FlexFields Concepts - practical

Item Category Flexfield Structure

This flexfield supports multiple segment structures for the Item categories. For example, we might need one of our category sets to use 2 segments to define the category and the other category sets to use only 1 segment. 

Let us take practical example to clarify it further. Suppose we want to categorize based on the processors they are having and whether they are laptop and desktop.

For this, we will define two segments

(For more details on segment and value set, visit: http://rachitappslearn.blogspot.in/2012/10/flex-fields-concepts-theory.html  )

Segment	Value set	Values
Segment1	ra_valueset1	Laptop, desktop
Segment2	ra_valueset2	i3,i5, i7

And also, we have these restrictions that desktop will take only i3 and laptop can take one of i3, i5, i7.

 


Step 1: Defining value sets

• Go to System Administrator-->Application-->Validation-->set
• Creating ra_valueset1 and ra_valueset2 (I am using the ra as prefix, you can use short form of your name, this way it is easy to track the data you have created)
• Enter name as ra_valueset1
• Enter Description
• Choose data type
• Choose max size
• Save 
• Repeat the same for ra_valueset2 

 

Step 2:Define Flex Structure and Compiling 

• Go to System Administrator-->Application-->Flexfield-->Key-->Segments
• Run the blank query with % in the Application field.Now Tab to Flexfield title field and press the down arrow key until you find the Item categories
• Now add the new structure ra_test_structure. Add a title and description to it
• Click on the Segments

• Enter a name for your first segment and associate a value set ra_valueset1
• Enter a name for your 2nd segment and associate a value set ra_valueset2
• Save
• Close the window
• On Key Flexfield Segments window, check the box Freeze Flexfield Definition and then compile it 

 


Step 3: Enter possible Values for each segment 

• Go to System Administrator-->Application-->Flexfield-->Key-->Values
• Check the box Value set in Find values By
• Enter a name ra_valueset1
• Click the Find
• Add the values Desktop and Laptop
• Save
• Similarly, Add the values i3,i5,i7 in ra_valueset2

 
Step 4: Define Category Codes (Categories)

• Change responsibility to Inventory Vision Operations, USA
• Go to Setup -->Item --> Categories --> Category Codes
• Look for ra_test_structure
• Add categories. when you try to add the categories, it shows you the 2 segments: system and processor and the possible values you can choose for these segments.
• You can either add all the 6 combinations or the combinations you want to use for the items.

 


Step 5: Define Category Sets

• Go to Setup -->Item --> Categories -->Categorysets
• Enter name as ra_test1
• Choose flex structure as ra_test_structure
• Controlled at Master Level. If you select Master, Items assigned to this category set must have same category names in different organization. 
• Note: system will not allow us to choose Desktop.i5 category as it is not defined in categorycodes 
• 

Step 6: Assigning items to category codes 

• Go to Item -->Master items
• Find Any item you have created or take any item by searching a blank query.
• Entered item as Test_EndA
• Go to Tools-->Categories
• Add categoryset and and category items

Note: As we have defined the category sets at master level, so don't got for organizational
Step 7: Listing items belonging to particular category

•  View-->Requests
•  Submit a new request
• Choose the report names Item Categories Report
• Enter the parameter ra_test1 in Category set field
• Click Ok
• View output