Specifications describe the requirements to which a product should conform. There are three specification types: item, supplier, and customer. Specifications can be further defined using subtypes. By carefully defining your specification you can ensure that the correct specification is applied as you collect data.

Each type of specification can be based on either an Item, Item Category or Item Category Set. If your specification is based on an Item, you must assign an item and, depending on the item, an item revision. If your specification is based on an Item Category, you must assign an item category from a list of values based on either the default item category set specified in the QA:Quality Category Set profile option or on any other category set available in the list of values. If your specification is based on an Item Category Set, you must assign a category set from the list of values based on category sets defined in the Oracle Inventory Category Sets window.

You can also attach illustrative or explanatory files - in the form of text, images, word processing documents, spreadsheets, video, and so on - to specifications. Attachments can be used to document processing instructions as well as inspection and disposition procedures. They can be viewed by operations personnel during quality data collection.

Prerequisites

• Define collection elements. See: Defining Collection Elements.

   To define specification header information:

1. Navigate to the Specifications window.

2. Enter the Specification Name.

3. Optionally, enter the From Effective date.

   You cannot use the specification before this effective date. If you do not enter a From Effective Date, the specification is effective immediately.

4. Optionally, enter the To Effective date.

   You cannot use the specification after this date. Once a specification expires, you cannot select this specification when entering quality result. You can, however, query quality results that were collected using it. If you do not enter a "To" effective date, the specification is valid indefinitely.

   To define specifications:

1. Choose the Item Spec, Supplier Spec, or Customer Spec radio button.

2. Choose either the Item, Category, or Category Set radio button to base the specification on an Item, Category, or Category Set.

3. If the specification is based on an Item, select the Item and, optionally, the Revision.

4. If the specification is based on the Category, select the Category Set and the Category.

   If you are defining an item category specification, the system automatically defaults the category set defined by the QA:Quality Category Set profile option. See: QA:Quality Category Set. You can also select a category set from the list of values. You must assign a category that is a member of the category set selected.

5. If the specification is based on the Category Set, select the Category Set.

   If you are defining an item category set specification, the system automatically defaults the category set defined by the QA:Quality Category Set profile option. See: QA:Quality Category Set. You can also select a category set from the list of values.

6. Save your work.

   To define specification subtypes:

1. Select a collection element.

2. Enter a value for the specification element.

   To use the same specification limits as another specification:

1. Enter a reference specification in the Reference field.

   The child specification uses the same specification limits as the parent specification shown in the Reference field. Any changes to the parent specification limits automatically change the child specification limits, too. The child specification limits are read only and can have a different item, supplier, or customer than the parent specification.

2. Save your work.

   To create new specifications linked to an existing specification:

1. Choose the Org Assignments button.

   The Organization Assignments window shows all of the organizations that the item belongs to.

2. Check the box next to each organization in which you want to create child specifications.

   The child specifications use the same specification limits as the parent specification. Any changes to the parent specification limits automatically change the child specification limits, too. The child specification limits are read only.

3. Enter a specification name for each new child specification.

   Later, you can inquire on the child specifications. The Reference field shows the parent specification.

4. Choose the Assign button to create the new child specifications.

   Attention: Define the specification limits for a parent specification before following these instructions to create child specifications. This ensures that the child's specification limits are linked to the parent's limits. See: Defining Specification Elements.

   To define specification elements:

See: Defining Specification Elements.

   To attach files to specifications:

See: Attaching Files to Collection Plans, Specifications, and Results Lines.