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Adding objects to a workspace from a Promotion Request form?
We have the situation where a user creates a Promotion request and adds an number of unrelated objects (wtparts, CADparts and drawings) from different locations. When the checker or approver opens the Promotion Request form the objects appear in the Promotion Objects area and they all can be selected using the check box, but the only actions available are manage security, move, subscribe and copy - NOT add to workspace. If only one object is selected the right click gives the options: view information, open in Creo View and Add to Workspace; meaning we can only add one item at a time to the Workspace.
This is fine if there are only a few objects, but is time consuming if there are a lot of objects being promoted.
We need to check the objects on the promotion request regenerate correctly in Creo, so they have to be added to a workspace by the checker, so he can open them. Unless there is a better way of ensuring the objects are regenerated?
Here's how we approach. I consider that this has been the single most important thing we have done in all our years of managing use of these systems.
Access and use product data:
- Establish that you can only "do business" on published viewables, accessed thru ProductView / CreoView. Require the watermarking applied by Windchill as evidence of this. Watermarking has to show that the current state is released. Invest in the Document Collaboration Option so that all Word documents can be handled the same as CAD Drawings.
- Require that all checks be done on published viewables first. Look at the actual data only after the viewables check out ok. Checkers immediately reject if the published viewable is not available.
- Require also that the redlines for all changes be done using published viewables. Require watermarking as evidence (as above) of the specific Version, and that the starting point for a change is Released.
- Configure publishing AS STORED (rather than Latest).
Benefits / process assurance that results from above:
- You are guaranteed that you are checking and doing business on the data managed by Windchill and owned by the company (as opposed to a designer providing a file to a buyer or Doc Control for example, then editing it, then checking it in - yes this can happen).
- You are guaranteed that the data will regenerate (with no human action) because publish fails otherwise. Because the checker will not accept unless the viewable is correct, this forces the designer in all cases to pay attention to regeneration and all other problems before they say "I'm done."
- You are guaranteed that you do business on data as it was checked in (e.g. a Drawing) ignoring any changes done to 3D models after that point (due to AS STORED configuration).
- You are guaranteed that proposed changes are based on the actual released data, not some other version.
We are not planning on using the new rework capability for Promotion that shuffles in newer iterations.
