Intralink Promote/Demote Procedure?

[bobmann]

Hello. I'm new to this forum. I just discovered it, and it looks like a great place to share information! I'm looking forward to visiting this site often and learning everything I can!


First, I'd like to know how other people handle promoting and demoting objects in Intralink. I know that we here at my company don't do things the most efficient way. We've tried to come up with better ideas, but can't really come up with anything. Let me describe...


We currently use Intralink 3.4. But I think I could use advice from people who use any version of Intralink.


By default, all new Intralink objects are created at a Release Level of 'WIP'. Items can then be promoted to 'Pending' and then 'Approved'. Obvioulsy, the goal is have finished items end up at 'Approved' once we know they are done and correct. But we don't know the best way to get them there.


Currently we have one guy who functions as the admin who does the promoting. Basically, when someone is done with a project, the admin gets list of all the drawings that have been created. From that list, he can tell what .drw, .prt and .asm files need to be set to 'Approved'. This works fairly well, but occasionally he misses some minor parts, like new hardware parts, etc.


Basically, he takes a bunch of items from 'WIP' and sets them straight to 'Approved'. Once that happens, nobody is able to check out the items, modify them, and check them back in. So in essence, we don't use 'Pending' at all. We just haven't found a good way to incorporate it.


But we know there must be a better way. I guess I'm looking to find out what other companies do. How do you use Release Levels in Intralink? Does anyone have a documented procedure that they wouldn't mind sharing? I'm certainly not looking for any proprietary informtaion about your company; just information about how you promote and demote items. If I could see the way some other companies do things, it might give me some ideas. Thanks a lot!!

 

[looslib]

When we setup Intralink, we had three levels of status, but we also only used 2 and I, admin, did all of the releases. The problem with Intralink was the workflow notification process is not robust enough to do this 'sutomatically'. When we migrated to PDMLink, the workflow was built-in so it became easier to get the managers to do the sign offs, which would tell PDMLink to automatically release associated documnets.

 

[bobmann]

So is there any good way to use the three levels of status in Intralink? Does anyone else have any experience using them?

 

[kfactor2]

We utilize the Drawn status to indicate a file is in for change and its demotion is based on ECN work commencing, Checked is not utilized as we had planned and Approved is required to be done by the originator of the ECN.


Once Approved the file is Locked by the Engineer and remains locked until a change is needed.


The release levels we use are Prototype and Production. Prototype requiring less background work (Item masters on AS400 as an example) then production parts. The release level status is prominently displayed in bold letters on our Border within the title block.


I hope this gives you one example.


Kfactor2

 

[bobmann]

Thanks for the help so far! I'm just curious if anyone else has any input on this. The more input I hear from various people, the better decision I think we'll be able to make as to how we want to progress in the future.


Anyone?

 

[KurtStark]

our releasse levels are:


work in progress: can be changed and checked in
released: no check in is allowed
superseded: not to be used for new assemblies


the predefined search creteria of locate, exclude superseded files

 

[jnoval]

We have 5 releaselevelsevelopment, prototype, preproduction, production and obsolete. We do use the releaselevel but we are not using release procedure. All users i R&Dare able to promote objects from development to production. We just simple do it when we check in the object by setting checkmark in the checkin screen in promote field. This way the users who make the drawingis responsible to promote the drawing.


No users can demote but they can modify release level in workspace and the check in the object. This way we always can find alle versions of a released drawing.


We also have a automatic generated watermark on the drawing if the drawing not is in production level.


If you need a approvement from a manager or someone else, you should take a look at release procedure. It is still the cad user who promote the object, but someone have to approve it in Intralink before it is promotes. It is pending for promote untill it is accepted.


I hope this is helping you. I am sure you can make approments.

 

[Tyson]

jnoval,


How do you generate the watermark on the drawings? We've been wanting to do this for a long time but never figured out how.


Also, what version of Pro/intralink and Pro/Engineer are you using?


Any help would be greatly appreciated.


-Tyson

 

[jnoval]

I do it in a tabel with a tabel relation. If intralink releaselevel parameter not is released it will make a tabel parameter. This tabel parameter is show in other cell in the tabel. I resize the text size to be so big and in a angle that the text will be show acrossthe drawing and not in the cell.


I am using this setup in both Intralink 3.3 and 3.4 with WF and WF2. Of course in different installations/sites.

 

[Tyson]

Thanks jnoval!


That's a great tip!


-Tyson

 

[jnoval]

It can be a bit hardcore to get it to work.