Configurable Items

What does it do?

Ascent allows the capability to put items into a configurable group, and then assign many of these groups to an item, to be referenced at sales order entry time.

The best way to illustrate Ascent’s capabilities in this area would be to develop an example and then show the screens that would be used to implement it.

Our example: we configure PCs.  A user would have his choice of chassis, video cards, sound cards, and operating systems.

 

Configurable PC

 

       Chassis Selection

               Chassis

               Chassis X

       Video Card Selection

               Video Card 1

               Video Card 2

       Sound Card Selection

               Sound Card

               Sound Card X

       Operating System Selection

               Windows 7 OS

               Windows XP OS

 

At sales order entry time, you can “configure” your PC by being given choices within each selection.  Ascent doesn’t mandate that you select specific ones, nor does it mandate that you choose one within a group.  That’s up to the user.  Nor does it stop you from selecting multiple options within each selection.  

Additionally, Ascent gives you the option to “Add Separate Lines”, which will take each of the selections and create a new sales order line.  In this case, each selection will print on a pick list.  If “Add Separate Lines” in not chosen, then only the Configurable PC item will appear on a picklist.  In either case, the selections will appear on a packlist, allowing the picker to record quantity packed for each selection.

For our example, let’s assume that all of the items that will go into the selections are already created.  We’ll create the item master for the configurable PC as well as all the configuration groups and configuration group details.

Item Master creation for configurable item

 

Fields that are important to populate:

1. Item Type – leave as “Item”
2. Configurable – select this field
3. Not Counted in Inventory – must select this field

Create Configurable Groups

 

Enter the following data:

1. Configuration Group Name
2. Description – can be the same as Configuration Group Name
3. Type – two allowable values:

1. Addition – will add this item to the list of items to be picked for this configuration.  Most people would use this option.
2. Subtraction – will subtract this item from the list of items to be picked for this configuration.  This is useful only if combined with another configuration group that might also have a similar selection of items as this group.

Click “Save”

After clicking “Save”, the following screen appears.

 

Click “New Configuration Items”

 

The Configuration Group field will be filled in for you. You then can enter:

1. Item – one of the selections you will allow for this selection group
2. Quantity – the quantity of this item
3. Default – if checked, then this item will also be checked at sales order entry line item time, meaning that by default, it will be selected.  

Then, put in any other item that would be in this selection group.

Notice that this one did NOT have default checked.

You would repeat this process for ALL selection groups.  In this example, for Video Cards, Sound Cards, and Operating Systems.

Now, you need to tie in all of the new configurable/selection groups to the newly created item, NewPC

Select the item that was originally created in the beginning of this documentation.

 

Select the hover field for Configuration Setup and click on “New Configuration Setup”

 

The item in question will be defaulted to.  You must enter each of the configuration groups that you want to be offered as selections when entering a sales order line for this item.

Now, go back to the original item built (NewPC) and see what has been done.

 

Four (4) new configuration groups have been added to NewPC.  Click any one of configuration group names to see what is there.

You will see that PC Chassis Selection has been set up under Configuration Setup Name 0010, as well as all the configuration items associated with it.

 

How to Enter a Sales Order for a Configurable Item

 

Select Sales Orders

 

Enter the NewPC item, a quantity, and a price. Click “Save”

 

Note that a new button comes up, “Configure”.  

Click it.  

All selections for all groups associated with NewPC appear.  You can now check off the items that you want in your configuration.

Note the newly calculated price – it is derived by adding the list prices for all selected items. Note that only the original item appears.

 

Note that the picklist only contains the original item entered on the sales order line.

The system will ask for those components that have serial numbers.  Enter them and click “Save”

 

Click “Back to Sales Order”

 

The packslip will contain the items that were shipped out as a result of the configurable item being selected for the sales order line.

 

The invoice shows all items and their individual prices.

 

If you were to query the configurable item, NewPC, you will see that it was referenced on a sales order.

 

Note that if you were to query on of the selected items, it would show a movement line for the date the item was packed and shipped on the sales order line with the NewPC item.

Now, let’s select that movement line

 

And now select the movement journal …

 

We see all of the selections (or configurable items selected) from that line item on the sales order.