Introduction

In the product development process involving various disciplines with multi-level structures, users often struggle to trace the impact of design changes on objects such as parts, requirements, technical documents, and downstream assemblies that are related to each other. The absence of clear traceability leads to rework, overlooked dependencies, stakeholder misalignment, delayed decisions, and project setbacks. 

The ENOVIA Relations app is designed to help users navigate and understand the relationships between various objects within the 3DEXPERIENCE platform for product development definition as well as governance activities (Project, Task, Change, etc.).

It supports decision-making by showing the ripple effect of any modification across the lifecycle by providing a clear, real-time & complete view of these relationships. This enhances collaboration, increases visibility, improves decision-making, and ensures that all stakeholders are aware of how different components interact. 

Instead of digging through folders, sending emails or manually tracing connection, you can instantly access related objects from one interface, saving valuable time and reducing frustration.

Accessing the Relations App

This app is available to all users in the value stream with the fundamental Collaborative Industry Innovator (CSV) role. You can access this app from the:

1. Compass: You can access the stand-alone version of the Relations app directly by searching for it in the Compass.
2. Information Panel: You can access the dedicated Relations tab in the Information Panel of many web apps. If required, you can click on the Expand button to view the relations in the full-screen view.
3. Context Menu: In various applications, for example the Product Structure Editor, you can access relations by selecting the Relations option from the context menu of the object.
4. 3DSearch: In your 3DSearch results, you can access the relations of any object from its context menu. This launches the Relations app showcasing related objects. 

Key Features

Viewing Upstream & Downstream Relations

Upstream objects refer to the parent object of the selected object. Downstream objects refer to the child objects or those that depend on the selected one. The following key commands enable you to explore these relationships.

Display Views

Depending on your need, you can select one of the following two views to effectively navigate and explore relationships between objects. These two views provide much needed flexibility based on your preference and the specific needs of the task at hand.

Graph View: This view provides a visual representation of the related objects and allows you to see the connections and paths between different objects in a graphical format. You can click on numbered boxes representing children or related objects to add them to the graph, making it easier to explore the immediate ecosystem of a selected object.

Table View: This View presents the related objects in a tabular format, listing the objects and their relationships in a structured manner. This view is useful for users who prefer a more organized and detailed list of relations. It allows for easy filtering and sorting of the related objects based on different criteria.

Find Paths

Before modifying an object, it might be crucial to assess its impact on related objects. In multi-level and complex relation structures, it can be difficult to identify the paths that connect related objects. The 'Find Paths' command resolves this issue by quickly identifying and highlighting paths between objects.

For instance, the Find Path transforms a long list of part usages into meaningful engineering context, so stakeholders can zoom in on the assembly path that really matters to their change or analysis.

Customize Relations

Customizing Existing Relations Set:

This option allows you to tailor the relations that are displayed to better suit your specific needs. For that, you can select specific Relations Set and then select only the specific relations that you want to see.

For example, you can select “Issue Relations”, and chose to display only the “Affected Items” of the issues. This customization allows you to trace & focus on relevant objects.

Creating New Relations Set: 

You can also create your own Relations Set by choosing only relevant relations from list of all relations.

This user specific customization provides greater flexibility while exploring relations of the complex product structure involving multiple types of objects & relationships. 

Note: Your administrator can create or edit relation sets using the "Relations Control Center" app and can also set default relation sets for various applications, ensuring consistency across the organization. Administrators can also control the access to these sets based on roles and user groups.

Export Options

Export CSV: This option is available only in the Table View & lets you export all the relations information that you see in the open view, to a CSV file. 

Print PDF: This option is available both in Graph view & Table View which lets you generate a PDF file containing screen-capture of the relations visible in the current view. 

Saving Relations for Quick Access

When you need to retrieve already explored relations, for instance to showcase them in a business meeting, you cannot afford to spend valuable time in re-exploring them once again.

To solve this problem, you can leverage the Save As Favorite option which allows you to save the current layout displaying various relations as a favorite. You can then quickly retrieve explored relationships to save time.

The following demo video showcases some of the key features in the Relations app.