Attribute - Part Association

Overview

The number of rules admins are required to write decreases dramatically with Attribute-Part Associations.

Using this feature, the admin can associate a Configuration Integer Attribute or a Boolean Attribute to a single Parts database record, without the use of Recommended Item Rules.

At run-time on the user side, the associated part is added to the Mandatory Recommended Items if either of the following is true:

• Integer Attribute value is >0

• Boolean Attribute is “True”

The quantity of the Part added to the Mandatory Recommended Items varies:

• Integer Attributes add Mandatory Parts with a quantity equal to the value of the Attribute.
• Boolean Attributes add Mandatory Parts with a quantity of 1.

Administration

Creating an Attribute-Part Association

1. Navigate to the Attributes Administration List page.

   1. Click Admin to go to the Admin Home Page.

   2. Click Catalog Definition in the Products section.

      The Supported Products page opens.

   3. In the Navigation column, select Attributes and then click List.

      The Attributes Administration List page opens.

2. Click Add.

3. Enter a Name and Variable Name.

   The Variable Name field populates automatically. Variable names can only contain alpha-numeric characters and underscores. The entry can be changed before saving, but after saving the value is read-only.

4. Select Configurable Attribute or Signed Punch-in Attribute.

   A Signed Punch-in Attribute functions identically to Configuration attributes except they require verification of digital signature data before pricing data is provided to the end customer. See Signed Punch-in Attributes for more information.

5. Select a Data Type.

   Attribute-Part Associations are only available for Integer and Boolean Data Types. Once Integer or Boolean is selected, the Part Information fields appear.

   

6. Begin typing in the desired associated Part Number. The Part Number field will auto-suggest Part Numbers from the Parts database.

   A green check mark indicates the entered part is valid.

   A red X icon indicates the entered part is invalid because it does not exist in the Parts database.

7. Enter a Comment. The Comment field is grayed out if the Part Number is invalid; it will remain uneditable until the Part Number is valid.

   If the Part Number field fails validations upon either Attribute creation or editing, an error message appear when you try to Add or Save.
8. Click Add, Add and New, or Cancel.

9. Return to the Attributes Administration List page, to view the Associated Part Number column. This column shows which parts are associated with which Configuration attributes.

   

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Managing Attribute-Part Associations

The below information will highlight how sales user will manage Attribute-Part Associations on the sales-user side of the application. Sales users will configure their products as they normally would.

• If a part is recommended by an Attribute association, it is added to the Recommended Items as a Mandatory Part.

  This only occurs when the Boolean Attribute value is set to “True” or the Integer Attribute value is >0.

• If an associated part attempting to be added becomes invalid (for example, it has been deleted from the Parts Database), but the Attribute has not been updated, the part will have a red X next to it within the Recommended Items grid.

  Since the part is added as Mandatory, the sales user will not be able to proceed to Commerce.

• If an Attribute with an associated part is migrated when the associated part does not exist on the target site, the Migration will succeed with a warning.

  The Attribute and missing part will be referenced in the Migration Log.
• Only Direct Buy and Buy as Recommended Item Only parts are available for Attribute-Part Associations.
• The Pipeline Viewer has a special Rule Type for Part Association Rules, called “Part Association.”

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Notes

Related Topics

See Also