Siebel Configurator Version 6.x, 7.0 and 7.5

Siebel Product Configurator Version 6.x, 7.0 and 7.5

This chapter provides a conceptual mapping of Siebel Product Configurator version 6.x to version 7.0 and 7.5. Users of Siebel Product Configurator version 6.x must use this chapter to help them understand the similarities and differences between 6.x and version 7.0 and 7.5 Siebel Product Configurator.

The mappings are intended to present features that are functionally similar. That one feature maps into another does not mean that the version 7.0 and 7.5 feature is exactly equivalent or works in exactly the same way.

This chapter includes the following topics:

Upgrading Version 6.x Models to Version 7.0 and 7.5
Managing Models in Version 6.x and 7.x
Designing the Catalog in Version 6.x and 7.x
Working with Properties in Version 6.x and 7.x
Working with Resources in Version 6.x and 7.x
Working with Linked Items in Version 6.x and 7.x
Designing Rules and Logical Expressions in Version 6.x and 7.x
Designing Scripts in Version 6.x and 7.x
Quote Integration and Configuration Assistant in Version 6.x and 7.x

Note: This chapter does not compare version 6.x with version 7.8, because there is no direct upgrade path from version 6.x to version 7.8. The upgrade from version 7.0 or 7.5 to version 7.8 is a direct upgrade, which is not visible to the user.

Upgrading Version 6.x Models to Version 7.0 and 7.5

Upgrading version 6.x models to version 7.0 and 7.5 requires planning and a thorough understanding of the upgrade process. For information about data migration considerations, see 477067.1 (Doc ID) on My Oracle Support. This document was previously published as Siebel Technical Note 428.

Managing Models in Version 6.x and 7.x

The concept of a model in version 6.x maps in version 7.0 and 7.5 to a customizable product with a work space. The following table maps version 6.x features to version 7.0 and 7.5 for managing models.

Table Managing Models

Version 6.x	Version 7.0 and 7.5	Comment
Create a new model	Create a customizable product with a work space.	None.
Delete a model	Delete customizable product structure.	Reverts customizable product to a simple non-configurable product.
Copy a model	Copy a customizable product.	None.
Share a model	Add a customizable product to another customizable product.	None.
Lock a model	Lock a customizable product work space.	None.
Import a model	Import a customizable product.	None.
Export a model	Export a customizable product.	Only the latest released version can be exported.
Export a model version	Only the latest released version can be exported.	None.
Validate a model	Validate a customizable product.	None.
Release a model	Release a customizable product.	None.
Revert to released model	Revert to a released customizable product.	None.
Model versions	Customizable product versions.	None.
Model synchronization	Customizable product synchronization.	None.
Associating a model with a product	Not applicable	The structure of a customizable product is stored with the product definition. Associating a model with a model-product is no longer required.
Required start date	Customizable product required start date	The customizable product version does not become available to users until the specified date.

Designing the Catalog in Version 6.x and 7.x

The tree structure of catalogs and items in version 6.x maps in version 7.0 and 7.5 to a hierarchy of relationships within the customizable product. A relationship is roughly equivalent to a category and functions as a named group that contains one or more items. The following table maps version 6.x features to version 7.0 and 7.5 for designing a catalog.

Table Designing the Catalog

Version 6.x	Version 7.0 and 7.5	Comment
Design a tree structure	Create a hierarchy of relationships within a customizable product.	The hierarchy defines component relationships rather than being a grouping mechanism. Relationship definition includes cardinality (maximum quantity, minimum quantity, default quantity).
Create a category	Create a relationship.	A relationship is a named part of a customizable product. Relationships contain one or more items.
Add a product to a catalog	Add a product to a relationship.	None.
Set item sequence in a catalog	Set sequence of items in Structure view and sequence of group in Product UI Designer.	None.
Hide items in the catalog	Can hide an item by not adding it to a UI group in the Product UI Designer.	All products included in a customizable product, plus all attributes, resources, and links can be made visible to users.
Show all excluded items	Select UI control in Product UI designer that displays all items.	Excluded items are unavailable.
Create virtual product	Replaced with hidden attributes.	Virtual product functionality can be created by defining product attributes and then marking them hidden. Hidden attributes do not appear in quotes, orders, or agreements.

Working with Properties in Version 6.x and 7.x

The properties feature has been replaced in version 7.0 and 7.5 with attributes. Attributes are product characteristics that are defined for product classes. All products belonging to a class inherit the attributes of the class. Subclasses inherit the attributes of the parent class. You put products into the class hierarchy by assigning a class name in the product record. Attributes cannot be defined directly on a product. They must be inherited from the class to which the product belongs.

When you define an attribute, you can define the allowed values for the attribute. You can specify the allowed values, called an attribute domain, using a list of values or a range of values. The administrator can then set this value for an individual product so that it cannot be changed by the user.

Defining an attribute and setting its value so that it cannot be changed is functionally equivalent to defining a property and assigning it a value in version 6.x.

Working with Resources in Version 6.x and 7.x

Resources are implemented in the same fashion for customizable products in version 7.0 and 7.5 as they were for models in version 6.x. You define resources in the Resource Designer and then write provide rules and consume rules that adjust the value of the resource. In version 7.0 and 7.5, you can also provide or consume amounts from a product attribute.

In version 7.0 and 7.5, to enforce a resource or attribute so that its value does not drop below zero, you write a configuration rule that constrains the range of allowed values.

Working with Linked Items in Version 6.x and 7.x

In version 7.0 and 7.5, you define links within the context of a specific customizable product. You do not define links in a single location and then associate the definition with a model, as in version 6.x. Link definitions are added to a picklist so that you can add the definition to other customizable products. If you delete a link definition from the only customizable product in which it occurs, it is deleted from the picklist.

The things for which you can define a link, have not changed in version 7.0 and 7.5. You can define links on Siebel business components, the system date/time, and on the login ID of the current users.

Designing Rules and Logical Expressions in Version 6.x and 7.x

The version 6.x Basic Rule Designer, Logic Designer, and Advanced Rules Designer have been replaced by the Rule Designer in version 7.0 and 7.5. The Rule Designer provides a series of natural-language rule templates that you can use to create rules of any complexity. You can also create and save your own rule templates.

The logical operators in the version 6.x Logic Designer are provided in picklists associated with the rule templates.

A special rule template is provided to enter rules in Siebel Product Configurator Rule Language (renamed Rule Assembly Language in version 7.0 and 7.5). The operators and syntax in version 6.x Siebel Product Configurator Rule Language are supported in version 7.0 and 7.5. The following table maps version 6.x features to 7.0 and 7.5 for designing rules.

Table Designing Rules in the Rule Designer

Version 6.x	Version 7.0 and 7.5	Comment
Create rule in Basic Rule Designer	Create rule using rule template in Rule Designer.	Rules can be created with or without conditions.
Create expressions in Logic Designer	Use logical operators associated with rule templates in Rule Designer.	Rules can be created with or without conditions.
Create rule in Advanced Rules Designer	Enter rule into special template in Rule Designer.	version 6.x operators and syntax are supported in version 7.0 and 7.5.
Category-to-product rules	Class-to-product rules.	The product class must be part of a relationship.
Category-to-category rules	Class-to-class rules.	The product classes must part of relationships.
Product-to-product rules	Product-to-product rules.	None.
Copy and delete rules	Copy and delete rules.	Includes rules that are logical expressions.
Activate and deactivate rules	Activate and deactivate rules.	Includes rules that are logical expressions.
Application generates rule explanations	Application generates rule explanations or you can write explanations.	Includes rules that are logical expressions.
Rule Summary report	Rule Summary report.	None.
Enforce resource total by placing check mark in resource record	Write rules to prevent resources from having negative values.	None.
Syntax checker for Siebel Product Configurator Rule Language	Syntax checking is provided when building rules using the Assisted Advanced Rule template and all other rule templates.	Siebel Product Configurator Rule Language is called Rule Assembly Language in version 7.0 and 7.5.

Designing Scripts in Version 6.x and 7.x

In version 7.0 and 7.5, the full Siebel API is accessible from within a script. See Siebel API documentation for more information on the Siebel API. Because the Siebel API is available, the number of Siebel Product Configurator-specific events and functions has been reduced in version 7.0 and 7.5.

In addition, the method for associating scripts with parts of a model has changed. In version 7.0 and 7.5, you associate a script with an item by writing the script on an event called for the product root. The event returns a matrix of records, one for each item that has changed in the solution. An item can be any product added to the customizable product from the product table. Events do not return changes to relationship quantities or resources.

If a customizable product contains other products with components, another event is provided so you can write scripts on the child customizable product directly.

The Script Designer in version 7.0 and 7.5. does not provide a hierarchical tree display of the customizable product. In version 7.0 and 7.5, the Cfg ID of an item can no longer be passed as an argument. Instead, the name of the item as a string is passed. A name syntax is provided to allow you to uniquely specify a product name. The following table maps version 6.x features to version 7.0 and 7.5 for designing scripts.

Table Designing Scripts

Version 6.x	Version 7.0 and 7.5	Comment
Create scripts	Create scripts in the Script Designer.	None.
Script inheritance	Scripts are not associated directly with relationships and are not inherited.	None.
Copy, edit, and delete scripts	Copy, edit, and delete scripts.	None.
Siebel Visual Basic and Siebel eScript languages	Siebel Visual Basic and Siebel eScript languages.	None.
Syntax checking	Syntax checking.	None.
Declaration area	Declaration area.	None.
Scripts can be written on product root	Scripts can be written on product root.	None.
Events return changes to categories	Events return changes only to items added from product table. Events do not return changes to relationship quantities.	Relationships are a grouping mechanism within a customizable product and are similar to categories.
Cfg_ItemInitialize	Use Cfg_InstInitialize.	Cfg_InstInitialize triggers once when session is started.
Cfg_ItemPreRequestSubmit	Not supported.	Can be simulated in some cases using the User Interface API.
Cfg_ItemChanged	Use this event only for child-products with components. Use Cfg_ChildItemChanged for other components.	None.
Cfg_CategoryChanged	Not supported.	None.
Cfg_SessionPostProcess	Not supported.	None.
Cfg_ItemPreSynchronize	Use Cfg_InstPostSynchronize.	None.
Cfg_ItemPostSynchronize	Cfg_InstPostSynchronize.	None.
Cfg_SessionClosed	Implemented at Instance Broker level. Use Siebel API.	None.
GetSessionId	GetInstanceId.	Returns the row ID of the customizable product in the source object, (quote, order and so on).
GetCfgId	Not supported. No longer meaningful.	None.
GetItemId	Not supported.	None.
GetItemQuantity	GetObjQuantity.	Returns the quantity of a component within the customizable product. Cannot be used for relationship quantities.
GetPropertyValue	Getting attribute value is supported through the Siebel API.	None.
GetItemState	Supported through Siebel API	None.
SubmitRequest	AddItem, RemoveItem	None.

Quote Integration and Configuration Assistant in Version 6.x and 7.x

Creating a model product and associating a model with it is not required in version 7.0 and 7.5. Instead, you create a customizable product work space, which is similar to creating a record in the Model Manager in version 6.x. This work space associates the parts of the customizable product, including its components, links, resources, and UI definition with the product record. When you release a new version of the customizable product, it becomes available immediately for configuration in quotes and in eSales Web pages.

In version 6.x, the Configuration Assistant view was used to display models, select items, and transfer items to a quote. If you wanted to modify how the Configuration Assistant looked, you had to use Oracle's Web Tools to build a new view. In version 7.0 and 7.5, a Product UI Designer is provided within Siebel Product Configurator to create the browser pages, called selection pages, that will display during a configuration session. You can select from several base themes and product themes that define basic page layout. You can also select the controls, such as radio buttons or check boxes, to use for displaying items.

The base themes, product themes, and controls are stored in template files that you can customize or use to create your own templates. In addition, you can use the User Interface Property Designer to customize how individual items display. If you do not want to create a user interface for a customizable product, the application provides intelligent defaults for creating selection pages automatically. The following table maps version 6.x features to version 7.0 and 7.5 for quote integration and Configuration Assistant.

Table Quote Integration and Configuration Assistant

Version 6.x	Version 7.0 and 7.5	Comment
Verify a solution	Verify a customizable product configuration.	None.
Verify a quote	Verify a quote.	None.
Update a quote	Update a quote.	None.
Solution name	Customizable product name.	None.
Solution quantity	Customizable product quantity.	None.
Line item quantity	Component quantity in a customizable product.	None.
Reconfigure a solution with a new version of a model	Reconfigure a stored session with a newer version of a customizable product	None.
Create and manage Favorites	Create and manage Favorites	None.
Add an item in a configuration session	Same. Define item display in Product UI Designer	You can also accept application defaults for item display
Remove an item	Same. Define item display in Product UI Designer	You can also accept application defaults for item display
Add a category	Add a relationship in Structure view	None.
Unsatisfied category icon	A flag displays when a relationship is below its minimum cardinality or is required.	None.
Finish It!	Finish It!	None.
Item state explanation	The user interface contains an Explanation button.	Clicking the Explanation button displays an explanation.
Item properties displayed in applet	Properties have been replaced by configurable attributes. Attributes display in configuration session or in Quotes, then Dynamic Attributes.	None.
Messages and Recommendations	Messages and Recommendations	None.
Unsatisfied requirement message	Unsatisfied requirement message	None.
Quantity out of range message	Quantity out of range message	None.
Conflict-exists pop-up message	Conflict-exists pop-up message	Explanation and ability to proceed or cancel user action is supported
Edit quantity of an item	Edit quantity of an item	Requires UI control that allows editing of quantity.