In this release, the workflow to create and edit Component Variants has been streamlined, with fewer confusing alert modals. Variant Properties such as Costs and Codes are now preserved even as new Values are added to a Custom Variant Type.
What’s Changing? 🧐
Historically, adding a new Variant Value to a Custom Variant Type would cause any Codes/Costs/Images assigned to existing Variant rows to clear out of the matrix - this form of data loss no longer occurs. 🎊
The Create/Edit modal for Component Variants has an updated design.
Variants are Added/Edited/Deleted using the blue button in the lower right-hand corner of the Components Variants page. This button features a plus icon for new components and a pencil icon if Variants have been added.
When a user clicks this button, a menu opens allowing the user to select whether they’d like to edit their Color Variants, edit any existing Custom Variants, or create a new Custom Variant Type
Users may only add 2 Custom Variant Types per Component; if they’ve already hit the maximum, the menu option to add another does not appear
The user’s selection on this menu opens a specific modal for the relevant action
The Color Variant Modal
The Custom Variant Type Modal
Each of the Variant Modals has a count at the bottom left indicating how many Variants are in the matrix - so a user is aware as they approach the 500 limit
Alert modals have a new design and now appear contextually rather than naively. For example, if a Component is not being utilized on any Products, you will not receive an alert when deleting a Color Variant, because no BOM data is affected.
Key Benefits 📈
Adding a new Variant Value to a Custom Variant Type no longer clears out the Variant Matrix, so Codes/Costs/Images are maintained
The workflow for adding/editing/deleting Component Variant Types and Values is much clearer and more intuitive
Alert messages about the impacts of changes to the Variant matrix (which can sometimes still clear BOM data and Variant Property data) are more contextual and less naive
Using the Feature ✍️
How to add a Color Variant
Navigate to the Component Variants page
Click the plus/pencil icon
Select "Color Variants"
Click + Add Color
Use the Swatch Finder to select and Create colors
Press Save
How to remove a Color Variant
Navigate to the Component Variants page
Click the plus/pencil icon
Select "Color Variants"
Click the (x) icon on the color chip that you would like to remove
Click "Save"
Click "Delete" to confirm
Note - Deleting a Color will remove it from any Bill(s) of Materials where it is utilized. Navigate to the Utilization Tab to check if any Product(s) have that Color Variant selected.
How to add a Custom Variant Type
Navigate to the Component Variants page
Click the plus/pencil icon
Select "Create New Variant Type"
Enter the Variant Name (for example Size)
Enter the Variant Values (for example 10 mm, 12 mm, etc.)
Click "Save"
How to delete Values from an existing Custom Variant
Navigate to the Component Variants page
Click the pencil icon
Select the Variant you would like to edit
Click the trash icon next to the Value(s) you would like to delete
Click "Save"
Click "Delete" to confirm
Note - Deleting a Variant will remove it from any Bill(s) of Materials where it is utilized. Navigate to the Utilization Tab to check if any Product(s) have that Variant selected.
How to edit Component Variant Costs or Codes
Navigate to the Component Variants page
In the Edit Variants column, select the Variant Values you would like to edit
Scroll down to Variant Properties
Enter the Cost or Code you would like to assign to the selected Variant(s)
Click the "Save" button at the bottom of the page
Click "Confirm" to accept changes
Note - Updating the Cost or Code on a Component Variant will update the information on all associated BOM(s). Navigate to the Utilization Tab to check your utilization.
FAQs 🙋
Why do I still lose BOM selections when I add or remove a Variant Type?
When a Variant Type is added or removed, this updates the Variant Matrix, so previous Variant Selections will no longer exist. For example, if a Component only has Color-Level Variants (Navy and White), and a Custom Variant is added for "Size," (5 mm, 10 mm), the option to have only "Navy" selected no longer exists. Each Variant Selection will now need to include both Color and Size.
Our Product and Engineering Teams are currently working on a solution for this that will allow BOM selections to be maintained when a new Variant Type is added.
Why do I still lose Variant Properties when I add or remove a Variant Type?
When a Variant Type is added or removed, this updates the Variant Matrix where Variant Properties such as Codes and Prices are stored. Previous Variant Selections will no longer exist, so codes and prices are cleared.
Our Product and Engineering Teams are currently working on a solution for this that will allow Codes and Prices to be maintained when a new Variant Type is added.
What comes next?
Our Product Team is building an updated version of our Bill of Materials and Component Variants to improve data integrity and the overall user experience. We plan to release these enhancements in multiple stages throughout 2023.
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