What's the difference between a connector and a model reference

Model references and connectors both extend the structure of configurator models, but are different entities.

A model reference is a hierarchical link to a child model.

• A model reference is part of the bill of material for the configured product, and appears as the same order line in Order Management. On the other hand, connected related items are outside the bill of material, and can appear as separate lines in a quote or order. Connected related items can be individually fulfilled, and shipped apart from the configured product.

• A model reference is defined in the Configurator Models work area by importing a snapshot of a hierarchical model item structure that was created in the Product Information Management work area and contains child models, which become referenced models to the parent model.

• During a runtime configuration session, you can navigate the hierarchical model item structure to configure each distinct referenced model. The child models appear on the configuration summary page, if configured.

A connector is a non-hierarchical relationship to an item that exists outside of the model item structure.

• A connector is defined in the Configurator Models work area, as an element of configurator model supplemental structure. The relationship to the related item is established through the item's item class.

• During a runtime configuration session, you can select the related item to be included in the configuration of the bill of materials, although the item isn't part of the model. The related items appear in the running summary pane, but not on the configuration summary page.

• References are to models, and connectors are to items, not models.