1. Tell me about yourself / brief about your configurator experience.

I am Loganathan. I have 19 years of total experience which includes 9 yrs in domain and 9+ yrs in
Oracle EBS as supply chain management consultant. I am working with Lntinfotech for the last 6
yrs. I have handled projects in various industries like Automobile, Paper, EPC, Distribution
warehouses and Insurance. Mostly I was at onsite and having a good experience in business
users handling. I have worked in various kind of projects like implementation, Upgrade, roll-out,
Interface development with different ERP and support projects. I have involved in requirement
gathering, Gap analysis, Solution design, documentation, Handling CRP’s, testing(SIT/UAT), data
conversion, Production deployment and Post Go-live support. I worked in oracle modules like
Order management, Configurator, BOM, WIP, INV, PO, WMS and MSCA. Regarding my Oracle
configurator experience, In my previous project at FLsmidth(Basically a EPC Company which
provide solutions to Cement and Mining industry in terms of engineering, Equipment and plant
setup), We have the requirement to implement for configurator for their filter bag
manufacturing unit which is currently running with different ERP(Epicor 9). We visited to the
plant and understood the requirement from the key users and built some sample configuration
models with logic rule and UI interface in Oracle configurator with their data and shown to the
client during CRP along with other solutions and they were very impressed with application
functionality. In another project called Terex during upgrade, I have involved in configuration
models changes and republications of the models in Oracle configurator for their Aerial Work
Platform machines. Examples AWP- GENIE AWP SUPER SERIES and GS-4655 Scissor Lift

Vikas is the leader in Engineering and supply chain from Honeywell intelligrated

This requirement for their Material Handling(conveyers, Sorting systems) and automation
products

1) Can you pls brief about yourself?

2) Have you worked only on Oracle configurator or including other modules which are
integrated with configurator like OM and advanced pricing?
3) Do you know the Back to back order scenario and what is the specific setup for that?
4) Can you explain in details what you have done exactly on Configurator in your projects?
5) Can you explain Configurator flow how it works?
6) Can you explain the Restoration of configuration?
7) How the pricing is working for ATO in configurator?
8) How the costing is happening for ATO(Material, Labour and charges)
9) What cost type is used for costing in configurator?
10) When is the cost rollup is happening in configurator?
11) What will happen while you try to book the sales order for below scenario

Based on the previously imported model, sales order is created and configuration is
done. There is change in BOM structure in Bills of material. Now configuration is having
different BOM and Oracle BOM has different BOM.
 12) I have one option class with 2 options. If I select one option, the system has to take one
routing and if I select another option in the option class, it should take another routing
for option class. How you can achieve this requirement in Oracle Configurator.
13) Have you worked on RIS (Real Time Substitution) in Oracle Configurator?
14) How you managed to build complex structure and rules in your project experience
15) Do you know technical flow between CZ schema and OM? Explain?

2. Explain the Configurator process flow?

Configurator process flow start with defining items in inventory(Standard BOM, Model BOM and
Non BOM), then creating the Bill in BOM module then then ‘Populate Configuration Models’
concurrent program to be run to import BOM models from base application to Oracle
Configurator Developer. Configuration models are compiled structure, rules and UI definitions
stored in the Oracle Configurator schema (CZ). Configuration of model in host application (Order
Management / iStore) can be carried-out only after Model is UI tested and published

3. What are the different models supported by Configurator?

The model can be a PTO (Pick to Order) or ATO (Assemble to Order) or a configuration model
based on a Hybrid (ATO/PTO) bill of material model.

ATO Model – You have to choose components(Option class/Option) in Configurator

ATO Item – Item without configuration

4. Why Extensions are used in Configurator? Give an example from your experience
Configurator extension is a custom coded Java class that uses an established interface to access
a configuration at runtime. The interface is called the Oracle Configuration Interface Object
(CIO).

Common extension are used to have additional fields like operating unit or location etc in run
time interface. Additionally to modify the alignment of fields in run time interface.

5. Why rules are used? What different Rules used in configurator? Give an example from your
experience.
We define rules to create relations and compatibilities among different entities in the Model like
(Components, Features, Options, BOM Option Classes, and BOM Standard Items).
Configurator Rule Types:
6. Option class is mandatory? use in Configurator?
Yes optional class is mandatory otherwise there is no necessity to provide the different option to
select for the product during the selling.

7. What is Model?
An item whose bill of material lists option classes and options available when you place an order
for the model item.

8. What are the types of Model?

ATO BOM models
ATO BOM models represent product models that require assembly in Work in Process (WIP) and
a downstream manufacturing process.

PTO BOM models

PTO BOM models represent product models that require only a pick list to ship it without
requiring any assembly activity.

Hybrid Model:
PTO BOM models that are configurable might consist of ATO BOM models. These are often
referred to as hybrid.

9. Can we create the Non-BOM items in the Model?

We can create the Non-BOM items in the Model as per our design in the Structure tab. Non-
BOM items can be as follows: Option Feature, Boolean feature, Text Feature, Integer Feature,
Decimal Feature, Total, Resource, Component sets, etc.

10. What is the purpose for UI?

In the User Interface tab we create the User Interface and align it as per it needs to be visible
when we launch the Oracle Configurator Runtime.

11. What is the difference between Option class and Option?

An Option Class is a list of choices. that groups optional components on a bill
 An option class is an item that becomes a level in your model bill of material.
Option is selecting the required optional (Sub assembly) item in that option class.
For example, when you order a computer, the monitor is an option class, and the specific type of
monitor you order is an option within that option class

12. What is the difference b/w Mutually Exclusive and Optional Fields
Optional field indicates whether the component is mandatory or optional. The Mutually
Exclusive field applies only to option class bills and indicates you can choose only one options
within an option class.

 Optional Flag and Mutually Exclusive Options are only available for Model and Option class.

13. Publish, to republish – what is the Purpose?

Once Model is created and rules, UI is created then it has to Published in order to use in the host
application.
If any changes in the Model then it has to be republished again to make changes affect in in the
host application.

14. How Pricing works with Configurator?

As standard functionality all items in the model to be entered the price list including option class
items. In common base Model price will be kept zero and different component price is entered
which will result in final price of configured product.

15. How the Change in BOM is handled which is already published as a Model?
If there is change in BOM, import the BOM modified again to configurator and it overrides the
existing Model and changes the revision then Model to be republished.

16. How you can access configurator screen from Order Management module?
OM: Use Configurator (which can be set only at site level and accessible from sys admin
responsibility) determines weather you Configurator or option window in order management
Form Order Management – Sales order lines window through ‘Configurator’ option.

Make sure OM: Use Configurator’ set to ‘Yes’ in order to access configurator screen from Order
Management.

17. After selecting configuration and star item is created, then user wants to update the
configuration, then what is the process to be followed.
If you want to change configuration after star item is created then delink the configuration from
Actions then modify the configuration and then again the ATO model line, the configured (ATO
item or 'star' item) is ready to be created, Select Actions > Progress Order,  Click OK (progressed
to the 'Create configuration eligible' activity) - to create new star item with updated
configuration.

18. What are the standard concurrent programs that will trigger after booking configurator order?
CTO Calculate lead time and ATO Mass Load Report
 19. What are the line status of the configurator order line after booking the order?
For Model Order line – Booked
For Model Order line – Closed (once the star item line is closed)

For Star Item line - Supply Eligible (once the star item is created)
For Star Item line(ATO) – Production Open (once the assembly order is created)
For Star Item line(ATO) – Production Partial (once the partial quantity of WIP job is completed)
For Star Item line – Awaiting Shipping (once the WIP assembly order is completed)
For Star Item line - Picked (once the Pick confirm Is done)
For Star Item line - Shipped (once the ship confirm is done)
For Star Item line - Closed (once the Interface Trip stop program is completed)

Components line – Awaiting fulfilment

Components line – Closed (once the star item line is closed)

20. What additional line type required for configurator order type in OM?
Line Type Item Type Process Name
Standard Line(Invoicing) ATO Item Line flow- ATO Item
Standard Line(Invoicing) ATO Model Line flow- ATO Model
Standard Line(Invoicing) Configured Item Line flow- Configuration

21. Do you know the product portfolio of Honeywell?

Sensing and Control Products, Sensor for Test and Measurement. Accelerometers.

About Honeywell, business, products and any other

 
Questions to client:
1) how many models are we talking about?
2) Is UI customized?
3) Are we using Oracle Quote as well
4) Which type of Rules are we using??
5) how frequently, do you change or update BOMs to publish and re-publish??
6) is honeywell using iStore?
7) best practices during implemenation and testing??examples??
8) you learnings ??