Using Valid Values

About Valid Values

  In the Standard Search, you have three methods for providing attribute values:

  • Manually enter the value

  • Use Valid Values to select a defined value for the attribute

  • Use Query Builder to create a complex query to custom filter your search

Valid Values are characteristics that have already been defined as being available for specific attributes.  For example, if you are searching for a particular part that is manufactured by a known manufacturer, then a certain naming convention may be attributed to that particular manufacturer's inventory.  When entering the name of the manufacturer in the appropriate field, and then selecting the valid values option on the manufacturer item number, you will only retrieve a list of items that are available for that particular search.  Having this capability will assist you in customizing your searches to retrieve only that information that is logical for your end result.

When obtaining a list of valid values, you can retrieve two different types of lists:

  • Existing:  A set of values currently identified for an attribute in items of the category to be searched

  • Qualified:  A set of possible existing values, given the values set for other attributes in the search criteria.

When Using Valid Values

  • Valid Values implemented using CES Valid Values, support the following:
    • Searching within a set of valid values
    • Sorting at the database level, either ascending or descending
    • Page count and Item count on demand, including paging through the results.
    • Retrieval of unique values
    • Selection of multiple values with the selected values combined using the OR operator for search purposes
    • Retrieval of values based on batch-size settings
    • Qualified Values
    • Existing Values
  • The Valid Values window can only be used in the Standard Search window.

Accessing the Standard Search window

Within CES, there are many methods of accessing Standard Search. To complete the scenario below, select one of the following methods to access the Standard Search window:

 
If You Are Using the... Then...

Advanced Access

  1. In the Main Access Area, click the Advanced Access link

  2. In the Advanced Access window, click the Standard Search tab to access the Standard Search window.

Favorites
  1. From the Favorites pane, expand My Searches to display your list of saved searches.

  2. Select the saved search you wish to view, right-click, and select Open from the shortcut menu.

How To Use Valid Values

For the following scenario, the Accessing Standard Search: Advanced Access method is being used to access the Standard Search window.  In the search defined below, Manufacturing Items will be searched and the following steps will explain how to use Valid Values within the context of that search.
  1. From the Standard Search window, enter criteria in the Manufacturing Item No. field.  Once entered, select the Valid Values button located next to the Internal Item No. field to display a list of manufacturers. The Enovia Sourcing: Valid Values/Query Builder window appears.

     

  2. In the Valid Values window, a list of all the internal item numbers that exist in the database are displayed.  Notice that in the bottom left hand corner of the Valid Values window, you have two options that will determine how your search is conducted; Existing and Qualified.  When selecting the Existing option, you broaden your search results to include all possible combinations of data that remotely meet the search criteria.  When selecting the Qualified option, you narrow your search results to only include those values that are qualified based on the entered criteria.  For example, in the example above, the Manufacturer Item No. PER* has been entered and four internal item numbers have been selected.  If you select the Qualified option, only those manufacturer part numbers that begin with PER and whose internal item numbers are one of the four, will appear in the search results.

  3. Select the internal item number(s) that you wish to search on, and click the > button to add them to the Selected Items list.  Click the Qualified field to narrow your search, and click OKThe Advanced Access window appears.

  4. Click the Search button to conduct the search.  The Search Results: Items - Manufacturer window appears with the qualified results based on the search criteria.

Valid Values Window

This table describes the fields displayed in the Valid Values window.

Fields Description
Valid Values A list of characteristics that have already been defined as being valid for specific attributes.
Selected Items Valid Values that have been selected as criteria for the search process.


This table describes the buttons displayed in the Valid Values window:

Button Description
Selects all the Valid Values in the list and moves them into the Selected Items list.
Moves only the selected Valid Values and moves them into the Selected Items list.
Removes the selected Valid Values from the Selected Items list.
Removes all the Valid Values from the Selected Items list.
Retains the selected information and moves it into the Standard Search window.
Cancels the selection and returns you to the Standard Search window.
Arranges the Valid Values in alphabetical order
Identifies the search as a broad set of values currently identified for an attribute in items of the category to be searched.  The Existing option is selected by default.
Identifies the search as a narrow set of possible existing values, given the values set for other attributes in the search criteria.