Configured Items

Many manufacturers sell configured items. A configured item is a product that is assembled from an arrangement of features and options. Features and options might include size, capacity, power rating, color, materials used, and so on. For example, a forklift is a configured item that is assembled from an arrangement of features and options that might include the power source, counterweight, and paint color, as well as the boom assembly, the engine type, the hydraulics system, and so on.

Additional examples of configured items include:

Furniture and fixtures.
Paper products.
Building products.
Commercial printing.
Control and measurement equipment.
Transportation equipment.
Windows, doors, and other dimensional products.

When customers place orders for configured items, they expect to be able to specify features and options about the items. The configurator enables you to respond to complex customer orders for configured items. Using the JD Edward EnterpriseOne Configurator system, you can assemble a large variety of configured items from relatively few components. You can set up configurations of features and options that constitute the configured items that you want to have available for sale, based on the best business practices and the needs of the customers.

When you enter an order for a configured item, the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Configurator system queries you about the features and options of the item that you requested. After you respond to the query about the configured item, the system verifies the information that you provide with the setup information that you previously defined. If the configuration is valid, the system processes the order.

The system also offers kit processing that enables feature and option processing. However, kit processing might not be appropriate for features or complex specifications, such as conditional part requirements. The JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Configurator system is appropriate for items that have these characteristics:

Complexity.
Routings that change, based on features or options.
Features that are not compatible with other features.
Multiple work orders to define an assembly.

Use the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Configurator system to facilitate these best business practices:

Use fewer end-part numbers.
Create dynamic work order parts lists and routings.
Create order history and configuration audit trails.
Improve order accuracy.
Shorten lead times.
Provide better margin information.
Improve customer service.

This table defines key terms for the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Configurator system:

Element	Description
Configured item	A product that is assembled from an arrangement of features and options. Features and options might include size, capacity, power type, color, materials used, and so on.
Multilevel configured item	A configured subassembly within a configured item. A configured item, such as a forklift, is sometimes referred to as a multilevel configured item because it includes subassemblies such as the boom, engine, hydraulics, and so on. Each subassembly can also include a subassembly, such as the carburetor assembly within the engine. A multilevel configured item has a tree structure, or hierarchy such as: 1. Forklift 2. Engine 3. Carburetor The JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Configurator system validates subassemblies in the same way that it validates end-product configured items. The segments that are included in each subassembly must be valid when the system queries the setup information which you provided. See the graphic at the end of this overview for an example of a multilevel configured item. See Example: Multilevel Configured Item.
Segment	The features and options that constitute a configured item. Each segment represents a characteristic of the configured item. For example, the forklift that is used in the pristine data (configured item 6000) includes these segments: 10 Forklift rating 20 Power Type 30 Boom height 35 Interior 40 Paint 50 Propane Tank 60 Calculated Counter Weight You can further specify the options that are available within each segment. For example, these are available options within the forklift rating segment: 2000 pounds 4000 pounds 6000 pounds At order entry, a segment represents a question about a configured item attribute.
Segment value	The answer to a question about a configured item attribute that is entered at order entry.
Cross-segment editing rule	Logic statements that you use to establish the relationships between the segments of a configured item. For example: If segment 10 (forklift rating) equals 6000 pounds, then segment 20 (power type) must equal GAS. By using cross-segment editing rules, you can avoid invalid configurations, and end-users are less likely to enter invalid orders. The system validates the segments on the order with the cross-segment editing rules. Error messages appear for configurations that violate the rules.
Assembly inclusion rule	Rules that translate requested features and options from the order into the specific values, components, routing operations, and calculated values that are necessary to build and price the configured item. For example: If segment 10 equals 6000 and segment 30 ≥ 10, then use part F170, else part F175.
Duplicate component	Multiple instances of a configured component item in a configured parent item. A single part number is used, and each new instance of the component can be configured uniquely or be the same. Duplicate components are set up using P assembly inclusion rules.
Configured rules table	A configured rules table is a collection of data that you define for a configured item. During order processing, assembly inclusion rules can refer to tables to retrieve information. Tables can be used to reduce the number of assembly inclusion rules that are required. Although time is added to the setup process, the system processing time is improved because of the reduced number of assembly inclusion rules.
Configuration ID	An identifier that represents a unique configuration. It is generated from an encryption algorithm. Regardless of the number of segments or levels in the configured item, the system always converts the information into a 32-character digest. The digest is always a full 32 characters in length, consists of numbers and characters, and does not contain any blanks. You cannot determine the initial value from the digest, and it has no significant meaning.