RFx-template
Overview
This section describes the RFx template and how it is used as summarized in the process diagram below:
The RFx template specifies a structuring of information that could be requested from a supplier for a particular business application. It defines how the requested information should be structured hierarchically into sections used to group similar information, e.g. Basic engineering data, technical manuals, certificates. The requested information will be delivered back to the requestor of the information by an information set that conforms to the structure and content requested by the information set template.
The intention is to enable a Prime to define a set of RFx templates that can be used for different types of contract or suppliers. These templates will define the information requested on a given part.
This is illustrated in the diagram below that shows two RFx templates:
- RFX template: T1 Supply
- A template used for requesting information about supplied parts
- RFX template: Certification
- A template used when just requesting part certification
The diagram shows the templates applied to parts and a set of information that has been delivered as requested.
Note that purchase orders can be associated with work package orders and used to order a set of parts listed in the purchase order. In these cases, the work package orders will reference the parts in the purchase order and an RFx template can be applied to the work package order. This will result in the RFX template being applied to each part. Each part will have an information set and information set sections corresponding to the RFx template.
Depending on the supplier and part, some of the defined information sets might not be required. Thus the required information sets are selected in the process of applying the template to a Work package order. For more details, refer to apply template section.
The RFI template structure can be created and modified in the platform or in an Excel file where an identifier, version, name and description is assigned to it. The information set structure is defined in the file along with the its sections organized hierarchically as previously mentioned. Similarly, Identifiers, version, name and description are assigned for each of the information sets. The expected type of information and information set are also defined for each of them, e.g. Document and RFI respectively.
RFX templates
The following sections detail the how the RFX objects are represented in ShareAspace. Namely:
InformationSetTemplate definition
Represents a specification of a structured set of information that will be requested. The specification defines what information is requested, whether the provision of that information is mandatory or optional. The specification also defines how the requested information should be hierarchically organized into groups. These groups are represented by information set template sections. The requested information will be delivered back to the requestor of the information by an information set that conforms to the structure and content requested by the information set template.
InformationSetTemplate properties
The properties for the InformationSetTemplate SoftType are described in the following tabbed displays:
- Properties The public properties of the SoftType instance that can be set and modified by the user or by data import.
- Meta data Meta data about the SoftType instance that are set by the ShareAspace application.
InformationSetTemplateSection definition
Represent a specifcation of a grouping of information that will be requested. The grouping can be hierarchically structured.
InformationSetTemplateSection properties
The properties for the InformationSetTemplateSection SoftType are described in the following tabbed displays:
- Properties The public properties of the SoftType instance that can be set and modified by the user or by data import.
- Meta data Meta data about the SoftType instance that are set by the ShareAspace application.
RFI Information set
The following sections detail the how the RFI objects that corresponding to an RFx template are represented in ShareAspace. Namely:
InformationSet definition
Represents a request for a set of information structured into sections in accordance with a specification provided by an information set template.
InformationSet properties
The properties for the InformationSet SoftType are described in the following tabbed displays:
- Properties The public properties of the SoftType instance that can be set and modified by the user or by data import.
- Meta data Meta data about the SoftType instance that are set by the ShareAspace application.
InformationSetSection definition
Represents a set of information that has been requested and is grouped in accordance with a specification provided by an information set template section. It is part of an overall request for information managed by an information set.
InformationSetSection properties
The properties for the InformationSetSection SoftType are described in the following tabbed displays:
- Properties The public properties of the SoftType instance that can be set and modified by the user or by data import.
- Meta data Meta data about the SoftType instance that are set by the ShareAspace application.