapping methods are: Abbreviation, Acronym, First Two Symbols, First and Last Symbols, First Symbol.
  • Abbreviation. Inserts the whole mapping.
  • Acronym. Inserts the first character in the mapping plus the first character following each space in the mapping.
  • First Two Symbols. Inserts the first two characters in the mapping.
  • First and Last Symbols. Inserts the first and last characters in the mapping.
  • First Symbol. Inserts the first character in the mapping.

An example of how abbreviation methods determine which characters to insert in part number templates is shown in Table 17. The first column shows the mapping. The remaining columns show the characters that would be inserted in the template for each abbreviation method.

Only attributes with a list of values (LOV) domain can be used to create dynamic part numbers.

Before creating part numbers using this method, determine which attributes you want to use in the part number. Then write down the sections of the part number, including the prefix and postfix for each attribute.

Creating dynamically generated part numbers is a process that has the following tasks:

1. Creating a part number generation record. This record names the part number generation method and specifies whether the method is dynamic or predefined.
2. Defining the template
3. Defining a mapping for each attribute value
4. Testing the part number template

These tasks are described below.

To create a part number generation record

1. Navigate to Application Administration > Class Administration and query for the desired product class.
2. Click Part Number Definitions.
3. In Part Number Definitions, click New to create a new record.
4. In the Name field, enter a name for the part number generation method.

   This name should be unique and should indicate whether the method is dynamic or predefined.

5. In the Type field, from the menu, choose Dynamic. Then step off the record.

The next step in the process is to define the template.

To define the part number template

1. In the part number definition Name field, click the name you entered.

   The name is a hyperlink. The Part Number Method view appears.

2. In Part Number Template, create a new record.

   Each record is one section in the part number.

3. In the Attribute Name field, from the drop-down menu, choose the attribute for this section.

   Only attributes with a list of values (LOV) domain display in this menu.

4. Enter the prefix and postfix for this section as needed.
5. In the Abbreviation Method field, from the drop-down menu, choose an abbreviation method for the attribute mapping.
6. Enter a sequence in the sequence field.

   The sequence determines the order of the section in the part number.

7. Repeat these steps for each section you want to include in the part number.

The last step is to define mappings for the attribute values.

To define a mapping for each attribute value

1. In Part Number Template, highlight the template section for which you want to define attribute value mappings.

   The values for the attribute display in Attribute Mapping.

2. For each attribute value in Attribute Mapping, enter a mapping in the Mapping field.

   The abbreviation method uses the string in the Mapping field to determine what characters to insert in the part number for this attribute value. If you do not enter a mapping, the abbreviation method uses the attribute value as the mapping.

3. Repeat these steps for each section in Part Number Template.

The last step is to test the part number template. You do this by creating a quote and selecting the product for which you have created a smart part number method. Add the product to the quote enough times so that you can select all the combinations of attributes needed to verify that the smart part number template is working correctly. The smart part number displays in the Line Item Detail view. For more information on locating the smart part number in a quote, see Viewing a Product's Smart Part Number in a Quote.