Configure Unique Number Attribute for Concepts, Proposals, and Ideas

There are two methods of generating numbers for proposals, concepts, and ideas - Inherited from parent and the Sequence-generated.

You can configure the sequence-generated method during class setup. This ensures that unique numbers are autogenerated and assigned to concepts, proposals, and ideas as they’re created. The default number generation method is Inherited from parent. You can also set up the numbering method to use a prefix and suffix to help classify and identify the type of object.

• For proposals and concepts, the number appears along with the name and description on the General Information page, the Manage Concepts or Manage Proposals pages, in notifications, and in the proposal export page.
• For ideas, the number appears along with other object details such as the name and description in the General Information page, the Manage Idea page, and in notifications.

Note: You need the Setup Product Innovation (ACA_SETUP_PRODUCT_INNOVATION_PRIV) privilege to access the setup task.

Here's how you configure the number generation method:

1. Navigate to the following in the Setup and Maintenance work area:
   • For concepts and proposals, select:
     • Offering: Product Management
     • Functional Area: Concept Design Management
     • Task: Manage Product Concept Classes
   • For ideas, select:
     • Offering: Product Management
     • Functional Area: Product Requirements and Ideation Management
     • Task: Product Idea Classes
2. Open the concept, proposal, or idea class for which you want to configure number generation.
3. In the Number Generation Method field, select an option:
   • Inherited from Parent: applies the same number generation method of the parent class to this class.
   • Sequence-generated: automatically generates values in a specified sequence, based on the increment setting. If you select this option, then enter the following criteria:
     1. Prefix: text that automatically appears before the number
     2. Suffix: text that automatically appears after the number
     3. Starting Number: the first number in the sequence (Default Value =1)
     4. Increment: incremental difference between two numbers in the sequence (Default Value =1)
     5. Maximum Number of Attempts: the number of attempts the application must make to generate the next available unique number (Default Value =50)
     6. Description: description of the number generation method for that class, which is a required field
4. Save your changes.

Points to Consider

• For data created before the 22B update, the Number attribute is set to NULL.
• Avoid duplicating the number generation criteria for different concept classes.
• Once you convert a concept to an item, the Number attribute will no longer be available.
• Import and export of setup data for the Product Requirements and Ideation Management functional area from the Setup and Maintenance work area includes the sequence generation criteria defined for each product idea class.