About Rules

There can be different reasons for including or excluding a particular component, and the application has different kinds of rules to reflect these reasons.

Related Topics
About Configuration Rules
Viewing Configuration Rules
Working with Compatibility Rules

There may be marketing reasons for not allowing two options to be included together in a product configuration. Another set of options may be incompatible due to resource limitations-there may not be enough space for all the parts. Some parts may only be required when a particular option is ordered and so on.

ENOVIA Variant Configuration Central contains three types of rules:

  • Configuration rules determine which features or products can be included or what must be excluded from a product configuration. For example, a bicycle must have wheels and a seat. A child's seat cannot be included with an adult-sized bicycle and only certain wheel sizes and types can be included for a specific bicycle. Configuration rules are broken down further into compatibility rules, marketing preferences, product compatibility rules, resources, and rule extensions.
  • Quantity Rules are created in the context of a feature and define the amount of each part used in that feature.
  • Inclusion Rules specify the conditions under which a feature, option, or part should be included or excluded in a product configuration.

A product configuration includes a unique list of features and options for a product that is ordered or selected by an internal engineering department or by a customer. Structures and rules are defined for the product to validate these product configurations and generate a Precise Bill of Materials (PBOM). The Product Manager can disallow certain product configurations because of technical or marketing reasons. This can be achieved through various configurable rules that may be attached to a feature or a product.