BOM comparison
Whenever updating a BOM becomes complex, comparing the current Vault BOM with the ERP BOM can be very helpful.
powerGate provides a well-designed BOM transfer dialog which compares a preview of the current Vault BOM with the ERP BOM and shows the differences between the two through color coding.
This allows the user to evaluate the required changes, discuss them with teammates if necessary, and then apply them safely.
Quick and reliable multilevel BOM transfer
powerGate carries out multilevel BOM transfers in one step.
While performing the transfer level by level, powerGate can load a complete multilevel BOM into the BOM transfer dialog, compare it with ERP, identify all the required actions and eventually transfer all the BOM levels correctly.
Immediate feedback
Whenever a BOM cannot be created or updated due to specific business restrictions or rules, or in case the BOM transfer fails, powerGate immediately shows which BOM and which components are affected by which problem.
This allows the designer/engineer to take immediate action and avoid waisting time.
Mass item creation
Creating all the required ERP items involved in a BOM might take a long time.
With powerGate, you can load a complete multilevel BOM and process (create or update) all the involved items. This way, identifying missing items and creating them or identifying pending changes for existing items and updating them becomes very easy.
Item numbering
The number for a new item may come either from the design/engineering department or from ERP.
In both cases, powerGate can generate the next free item number by pulling it from the Vault, ERP, or any other source. This allows designers to create the required items quickly and easily within their own applications.
powerGate can handle any situation: from simple sequential numbers to very complex numbering schemes.
Deep CAD integration
powerGate extends Autodesk Vault, Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD, providing access to ERP data and ERP-related workflows directly within your authoring tool.
For instance, it is possible to create an ERP item from Inventor and store the ERP item number directly in the Inventor BOM.
Raw materials and purchase parts
To complete the CAD BOM, raw materials and purchase parts are required.
powerGate provides a search dialog within Inventor which allows the designer/engineer to search for an ERP item to be placed as a raw material onto a part, or to insert a purchased part as a virtual component. Now that the 3D model is complete, the BOM can be transferred to the ERP system without additional editing or manipulation.
Live connection
powerGate provides live connection to the ERP system. This is done by leveraging the native ERP API. All actions, like creating or updating items or BOMs, happen in real time – no delay, no need for synchronization. In case the entered data is not compliant with the business rules, the ERP system provides the given error message to the user thanks to powerGate, allowing them to take action accordingly.
The live connection displays the item and the BOM information right within Vault, giving access to ERP relevant data without leaving the application.
As a result, there is no data redundancy at all: every action and feedback is immediate, the visualized data are up-to-date, the item numbers can be pulled from ERP, BOMs can be compared, workflows can be wired, and much more.
Data viewing and updating
Through powerGate, designers and engineers may access to relevant items and BOM information without leaving the Vault while working with their preferred application, which allows for better decisions and actions based on correct and accurate data.
Wiring the workflows
When releasing an assembly in Vault, powerGate can check if all the involved items exist, are up to date, flagged as deleted or obsolete, and valid for the given ERP client/site.
Validating ERP-related data during Vault lifecycle operations ensures that the engineering data stays in sync with the ERP data, preventing downstream problems.
Items and files
Whether you’re working with Vault Workgroup or Professional, whether you’re using Vault items or not, powerGate can connect your Vault to your ERP system by either leveraging the Vault file or item BOM.
Publishing the documentation to ERP
In addition to items and BOMs, purchase and production departments typically also require PDFs, DXFs, and maybe other file formats.
In combination with powerJobs, powerGate can generate such files automatically and publish them to the ERP system along with metadata, lifecycle state and permissions.
Best practices and custom workflows
Thanks to the flexibility of powerGate and of the powerShell scripting language, any workflow can be implemented. However, powerGate comes with a preconfigured set of workflows, as described on this page, which have been developed over the years within real customer situations, providing a market-proof starting point for fast implementation.
In case further customization is required, powerGate can handle it while still retaining compatibility across powerGate and Vault versions.
