Document Object Connections

You should be able to easily locate documentation connected to a document folder or other business objects when you are working with a particular business object. A service is available throughout IFS Cloud for connecting documents to the business object with which you are working. 

When you are working with an object and need the documentation connected to it, you can use Documents tab in Attachments to obtain a survey of all document references for this object. Conversely, when you are working with a document, the system enables you to get a survey of all objects to which this document is connected in the Document Revision/Objects tab.

The figure below illustrates document survey and object survey.

The Documents service in the Attachments, is enabled whenever the selected object can have documents, enabling you to connect and view connected documents. 

From several pages, you can access the Document Revision page by using the relevant command. The Document Revision/Objects tab displays all objects to which the specific document revision is connected.

Workflow

Creating: You can insert new documents using the Document Object Connections page. The list of values enables you to select from the existing documents. If you need to connect a document you don't have yet, you can create and insert it directly into the object's document survey, which then makes the connection. Select Create Document in Copy/Create and insert it directly into the Document Revision page without entering the Document Titles page. If the latest revision of a document must always be connected to a specific object, set the Update Revision to Latest Released or Latest Revision.

Even though you are allowed to insert document connections in the Document Revision/Objects tab, it is recommended that you do not do so. You should insert the document connection from the object to which it is to be connected. However, you can enter new connections in this tab. Using the list of values you can select one of the business objects that might have document references.

Documents can be created and connected from the object to which it is to be connected, using Documents tab in Attachments.

Document object connections can be used to control document access. When object types are added, removed or enabled for the access lines in basic data, documents that have connections to objects of these types will have their access definition lines affected.

Modifying: You cannot update document number or class, but it is possible to update revisions. If the latest revision of a document must always be connected to a specific object, set the Update Revision to Latest Released or Latest Revision.

Removing: You can delete documents from the object’s document survey.

Even though it is allowed to delete document connections in the Document Revision/Objects tab, it is recommended that you do not do so. You should delete the document connection from the object to which it is connected.

You can lock a document reference for an object if you want to prevent accidentally changing or deleting it from the object. If you want to make changes or delete document reference from the survey you can unlock the connection. But you have to make sure that it is not a mandatory locked connection. For example, all the document references of an engineering part revision will get locked when you release the revision. So if you unlock and delete a document reference, document survey for the object will be incomplete.

Note: When a document survey is in the locked state:

A summary of how object connection types operate according to their update revision type and connection status:

Update Revision Type Connection Status Description
Fixed Locked The connection is always to the selected document revision and the connected document cannot be moved or removed from the survey.
Fixed Unlocked The connection is always to the selected document revision. If necessary, the user could change or remove the connected document revision from the survey.
Latest Revision Locked When a new revision is created, the connection will be transferred to the latest revision. connected documents cannot be removed from the survey.
Latest Revision Unlocked When a new revision is created, the connection will be transferred to the latest revision.
Latest Released Revision Locked When a new revision of the document is released, the connection will be transferred to the latest released revision. Connected documents cannot be removed from the survey.
Latest Released Revision Unlocked When a new revision of the document is released, the connection will be transferred to the latest released revision.

Important Terms

Business object: A type of data to which you can connect your documents, e.g., document folder, work order, manufacturer, etc.