Generic Raw Material

The “Generic Raw Material” Specification Characteristic allows the user to create any raw material that requests a options list such as:

Generic raw material: Label

Listed options: Blue dot, Red dot, Yellow dot

The list options in this characteristic may be used in the calculation of costumized materials in the Engineering. It is necessary to create a link between the generic material and the production group so the raw material will be calculated in the Enginering. For more information refer to “Customized Raw Material in the Production Group” in the Engineering Records.

The generic raw materials can also be used as filters allowing the selection of production groups in the Engineering, the adjustment of wastes and productivity etc. This specification characteristic does not activate any functionality.

For more information on the settings required for creating, specifying and calculating the customized raw materials refer to "Customized Raw Material in the Production Group" in the Engineering Records.

This specification characteristic class will be shown in the estimate and in the job as in the following screen:

Note: A check box next to the functionality’s name will be shown only if the specification characteristic is optional to the selected component.

Note: The specification characteristics’s generic classes must be used only when no other class meets the product’s requirements, avoiding unnecessary settings, once the standard characteristics already send all the necessary information to the Engineering.

Creating the characteristic

In the system’s main menu, navigate to Sales > Records > iQuote > Product Specification > Specification Characteristic Type or enter "Specification Characteristic Type” in the Quick Search field.

Click Add. Complete the fields in this screen, as described below:

Field	Description
Code	Identification code for the specification characteristic type.
Description	Description of the specification characteristic type. The system will show it in the other records.
Screen Description	Description of the specification characteristic type that the system will show in estimate’s and Product Order’s product specification. If this field is blank, the system will use the description defined in Description as the product specification.
Characteristic Class	Standard class that determines the type of specification characteristic, its information and viewing mode in the product specification. When you select a class, the Information about the Characteristic Class area will show how the system will present the characteristic in the product specification and how the characteristic will appear in the estimate’s and Product Order’s product specification.
Specification Characteristic Classification	Characteristic type that indicates how the system will show the specification characteristic in the Job.
Create Engineering	It indicates whether the specification characteristic is available for Engineering. You should select this option if you expect the specification characteristic to be available in the Engineering, to activate a functionality. If you mark a characteristic as "Create Engineering" and there is no recorded functionality that would suppress this characteristic, the system will not calculate the Engineering. For more information, refer to "Production Group".
Active	Indicates whether the specification characteristic is available for use in the the estimate’s and Product Order’s product specification.
Technical Characteristic	It indicates whether the specification characteristic is a technical characteristic. The user can view the technical characteristics in the estimate’s and Product Order’s product specification if they have the access control EPS > Sales > Records> iQuote > Product Specification > Characteristic Specification Type > View Technical Characteristics.
Allows Specialization	Indicates whether the specification characteristic is available for you to select as a specialization characteristic of a product that have different models. If a product has two models, where one will be packed in a packet and the other in a shrinkwrap, it should be specified as a single product with 2 models and it should be indicated that both the shrinkwrap and the packet can be specialized. This way, both models will be available in the product specification. This option applies only to the following specification characteristic classes: Package - Box Package - Strap Package - Packet Package - Pallet Package - Bag Package - Shrinkwrap It’s not possible to specialize the other classes’ product specification.

Note: Information about the Characteristic Class area.

By including the specification characteristic type in the Information about the Characteristic Class area, it is possible to view how the estimates' and jobs' product specification will display the selected characteristic, making it easier to choose the correct class.

The fields displayed in this area are only for viewing and cannot be filled. For more information on how to fill the characteristic fields in the estimate’s or Job’s product specification, refer to Estimating.

Click Confirm. New fields will open and should be filled.

Fill in this other screen’s field as described below:

Field	Description
Apply characteristic in	It indicates in which engineering component the specification characteristic should be created. The characteristic is usually created in which this component is selected in the product specification but may be required to apply this feature in other components: Current Component – It will apply the selected characteristic in the component in which it was selected. If the specification characteristic High quality is selected in the magazine when indicating this characteristic should be applied in the current component, it will be applied in the magazine, in Product Engineering. Parent Component – It will apply the selected characteristic in the component next to the selected one. If the specification characteristic High quality is selected to the cover when indicating this characteristic should be applied in the Parent component, it will be applied in the magazine, in Product Engineering. Child Component – It will apply the selected characteristic in the component previous to the selected one. If the specification characteristic High quality is selected to the cover when indicating this characteristic should be applied in the Child component, it will be applied in the cover and body, in Product Engineering. Packaging Component - It will apply the selected characteristic in the packaging process group. Note: For this setup to work, this Generic Characteristic must have the Suppressed by a Functionality field unchecked at Sales > Records > iQuote > Engineering > Engineering Characteristic Type.
Characteristic Description Mode	Define the description that the system uses by default to describe the characteristic in instances such as the Job. By choosing a mode, you set which data the description displays (e.g., the size and delivery type). You can also choose one of the Customized Description options. To set them up, go to the Customized Description tab to define a customized set of data for the system to use. Note: Select in the Specification Components Types record the specification characteristic description to be displayed in the Proposal.
Simple generic characteristic added	Type of specification class characteristic Generic Characteristic that can be linked to another specification characteristic. For example, if the lamination specification characteristic is selected for the product it is necessary to automatically create a Review laminated materials specification characteristic. This second characteristic is assigned to the product but will not be shown in the specification screen. This way it is possible to use the linked characteristic to make filters in the Engineering or to activate generic functionalities, if the Create Engineering parameter is enabled for this characteristic. This field is displayed only if the Generate Engineering options enabled.

Note below a brief description of this toolbar’s button:

Button Name	Button Function
Edit Characteristic Info	Allows the user to edit additional information to the specification characteristic, if the selected class type accept it.

Validation limits tab

Note: The validation limits can be used in some characteristic classes to determine a range that can be specified in the estimate or Job. For example, if a minimum and a maximum format are set as a characteristic’s validation limit the system will show a message informing there is an inconsistency in the estimates anytime someone tries to enter a value outside this range in the product specification.

To add a new validation limit, click New.

Click the arrow next to the Validation Type box and select the appropriate validation, if there are any.

In the Minimum field, enter the value to be the lowest validation limit value.

In the Maximum field, enter the value to be the upper validation limit value.

Repeat steps from 1 to 4 to add all the validation limits.

Edit characteristic info

Click Edit Characteristic Info if it is a new Record or if the characteristic details need to be edited. The screen below will open.

Select the appropriate Engineering type of component. For more information refer to “Add Generic Engineering Components” in the Engineering Records.

Button Name	Button Function
Administrate raw material	Allows the user to manage the customized raw materials linked to the selected type of Engineering component.For more information on this button refer to “Add Generic Engineering Component Types” in the Engineering Records.

Click Save.

Note: After adding the generic specification characteristic, it is necessary to apply it in the browser by clicking Apply generic characteristic so that it is possible to use filters based on the characteristic in records such as from production groups.

Note: After adding the appropriate specification characteristic, it shall be linked to the same specification component so it will be shown in the estimate’s and Job’s product specification. For more information, refer to "Linking the Specification Characteristic to the Specification Component".