Item Groups

Task/Problem Overview

In this KB article, we will discuss item groups. Item groups are used to define a group of many items that share certain characteristics. Item groups are created and managed in the item group manager but the same item group can be leveraged in multiple areas of the software including pricing rules, pricing overrides, contracts, cycle counting and new item rules. There are three types of item groups described in detail below.

Static Item Groups

Static item groups are groups of items specified manually. The user would choose individual items to add to any given static group and that inventory group will not change unless edited. This is the easiest way to create highly specific groups of items particularly if they contain items that aren’t obviously related to each other by standard item attributes or if you want to group some common items while excluding one or more closely related items. However, this is the least flexible group over time and demands more maintenance than dynamic or parameterized item groups.

Dynamic Item Groups

Dynamic item groups are groups set up based on criteria such that if items are added or removed from inventory that fit those criteria, said items will be added or removed from the group automatically. This is helpful for large item groups that may gain or lose items based on inventory updates.

Parameterized Item Groups

Parameterized item groups are more of an advanced form of dynamic item groups. The difference with parameterized groups is that you define criteria but not the values that meet those criteria at the item group level. Then when using the item group elsewhere in the product, you are prompted to define the value for each criterion. For example, you may create a parameterized item group that calls for all items of MFG CODE = DLT and the Description contains FAUCETS. Now you can use this item group in pricing rules manager and you filter items with that item group. At that point, you will be prompted to choose the specific conditional values to make it a valid item group. In this example, you may choose MFG= SQD and Description contains “Breaker” and now all SquareD items with breaker in the description will be included in the contract. Conversely, you could select different parameters for the item group to call up an entirely different set of items. The value here is that you could leverage the same item group in many applications concurrently all pointing to a distinctly different group of items.

Definitions:

Criteria: A rule that when applied independently or in concert with another criterion in a criteria group can define the items returned in an item group.

Criteria Group: A group of criteria that together define the items returned in an item group. There can be multiple criteria groups used to determine the items returned in an item group.

“AND” Logic: “And” means that all criteria groups or individual criterion within a criteria group must be true for an item to be returned

“OR” Logic: “OR” means that items will be returned if any of a set of criteria in a criteria group is true. In other words, not all criteria need to be true for an item to be returned

**Note that both “AND” or “OR” logic can be applied among criteria in a criteria group. Conversely, only “AND” logic can be used among separate criteria groups.

Creating Static Item Groups

• Inventory -> Inventory Manager

  

• Item Groups Manager

  

• New Group

  

• Add a name, description and select the type of group (choosing static)

  

• Add Items

  

• Search for the items you wish to include in this static item group

  

• Double click or select OK to add an item.

Creating Dynamic Item Groups

• Inventory -> Inventory Manager

  

• Item Groups Manager

  

• New Group

  

• Add a name, description and select the type of group (Dynamic)

  

• Add group to add a new criteria group

  

• This will add a row with a few cells that you can change to determine the criteria used to create the item group.

• Select the criteria, group type, equality and default values that apply to each criterion in this criteria group

  

• In the screenshot above we chose the group type as “AND” which means that for an item to be included in this item group it must meet all criteria specified in this criteria group. Based on the equality values and default values in this criteria group, MFG Code must Equal “SQD” AND Description must contain “Breaker” for an item to be returned

• Now select “View Items”

  

• This will generate a list of all items that match the criteria specified in the criteria group(s) for this item group.

  

• After reviewing the items returned you can choose to add additional criteria to the criteria group to further narrow down the list of items within a single criteria group. To do so click “Add Criteria”

  

• Notice another row was added to your criteria group

  

• You can also add another Criteria Group. To do so click “Add Group”

  

• The difference between adding an additional criteria group and additional criteria is that adding a criterion simply allows you to expand the criteria within a criteria group while adding an additional criteria group allows you to expand the complexity of rules required to be included in an item group beyond a single criteria group. Remember that as is described in the definitions portion of this article that you can choose to apply “AND” or “OR” logic among criteria within a criteria group but “AND” logic is forced among separate criteria groups.

Creating Parameterized Item Groups

Parameterized item groups are dynamic by their very definition. Therefore when creating a parameterized item group, follow the exact process outlined in the section about creating dynamic item groups above. The only difference is that you will save the item group without specifying the “Default Value” for any given criteria in a criteria group in this item group. Then when the item group is used at any point the software will prompt the user to define the “Default Value” at that time. See the relevant screenshots below.

Leaving “Default Value” Blank

Example of Prompt When Leveraging Parameterized Group in Pricing Rules Manager