Professional Systems Associates, Inc.

Home > PSA News > Newsletters > CMPRO for PLM > Repositories	Share |

How to Use CMPRO for PLM (Part 3) - Drawing, Document, and Software Release Repositories

The essential building blocks of any product are the documentation that describes the processes, requirements, parts and software required in the construction of physical items.  With CMPRO’s robust repository functions, all of the documentation as well as the necessary review/approval processes are available to satisfy the requirements for creating and tracking product documentation baselines. CMPRO has three different repositories for storing this information:

• The Drawing Repository provides centralized storage for engineering drawings and revision control and feeds the Parts List, Part Master, and Product Definition modules in CMPRO to manage the creation and revision of drawings and parts lists (also known as Bills of Material (BOMs)) to provide data that is useful for the building and maintenance of end items and assemblies.
• The Document Repository provides centralized storage and revision control for documents, and the metadata and electronic files supporting the documents.
• The Software Repository is used to record and track software release records as they apply to the hardware configuration, documentation, and product baselines.

When all three of these repositories are used, and items are related to a system, the product lifecycle management (PLM) process allows people to pull all of the necessary information together to create Part Lists, Part Masters, and Product Definitions.

Preparation for Creating Repository Items

Before working with repository items some setup needs to occur. Among the prerequisites are establishing: Valid System and Subsystem entries, valid CAGE (Commercial and Government Entity) codes (for drawings), workflow routes, and permissions.

Identifying systems is very important in CMPRO.  Systems provide centralized points around which baselines are built, key data items are identified, and the overall process of managing a product’s lifecycle are hinged. CMPRO provides a clean two-level hierarchy for identifying the systems or products for which data is being managed.  Each system can have multiple subsystems to help further organize data. Additional levels of a system’s hierarchy can be defined using parent/child relationships to the granularity needed.

Commercial and Government Entity Codes (CAGE) correspond with the organization that “owns” a drawing.  When drawings are added to the document repository a CAGE code must be selected.  These values are validated from the Vendors Master Screen.  CAGE codes can be added or updated using the Vendor function located under the OTHER section of the menu.  The function “ADMIN VALID VENDOR” must be granted to work with the vendor screens.

Drawings and documents can be introduced to their repositories by one of two methods, either by routing the item through a Drawing Change Notice (DCN) or Document Change Notice (DOCCN) using a workflow cycle for review OR by adding the item directly to the repository. When using a DCN or DOCCN Workflows need to be established to route the item through the review cycle. Whether or not a document requires a workflow is instituted by setting the CMPRO business rule that requires a DCN/DOCCN on a drawing or document create. After establishing the workflow routes, permissions need to be set to indicate who can work each step on the route.

Setting permissions in CMPRO allows the management and security of data to be maintained. Permissions include User Functions, Role and Control Group Permissions, Workflow Permissions and in some cases (where the inventory module is activated) Inventory User Functions.

Once the systems and subsystems, CAGE codes, workflow routes and permissions are set the repositories are ready to be used for the product lifecycle management process in CMPRO.  (Note to administrators: Validation tables need to be established before any metadata can be entered to define valid document: types, statuses, categories, and directories. For more information visit the Web Client Help) 

Creating Repository Records

In CMPRO creating repository records is fairly similar across the drawing, document, and software release repositories.

Go to the menu and search for “repository”, the search results will display all of the different create and search options of the three repositories. Click on the create icon next to the type of record that you want to create.

Since there are so many similarities in the three repositories the following example will cover a Document Repository item, for specifics on any repository please visit the Web Client Help.

When you click on the create icon next to Document Repository a screen is displayed that asks for the Type, select the Type by clicking on the “List” link.

After selecting the document type a screen for entering additional information about the document is displayed (Note: A document's number and its revision must be unique for each document type). This is where the predetermined System and Subsystem is selected that the repository item is to be related.

After completing the information screen either a Document Detail screen or a DOCCN Detail Screen is displayed depending on if the type of document requires a workflow route. Additional information about the document can be entered on the DOCCN or Document Detail Screen.

On the DOCCN Detail Screen or the Document Detail Screen you can add additional information about the document, add attachments, make annotations, make document associations, and start discussions about the Document.

To add an Annotation, Association, or Attachment click on the create icon next to the respective link; to view or add a Discussion click on the Discussion link.

Annotations

When you click on the Annotations Create Icon it opens the Annotation Create Screen. Annotations provide a simple way to record issues or explanatory notes associated with a workflow document, or just about any other data item tracked in CMPRO. Think of them as "sticky notes" that can be put on something so that it will always be visible until they are handled and closed. Annotations can be added directly to repository items whether they are Released or In-Work, as well as a workflow document that is being processed through review.

The annotation can then be viewed at the top of the DOCCN until it is closed.

Associations

When you click on the Associated Docs Create Icon a search screen appears to assist in finding an item to associate, this can be found by searching by type or clicking My Recently Viewed Items.

When the associated item is found check the box to the left of the item and select either Associate (if more items need to be associated) or Associate and Return (to associate and go back to the repository item).

Discussions

To view or create a new discussion click on the Discussions link, which will pull up the Discussions screen. From this screen new comments can be added to an existing discussion or a new topic can be created.

Annotations, Associations, and Discussions give users resources to collaborate on a repository item to save time and keep track of all of the necessary information related to that item.  This collaboration coupled with revision tracking in CMPRO allows users to make sure that the complete and most up-to-date information is being used at all times.

Revising a Repository Item

All repository items are marked by Revision Status, the possible values for revision status are: Current, Active, In-Work, or Obsolete. Additionally a revision identifier is used to keep track of the number of times the repository record has been updated. The revision status and identifier help to make sure that only the most up-to-date information is being used at any given time. The Revision Status and Identifier can be found in the Document Detail portion of the screen.

When an item is revised with associations, most associated documents are carried forward to the new revision.  This allows items associated with one revision to be associated with the new revision. Two exceptions to this policy are the Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) and Request for Change - Engineering Change Proposal (RFC-ECP) - association with either of these document types will not be carried forward.  

Conclusion

Repository Items are created to manage data and metadata about documents, drawings, and software releases. These items can be created to help meet contract requirements by assigning the appropriate information to individuals or groups. Repository items in CMPRO:

• Are assigned to a system and subsystem to help organize product data.
• Can be workflowed to follow a structured review/approval process.
• Have the ability to be associated with other items, annotated, and discussed all within CMPRO.
• Are organized by revision status so that the most up-to-date information is available to the necessary people.

The Drawing, Document, and Software Release Repositories in CMPRO continue the Product Lifecycle Management Process because after the repository items are created Baselines, Product Definitions, Part Trees, and BOMs can be created to provide data that is useful for the building and maintenance of end items and assemblies.

This is part three of the series How to Use CMPRO for PLM if you would like to receive updates to this series please Sign Up for Our Newsletter.