Defining Plan Relationships:You can create logical relationships between collection plans and the collected quality data within them. Parent-Child collection plans enable you to collect quality data in an organized, multi-level fashion. The parent collection plan is created with a key definition of the collection plan, including elements such as the process name, item number, and status. While entering results information, this information defaults to all child collection plans created.
One parent collection plan can have multiple child plans, and one child plan can have multiple parent plans. Multi-level plans are also supported; a child plan can be a parent plan to additional child plans.
Caution: Take care not to create a closed loop for a parent and child collection plan. For example, if you create a collection plan named PARENT and link a collection plan named CHILD to it, do not make the PARENT collection plan a child of the CHILD collection plan.
When creating a parent-child relationship, you can specify that the data entry mode is for history. You can set up copy relationships between elements in a parent collection plan and child (history) plans, enabling you to track changes made to the parent record. When you enter or update a parent record, child records are created automatically to capture the updates. These child records contain information such as, plan information, the date updated, and the record creator's user identification number.
Note: When there is a parent-child relationship declared between two collection plans with Data Entry Mode set as "History", the history data copied in the child collection plan is for audit purposes and is not available for standalone entry and update.
Parent-Child collection plan tasks include the following:
Once you define a Parent-Child collection plan, you can make a copy of the multi-level plan in your existing organization or for another organization. Refer to Collection Plan Templates for more information.
Collection plans determine the data that you want to collect, and what actions you want to take based on the quality results that you collect. You can use collection plans to model your test or inspection plans, and you can create an unlimited number of plans to support your enterprise-wide quality data collection and analysis needs. Before you define parent-child relationship collection plans, valid collection plans need to already exist. See: Overview of Collection Plans.
The definition of Parent-Child collection plans involves a five step process. First, a Plan Relationship is defined, indicating whether the child data entry will be immediate, automatic, historical, or delayed. Second, the collection plan's Element Relationships are defined. Next, the collection plan's required collection criteria is defined. The final steps include confirming and completing the plan setup.
Note: Aggregation functions are supported only for Number type of Collection Elements for Parent-Child plans.
Defining Plan Relationships:The first step is to define a plan relationship, indicating whether the child data entry will be immediate, automatic, historical, or delayed.
Creating a parent-child relationship does not automatically establish a relationship between collection plans for existing data.
To define a plan relationship
Navigate to the Plan Relationships page.
Select an Organization from the list of values.
Select a Parent Plan from the list of values. Valid collection plans must exist before you can create a parent-child relationship between them. See: Overview of Collection Plans.
Select a Child Plan from the list of values. Valid collection plans must exist before you can create a parent-child relationship between them. See: Overview of Collection Plans.
Select a Plan Relationship Type from the list of values. Currently, Parent Child is the only valid value.
Select a Child Plan Layout from the list of values. This value determines how child plan quality results fields are displayed in the Quality Workbench - Enter Results page (see: Entering Quality Results).
Single Row Layout - Enter and save one child row of results at a time.
Multiple Row Layout - Enter multiple rows of results and then save.
Select a Child Data Entry Mode from the list of values. This value specifies how the child record is created.
Automatic - Child records are created automatically when the parent record matches the setup criteria; results do not need to be entered.
Delayed - Child records are entered manually, later.
History - Child records are created automatically when changes are made to the parent record.
Immediate - Child records are entered immediately after the parent record.
If the Child Data Entry Mode field is populated with Automatic, specify the number of Rows. For all other Child Data Entry Modes, this field must be blank. Automatic Data Entry Mode ensures the creation of child records when the parent record matches the setup criteria. The number of child records entered is equal to the number specified in this field.
Optionally, select the Default Parent Specification field to enable specification requirements to default from the parent record to the created child records. See:Overview of Specifications.
Optionally, select Default History Elements when defining a history relationship between two collection plans as it would enable you to default matching parent and child elements, saving you time on manual steps. If you choose to not select this check box, you would need to manually copy all parent element values to child element values.
Note: This check box only displays when a history relationship is selected and there is a need to default parent values to child elements.
Defining Element Relationships
Collection elements are the basic building blocks of collection plans, the data structures that you use to collect quality results. They define the characteristics of the product or process that you want to monitor, record, and analyze. See: Overview of Collection Elements.
The next step is to define how the parent collection elements will relate to the child collection elements. For example, you can define that the sum of all Brakepad Thickness Child Elements be stored within the parent record.
Choose Next. If you choose to select Default History Elements, the system will automatically default matching parent and child element values.
To manually copy parent element values to child elements, begin by selecting a valid Parent Element from the list of values (See: Collection Element Values). For example, Summary Thickness.
Select a Relationship Type from the list of values. If you select 'is copied from', the relationship type is Parent to Child; the parent element is copied to the child element. There is a 2000 character limitation while copying elements from parent plan to child plan. All other relationship types are Child to Parent. If the Parent Element field is populated with Sequence, and the Relationship Type is populated with 'is copied to', the parent sequence element is copied to the child element without generating a new sequence number for the child element. If you select 'is sum of', the results entered into the child collection plan are summed up and stored within the parent element. If you select 'is average of', 'is standard deviation of', 'is minimum of', 'is maximum of', 'is variance of', or 'is count of', the calculation of the mean, standard deviation, minimum, maximum, variance, or count, respectively, from the child results, is stored within the parent record. Set up aggregation fields as read-only and non-mandatory while defining a parent collection plan.
Data types and the aggregate functions that can be performed for values of each are as follows:
| Numeric data type | Numeric values can be Summed, Counted, and Averaged. They can also be grouped based on Minimum or Maximum quality result values. |
| Character data type | Character values can only be Counted. |
| Date data type | Date values can only be Counted. |
Data types are assigned as you define your collection elements. See: Defining Collection Elements.
Note: If the child collection plan has a Child Data Entry Mode of History and the Parent Element field is populated with Sequence, then the Relationship Type 'is copied to' is the only relationship type supported. History plans are used as audit trails, so sequence number generation in child collection plans is not allowed.
Select a valid Child Element from the list of values (See: Collection Element Values). For example, Brakepad Thickness.
Optionally, select the Parent Child Key check box to indicate that the Parent Element value and the Child Element value are logically linked together.
For example, in a serial number tracking scenario, parent records containing serial numbers are created during Work In Process move transactions, and child records are created to store attributes of a routing. It is logical to store the serial number in both the parent and child collection plans to establish this link. In addition to a logical link, elements that are links are available as search criteria, within the Results Inquiry page.
Note: Specification limits in parent plan do not apply to aggregate values. Specifications attached to the collection elements in the Parent Plan, which get the values aggregated from the Child plans, will not be honoured. While you can save the record, you may get a message that the value is out of specification limit.
Finally, you need to set up collection criteria, and then confirm and complete the parent-child relationship.
After establishing parent-child relationships, you may optionally define specific criteria that determine when the relationships are established. When creating a collection plan, you have the option of adding collection triggers to the plan. Triggers are defined restrictions for a collection plan. Data collection is only initiated if all collection trigger conditions are satisfied. Similarly, the Criteria setup establishes when the parent-child relationship is supported.
Choose Next.
Select a valid Parent Element from the list of values. This is the trigger, or restriction, defined for the current Parent-Child relationship.
If you selected a Parent Element, select a Condition from the list of values.
Select a From value from the list of values. The valid values are dependent upon what is selected in the Parent Element field. Optionally, you can select a To value to create a range condition. For example, if the Parent Element is Work Order, you can enter a range of work order numbers.
Choose Next to confirm the current parent-child relationship.
Choose Submit to complete the parent-child relationship setup.
Overview of Collection Elements
Updating Parent-Child Collection Plans
You can update or inquire upon the definition of existing parent-child relationship collection plans. You can also delete existing parent-child relationships.
To update or inquire upon parent-child collection plans:Navigate to the Update/Inquire Parent Child Collection Relationship page.
Select a valid Organization from the list of values.
Select a Parent Plan from the list of values.
Choose Go. Child collection plans that are associated with the current parent collection plan display in the Child Plans region.
After updating the Relationship Type, Child Plan Layout, Data Entry Mode, Number of Automatic Rows, or Default Specification from Parent to Child, choose Apply to save the changes. For information on these fields, see: Defining Plan Relationships.
Choose the Relationships (pencil) icon to update the element relationships of the current Parent-Child Collection Plan relationship.
After updating the Parent Element, Relationship Type, Child Element, or Parent Child Key, choose Apply to save the changes. For information on these fields, see: Defining Element Relationships.
From the Update Parent Child Relationship page, choose the Criteria (pencil) icon to update the defined criteria of the current Parent-Child Collection Plan relationship.
After updating the Parent Element, Condition, or From and To range fields, choose Apply to save the changes. For information on these fields, see: Defining Criteria Setup.
To delete parent child relationships
From the Update Parent Child Relationship page, choose the Delete icon to delete the current Parent-Child Collection Plan relationship.
Deleting a parent-child relationship does NOT delete related collection plan data from parent or child collection plans.
Choose Apply to confirm the deletion of the parent-child collection plan relationship.
Defining Parent-Child Collection Plans
You can enter, update, and view parent-child quality results within the forms application or from the Quality Workbench user interface. You can enter quality results directly. You can access the Enter Quality Results window from the menu, or you can invoke it as you enter quality results during transactions.
To enter quality results:Navigate to the Enter Quality Results window in the forms application or choose Collection Results from the Quality Workbench. Select an Organization and then search for the Collection Plan.
Select a valid Collection Parent Plan from the list of values. Collection plans with current effective dates are available. If a default collection plan has been specified, it is automatically selected. You can choose Find Plan or the standard list of values to find and select a collection plan.
Select a Child Collection plan, related to the parent, from the list of values. In the Results region, enter one or more Parent results records. The prompts that you entered while defining collection elements display as column headings. You must enter results for mandatory collection plan elements.
If the element columns, within the Results region, are key elements that are copied from the parent record (you selected the Parent Child Key check box to indicate that the Parent Element value and the Child Element value are logically linked together, during the definition of the element relationships), the columns are disabled. See: Defining Element Relationships.
Note: If the current collection plan is a parent collection plan, and the Child Data Entry Mode is Immediate for the current parent-child collection plan relationship, (See: Defining Plan Relationships), you will receive a warning upon saving the record; the warning indicates that you should enter values for child plan(s) before saving.
Save your work. The parent record will be updated from the entered children records once the information is saved. For information on all remaining fields and buttons within this window, see: Entering Quality Results Directly.
To view quality results:Navigate to the View Quality Results window.
Select a valid Collection Plan from the list of values. Collection plans with current effective dates are available. If a default collection plan has been specified, it is automatically selected. You can choose Find Plan or the standard list of values to find and select a collection plan.
In the Results region, view the results records entered for the current collection plan.
To view child records for a parent record, select a parent record in the Results region, then select a child record from the Child Plan list of values. Choose View.
Entering Parent - Child Quality Results
Entering Quality Results Directly
Defining Collection Plan Elements
You can view Parent Collection Plans' related child collection plans, relationships, and criteria information via self service.
To inquire on parent-child collection plan information:Navigate to the Update/Inquire Parent Child Collection Plan Relationship page.
Select an Organization from the list of values.
Select a Parent Plan from the list of values.
Choose Go.
Optionally, select the Child Plan to view the current Child plan details.
Choose Back to return to the View Parent/Child Collection Plan Relationship page.
Optionally, choose the Relationships (glasses) icon to view relationship information for the current Parent and Child collection plan relationship.
Choose Back to return to the View Parent/Child Collection Plan Relationship page.
Optionally, choose the Criteria (glasses) icon to view relationship information for the current Parent and Child collection plan relationship. Choose Back to return to the View Parent/Child Collection Plan Relationship page.
You can inquire upon existing quality results for Parent-Child Collection Plans.
To inquire on results:Navigate to the Parent Child Results Inquiry page.
Select an Organization from the Please select Organization list of values.
Select Collection Element search criteria to narrow down your search results.
Note: You must select at least one valid Collection Element, and enter valid data within their respective 'is equal to' fields.
Choose Search to display Parent Child quality results. A list of collection plans, meeting the above criteria, is displayed.
Optionally, choose the View Quality Results (glasses) icon to view quality results for the current Parent collection plan.
Optionally, choose the Attachments (paperclip) icon to view attachments associated with the current, Parent collection plan.
Optionally, choose the Child Plans icon to view the child collection plans that are associated with the current Parent collection plan.
Optionally, choose the Child Results (glasses) icon to view quality results for the current Child collection plan.
Optionally, choose the Attachments (paperclip) icon to view attachments associated with the current Child collection plan.
Optionally, choose the Child Plans icon to view the child collection plans that are associated with the current Child collection plan (a collection plan can be both a parent to and a child of multiple collection plans).
Optionally, choose the More Details icon to view the data collection details for the current Child collection plan.
Select the Results link to return to the View Quality Results page for Parent collection Plans.
Optionally, choose the More Details icon to view the data collection details for the current Parent collection plan.