Introduction

The 2021X FD04 release introduced a new app (widget), IP Classification Editor, which is available with the IP Classification Manager role. It provides a new user experience to define and manage classification definition in 3DDashboard.

IP Classification Editor provides the ability to define libraries and classes for organizations to organize and classify their intellectual property (IP) such as documents, engineering items and other content to be reused across the entire organization.

Terminology

Libraries mirror the development process in your company. A library is the top level of your hierarchy. You define libraries to fit the needs of your organization and have a flexible hierarchical structure.

Classes are the container objects within libraries. Classes categorize the objects in a library hierarchy.

Classified items are the actual objects being-managed in classes.

Attribute groups are just what their name implies: a list of attributes created and grouped together under a descriptive name. Attribute groups define a classification scheme. You define classes by dictating a set of attributes that make up that class. The attributes associated with a class are clustered into groups and automatically instantiated to any item

Notes:

• As part of IP Classification target, the new widget supports management of General Libraries & General Classes.
• The classification attributes should still be created in the IP Classification app available from the traditional user interface

Main Capabilities 

Using the IP Classification Editor widget, you can perform the following actions:

• Create the library structure
• Modify the existing library structure
• Add or remove classification attributes on classes
• Change the maturity states of libraries and classes
• Import library structure from XML format
• Export library structure to XML format
• Move class from one library or class to another library or class
• Share access to library and class
• Open libraries or classes in the IP Classify and Reuse widget

Working Process

1) Create library structure including classes and sub classes:
You can define as many class objects and sub classes, at any level as required, thus defining your classification hierarchy.

You can create the library structure manually or import the library definition using XML format (note: import of attribute definition not included).

2) Add classification attributes on classes:

• New attributes must be indexed to be available in IP Classification
• Any given class can have any number of attribute groups
• Attribute groups are available for reuse across classes
• IP Classification uses the default value for an attribute, and you can then edit the classified item to enter specific values

3) Change the maturity states of libraries and classes:

Libraries and classes are created in ‘Inactive’ state (similar to ‘Private’ state for Engineering Items)

Once the library definition is complete, you should change their maturity to ‘Active’ state to make it available to others (Similar to ‘In Work’ state for Engineering Items)

The Librarian can promote the library to the ‘Obsolete’ state when it is no longer needed

4) Use ‘IP Classify and Reuse’ app to classify content:

‘IP Classify and Reuse’ app is available with the ‘Collaborative Industry Innovator’ role
‘IP Classify and Reuse’ app allows users to:

• Classify objects in libraries & classes.
• View and search for classified content in collaborative work environment in an efficient way

The attached video illustrates the ‘IP Classification Editor’ app in more detail: