The Item Types tab is where different Item Types are established and configured. Item Types are key differentiators between the different classes of information that are stored in the application. This is where you establish these different types, eg: Part, Document, Project, Task, etc. Different Item Types have different rules about how they can be related to one another, and will also display their details differently. All these factors are configured on this screen.
Even with the screen locked, it can be cycled through the different Item Types that are set up, by choosing them from the drop-down list that is at the top of this screen.
Item Type
Select the particular Item Type to view options. New Item Types can be created by clicking the “+” button to the right of the drop-down.
Item rank
Determines where this Item Type appears in lists of Items. Lower numbers appear at the top of lists. Use integer numbers only. If left blank then ranking is alphabetical.
Require Item Numbers for every Item
Determines if the user is forced to enter an Item Number when creating new Items. Not having an Item Number will prevent the “Open File” shortcut button from working and a file storage folder from being created and accessed with the “Open Folder” button (but these are the only limitations). An Item Number can always be added later if an Item is created without one.
Allow duplicate Item Numbers
Allows either just one, or multiple Item Numbers to exist within the same Item Type. Useful for things like inspections where you might have multiple inspection records of the same part and use the part number to identify the inspection records.
Use fixed length Item Numbers
Set this option to require all Item Numbers of this Item Type to be a pre-determined length. Any characters in the Item Number after the fixed length are treated as a derivative Item, and would be stored in the parent folder.
Item Number primary characters
Requires Use fixed length Item Numbers to be checked. This is the set length for Item Numbers for this Item Type.
Allow inheritance of Item Number and Name when creating a new Item from an existing Item
An assist when creating a new Item from an existing Item. Copies the existing Item’s Number and Name or Title into the new Item. These values can be edited or over-written in the new Item.
Use Links and Bills of Materials
Allows creation of links between Items in a Parent and Child relationship. If the Items were parts, this relationship would be a Bill of Materials (BOM). Selecting this option causes the Links, Parents, and Children tabs to appear on the Item’s details screen.
Allow use of numeric quantities in Links and Bills of Materials
Requires the Use Links and Bills of Materials option to be checked. Allows for the use of a quantity when adding Parents and Children to a Bill of Materials, or Links. This quantity will factor into Inventory calculations, if the Inventory option is being used. This is best used for physical things.
Use Revisions
Enables creation of Revisions or versions for Items. An appropriate details template will need to be chosen for a Revision field to appear in the details screen. If enabled, and if the Primary Item File group is appropriately configured, the File Open shortcut button will open the latest Revision file. Selecting this option causes the Revisions tab to appear on the Item’s details screen.
Use Revision tracking
Requires the Use Revisions option to be checked. Useful if distributions of controlled documents such as Revisions need to be tracked. Selecting this option causes the Revision Tracking tab to appear on the Item’s details screen.
Use approved Suppliers
Allows for adding various Suppliers to an Item’s record. If the Use only approved Suppliers for Inventory transactions option is enabled, then only these Suppliers can be used for Inventory transaction for the Item in question. Selecting this option causes the Suppliers tab to appear on the Item’s details screen.
Use Item approvals
Enables an approvals workflow for the Item. Suggested use is for things like Engineering Change Notices, where sign-off is required. Allows for multiple people to be added to the approval process. Selecting this option causes the Approvals tab to appear on the Item’s details screen.
Use comments
Enables comments to be appended to the Item. Comments appear chronologically and are tagged with the author’s name. Can be used either for leaving notes against the Item or as a way to have a recorded conversation about the Item. Selecting this option causes the Comments tab to appear on the Item’s details screen.
Allow Read-Only users to access the file folders for this Item type
Users with a Read Only privilege level can or cannot access file folders for Items.
Make your company the Client when creating new Items.
If checked this will add your company into the detail for any new items as the client.
Folders and File Storage group
Determines how and where files for each Item within this Item Type are stored.
Top-level folder name
Name of the folder containing all other folders for this Item Type. Options are:
- Item Type: All Item files and folders will be stored in a folder named exactly for this Item Type, eg: Part
- Client Name: Files and folders will be stored in folders named for the Client listed on the Item. If no client is listed in the Item then the name of your company will be used
- Other: Supply your own top-level folder name
Use the “✔” button to the right to create or verify the folder. This does not apply if Client Name is used because the top-level folders will be created on demand as Items are added.
Second-level folder name
Optional. Provides for a second level of nesting for folders. Options are:
- Item Type: All Item files and folders will be stored in a folder named exactly for this Item Type, eg: Part
- Client Name: Files and folders will be stored in folders named for the Client listed on the Item. If no client is listed in the Item then the name of your company will be used
- Other: Supply your own top-level folder name
- None: No second-level folder will be used
Use the “✔” button to the right to create or verify the folder. This does not apply if Client Name is used because the second-level folders will be created on demand as Items are added.
Use individual folders for each Item
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Stores Item files in separate folders for each Item Number. If this option is not checked then all files for all Items of this type will be stored together in the same folder.
Folder prefix
Optional. Enter text here if you want some fixed label to be added to the beginning of each Item’s individual folder. Leave blank for none. The Item’s Item Number will appear after this. Be sure to add a space after your text if you want a gap between this and the Item Number when the folder is created. Leave blank if not used.
Sub-folder name
Optional. Use this option if intending to store files in a folder one level below the Item’s primary folder. An example would be where a part’s files are stored in a folder named with the part’s Item Number. Then, say, inspection files could be stored in a subfolder under that, eg: “QC”. Leave blank if not used.
Complete folder path
Displays the complete path to the storage folder as specified above. Not directly editable, this is compiled based on the options already configured.
Create additional sub-folders
Optional. These will be created inside the Item’s individual folder. Separate folder names with a semicolon, and no spaces. If no sub-folders are desired then leave this blank.
Tags group
Parts Dashboard has various user-configurable classifications for Items. These are applied through the Item’s detail screen. You should set up collections of Tag types here for each Item Type. An example is a Part Item has a Category field that can be divided into: Reserved, Development, Released, Obsolete. Develop tags that best suit your business processes.
Tag Type
Not all Tag types are used in every Item Type detail template. See the different details templates for which tags are available given the template(s) you have chosen for your item types. Here are the four Tag types currently used:
- Approval: Work in any template so long as the Use Item approvals option is selected, above
- Category: Used in Asset, Document, Inspection, Part, Part with Supplier, and Project detail templates
- Disposition: Inspection
- Priority: Project
- Status: Asset, Change, Document, Inspection, Part, Part with Supplier, and Project
Tag
The value of the Tag. In the above example, the four Tags are Reserved, Development, Released, Obsolete.
Rank
Tags are ranked when appearing in drop-down lists. An integer number can be entered for the rank, or it can be left blank, in which case the Tags will rank alphabetically.
Add button
Creates the new Tag and adds it to the collection for the chosen Tag type.
Refresh button
Re-orders the Tag list if list entries have been manually edited.
Delete button
Deletes the selected Tag.