1. To-Increase Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations
  2. Product engineering
  3. Set up product engineering

Set up engineering product type

An engineering product type is a template. You need an engineering product type to create or release an engineering product. Usually, the number of engineering product types is defined by your range of products. The engineering product type is comparable with product categories but has many additional features. The engineering product type is designed to have common setup ready when a new product, product version, or variant is released to save time and effort in the creation process.

Prerequisites to set up an engineering product type are:

  • Engineering company
  • Product version number rule
  • Product statuses
  • Product dimension groups

Elements of the engineering product type are:

  • Engineering product categories
  • Grouping
  • Engineering attributes
  • Release control
  • Readiness control


Product manager Product manager Start Start Set up engineering company Set up engineering company The engineering company is the company that releases new products or makes changes to a product. This is a prerequisite for creating an engineering product type.  Procedure 1. Go to Product engineering > Setup > Engineering company. 2. Click New. 3. In the Engineering company field, type a value. 4. In the Type field, select an option. Note: Choose External if the engineering company is not an entity in D365 FO, but refers to an external application. 5. If applicable, fill in the Internal company field. 6. Close the page. Set up product version number rule

Set up product version number rule

Set up product version number rules to define the ways in which version numbers can be defined.

To apply a version number rule to a product, you must first select the applicable rule for the engineering product type. This version number rule defines how the version numbers for the related products are defined. The Number rule type defines the initial version number and a new version number on adding a product to an engineering change order for which the Impact is set to Version update. 

You can use these number rule types:

  • Manual
    You must manually enter the new version number when you release a new version of a product.
  • Auto
    The new version number is automatically defined based on a format that can have constants and variables.
    Example: Your format is V-XX. As a result, on the first release, the product gets version number V-01.
  • List
    The new version number is defined based on the order of a predefined list.
    Example: Your list is A, B, C, D, E. On first release, the product gets version number A. If version E is released, further version releases are blocked. 

 Set up product statuses Set up product statuses The product status represents the phase of the product in the product life cycle. For each product status, you can define a set of rules to allow, warn for, or block specific actions. Example: A product is at the end of its life cycle. Therefore, it must be blocked for use on a sales order line. To do so, use a product status called "End of life" for which use in sales order lines is blocked. Product statuses are a prerequisite for creating an engineering product type.  Procedure 1. Go to Product engineering > Setup > Product status. 2. Click New. 3. In the Status field, type a value. 4. Click Refresh rules. 5. For each of the shown actions, you can set up a rule. For each action, define if it is allowed, blocked, or a warning is given for the product status. Note: Example: You want to prevent new products from being processed in a sales order. To do so, use a product status called “New” for which sales order processing is blocked. 6. Close the page. Which type of  engineering is  applied? Which type of  engineering is  applied? Set up product dimension group Set up product dimension group If you need to set up an engineering product type with product sub-type Product master, you must also set up the relevant product dimension group. Set up a product dimension group so that it reflects the required engineering type:Precise engineering: the Version dimension must be active.Imprecise engineering: the Version dimension must be inactive.For more information, refer to Product dimensions Create engineering product type Create engineering product type An engineering product type is a template. You need an engineering product type to create or release an engineering product. In this topic, you create the engineering product type and fill in the main fields. Once the engineering product type is created, you cannot edit these fields.  Procedure 1. Go to Product engineering > Setup > Engineering product type. 2. Click New. 3. In the Name field, type a value. 4. In the Engineering company field, enter or select a value. 5. In the Product dimension group field, enter or select a value. 6. In the Created status field, enter or select a value. 7. In the Version number rule field, enter or select a value. 8. Close the page. Set up engineering product categories

Set up engineering product categories

You can set up categories and have these automatically assigned to engineering products, product versions or variants on release.

 Set up engineering attribute grouping Set up engineering attribute grouping You can use engineering attribute grouping to create groups to which you can assign engineering attributes. Procedure 1. Go to Product engineering > Setup > Engineering product type. 2. In the left pane, select the desired engineering product type. 3. In the Grouping section, click Add. 4. In the Group field, type a value. 5. In the Description field, type a value. 6. Click Save. Note: You can now select this group when adding an attribute in the tab Attributes below. 7. Close the page. Notes If no grouping is defined and you add an engineering attribute, a default group is created and added to the engineering product type. Set up engineering attributes

Set up engineering attributes

You can use attributes to further describe a product and its characteristics with user-defined fields. You can also set up engineering attributes and assign them to product versions or variants separately.

You set up engineering attributes to:

  • Define additional properties for a version.
    Before you can set up engineering attributes, you must set up the relevant attribute types and engineering attribute grouping. Use this grouping to subdivide engineering attributes into logical and meaningful groups. At least one group is required to be able to set up engineering attributes.
  • Enable attribute-based product naming.
    You can use the engineering attributes to configure the product number, product name, and product description. If you do so, on creation of the product, you must set the engineering attribute values. As a result, the product number, product name, and product description are set automatically, based on these attribute values.
  • Enable searching products based on engineering attributes.
    If you create products with engineering attributes and attribute-based naming, you can use those attributes also for searching purposes

 Set up release control Set up release control If you manage engineering-controlled products in an engineering company, you release the products to logistical companies. You can use release control to make the product release specific for each logistical company.On the engineering product type, you can define how a product is released from the engineering company to logistical companies.You can release products to companies that are not defined in the release control of an engineering product type. If you do so, no specific settings are taken into account. Procedure 1. Go to Product engineering > Setup > Engineering product type. 2. In the list, find and select the desired record. 3. Expand the Release control section. 4. Click Add. 5. In the Company accounts ID field, enter or select a value. 6. In the Priority field, enter a number. 7. In the Template item field, enter or select a value. 8. In the Template BOM field, enter or select a value. 9. In the Template route field, enter or select a value. 10. By default, the product effectivity dates are copied from the engineering company to the logistical company. You can choose to not copy the effectivity dates. Clear the Copy Effectivity check box. Note: If you not copy the effectivity dates, you can also not copy the BOM activation and route activation. 11. Select the Receive BOM check box. 12. Select the Copy BOM approval check box. 13. You can copy the BOM activation status to the logistical company. Select the Copy BOM activation check box. Note: You can only copy the BOM activation if the effectivity dates are also copied. 14. Select the Receive route check box. 15. Select the Copy route approval check box. 16. You can copy the route activation status to the logistical company. Select the Copy route activation check box. Note: You can only copy the route activation if the effectivity dates are also copied. 17. Select the Auto release check box. 18. Sub-task: Set filter. 19. Click Edit filter. 20. Click Add. 21. In the Table field, enter or select a value. 22. In the Derived table field, enter or select a value. 23. In the Field field, enter or select a value. 24. In the Criteria field, type a value. 25. Click OK. 26. Close the page. Set up readiness control

Set up readiness control

You can use readiness control to confirm that a product, version, or variant is ready to be used in transactions before it is activated.

 End End Precise Imprecise

Activities

Name Responsible Description

Set up engineering company

Product manager

The engineering company is the company that releases new products or makes changes to a product. This is a prerequisite for creating an engineering product type. 

Set up product version number rule

Product manager

Set up product version number rules to define the ways in which version numbers can be defined.

To apply a version number rule to a product, you must first select the applicable rule for the engineering product type. This version number rule defines how the version numbers for the related products are defined. The Number rule type defines the initial version number and a new version number on adding a product to an engineering change order for which the Impact is set to Version update. 

You can use these number rule types:

  • Manual
    You must manually enter the new version number when you release a new version of a product.
  • Auto
    The new version number is automatically defined based on a format that can have constants and variables.
    Example: Your format is V-XX. As a result, on the first release, the product gets version number V-01.
  • List
    The new version number is defined based on the order of a predefined list.
    Example: Your list is A, B, C, D, E. On first release, the product gets version number A. If version E is released, further version releases are blocked. 

Set up product statuses

Product manager

The product status represents the phase of the product in the product life cycle. For each product status, you can define a set of rules to allow, warn for, or block specific actions. 

Example: A product is at the end of its life cycle. Therefore, it must be blocked for use on a sales order line. To do so, use a product status called "End of life" for which use in sales order lines is blocked.

Product statuses are a prerequisite for creating an engineering product type. 

Set up product dimension group

Product manager

If you need to set up an engineering product type with product sub-type Product master, you must also set up the relevant product dimension group. Set up a product dimension group so that it reflects the required engineering type:

  • Precise engineering: the Version dimension must be active.
  • Imprecise engineering: the Version dimension must be inactive.

For more information, refer to Product dimensions

Create engineering product type

Product manager

An engineering product type is a template. You need an engineering product type to create or release an engineering product.

In this topic, you create the engineering product type and fill in the main fields. Once the engineering product type is created, you cannot edit these fields. 

Set up engineering product categories

Product manager

 		You can set up categories and have these automatically assigned to engineering products, product versions or variants on release.

Set up engineering attribute grouping

Product manager

You can use engineering attribute grouping to create groups to which you can assign engineering attributes.

Set up engineering attributes

Product manager

You can use attributes to further describe a product and its characteristics with user-defined fields. You can also set up engineering attributes and assign them to product versions or variants separately.

You set up engineering attributes to:

  • Define additional properties for a version.
    Before you can set up engineering attributes, you must set up the relevant attribute types and engineering attribute grouping. Use this grouping to subdivide engineering attributes into logical and meaningful groups. At least one group is required to be able to set up engineering attributes.
  • Enable attribute-based product naming.
    You can use the engineering attributes to configure the product number, product name, and product description. If you do so, on creation of the product, you must set the engineering attribute values. As a result, the product number, product name, and product description are set automatically, based on these attribute values.
  • Enable searching products based on engineering attributes.
    If you create products with engineering attributes and attribute-based naming, you can use those attributes also for searching purposes

Set up release control

Product manager
If you manage engineering-controlled products in an engineering company, you release the products to logistical companies. You can use release control to make the product release specific for each logistical company.
On the engineering product type, you can define how a product is released from the engineering company to logistical companies.
You can release products to companies that are not defined in the release control of an engineering product type. If you do so, no specific settings are taken into account.

Set up readiness control

Product manager

You can use readiness control to confirm that a product, version, or variant is ready to be used in transactions before it is activated.

See also

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