1. Implementing Product Management
  2. Set Up Item Lifecycle Phases

Set Up Item Lifecycle Phases

Item lifecycle phases represent the stages that an item or product goes through in its lifecycle. For example, for an item that can be used in production, the representative lifecycle phase is Production.

Companies may use different terms to describe the same item lifecycle

Four lifecycle phase types are predefined in the application: Design, Obsolete, Preproduction or Prototype, and Production. You can use the predefined phase types to create new values for the lifecycle phases.

Lifecycle phases are associated with item classes, and the items in an item class can be assigned to any of the lifecycle phases associated with that item class. Before you create or import items, you must create lifecycle phases and assign those phases to item classes. When an item is assigned to a lifecycle phase, that phase is visible as part of the item's attributes. In item structures, lifecycle phases are used to control specific processes.

To set up lifecycle phases:

  1. In the Setup and Maintenance work area, use the Manage Lifecycle Phases task:

    • Offering: Product Management

    • Functional Area:

    • Task: Manage Lifecycle Phases

  2. Click the Create Lifecycle Phase button.

  3. Enter values in the following fields:

    1. Sequence

    2. Phase (name of lifecycle phase)

    3. Phase Code

    4. Select Phase Type

  4. Save and close the Manage Lifecycle Phases page.

  5. Associate the lifecycle phase with one or more item classes.

    1. In the Setup and Maintenance work area, select the Product Management offering.

    2. On the Setup: Product Management page, search for and click the Manage Default Item Class task.

    3. Click on the Lifecycle Phases Tab. This tab contains all lifecycle phases that are associated with the root item class.

    4. Associate the lifecycle phase to the root item class.

      1. Click the Lifecycle Phase tab.

      2. Click on Add Icon. The Search and Add: Lifecycle Phases dialog is displayed.

      3. Search for the Lifecycle Phase that you created.

      4. Click the OK button to associate the lifecycle phase with the item class.

  6. Click the Save and Close button to save the changes.