Using product specification templates
A product specification template holds product specification-related data such as Organoleptic properties, Microbiological values related to food contamination, and packaging information like packaging dimension and condition.
Link the product specification template to items to classify them as raw material, semi-product, packaging item, or an end product.
The topics in this section elaborate on how to create a product specification template and link it to an item.
Create a product specification template
Use the Product Specification Templates page to create product specification templates with different fields. Create separate product specification templates for raw materials, packaging items, semi-products, and end products. You can create templates for specific product codes like cheese or meat. You must always link the product specification template to an item.
- Select the Search icon
,enter Product Specification Templates and then choose the related link.
The Product Specification Templates list page opens. - Select New.
The Product Specification Template card page opens. - In the Code field, enter a code for the product specification template. Later, you link the product specification template to an item on the Item Card page using this code.
- In the Description field, enter a brief description of the code.
- In the Specification Class field, select the product specification template type from the following options:
- Packaging: Creates template for the packaging material
- Raw: Creates template for the packaging material
- Semi-Product: Creates template for the semi-finished product
- End Product: Creates template for the end product
- In the Status field, select the status of the product specification template. Select the status New or Under Development to edit the template.
On the Lines FastTab, select the fields to display in the product specification. You can even group the related fields together under a group name.
- In the Type field, select whether the line type is a Field or a Group. The first entry must always be a Group followed by one or multiple Fields.
The Fields selected below a Group are grouped together under the specified group name in the product specification.
Example: Adding Groups and Fields in a template
| Type field | Code field | Field Type field | Rounding Precision field | Mandatory checkbox | Default Value field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group | Organoleptic | ||||
| Field | Color | Option | Selected | Yellow | |
| Field | Taste | Option | Selected | Sweet | |
| Field | Smell | Text | Selected | ||
| Group | Shape | ||||
| Field | Shape Height (cm) | Decimal | 0.1 | ||
| Field | Shape Width (cm) | Decimal | 0.1 | ||
| Field | Shape Length (cm) | Decimal | 0.1 |
- In the Code field, select the Field or the Group code to print in the product specification. The values in the fields, Description, Field Type, and Rounding Precision also are filled.
- Select the Mandatory checkbox if it is compulsory to enter a value for the specified field or group in the product specification.
- In the Default Value field, enter the option that must display as the default value in the product specification, if needed. However, you can change the default value in the product specification.
For example, the “Taste” Field with the option “Sweet” can be set as the default value to display in the product specification.
Note that you can select the value in the Default Value field only when the field type is Option and when the options are already defined on the Product Specification Options page.
- Now, in the Status field, select Certified to activate the product specification template. You can link only a certified template to an item.
Link the product specification template to an item
On the Items page, link the product specification template to an item to classify the item as raw material, semi product, packaging material, or an end product. You must always link the template to an item.
- Open the Items list page and select an existing item to link the product specification template. Or, create a new item on the Item card page and fill in the required fields.
- On the Item FastTab, in the Specification Template field under the Product Specification group, select the product specification template that you want to link to the item.
- In the Base Unit of Measure field, enter the unit used to measure the item. Or, enter the net weight of the item in the Net Weight field on the Inventory FastTab. This field is only necessary when the UOM isn’t specified as the base unit of measure or item unit of measure.
An error occurs during the product specification calculation if neither the UOM nor the net weight is specified.
- If the item is a semi-product or an end product, link the related production BOM to the item. Note that the item number and the production BOM number (on the Replenishment FastTab) must be the same; otherwise, the product specification cannot be calculated.
- Close the Item Card page.