K-Tools for NAV Projects

Use of K-Tools for copy/paste vessels. Clone Project functionality. Add list of Docs from DMS function.

Rel. 30 December 2013

Introduction

The purpose of this Guide is to explain the practical functionality of using K-Tools for Copy/Paste NAV Projects. Explained is the possibility to copy a list of Docs from DMS of the Master Project (or from NAV Templates – DMS 1111) and the current Clone Project functionality – what it actually clones and how it can help us in the very often cases when Installation Manual is required at a very early stage, before the Sales Orders are completed. It also explains what to do in cases when documents don’t appear automatically in K-Tools Manuals Generation view.

Contents

1. Clone Project Functionality – what it actually clones, when the function is needed and what to expect. Installation Manual generation for the Clone Project.

2. Add list of Docs from different DMS Project. 3. Step-by-step Guide – Clone Project, Add list of DMS Docs, generate and customize Installation Manual .

3.1. Clone Project 3.2. Add list of DMS Docs 3.3. Generate Installation Manual and what to do if documents are not automatically added or are missing even in Product Portal.

1. Clone Project functionality - What it actually clones – currently K-Tools clones Project Structure only, but not DMS Documents Structure.

This means the Clone project will have exactly the same items, belonging to the exact same Product Lines as the Master Project. The functionality is being extended to add option to clone DMS Structure as well, however this is not completed and not to be used now. Step-by-step Guide is to be followed.

- When the function is needed – this function is very needed when we need the Approval Documentation (for NAV this is Installation Manual and Cable Information/System Drawings) before the Sales Orders in Axapta are completed (or even started) and is especially usable for series of vessels, however it can be used for any project that are a close match.

- What to expect from Clone Project – it is important to know that the automatic documents generation (i.e. Installation Manual) will be based on the Items and Product Line Sructure of the Master Project, but the metadata will be updated for the Clone project. This is also valid for metadata of DMS documents – it will be automatically updated for the Clone project. The real project can be updated any time with it’s project specific Sales Orders and has to be done once the Sales Orders are completed in order to get the correct As Built documentation, but this is not necessary to be explained in this Guide.

- Installation Manual Generation – very often Installation Manual is needed before the Sales Orders for the project are completed. Once a project is cloned, Approval Documentation can be generated and it will initially represent the structure of the Master Project with the metadata of the Clone project. Of course, there are numerous ways to implement changes in the Clone Project – Add or Remove items via Update Project functionality or simply adding PLM Documents in the Generation Views.

2. Add list of Docs from different DMS Project

This function, available via DMS Interaction menu, allows us to add any number documents from a DMS Project (usually the Master for a series of vessels or Templates in DMS 1111 for new project). Documents will first be added to the K-Tools project structure for the Clone project, then empty document numbers can be created in DMS automatically, via K-Tools, based on the metadata of the documents in the Master Project, and once the documents are customized for the Clone Project (for example Cable Layout Drawings), they can be transferred to DMS via K-Tools and proceeded for approval.

3. Step by step guide 3.1. Clone Project

To clone a project open the Master Project (in the example it is 41930 sub 10) first:

Then click on Clone Project as new:

A Warning appears. The major problems that may occur are related to Automated Drawings Generation, however we don’t use these and we’re aware what is actually cloned and what needs to be customized later, so disregard the warning and click Yes:

The Clone window will show up. Enter the New (clone) Project No and Sub No, Get Project Name from Dynamics and OK:

The Clone Solution Options window opens. Note that by default all 3 options are checked. As options 2 and 3 are under development, they are not to be used and they need to be unchecked before proceeding!

Once 2 and 3 are unchecked press OK:

The Master Project (41930 sub 10) Structure will be cloned to Clone Project (41931 sub 10) and the Clone Project will open:

3.2. Add list of Docs from DMS

At that point the DMS Structure of the Clone Project is empty, there are no even empty Docs with DMS Numbers. We

can create the Documents Structure of the Clone Project in DMS. Click DMS Interaction and Create Doc Numbers:

The Insert Empty Documents view appears. By default a list with K-Tools proposed documents to be Auto-generated appears. As we don’t need them now, but to Clone DMS Structure, click on Add user-defined document:

The User-Defined Documents Configurator view appears. Click Add list of docs from DMS:

In the Add DMS Documents view the project from where the documents are to be cloned can be chosen. It can be any DMS Project. For Copy/Paste projects this is usually the Master Project, for new projects usually it’s DMS 1111 – NAV Templates. Furthermore – it can be even any combination of projects to customize the DMS Structure of our project – Master, Templates, other similar project. In this example we’ll use only the Master Project, which is 41930 Sub 10. Type it and click Search:

Complete list of all DMS documents of the Master Project appears. As noted, documents coloured in red are empty in DMS and most likely they are not needed for the Clone. Documents in bold are Auto-generated. It is important to know that if these are cloned, they will not be treated anymore as Auto-generated, but as User-defined. It is highly recommended that such documents as Installation Manual, Cable Information, System Drawings are generated for the project, not cloned from the Master! Practically we need the drawings: Cable Layouts, Wiring Diagrams, Termination Diagrams, Power Distribution, etc. Use check boxes to select the documents and click OK:

The documents are now copied to the new K-Tools project and the list appears. You may still add any other user-defined documents – from other DMS projects or manually. Important feature here, that is not possible from DMS, is to assign Product Line to documents/drawings. It is quite useful as these will be automatically sorted in their respective Product Lines when generating System Drawings. If you want to assign Product Line to a document, i.e. HMS 100 Cable Layout, click on the drawing and it’s page and press Edit Page, otherwise you may skip the next steps:

The Edit Page view appears. Click Edit at Product Line:

Choose Helideck Monitoring System, Add it and press OK:

Then click Copy and Save:

The User-Defined Documents Configurator appears again. When the list of documents to be added is complete and, if

wanted, Product Lines specified, click OK:

Insert Empty Documents view appears. If User-defined documents or All documents is chosen in the View Options, a list with all documents, added to the K-Tools Documents Structure is shown. Choose all documents to be created in DMS by their check-boxes and press Insert Empty Documents:

The empty documents are now created in DMS. They are classified based on the metadata of the Master Project documents, but their metadata is updated for Project name and Document No. The drawings/documents can now be customized for the project (currently the project details in the DWG file need to be manually edited). Each of the drawings is located in K-Tools - Project Documents – User Defined Doc folder. When the drawings/documents are customized for the Clone Project they may be Transferred to DMS (they can be transferred to DMS even before customization but then they need to be checked out and edited directly in DMS) and Submitted for Approval as explained in Guide Part 2 - DMS Interaction.

3.3. Generate Installation Manual Even though Sales Orders in Axapta for the Clone Project are empty, we’re able to generate Installation Manual for the Clone Project, and during the generation process to update it for the changes compared to the Master Project. Once logged in to DMS via DMS Interaction, click Installation Manual in Documentation Tools and the Generation view appears (in this case the empty Doc No of Installation is already created, if there is no such you may use Create DMS Doc button before you generate the Manual). Click Generate Manual:

Installation Manual Generator view will appear, follow the Instructions explained in the Guide Part 3 – Installation Manual Generation. Note that the Installation Manula will have updated Project and Doc No, but it’s structure and documents contents will be based on the Project Structure of the Master Project and it is likely that manual adding/removing of PLM/DMS documents, as explained in Guide Part 3, will be necessary. What to do if Documents are missing when the Installation Manual is being generated? – Even though there is a big improvement in NAV Documentation, it still happens that documents are missing, especially for newly released systems. Here are the various cases - what is the reason and how to proceed:

- Document exists in Product Portal but does not appear in K-Tools – this means the document is not correctly linked to a HW Item or is not correctly classified. Try to add the document by using Add PLM Document. If K-Tools finds it that means it is not linked correctly. Report the case to K-Tools NAV Superuser and the linking will be corrected. If K-Tools does not find such document then it means it’s not correctly classified and not copied to

K-Tools PLM Database. You need to report the case to K-Tools NAV Superuser and the classification will be fixed.

- Document does not exist in Product Portal – most often this is the case with 3rd Party Equipment Manuals – there is no documentation even in Product Portal. This needs to be reported to K-Tools NAV Superuser, however, as the permanent fix here will take longer the way to have the manual is to create a KM Front Page and upload the Manual with the Front Page in DMS. Then the Manual can be added via K-Tools using Add Document from DMS option.