What is Spec Linking?
Linking specifications allows you to specify related groups of specifications that some finished item will be composed of. For example, you may create a chair specification and then link fabrics, pillows or a wood finish specification to the chair.
Setting up linked Spec Relationships
Before you can link specs together on the project level, you need to setup relationship descriptions on the Spec Type template. These descriptions allow you to define the relationships between how the specs are linked, these can be very specific or general.
i.e. For a seating template you can set up relationship descriptions for what you are going to link to the ‘Chair’ i.e. Seat Fabric, Back Cushion Fabric or just Fabric.
Once the description has been set up, you can select relevant spec types from the ‘Spec Types’ menu.
The descriptions can be setup during the account setup stage or as you go. Please note that if a description is being used for linking specs on the project level, you will not be able to remove it from the template.
If relationship have not been set up yet on the Spec Type template, you will see the linked spec tab below. Just click on the ‘Setup Spec Linking’ to go to the spec type setup.
Linking Specifications within a Project
When linking specifications, the item that has other specs linked to it, is the parent spec.
Example below is linking a fabric to a chair and basing the fabric quantities off the chair quantities.
1. Create chair and fabric specs within the same project.
2. Go into the chair spec and set up the Chair quantities on the details page. Ideally always set up the quantity by area.
3. Go to the 'Linked Specs' tab.
4. Link the fabric to the chair from the list of fabrics in the project.
5. As you are linking the fabric, you can add in the quantity of fabric for 1 chair. The software will then take the quantity of fabric for one chair and multiply it by the chair quantity to give you your total fabric quantity for all chairs. You will be able to see the total quantity when you go to the specs list.
6. When you then go to the budget or specs tab, you will see the total quantity of fabric for all chairs, and if you have the fabric linked to other specs, the software will calculate those quantities along with the chair fabric quantity.
7. Just make sure that if you are adding the fabric quantity in with the unit of measure yards, that the price is added with the same unit of measure, i.e. $118/yard.
8. If you enter the quantity of an item on the linked specs tab, do not enter in a quantity on the spec details page for that item, it will duplicate the quantities. i.e. if you enter the fabric quantities while linking, do not enter the quantity again on the fabric details page.
Linked Specs & Reports
Linked specs can be setup on the full page spec as ‘Using’, ’Used by’ or both.
Using – Shows the Parent Spec with the linked ‘using details’
Used By – Fabric spec showing what its linked to.
Report Setup
Full Page Spec Template – to update go into the report from the pink Reports tab.
Custom Full Page Spec Setup
Sort Order – Grouping linked specs with a parent spec within the report
The hierarchy option will show all linked spec pages behind the parent spec page, so that they are grouped together in the report. Please note that if a fabric is linked to multiple parent specs, it will show behind each one.
Generating Report
Within the Settings tab there is a filter to remove linked specs from the report or include them if you are selecting spec filters.
For example, if this filter is selected, and you are filtering the report to show only the certain spec types, the fabrics or other linked specs to the chair and sofa, will still show in the report.
If you were to ‘unselect’ the ‘Include Linked Specs’ filter, when filtering on chair and sofa, then the fabrics would not show in the report.