Chapter 2: Interface
Once we
login to the 4G:PLM system, we can see two panes. The left pane is called
Navigation Pane and the right pane is called the Content Pane. On the top of the
pane is the navigation bar that lists different icons.
2.1 Navigation bar
When you move the cursor
over the icons, it will display the names. These icons can also be accessed
through the menu bar like New Objects lists all the Objects that can be created
in 4G:PLM system.
2.2 Left Pane
The left pane also known
as Navigation pane lists all your recent activities like Recent Parts, Recent
Changes, Recent Manufacturing Parts, Recent Manufactures and Suppliers. This section
also has the Search functionality to search for objects within the 4g:PLM
database. Different sections automatically expands/contracts as you move the
cursor over them.
These different sections are organized as:
· Recent Parts
· Recent Changes
· Recent
Document
· Recent
Manufacturer Part
· Recent
Manufacturer & Supplier
· Search
Please note the data
populated to personalized or based on your navigation history.
2.3 Right Pane
The Right Pane, also
known as the Content Pane, is where the items, objects or documents selected
from the Navigation Pane is displayed
The content pane consists of three tabs:
· Work Area
· History
· Inbox
2.3.1 Work Area
The Work Area contains the object or item selected from the Navigation Pane.
While creating new objects or items, etc., a new window will pop up for you to
work on. This window will have different views depending on the objects or
items that you work on.
Think of the work area as your desktop. You can add objects of any type to your
desktop and then find them easily later. When you are done working with an
object, you can right-click on it to remove it from your desktop.
2.3.2 History
The history tab is a record of actions you have taken in the past in various
change processes, e.g. approval or release of an ECO. You can look here to find
changes that you have taken action on in the past.
2.3.3 Inbox
Inbox shows incoming emails or approval or change requests initiated by others.
To change or respond to the messages, open the Inbox tab in the Right Pane of
4G:PLM. Any changes that are awaiting your approval show up here. Also, if
someone has added you as an observer to a change workflow, you will receive
notification here of important events.
Note that you may also receive notifications to your e-mail address if your
administrator has configured e-mail notification.
2.4 Managing Work Area
Work area can be
cleaned/deleted if users wishes to do. You can do it either by clicking on the
icon or Tools>> Clear Work Area.
Similarly, we can also clear Recent History or attachment. You can save
workarea using the Save work area icon
provided in the menu bar.
2.5 Advance Options
You can drag
& drop objects from the left pane to the right pane to work with. On the
left pane, while working with the recent objects, you can access advanced
options by right clicking an object. For example, while working in the Recent
Item on the left pane, right clicking on an Item object will give the options
to:
· Add to Work Area
· Remove from Recent
· Details
· Where Used
· BOM
· AML
· Changes
· Attachments
· Delete Parts
There are also advanced menu options while you are working on the right pane.
Right clicking an Item object will give you the following options:
· Remove from Work Area
· Details
· Where Used
· BOM
· AML
· Changes
· Attachments
While working in 4G:PLM, double clicking any object, both on
the left pane and the right, will open the object in a new window.
2.6 Using Inbox and History
An item in the Inbox
will allow you to perform certain actions directly, depending upon what action
is needed from you in the workflow. This is where youll see which changes need
your attention to review or approve. The History tab (next to the Inbox and
Work Area) will indicate the past history for the user. This is user specific
history, not the history of each object which is captured on the history tab of
the item. This object history is called LOG and shows on each item. The log
is non-modifiable by the user.
2.7 Menu Bar
The different options
for each menu are:
Admin
· Create
User
· Users
· Groups
· Roles
· Permissions
· Saved
Searches
· Classes
· Lifecycles
· Workflows
· Attributes
· Price
Tables
· Server
Configuration
· Mail
System
· Vaulting
System
· User
Settings
· Working
Directory
New Objects
· Part
· Document
· ECO
· ECR
· MCO
· Stop
Ship
· Deviation
· Manufacturer
Part
· Manufacturer
· Supplier
Search
· Search
Document
· Search
ECO
· Search
ECR
· Search
MCO
· Search
Stop Ship
· Search
Deviation
· Search
Manufacturer Part
· Search
manufacturer
· Search
Supplier
Tools
· Import
· Export
· Compare
item Revision
· Save
Work Area
· Clear
Work Area
· Clear
Recent
Reports
· Pending
ECO
· Items
By User
· Product
Discovery
Help
· About
· Manual
· Manage
Product License
· Contact
Support
1. Admin
The Admin menu is for the administrators to create users,
provide permissions, set the working directory for the users to work in, setup
the mail server, define the data model, etc.
2. New Objects
New Objects menu helps to create new objects like items, parts,
documents, manufacturer, etc. The menu help the users to easily create new objects,
example provided in Chapter 3.
3. Search
The Search menu is, as the name suggests, there to help users
to search through all objects in the Database. The advance search allows users
to search through individual properties of the database.
4. Tools
Tools helps the users to export or import objects like items,
users, parts, classes, lifecycles, etc. from and to other systems or files. Save
the Work Area, Clear the Work Area, etc.
5. Reports
Reports menu creates the Pending ECO reports. It
also shows which user created which object in the system, the product
directory, etc.
6. Help
Shows information about the product license, allows to connect with
a support manager for advance help or support.
2.8 Using Search
Functionality
4G:PLM provides robust
and easy to use Search functionality. On the menu bar, click on the search icon
to bring up the search window.
The Object drop-down menu contains a list of various object types and
their common attributes. For example, to search for the part number of a part,
you would select Part Number under Parts
Next, you define one or more
conditions as search criteria by clicking the Condition drop-down:
Once you have defined a single
criterion, you can search by clicking the Search button in the bottom
of the Search pane. Doing so automatically causes your single
criterion to be added to the criteria list and the search begins.
You can also define additional criteria, and add them each time by clicking the
Add button. This allows you to define multiple criteria, which by
default are connected with the Boolean Or operator. By clicking on the
down-arrow next to the Boolean operator, this can also be changed to And:
Once you click on Search
button, the right pane would show-up the search result based on the criteria
selected