Summary

This article explains how to optimize a style for the inventory control module of the Solatech Window

Covering Software.


More Information

When a product is setup with a large number of inventory items there may be a delay when

processing orders due to the fact that the system needs to evaluate all inventory items in order to

determine those that apply to the current order. To make this process more efficient a style can be

optimized for inventory. The basic process involves adding special options to the style that the

inventory control system can use to make more efficient choices when evaluating the possible items

to be included on the order.


Currently there are three optimization methods available: EvaluateInventoryItemsFromOption,

EvaluateInventoryItemsFromValue and EvaluateInventoryItemsFromList.


EvaluateInventoryItemsFromOption

This method is designed to work with products in which there is one inventory item per style and

the inventory item is referenced in one of the options. The optimization involves telling the

system to look and evaluate only one specific inventory item instead of all enabled inventory

items.


What are the prerequisites

In order to use this optimization method the product must have an option in the style in which

the value of the option indicates the item name of the inventory item that could be used for

the style. This optimization method only works if there can only be one inventory item for the

style. This is because when the system sees this optimization command it will only look at the

inventory item referenced by the option instead of all enabled inventory items in the company.


Add the optimization command to the style

Add an option with the following parameters to the style(s) that are to be optimized

  • Name = EvaluateInventoryItemsFromOption
  • Display = Invisible
  • Type = FormulaEx
  • Formula = 'optionname' where optionname is the name of the option in which the value references the inventory item to evaluate.


Example

The product has a list of inventory items that are pieces of hardware. The style is setup with

an option called 'Item No.' which the user users to select the hardware item to be used. This

option would typically be setup as a list. In this case the optimization option would reference

this option by name. (the formula part of the EvaluateInventoryItemsFromOption option would

be 'Item No.').


EvaluateInventoryItemsFromValue

This method is designed to work with products in which there are multiple inventory items per

style and the inventory items are referenced in one of the options. The optimization involves

telling the system to look and evaluate one or more specific inventory items instead of all enabled

inventory items.


What are the prerequisites

In order to use this optimization method the product must have an option in the style in which

the value of the option indicates the names of the inventory items that could be used for the

style. This optimization method only works if there are a few inventory items for a style. This

is because when the system sees this optimization command it will only look at the inventory

items referenced by the option instead of all enabled inventory items in the company and you

are limited to the number of inventory item names you can reference in the option.


Add the optimization command to the style

Add an option with the following parameters to the style(s) that are to be optimized

  • Name = EvaluateInventoryItemsFromValue
  • Display = Invisible
  • Type = Evaluate
  • Formula = inventoryitem, [inventoryitem,] where inventoryitem is the name of the inventory items to evaluate. To reference more than one inventory item, separate them with commas.


Example

The product has a list of inventory items that are pieces of hardware, however for the style

only three inventory items are to be used. The option EvaluateInventoryItemsFromValue

would have the names of those three items: 0711.063, 8393.889, 2749.011.


EvaluateInventoryItemsFromList

This method is designed to work with products in which there are multiple inventory items per

style and the inventory items are referenced in one of the options. The optimization involves

telling the system to look and evaluate one or more specific inventory items instead of all enabled

inventory items.


What are the prerequisites

In order to use this optimization method the product must have an option in the style in which

the value of the option indicates a list, of which contains the names of the inventory items that

could be used for the style.


Add the optimization command to the style

Add an option with the following parameters to the style(s) that are to be optimized

  • Name = EvaluateInventoryItemsFromList
  • Display = Invisible
  • Type = List
  • List = The name of the list that contains the inventory item


Example

The product has a list of inventory items that are pieces of hardware, however for the style

only a few inventory items are to be used. Create a list and add the inventory items that

should be evaluated. The option EvaluateInventoryItemsFromList would reference that list.


APPLIES TO

  • Product Designer 4.2
  • Solatech Window Covering Software 4.2