How to make fields read-only for some users

Match-IT’s security system allows any field to be set as read/write, read-only, or not-visible on a per user group basis. The example below will make the Industry field read-only on the customer/supplier form for certain users.

Proceed as follows:-

Right-click on the Industry field.
In the popup that is shown, select Set field/button access.
The Field Access Privileges form opens and in so doing creates the default security record for that field.
Close the form.
Now open the detail record for a user and select the Privilegs tab.
Select New, the Access Control Override form opens.
Check Field in the This Object group.
Select the ellipsis (…) next to Field, the Select Field form opens.
Scroll down the list to find the field you want to control (File csh and Field Industry in this case)
Select the field.
Back in the Access Control Override form, check Deny Insert Change/Edit and Delete Access.
Select Save and Close.
Back in the user form, the setting will show in the user specific Access Privileges list.

Repeat for other users. It’s quicker than it sounds!

Those users will now be able to see the field but not change it.

Upgrade hooks

A Match-IT upgrade can destroy user created objects (views, triggers etc.) in our SQL schema. Upgrade hooks provide a means to save/restore these objects around an upgrade.

In the data/match-it.set file you can create new section like this:-

[Hooks]
BeforeUpgrade=full path to a program/script to run before upgrade starts
AfterUpgrade=full path to a program/script to run after upgrade finishes

If the [hooks] section is missing or the values are empty no hook is run. If the BeforeUpgrade hook fails the whole upgrade fails.The AfterUpgrade hook is run irrespective of the success or failure of the upgrade.

Feature Checklist

We are discovering that Match-IT has some features that are not always translatable to other systems. When moving to an alternative system you can use the list below as a guide for potential queries.

Note than in Match-IT a method is a sequence of steps with each step detailing the materials/parts and resources needed to complete the step. Methods can also have sub-contract steps.  Other systems will use terms like “bill of materials”, “assets” “routing” and “work centres”.

Weight – Quantities can be specified as a weight, for example when booking-in Match-IT will calculate the number of items/bars/sheets.

Generic Units – The ability to define units and their conversions for use in all Match-IT contexts.

Unit Abstraction – For example specifying the number of sheets needed in square metres. This can be useful in methods if you need a total length/area regardless of item size. Another example would be booking-in.

Tessellation – Match-IT knows how to cut up 1D and 2D parts to calculate expected returns. Relatedly Match-IT knows not to tessellate fluids.

Part Profiles – User definable item/bar/sheet profiles. For example a 1D hexagonal bar.

Qualifiers – Typed user extensions to the database. For example to attach PDFs and first-article inspections to part records etc. Qualifiers can be used when printing documents to extend the repertoire of available data.

Step-Level Parts – Every step in a method has a corresponding part record facilitating partially complete or failed WOs being booked in at the step level. The scheduler will use these batches as needed to partially satisfy a method schedule.

Checklists – User definable options that must be completed before document approval and configurable for each document type: SO, PO, SCPO, WO, Quote etc.

Configurable Menu Structure – At a system and user level.

Event Diary – A daily to-do list specialised to each user.

Multiple Outputs – Something that is made as a side-effect of making something else. Match-IT will schedule the containing part if it has a demand for the side-effect.

Merging – A post-schedule iterative process whereby WOs and POs are combined based on date constraints to minimise cost.

Contextual Configuration – For example customer/supplier based paperwork designs (which facilitates running more then one company within Match-IT).

Drill Through UI – From any field the user can navigate to all related records.

Scripting – Match-IT uses Lua as a scripting language. Scripts can access all areas of Match-IT.

Finite Capacity Scheduling – Using one minute granularity.

Partial Rescheduling – Allowing a sales line and any related demands to be rescheduled in a self-contained bubble.

Field Level Security – User groups define access and security rules from processes and files to individual fields.

Aerospace Level Traceability – Using a tree-based UI with various detail options.

Resource Groups – Whereby the scheduler will evaluate ‘the best’ option from a group of alternative resources.

Services – Parts which are invoiced but not delivered.

Consumables – Parts which can be used indefinitely once booked in.

Alternative Parts – Allowing the scheduler to substitute one part for another to keep schedules on time.

Flexible Scheduling Strategies – Cheapest, Quickest etc.

Scheduling Options – Notably to not mix batches in an Aerospace context.

Auditing – Every user action is logged for the last 90 days (configurable) allowing you to answer ‘who changed this to that’ etc.

Method Expressions – Allowing methods to be defined for non-linear part associations.

Disassembly Methods – Allowing returns to be dismantled and re-engineered.

Price Breaks – Prices, costs and lead times etc. are contingent on customer/supplier and quantity.

Customer/Supplier Specific Paperwork – Allowing you to run multiple companies with a different ‘look’ from one Match-IT instance.

Multiple Installations – Your licence covers as many installations as you like which is another way to run multiple companies.

Historical Reprinting – Enabling you to reprint documents the way they were when initially printed.

Free Issue Case Study

Scenario

A customer free issues batches and a corresponding SO to a supplier who uses Match-IT. Only those batches can be used as kit for the WO satisfying that SO. No existing done or WIP top-level stock should be used.

Discussion

Match-IT’s default mode of scheduling is to do whatever it takes to minimise it’s loss function parameterised by a trade-off between lateness and cost. It performs hundreds of non-intuitive operations to achieve this including for example ignoring done stock in some circumstances, swapping WIP WO to SO assignments and merging/splitting unapproved WOs/POs as needed. Thus it has no concept of this WO is for this SO or this batch is for this WO. Our often-used mantra is: “to Match-IT a widget is a widget and if that’s not the case then use other our-part-numbers as needed to differentiate them”. However, in some scenarios multiple part numbers are impractical and a little manual intervention is needed; for example in the above scenario.

Setup

  1. For the top-level made parts: tick disable line merging, tick do not mix batches and tick lock instances. Make sure that re-order quantity and minimum stock level etc. are all zero. This guarantees one WO per SO, stops spare top-level batches being used and makes the WO stick to the SO across schedules.
  2. For the free issue parts: tick is free issue and do not mix batches (*). This makes the parts appear in the free issue schedule, from where they can be booked in (**). It also guarantees that only a single batch will be used for a WO.

Operation

  1. After approving a WO, go to the kit list and change the free issue batch to the one that you want to use.

Variations

  1. If you part book-in and dispatch multiple times against a SO leave do not mix batches unticked in the top-level parts.
  2. A more simple solution is to just mark the kit as do not mix batches and then when dispatching edit the pick list to use the batch you want to dispatch. i.e. just ignore the allocations that Match-IT makes until dispatch time. An alternative to editing the pick list is to change the batch allocated to the sales line and then raise the dispatch.

(*) Or set no mix on the PART record in the material. This method allows the material to still be used in other contexts that allow mixed batches.

(**) From here you can optionally raise a PO and book in the parts via a delivery note.

Email and phone maintenance

Both our phone company and email provider have coincidently invoked a perfect storm of  maintenance today and both services may be unreliable. If you need help and cannot wait, please use the emergency number 07470 525348.  It’s probably best to assume that any emails and phone messages sent/left today may not arrive as intended.

Company document list

We have added a script to the library that allows you to list all your official company documents and images within Match-IT. Each document can have an arbitrary number of revision records. As well as being generally useful, it is attractive to auditors.

The data comprising the list (not the documents themselves) is stored within the Match-IT database so no ancillary backup procedures are needed. Documents are linked and can be viewed from the list. In reality any file can be added and linked including images and spreadsheets etc.

Get in touch if you would like us to install it for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite a lot of interest in this. One common request is to add a document class field and a filter on class, which we have now done.

Support ticket emails

It has become apparent that auto-generated emails to support ticket updates have not been delivered to our customers for the last week (ish). We’re not sure exactly when this started, but the problem has now been resolved with our ISP and we have added measures to catch it immediately, should it happen again. If you are waiting on an urgent ticket update, please get in touch so we can bring you up to speed.

DHL Invoice script

We have created a script that creates a CSV file from an invoice in a format required by DHL for Customs. Contact us if you would like it installed on your Match-IT system.

Converting to our SQL back-end.

During the remainder of 2022, we will be converting all customer installations to our SQL back-end, which has many advantages: far more reliable, WiFi friendly, accessible by websites and report generators etc.

We’ll call you to discuss a suitable time to do the conversion and undertake to target evenings/weekends to minimise your downtime.

Call us on 0333 1234 355 if you have any queries.