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Concept Types

Concept Types

Owned by Christoph Bergner
Last updated: Dec 10, 2024 by Julien Simon
3 min read

In Smartfacts CDCM, the core concepts include Configuration Area, Unit, Configuration, and Configuration Item. Each of these concepts can have multiple type definitions within a space, allowing for flexibility in configuring and customizing the behavior and appearance of each concept. This chapter provides guidance on configuring concept types in Smartfacts CDCM.

Purpose

The primary purpose of concept configuration is to provide users with the ability to define the schema, user interface, delegated UIs, state model, and behavior associated with each concept type. By customizing these aspects, users can ensure that the CDCM tool aligns with their organization's workflow and processes.

Benefits

  • Customization: Users can tailor the behavior and appearance of concept types to meet specific organizational requirements.

  • Enhanced Usability: Configuring user interfaces and state models improves usability and efficiency within the application.

  • Flexibility: The ability to define properties, records, and master data tables offers flexibility in managing and organizing data associated with concept types.

Configuring Concept Types

General

The following steps and information are relevant for all kinds of concept types.

To configure concept types in Smartfacts CDCM, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to Admin Area: Access the admin area of Smartfacts CDCM.

  2. Select the menu item Concept Types: Choose the concept and concept type for which you want to configure settings, or add a new concept type if necessary.

  3. Meta Definition Tab:

    1. Add Properties: Define properties that should be part of the schema definition of the concept type. Properties can include master data tables.

    2. Add Records: Define records that should be part of the schema definition of the concept type.

  4. Define User Interface:

  5. Add a Guard Script: See https://smartfacts.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPD/pages/328794134.

  6. Define State Model:

    1. Add States: Define the states of the concept type.

    2. Add Transitions: Specify the allowed transitions between states.

    3. Configure State Appearance: Define special appearance and behavior of properties per state.

    4. Define Guard Script: Implement validation rules using JavaScript-based guard scripts executed each time a concept is stored.

Concept kind specific

Unit specific

  • Associated Configuration Type: Define the configuration type associated with the concept type. A unit type must be associated with exactly one configuration type. This is the type of the configurations that will be created inside units with this type

Configuration specific

  • Associated Configuration Item Type From Template (optional): Define the configuration item type that configuration items should have when they are created by using a template (see https://smartfacts.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPD/pages/498171905).

  • Associated Configuration Item Type: Define the configuration item type that configuration items should have when they are created manually. This is also the fallback type for configuration items created via template when the “Associated Configuration Item Type From Template” is left empty.

Conclusion

Configuring concept types in Smartfacts CDCM allows users to customize the behavior and appearance of core concepts such as Configuration Area, Component, Configuration, and Configuration Item. By defining properties, user interfaces, state models, and delegated UIs, users can tailor the CDCM tool to meet the specific requirements of their organization. For detailed instructions on configuring concept types, refer to the administration documentation or contact our support team for assistance.