When a modeling enabled item is selected for a sales order, sales quotation, purchase order, production order, project quotation, or item requirement, it must be configured, and the customer or user makes all required choices by using the product model's user dialog box. The choices made will determine the shape, color, size and more of the finished product. The product model's set of modeling variables represents an analytical breakdown of the whole range of choices that make up an item's configuration. Modeling variables also provide a common reference point for the transfer of default values to a specific product model, and for the transfer of variable values between two different product models. Before they can be included in product models and presented in user dialog boxes, these isolated choices (variables) must be created in the form.

Modeling variable types

Modeling variables must belong to a data type. Data types are used to control what the user can do in the input field of a modeling variable. In other words, they represent one form of control over the range of choices that will be available in the product model's user dialog box.

The following table lists the different data types that are available for modeling variables.

Type

Description

Variables of this type can hold any kind of text, and any input entered into them will be interpreted as text.

If you select the check box on the tab, a multiline field will be displayed in the user dialog box instead of a single line of text.

Variables of this type will accept whole numbers only.

Variables of this type will accept decimal numbers only (including whole numbers). Use the field on the tab to specify how many decimal places should be shown in the user dialog box.

A set of predefined outcomes (texts) can be attached to variables of this type.

In the user dialog box, the user can select one of these predefined texts, and nothing else.

Click to specify the possible outcomes for an enumerated text variable.

Variables of this type can fetch data from any Microsoft Dynamics AX table and present it as a list of choices. The table in question must be specified, together with the table field from which data will be fetched.

You can also specify a range for the Table variable, to limit the set of values that will be presented to the user.

Variables of this type are presented to the user as a check box – a field in which an option of some kind can be selected with a check mark.

Note Note

When using variables of this type in logical expressions, specify values for them by means of 1 and 0.