Product Master Revision Control via Baseline Snapshots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing product lifecycle management (PLM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions lack effective revision control for product masters, making it difficult to maintain a history of changes and reconstruct a product as it existed at a particular point in time, especially when using change numbers that do not provide a 'frozen' structure of product details.
Innovation Solution
Implementing revision control for product masters within a database system by maintaining minor revisions with specific attributes, document objects, and BOM versions, along with baselines that store information on components and their corresponding minor revisions, allowing for a complete snapshot of a product master at a given point in time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If product master data is changed directly without maintaining old versions, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of information occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically creating a baseline (snapshot) of the product master data before any changes are made. This baseline is stored and associated with the product, preserving the historical state while allowing the current data to be modified freely. The baseline creation happens in advance, before the actual change occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the product master data at the time of baseline creation. This copy stores the historical state of attributes, BOM versions, and document revisions. The original data can then be changed without affecting the preserved copy, eliminating information loss while maintaining operational ease.
2Reliability
If revision control with baselines is implemented, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The revision control system is segmented into distinct components: baselines (snapshots of product data at specific points in time), BOM versions (bill of materials at different revisions), and document revisions (attached documents with version control). Each component is managed independently but linked together, making the overall system more manageable despite its comprehensive functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a temporal dimension to product master data management by introducing baselines that represent historical states. This creates a time-travel capability where any past version of the product can be reconstructed by retrieving the appropriate baseline and associated BOM and document versions, significantly improving reliability without requiring complex manual tracking.
3Measurement precision
If multiple BOM versions are maintained for different revisions, then the measurement precision is improved, but the loss of time occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by automatically linking baselines to specific BOM versions and document revisions. When a baseline is created or updated, the system tracks and stores the versions of all associated components. This automatic feedback mechanism eliminates manual tracking and enables rapid retrieval of any historical product configuration by simply accessing the stored baseline data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-organizing and storing all version information (BOM versions, document revisions) alongside the baseline data. This preliminary organization of data in advance allows for instant retrieval of any historical configuration without requiring time-consuming searches or manual assembly of version information.
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies are described for performing revision control for product masters within a database system. For example, a product master, comprising master data representing a product, can be received. The product master can be identified by a unique product identifier. A definition of a minor revision of the product master can also be received and stored in association with the product master. The definition of the minor revision can comprise: one or more revision attributes that are specific to the minor revision, one or more document objects that are specific to the minor revision, and/or an indication of a bill of material (BOM) version that is specific to the minor revision. A given product master can have multiple minor revisions, each with its associated attributes, documents, and BOM version.