Building Dynamic Products with the Product Configuration

If you want to personalize your products a little, or if you are more of a configure to order operation where every product that you ship out the door is tailored to your customers specifications and needs then you will probably want to take advantage of the Product Configurator that is built into Dynamics AX.  This feature allows you to create a product with a number of different attributes, and rules that will allow Dynamics AX to build a custom BOM every time the product is ordered, and also tell you if the product is even possible to make.

The topics that are described within this series are:

1.        Creating a Constraint Based Product Master

2.        Creating a Product Configuration Model

3.        Adding Configuration Attributes

4.        Grouping Related Attributes

5.        Adding Conditional Display Options

6.        Adding Constraints to your Configuration Model

7.        Configuring BOMS Based On Attributes

8.        Using Table Based Attribute Values (Book Only)

9.        Using Attributes as Variables (Book Only)

The Product Configurator that is built into Dynamics AX is a pretty useful tool, and if you spend the time creating the rules on how you should be building your products, it can possibly reduce the number of BOM’s that you define down to just a handful.

Creating a Constraint Based Product Master

The first step in creating a Product Configuration is to create a Product Master that is enabled forConstraint Based configuration.

NOTE: This is part of the Building Dynamic Products with the Product Configurator blueprint series where we show how to configure product configuration models within Dynamics AX, and use them to create dynamics BOM’s and Routes based on the configurations. If you want to see all of the other posts in this series,

How to do it…

To create a constraint based product master, follow these steps:

1.     Open the Released
Products form from the Common group within the Product information management area page.

2.     Click on the Product button in the New group on the Product ribbon bar.

3.     In the New Released product quick creation form, change the Product subtype field toProduct master.

4.     Give your product master a Product number, Product name, and also a Search name.

5.     In order to the product to have product variants based on the configurations, we need to select the Config
dimension group from the Product dimension group field.

6.     From the Configuration technology, select the Constraint-based configuration
value from the drop down list.

7.     After filling in all of the other configurations that you want for the product, click on the OK button to complete the setup.

 

 

Creating a Product Configuration Model

Once you have a product to configure, it is time to create a Product Configuration Model. This is going to contain all of the rules and definitions that you will use to tell Dynamics AX how to build your new product BOM’s.

NOTE: This is part of the Building Dynamic Products with the Product Configurator blueprint series where we show how to configure product configuration models within Dynamics AX, and use them to create dynamics BOM’s and Routes based on the configurations. If you want to see all of the other posts in this series,

To create a new product configuration model, follow these steps:

1.     Open the Product configuration models form from the Common group within the Product information management area page.

2.     To create a new model, click on the Product configuration model button in the New group of the Model ribbon bar.

3.     Give your new configuration model a Name, Description, and also specify a new Name for the Root component.

4.     When the Product configuration model has been created, we need to link it to our product so that it will know to use it. To do this, click on the Versions button in the Product model detailsgroup of the Models ribbon bar.

5.     Create a new version by clicking on the New menu button.

6.     Specify the Product number that you want to associate with this configuration and enter aFrom date and To date for the model.

Tip: by default the model to and from dates will default in as today. In the To date field type in12/32/2154 which is the AX date that equals Never.

7.     Once you have created the version, click on the Approve button in the menu bar.

8.     When the Approval dialog box appears, select the Approved By user and click on the OKbutton.

9.     Finally, click on the Activate menu button in the menu bar to allow the configuration version to be used.

 

Adding Configuration Attributes

The way that the configurations are personalized are though Configuration Attributes which the user will update as they are building their product variation.

NOTE: This is part of the Building Dynamic Products with the Product Configurator blueprint series where we show how to configure product configuration models within Dynamics AX, and use them to create dynamics BOM’s and Routes based on the configurations. If you want to see all of the other posts in this series, .

How to do it…

To add a configuration attribute, follow these steps:

1.     The first step is to create any new types of attributes that you may be using in this model. To do this, open the Product configuration model maintenance form and expand the Attributespanel. From the Attributes menu bar, click on the Maintain attribute types menu button.

2.     In the Attribute types form, click on the New button in the menu bar to create a new attribute type, and give it a Name.

3.     Rather than having a free-text value that the user enters in, it’s sometimes better to give them a list of valid configuration values that they can use in the Attribute Type. To do this, check theFixed list check box.

4.     Then click the Add button in the Values panel menu bar to add the valid values.
Tip: In these examples, we create the first entry as None. This allows you to have a null value that represents that the user has not selected anything yet.

5.     Repeat the last step for every one of the valid configurations that you allow for the Attribute type.

6.     When you have finished, click the Close button to return to the product configuration model.

7.     Once we have an attribute type, we will create the Attributes that we will be using to describe our product. To do this, click on the Add menu item in the Attributes panel.

8.     Give your attribute a Name which will be a friendly name for you.

9.     Give it a Solver name. This is the variable name that you will use to reference it later on in your configuration rules.

10.   Add a Description where you can add more detailed information about the attribute.

11.   And then from the Attribute type drop down box, select the Attribute type that you just created which will be used as a template for this attribute.|

12.   Finally check the Set default value check box, and select one of the Attribute values from theDefault value drop down box. We used the None value so that we will default it in as the unselected value.

13.     How it works…

14.   Now that we have configured an attribute, we can see it in action by clicking on the Test button in the Run group of the Model ribbon bar.

15.   

16.   This will open up a configuration window, and we will see our attribute and be able to select form the drop down box the value that we want.

17.   

18.   We can add more attributes exactly the same way. Note that in this example, we are creating six attributes that are similar, so we are reusing the same attribute type.

If we click the Test button again we will now see all of the other attributes that we created.

19.   

rouping Related Attributes

If there are attributes that are related to each other then you may want to show them together in the configuration dialog box. To do this we need to change the way that they are displayed within the UI.

NOTE: This is part of the Building Dynamic Products with the Product Configurator blueprint series where we show how to configure product configuration models within Dynamics AX, and use them to create dynamics BOM’s and Routes based on the configurations. If you want to see all of the other posts in this series, .

How to do it…

To group related attributes, follow these steps:

1.     Open the Product configuration model maintenance form and click on the User interfacebutton in the Product model details group of the Models ribbon bar.

2.     This will open up the User interface maintenance form. You can move the attributes around just by selecting them and clicking on the Move up and Move down menu items. But if you want to nest them together to make them stand out, then click on the New attribute
group button in the menu bar.

3.     Give your attribute group a new name, and then click on the OK button.

4.     Now select the attribute that you want to move and select the group name from the Attribute
group drop down list.

5.     You can repeat this step for any other attributes you want to group.

6.     After you have created all of your groupings, just click on the Close button.

How it works…

Now that we have configured an attribute groups, we can see it in action by clicking on the Testbutton in the Run group of the Model ribbon bar. We will now see sections for each of the groupings that we created.

Adding Conditional Display Options

You may not want to show all of the attributes on the configuration screen initially. Some may be dependent on others being set, and others may have to be added sequentially so that you don’t have gaps in the configuration attributes. You can do this through the product configurators conditional rules that allow you to show and hide attributes based on conditions.

NOTE: This is part of the Building Dynamic Products with the Product Configurator blueprint series where we show how to configure product configuration models within Dynamics AX, and use them to create dynamics BOM’s and Routes based on the configurations. If you want to see all of the other posts in this series, .

How to do it…

To add conditional display options, follow these steps:

1.     Open the Product configuration model maintenance form and expand the Attributes panel. Select the Attribute that you want to add conditional display rules for.

2.     To hide the attribute, check the Hidden check box.

3.     To make the display conditional, add a rule in the Condition field.
Note: In this example, we are going to hide the Port2 attribute when the value in Port1 equals (==) “None”.

How it works…

To see it in action by clicking on the Test button in the Run group of the Model ribbon bar. Notice that the Port2 attribute is initially hidden.

When we select a value for the port then the Port2 attribute is displayed.

We can add more conditional rules on when to hide and display the attributes. When we test the configuration display now, we don’t see all of the other attributes initially. As we select the values, then only the new attribute options are shown.

dding Constraints to your Configuration Model

You can further refine your Product configuration model by adding constraints. These are rules that allow you to restrict what values are allowed to be entered in the attributes based on the values of other attributes.

NOTE: This is part of the Building Dynamic Products with the Product Configurator blueprint series where we show how to configure product configuration models within Dynamics AX, and use them to create dynamics BOM’s and Routes based on the configurations. If you want to see all of the other posts in this series, 

How to do it…

To add constraints to your configuration model, follow these steps:

1.     To create constraints, open the Product configuration model maintenance form and expand the Constraints panel. From the Constraints menu bar, click on the Add menu button.

2.     When the new constraint dialog box is displayed, select the Expression constraint option from the Constraint drop down list. This will allow us to write a simple expression that defines what restrictions we are placing on the attribute.

3.     Give your constraint a Name, and Description.

4.     In the Expression field we will now write our rule that will tell Dynamics AX what is valid and what isn’t, using the Implies
function. The format is:Implies[AttributeRuleIsImplied, WhenAttributeRuleIsTrue]
i.e. WhenAttributeRuleIsTrue (then) AttributeRuleIsImplied

Implies[Cable1 == “CT-AV1″, Port1==”PT-AV”]
i.e. When Port1 is “AV” then Cable1 may be “CT-AV1”

5.     Repeat the step and add as many constraints as you like.

How it works…

To see it in action by clicking on the Test button in the Run group of the Model ribbon bar. Notice that the attribute values that are not allowed are not checked, and also cannot be selected.

Configuring BOMS Based On Attributes

Once you have all of your attributes configured, with their values, and constraints, you can now create the rules that will allow Dynamics AX to use them to create dynamic BOM’s on the fly.

NOTE: This is part of the Building Dynamic Products with the Product Configurator blueprint series where we show how to configure product configuration models within Dynamics AX, and use them to create dynamics BOM’s and Routes based on the configurations. If you want to see all of the other posts in this series, 

Getting Ready…

Before we start though, make sure that you have created all of your product masters that you are going to be using in the BOM’s that the Product configurator will be creating:

How to do it…

To configure a BOM based on attributes, follow these steps:

1.     To define the BOM creation rules, open the Product configuration model maintenance form and expand the BOM lines panel. From the menu bar, click on the Add menu button to create a new BOM line rule.

2.     Give your BOM line rule a unique Name and a Description.

3.     If this BOM line is dependent on an attribute being a certain value then add the expression that you want to check in the Condition field.

4.     Once you have created the line, click on eth BOM details button in the BOM lines menu bar to open the BOM line designer.

5.     In the BOM line details form, enter in the Item number that you want to use in the BOM line.

6.     Then configure any of the BOM line fields that you want to use. In this example we set theCalculation, Quantity, and Unit fields.

7.     Continue this for all of the other types of BOM lines that you want Dynamics AX to use.Tip: after creating all of your rules, click on the Validate button in the Run group of the Models ribbon bar to check all of your conditions, and expressions. If there are any errors then it will notify you and you can debug your rules.

How it works…

To see this in action, you can create a new sales order and create a line on the order for the configured product that you just created. Open up the detail tabs at the bottom, and select theProducts tab. Notice that there is no Sub-BOM value at this point.

From the Product and supply drop down menu in the Sales order lines panel, select the Configure line menu item.

This will open up the same configuration screen that you have seen during the testing of your product configuration. Fill in the attributes that you want to use for the product configuration, and click the OK button.

After you have finished, you will now see that Dynamics AX has created and assigned a Sub-BOM to your order line.

If you drill into the Sub-BOM you will see that it has created a new BOM, you will see the BOM lines that it has automatically built for you.

Additionally, from the Update line drop down menu in the Sales order lines panel, select the(Calculate) Based on BOM/Formula menu item.

This will open up the cost calculation form for QUOTATION purposes. To calculate the cost of the product configuration, just click on the OK button. You will then be shown how much the configuration will cost to build based on the base components of the BOM allowing you to quote the expected price to the customer.