How You Route Item Changes Through Change Types Using Rules

You can use validation rules to select change types, which enables you to design a dynamic workflow routing that's based on criteria defined in a validation rule.

Define Change Types

The intention is to match specific types of change orders to specific modifications to items that require creation of change orders. Begin by defining the change types that you want to match with item changes.

In the Setup and Maintenance work area, use the Manage Change Order Types task:

• Offering: Product Management

• Functional Area: Change Orders

• Task: Manage Change Order Types

Define Validation Rules

Define validation rules that implement the criteria for matching item changes with change types.

1. Define a rule set for validation rules.

   The rule set can have an Association Type of Attribute group or Item class.

2. Define rules in that validation rule set, to define the criteria for matching an item change with a change type.

3. When creating a rule in the rule set, in the Create Rule dialog box, select the Severity as Needs Approval.

4. The Change Order Type field and the Enforce Change Order Type check box appear. The check box is selected by default.

   These options are only available if the Severity of the rule is Needs Approval.

5. Search for and select the change type that you defined.

6. Define the If Expression and Validation Condition for the rule, with criteria that identify the item change to be matched to the change type that you associated with the rule.

   Example:

   Field	Value
   Change Order type	Form-Fit-Function Change Order
   Severity	Needs Approval
   Validation Condition	!changed([Item].[Physical Attributes])
   User Message	Any Physical attributes changes should go through a change order of change type 'Form-Fit-Function Change Order'

7. Save the rule set, and add it to the master rule set.

Effect on Item Creation

When a user modifies an item that's identified by the validation expression of your rule, the rule controls which change type is applied.

When a user selects Save > Save to Change Order, the Save to Change Order dialog box reflects the effects of your rule:

• If Create change order is selected, then the Type field displays the change type that was determined by your rule. The type can't be changed, if the Enforce Change Order Type check box was selected in the rule.

• If Add to existing change Order is selected, then the Type field displays only the change orders belonging to the change type that was determined by your rule.

• If the user's modifications to the item trigger more than one rule's criteria, the rule with the lowest sequence number in the rule set is applied.

Effect on Import

In import batches, the change type is governed by the setting of the Change Order option in the Edit Item Batch Options dialog box. If you have selected One per Item then the change type applied by your rule is used. If no type is set, then the default change type specified for the item class is used.

Effect on Impact Analysis

To see the change order columns in the impact results table:

1. Select the Analyze Item Rule Set Impact task in the Product Information Management work area.

2. Click the name of an analysis to open it.

3. In the results table for the analysis, select View > Columns, then select Change Order Type and Enforce the change order type.