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Object Connections

Object Connections is a functionality by which objects can be connected to other objects, this translates into English as connecting a set of services to the client pages where you work with your objects. The services are the second object that you connect to, there are a limited set of services available and a list of the most commonly used are listed below. You can enable the object connection for any object in IFS Cloud. You will access these connections through the Attachments section in IFS IFS Cloud Web pages.

The services can connect your objects to:

  • Document Management,
  • to allow Approval Routings,
  • to be able to enter Characteristics,
  • to access Engineering Requests and Change Order Actions
  • and many more...

The ability to enable these connections is configured in IFS Solution Manager and must be done by the administrator.

Adding services is done by defining the services for an entity in the entity model.

Locating the Configuration Forms

The Object Connections page shows all business objects connected to certain services in the client environment. It is available in the Object Connections folder in Solution Manager.

Page Description

The page Object Connections is where you manage the connections. You define the combination of an LU Name, and a View Name, to map to a list of predefined services shown in Service List column. The Method Name is a function that will be invoked on the keys in the package to provide a lead text in the connection dialog. The connection will be live in all pages in the web client where the View for the specified LU is the base for the page.

Column Description
Logical Unit The name of the logical unit/entity where the view is defined.
Description The description of the logical unit/entity.
Component The component (module) of the logical unit/entity.
View Name The name of the view that describes the object to be connected to the services.
Package Name The name of PL/SQL package that handles the data in the LU.
Method Name The name of the method in the package to return a nice description to be used in the connection dialog.
Service List The list of services that the logical unit/entity may use and connect to.
Default Definition Yes if the logical unit/entity has a default setup of connected services (modeled services). The default services are the ones that will become available during the installation but may be changed in runtime and added/removed by the administrator.

If the logical unit/entity for the object that you want to connect is not show in the list, you will have to add a New connection.

Simply press New and fill in needed fields in the Create Object Connection assistant by choosing the Logical Unit and select the service(s) from the Available Services list.

Available Services

Below you'll find a sample list of standard services available in IFS Cloud. The aim is to keep this list updated in order to always reflect the most current IFS Cloud version. Each product/solution in IFS Cloud providing these type of services also contains information/documentation about supported/available services. Please refer to the product specific documentation for more details about these services.

For the Object Name You enter the Service List Comment/Description
Approval Routing ApprovalRouting Electronic sign off (‘flexible workflow’) however an in-completed approval from this tab does not stop the object from being used or the order progressed etc.
Characteristics TechnicalObjectReference Engineering technical attribute definition based on a technical class - used in the Best Fit Search Wizard feature (not to be confused with the ‘normal’ characteristics tab of information that is available within some forms as a tab on the main form.
Document DocReferenceObject Drag/drop or add new documents into this tab, RMB has full access to document management features.
Document Requirement DocRequirementObject By document class what documents are required, more typically used in Project Management.
Engineering Requests EcrObjectConn RMB can create new and change existing change request information (no Zoom facility defined).
Engineering Change Orders EcoActionObjectConn Can add (by using Zoom) or link to an existing Change Order which must have action and order lines defined already, no RMB options defined from the connected object view but a custom menu could be set up.
Linear Asset Element LinastElementObjectConn Possibility to connect any LU to Linear Asset Elements.
Nato Commercial Government Reference Object NatoCommGovRefObj IFS Aviation & Defense extension related. Similar to Dunn&Bradstreet NATO assigns a unique code to all the enterprises involved in supplying and managing its assets. NCAGE code is the NATO Commercial and Government Entity and can be specified by using this connected object. Connection is only relevant against the following objects: Company, Customer, Supplier, Manufacturer, Owner, Forwarder and Site.
Call Center Case CcCaseObjectConnection Use the Case Wizard from an Object and raise a new Case. Many Cases can be raised against the same object. The “connected” box is ticked on the Case heading in Call Centre to indicate this. In addition to the activation in Solution Manager there is specific set up in Call Centre as well. The user/assignee must be linked to a Work Group and this same Work group must be assigned to the Case Issue that has the ‘connected object’ option activated. If this is not done although the Case tab will be displayed the Wizard to open a new case will not be active. It is the exact Logical Unit name that needs to be used in the Case Issue set up.
Risk RiskReferenceObject Existing Risk analysis Headers can be attached or detached. Object details can be seen through RMB.
Risk Assessment RiskObjectConnection This service allows data from the logical unit to be used in the Risk Assessment window. It enables contents of the LU (e.g., incident cases, work orders, company sites) to be linked directly to relevant risk assessments. The connection is then performed on the Connect To tab.
GIS Integration Connections GisintConnections Possibility to show any LU on a GIS map.
Map Positions   MapPosition Enables the map positioning service for an object in which business objects can be placed at positions on a map. Define the longitude and latitude of the business object in the data grid view or navigate to a location in the map view and add a position for the business object on the map.
Map Positions Free  MapPositionFree  Enables a free attachment map, based on Esri's ArcGIS platform. 
Media Library MediaLibrary Create a media library, which is a collection of media items, for the specific object.
Incident Reporting IncidentObjectConnection Related with Health & Safety functionality. Enabling “Incident Reporting” would facilitate to attach any of the created incidents to an object or by invoking the Incident Report Assistant, an incident can be reported while working on another object. Incident object can be connected to a specific IFS business object via the Object Connections window. When connected, it can be viewed from both the Incident window Connected To tab and the Object Connections window Attachments panel.
Audit Management AuditObjectConnection Enables connecting existing quality audits and adding new quality audits through the New Audit assistant, for the specific object. It is possible to view the object connections directly from the Connected To tab in the Audit page. Audit object can be connected to a specific IFS business object via the Object Connections page. When connected, it can be viewed from both the Audit page Connected To tab and the Object Connections page Attachments panel.
Corrective and Preventive Action CapaObjectConnection Enables connecting existing corrective and preventive actions and adding new corrective and preventive actions through the New Corrective and Preventive Action assistant, for the specific object. It is possible to view the object connections directly from the Connected To tab in the Corrective and Preventive Action page. Corrective and Preventive Action object can be connected to a specific IFS business object via the Object Connections page. When connected, it can be viewed from both the Corrective and Preventive Action page Connected To tab and the Object Connections page Attachments panel.
Non Conformance Report NcrObjectConnection Enables connecting existing non conformance reports and adding new non conformance reports through the New Non Conformance Report assistant, for the specific object. It is possible to view the object connections directly from the Connected To tab in the Non Conformance Report page. Non Conformance Report object can be connected to a specific IFS business object via the Object Connections page. When connected, it can be viewed from both the Non Conformance Report page Connected To tab and the Object Connections page Attachments panel.
IoT IotObrOprLog This is to identify the records created from IoT Observations. (To create records from an IoT Observation, first you need to enable the particular entity to fetch data from IoT.)
Feedback FeedbackObjectConnection Enables connecting existing Feedback, stored in Feedback Hubs and sending feedback through the Send Feedback Assistant, for the specific object. Feedback object can be connected to a specific IFS business object via the Object Connections page.

The entry must be typed exactly as displayed. The items in the service list are logical units that can act as connectors to specific objects. The framework does not support the addition of a service to another service. For example, you should not add any services to the DocReferenceObject LU as it is a service itself.

How to create/edit Object Connections

Entering an Object Connection in IFS Solution Manager.

Open the Object Connections page and press "New" to create a new Object Connection (or "Edit" to change an existing one).

A page connected to the specified Logical Unit, View and Package will get the services according to the service list (Connected Services). These services will be shown in the Attachment section of a page.

The available Attachments are controlled by the object connection service list.

Technical Notes

All available services are registered during install-time and can are listed as Available Services in the Create/Edit Object Connections assistant.

Typically, object connections are defined by being modeled but can also be programmatically created using public interfaces in Object_Connection_SYS.

  • Read more about Using object connections in the development guide.