Configurator Model Complexity – How to simplify

Posted on: December 19, 2017 | By: Andrew Hall | QAD Business Process, QAD Distribution

As you are building new configuration models in the QAD Configurator, one of the issues that faces many clients is creating the model, with all of its features, options, and rules, in a way that reduces complexity to the greatest extent possible so that it can be understandable and maintainable to those responsible for supporting it. We certainly want to avoid creating something so complex that it becomes a “black box” that no one understands and therefore it isn't maintained and slowly loses value. Here are some quick hit approaches that help make models easier to understand:

  • Use different configurable item numbers versus using feature options and rules where selecting a different option leads down a very different logic path
  • Leverage the use of Rules Tables versus Rules whenever possible. They are easier to understand and “visualize” what is being accomplished.
  • Structure your configurable Product Structure to contain structure in order to simplify and minimize the number of Product Structure Selection Rules, even if this means adding sub-assemblies, phantom or otherwise.
  • Always ask yourself if there is another way to setup features, options and rules that simplify the model long-term, even if that means more initial work upfront. This thought process will returns dividends over time.

This is a short list, but should provide some food for thought as you progress done the path of building a new model.

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