| Agile Product Lifecycle Management Product Governance and Compliance User Guide Release 9.3.5 E61146-01 |
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| Agile Product Lifecycle Management Product Governance and Compliance User Guide Release 9.3.5 E61146-01 |
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Important: Configuration steps described in this chapter apply only to customers who have purchased Agile Product Governance & Compliance. |
Agile Product Governance & Compliance (PG&C), one of the Agile PLM product solutions, is designed to help manufacturers audit the presence and amount of regulated substances used in their products, and to demonstrate that they responsibly dispose of, recycle, or reuse parts containing those substances. Agile PG&C includes built-in support for the Microsoft Excel-based client for OEM manufacturing regulations, including the Japan Green Procurement Survey Standardization Initiative (JGPSSI), and substances and weights rollups.
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Important: Although Agile provides two Microsoft Excel templates for Agile PG&C, the solution is extensible. You can develop other Microsoft Excel templates to handle other Declaration classes your company has defined. For information about how to develop Microsoft Excel templates for use with Agile PG&C, contact your Oracle Consulting Services representative. |
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Important: After installing Agile PLM, if any of the changes detailed in this chapter are required for your Excel integration, the correct sequence is: (a) stop the application server(s); (b) undeploy; (c) make the changes in <standard <agilePLM> Install folder> > application.ear; (d) re-deploy; and (e) re-start the servers. |
JGPSSI has created a standardized digital form that companies can use to inquire about the chemical substances contained in parts and materials they procure in Asia. For more information about JGPSSI, see the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association Web site: http://home.jeita.or.jp/eps/greenTOP-eg.html
JGPSSI uses Microsoft Excel tools for collecting information about substances contained in assemblies for Japanese Green Procurement. Agile provides a flexible and reusable integration between Agile PG&C and Microsoft Excel that allows customers to use the JGPSSI spreadsheet without modification, and then upload the information to Agile PG&C after validation.
Agile PLM supports a Japanese-language template of the JGPSSI spreadsheet. The Japanese-language templates are only available to customers who have purchased the Japanese Server License. Also, the administrator must set users' Language and Encode user preferences to the appropriate setting to work in that language in the Agile clients' user interfaces. Please contact Oracle Consulting Services for more information.
This section answers some common questions about the Microsoft Excel-based client for Agile PG&C.
How does the Microsoft Excel-based client work? What is the underlying technology used to integrate with Agile PG&C?
The Microsoft Excel-based client uses the following technology:
Agile PLM Process Extensions - Agile Web Client launches the Microsoft Excel-based client through process extensions (PX), which are programs that extend the functionality of the client interface.
Agile PLM ActiveX Control - an Internet Explorer plugin that monitors use of the Microsoft Excel-based client and downloads and uploads data from the Agile PLM server as requested by the client.
HTTP, HTTPS, or SMTP - standard protocols used to move data between the server and the client
Microsoft Excel - spreadsheet client with its own client-side business logic.
Other than Microsoft Excel, is any other client software required for the Microsoft Excel-based client?
The Agile PLM ActiveX Control, an Internet Explorer plugin, is required. It's downloaded and installed automatically the first time a user launches the Microsoft Excel-based client from Agile Web Client. Of course, Internet Explorer 7.0/8.0 is also required, as well as a Windows operating system.
What Microsoft Excel templates does Agile PG&C provide by default?
The Excel application provided with Agile PG&C:
JGPSSI Declaration application - supports Japanese Green Procurement
Can I create new Microsoft Excel templates for use with Agile PG&C?
Yes, the solution is extensible. For information on how to develop Microsoft Excel templates for Agile PG&C, contact your Oracle Consulting Services representative.
Can I create Microsoft Excel templates for use with other Agile PLM solutions, such as Product Collaboration?
No. Currently, only Declaration classes and their subclasses are supported. Other classes may be supported in future Agile PLM releases.
Can I use the Firefox browser to launch the Microsoft Excel-based client?
No. Only Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0/8.0 is supported.
Must I be logged into Agile Web Client to use the Microsoft Excel-based client for Agile PG&C?
No. You can use the Microsoft Excel-based client synchronously (that is, by opening a spreadsheet from Agile Web Client) or asynchronously (that is, by opening a spreadsheet attached to an email message).
Can I sign the Agile PLM ActiveX Control with my company's certificate?
Yes.
Does the Microsoft Excel-based client require any special authentication?
The Microsoft Excel-based Client uses the same credentials that you use to log into Agile Web Client, and it prompts you to log into a separate Agile PLM session when you choose Agile > Submit Response or Agile > Open Request.
Where does the client-side business logic for the Microsoft Excel-based client reside?
Client-side business logic resides entirely in the Microsoft Excel template.
How does the Microsoft Excel-based client handle notifications for Declarations?
Agile PLM provides four system-generated notifications related to the Microsoft Excel-based client:
Declaration Excel Submit Success Supplier Notification - notification sent to the supplier to confirm successful submission of a Declaration.
Declaration Excel Submit Import Failure - notification sent to the compliance manager or originator to inform him that the submitted Declaration failed to be processed on the server due to import problems.
Declaration Excel Submit Failure - notification sent to the compliance manager or originator to inform him that the submitted Declaration failed to be processed on the server due to an exception.
Declaration Excel Submit Failure Supplier Notification - notification sent to the supplier to inform him that the Declaration failed to be submitted due to import errors.
Each notification includes text for the subject and body of a message. The Agile PLM administrator can modify these notification messages.
To customize these notifications, start the Agile Java Client and log in as an administrator user. Click the Admin tab, and choose System Settings > Notifications > Declaration Notifications. Microsoft Excel-based client notifications are listed under ”Declaration Miscellaneous Notifications.” For more information about Agile PLM notifications, see the Agile PLM Administrator Guide.
What languages does the Microsoft Excel-based client support?
The JGPSSI standard template supports English only. Other templates can be developed to support other languages.
Microsoft Excel-based client messages and captions support all languages supported by Agile PLM 9.3.5. Additionally, the menus of Microsoft Excel templates can be customized for different languages.
Does the Microsoft Excel-based client use VBA macros?
The Microsoft Excel templates provided for Agile PG&C do not use VBA macros. Although you are not prevented from developing a Microsoft Excel template that uses VBA macros, antivirus software may prevent the macros from running, and you should set the security level in Microsoft Excel to at least Medium (choose Tools > Macro > Security).
To enable support for the Microsoft Excel-based client for Agile PG&C, you must perform the following manual configuration steps after installing Agile PLM:
Set up privileges for Agile PG&C objects (such as Substances and Declarations).
Enable specific attributes in PG&C-related classes to ensure the Microsoft Excel-based client functions correctly.
Restrict Declaration names to 50 characters for every class that you are enabling the Microsoft Excel-based client.
Obtain a production license for the Agile PLM ActiveX Control from your Agile Account Executive and deploy the related files on the Agile Application Server.
Optionally, digitally sign the Agile PLM ActiveX Control.
Use Agile Java Client to set the Allow Download of Productivity Components preference to Yes. This allows Agile Web Client users to download the Agile PLM ActiveX Control from the server.
Install the Agile PLM ActiveX Control.
Test that the Microsoft Excel-based client for Agile PG&C works properly.
This section describes how to set privileges for Agile PG&C objects. If you do not ensure that privileges are properly set, you may not be able to move data from the JGPSSI spreadsheet into Agile PLM and vice versa.
To set privileges for Agile PG&C objects:
Log in to Agile Java Client as a user with Administrator privileges.
Click the Admin tab.
Choose User Settings > Privileges.
Open the following privilege masks, and for each one click the drop-down arrow next to the Applied To field and add the following attributes.
| Privilege Masks | Attributes to Add to the Applied To Field |
|---|---|
| Read Substances | Substances.Page Two.Text01 |
| Modify Substances | Substances.Page Two.Text25 |
| Modify Supplier-Created Declarations | Declarations.Page Two.Text02, Text03, Text08–Text10, Text14, Text19–Text21 |
| Read Declarations | Declarations.Items.Date01 |
| Read My Open and Submitted Declarations | Declarations.Items.List01–List03 |
| Read Supplier Created Declarations | Declarations.Items.Text01–Text09 |
| Modify Declarations | Declarations.Manufacturer Parts.Date01 |
| NA | Declarations.Manufacturer Parts.List01–List03 |
| NA | Declarations.Manufacturer Parts.Text01–Text09 |
| NA | Declarations.Part Groups.Date01 |
| NA | Declarations.Part Groups.List01–List03 |
| NA | Declarations.Part Groups.Text01–Text09 |
| Modify My Open Declarations | Declarations.Page Two.Text14, Text19–Text21 |
| NA | Declarations.Items.Date01 |
| NA | Declarations.Items.List01–List03 |
| NA | Declarations.Items.Text01–Text09 |
| NA | Declarations.Manufacturer Parts.Date01 |
| NA | Declarations.Manufacturer Parts.List01–List03 |
| NA | Declarations.Manufacturer Parts.Text01–Text09 |
| NA | Declarations.Part Groups.Date01 |
| NA | Declarations.Part Groups.List01–List03 |
| NA | Declarations.Part Groups.Text01–Text09 |
After modifying the Applied To field for each of the privilege masks listed above, click OK.
To save the privilege mask, click Save.
Click Close.
Click Close.
Ensure to enable the following attributes:
Enable these attributes (Visible property is set to Yes for each attribute) at the class level for the Microsoft Excel-based client to function correctly.
Agile's Microsoft Excel-based client requires Declaration names to not exceed 50 characters. If a Declaration has a name longer than 50 characters, you might not be able to open it in Microsoft Excel.
To avoid potential problems opening Declarations with long names, you should restrict Declaration names to 50 characters for every class that you are enabling the Microsoft Excel-based client. You can do this by making autonumbers required (assuming that each number in the autonumber sequence does not exceed 50 characters) or by adjusting the maximum length of the Cover Page > Reference Number attribute.
To make autonumbers required for a Declaration subclass:
Log in to the Agile Java Client as an administrator.
Click the Admin tab.
Under Data Settings, double-click Classes.
Open a Declaration subclass that has enabled the Microsoft Excel-based client (for example, JGPSSI Declaration).
Select the General Information tab.
In the Autonumber Required list, select Yes.
In the Autogenerate list, select Yes.
Click Save.
To adjust the maximum length of Declaration names:
Log in to the Agile Java Client as an administrator.
Click the Admin tab.
Under Data Settings, double-click Classes.
Open a Declaration class that has subclasses that have enabled the Microsoft Excel-based client (for example, JGPSSI Declarations).
Click the User Interface Tabs tab.
Double-click Cover Page.
Click the Attributes: Cover Page tab.
Double-click the Reference Number attribute.
Set the MaxLength property to 50 or less.
Click Save.
This section provides solutions to problems you may encounter in configuring the Microsoft Excel-based client for Agile PG&C.
Import and Error Logs
Import and error logs for the Microsoft Excel-based client can be found in the server's Temp folder.
On Windows servers, the Temp folder is usually found at
C:\Documents and Settings\<current_logged_in_user>\Local Settings\Temp\AgileEITemp
or
C:\Winnt\Temp\AgileEITemp
If you are unsure where to find the Temp folder, open a Command Prompt window and type the following command:
cd %temp%\AgileEITemp
On UNIX servers, the Temp directory is usually found at
/var/tmp/AgileEITemp
The most recent folder under AgileEITemp contains data and import or error logs of the last submission done in Excel
Runtime error
When you choose any command that launches the Microsoft Excel-based client in Agile Web Client, a Runtime Error window appears.
Solution:
The license files for the Agile PLM ActiveX Control, which are located on the Agile Application Server, are invalid. Please contact Agile Support to request new license files. Once you receive the files, you must deploy them on the application server.
This feature has not been enabled by the application administrator.
When you choose an Action that launches the Microsoft Excel-based client in Agile Web Client, the popup window reads, "This feature has not been enabled by the application administrator.” Consequently, the Agile PLM ActiveX Control could not be downloaded.
Solution:
In the Agile Java Client, set the Agile PLM preference Allow Downloading of Productivity Components to Yes.
The page cannot be displayed.
When you choose an Action that launches the Microsoft Excel-based client in Agile Web Client, the popup window reads, ”The page cannot be displayed.”
Solution:
Make sure the Web proxy server is running.
Instead of opening a Microsoft Excel file, Agile Web Client login page appears in another window.
When you choose an Action that launches the Microsoft Excel-based client in Agile WebClient, the Microsoft Excel file doesn't appear and instead a new browser window opens with Agile Web Client login page.
Solution:
Make sure Agile Web Client login page you're using has the fully qualified domain name for the server in the URL. For example, if the fully qualified domain name of the server is ”plm.mycompany.com”, Agile Web Client login page URL should look like this:
http://plm.mycompany.com/Agile/PLMServlet
Make sure the Agile PLM ActiveX Control license file (license.xml) uses a fully qualified domain name for the Agile Application Server.
Solution:
The Declaration you are trying to open has a very long name. Choose Actions > Save As to save the Declaration with a name that is 50 characters or less.
To avoid this problem, restrict Declaration names to 50 characters. See "Restricting the Length of Declaration Names."
The Actions menu does not include commands to launch the Microsoft Excel-based client.
When you open an Item in Agile Web Client, the Rollup in Excel command is not available on the Actions menu. When you open a JGPSSI Declaration in Agile Web Client, the Open In Excel, Import JGPSSI, and Export JGPSSI commands are not available on the Actions menu.
Solution:
The Agile PG&C process extensions have not been assigned to Agile PLM classes. The Agile PG&C process extensions are assigned automatically to classes when Agile PLM is installed, but perhaps the Administrator modified the classes and inadvertently unassigned the Agile PG&C process extensions.
Here is how the Agile PG&C process extensions must be assigned:
The Import JGPSSI, and Export JGPSSI process extensions must be automatically assigned to the JGPSSI Declarations class. Please verify that this is accomplished; if they did not load, it needs to be done manually.
For information on how to assign process extensions to classes, see the Agile PLM Administrator Guide.
The cell or chart you are trying to change is protected and therefore read-only.
When you open a JGPSSI Declaration in Microsoft Excel and try to edit one of the cells, you see the following error message: ”The cell or chart you are trying to change is protected and therefore read-only. To modify a protected cell or chart, first remove protection using the Unprotect Sheet command (Tools menu, Protection submenu). You may be prompted for a password.”
Solution:
The colored cells of the JGPSSI template (such as headings) are protected and cannot be edited. You must edit only unshaded (white) cells.
Microsoft VBScript runtime error 1B6: Object doesn't support this property or method.
When you choose any command that launches the Microsoft Excel-based client in Agile Web Client, an error message appears: ”Microsoft VBScript runtime error 1B6: Object doesn't support this property or method.”
Solution:
Internet Explorer had problems downloading the digital certificate for the Agile PLM ActiveX Control. Click OK in the error message box to continue.
The problem may be due to a comma in the Company field of the digital certificate. If there is no comma in the Company field, you may need to update your Internet Explorer browser with the latest patch from Microsoft.
You must restart your computer before the new settings will take effect.
When you choose any command that launches the Microsoft Excel-based client in Agile Web Client, a message box appears: ”You must restart your computer before the new settings will take effect. Do you want to restart your computer now?”
Solution:
You have a previous version of the Agile PLM ActiveX Control installed, and Microsoft Excel is currently open, so the control cannot be updated. To install the new control, close Excel, and then click No in the message box (to not restart the computer). Choose Actions > Open in Excel again.
