T-FLEX DOCS

Main articles:

• Product Lifecycle Management
• SED (more)
• IT Project Management

The T-FLEX DOCs software complex is designed to solve the problems of design, technological and organizational and administrative document management, as well as complex management of engineering data of the enterprise. The T-FLEX DOCs system serves as the basis for the implementation of the PLM + concept offered by Top Systems.

2021: T-FLEX DOCs 17.1

On May 24, 2021, Top Systems announced the upgrade of T-FLEX DOCs to version 17.1.

Most of the changes touched on two areas: further increasing the flexibility of settings of automation tools for basic mechanisms and algorithms, as well as full-text search tools.

There were such functions as naming revisions of objects using the letters of the Russian alphabet (taking into account the rule of excluding individual letters), there were settings for number assignment rules in the Codifier directory and others.

The full-text search mechanisms added the ability to specify words that the search text should not contain, the operators "Search by word," "Search by phrase," "Search by exact phrase" appeared. In general, search mechanisms became more comfortable for use - convenient sorting of previously saved queries by alphabet appeared, and personal and general filters were also separated from each other.

For greater visibility and readability data , the ability to display node trunks is added when working with tree structures with a large number of nesting levels, which greatly simplifies the perception of object occurrences at the lower levels of the hierarchy.

The navigation bar is now available for any type of reference and allows you to quickly switch between individual directories, search folders, and favorite objects without taking up space on the screen.

The common system navigation panel, which also has a compact view, now allows you to add various shortcuts to individual objects or system windows, without leaving the compact display mode of this panel.

You can specify comments for additional parameters and display them in the List of Values.

The service functionality of the built-in mail subsystem has expanded. It is possible to use context filters for any folders, as well as the ability to quickly clear the Dedicated folder, etc.

In general, there are quite a few changes in the interface regarding the possibility of performing various special actions on objects in any places where they are visible to users. For example, in the Use Object control, you can now not only see objects that are used or linked, but also use the Go to Object, Open in a New Window, and Properties commands. In the Objects in Progress window, you can immediately execute commands to apply changes to all objects displayed in it or to objects of a specific reference book. The set of available hotkeys has also expanded.

You have completed the work of converting the Electronic Product Structure window to a mode of operation without modal dialogs. All tools for working with product data are now implemented on the working panels, which are automatically opened as part of the working window of the handbook. This makes the data editing process more dynamic and convenient, since the interface is no longer blocked by pop-up dialogs, and the user can control all processes in the style and sequence that are most convenient for him. In particular, tools such as category management and configuration have been translated into the desktop mechanism.

The development of functionality for working with design contexts continued. This original tool for teamwork and parallel design can now be included directly from the configuration panel. You can quickly create a design context without calling special windows. In addition, switching the electronic product structure to work in a specific context automatically includes a special column in the window, which displays information about all changes that have occurred to product structure objects within this context.

The design context is also automatically considered when saving changes to the design systems of T-FLEX CAD, and the functions of transferring changes from the work context to the main context, as well as the functions of undoing context changes, are now available with multiple selection of objects.

Separately, it is worth noting the increased flexibility of system algorithms for working with files of objects of the electronic product structure. The logic for creating and naming them is now taken to an editable macro.

The ability to quickly change the structure of an assembly by the PDM system has been enhanced by the functions of replacing some objects with others directly from the Create and Replace panel. Now one panel solves all the basic tasks of working with the structure: you can use the search tools and select to add existing components to the product structure, create a new object, replace some objects with others, or exclude selected objects from the assembly. It also became possible to change the product structure by simply dragging objects into the modified assembly. The unified system tools of the T-FLEX PLM platform, providing end-to-end operations for editing models and drawings of product structure objects, have become even more comfortable.

The Applicability Control Panel now allows you to change applicability for multiple selected objects at once.

The process of approving and issuing change notices has become more flexible, both in terms of general logic that actively uses change data from various design contexts and check logic for original files.

In version 17.1, it was added the ability to configure columns for the "To any reference" link, if a restrictive list of reference books is set for this link. It is also possible to display objects of the second level of links without displaying the first (through the level).

A grouping of occurrences of objects of the electronic product structure (ESI) is implemented by analogy with the window of the ESI handbook itself.

An important function has been added to cancel the creation of an object connection when an object is accidentally or incorrectly dragged.

The logic for sending an exception job according to the dates of the planned duration has been adjusted, the rules for applying the Abort Process function have changed.

To increase the overall comfort of the administrator in the process monitor, you can now adjust the number of records that are loaded when you open the window, and the data filtering tools appear in the window itself.

This is one of the most important tools of the T-FLEX PLM platform. In T-FLEX DOCs 17.1, project management tools are enriched with the following functionality:

• There was a mechanism for the enlarged calculation of the resource fund of subdivisions. You have chosen not to change the timeline in the timeline if you do not have access to modify the project item.
• The Show Forecast Dates and Show Critical Path commands are implemented when displaying a planned project.

• Resource grouping now takes into account the base unit of measure.
• The Copy Project Editor Reference command was added. It became possible to recalculate the duration of work according to the given load of the resource used.
• A number of commands have been added to constrain multiple project elements.
• In resources, when dragging, a check for compliance of base units was added, a dialog with state selection for incoming works (objects) was added when the summary work state was changed.
• The mechanism of state change during synchronization has been revised.

When you load an earlier version of a file into the view, other related files are also loaded to display the assemblies correctly.

Changes to the T-FLEX DOCs API and Macro Language Reference Guide:

• Added a description of how to debug macros using Visual Studio.
• Search by reference in Russian is implemented.
• Added examples of working with syslog APIs.
• Added examples of working with access from the macro language.

In T-FLEX DOCs 17.1, third-party communication tools have been improved. Control over the availability of settings for individual parameters, processing of start and end events of the data exchange process with the formation of a list of transferred objects was introduced.

Key changes included in T-FLEX DOCs 17.1 administration tools:

• The information stored in the system log has been extended. "Session ID" and "User ID" are added to the fixed parameters.
• Added a warning when activating the directory if owner support is installed but no owner access is specified.
• For additional parameters, individual connection and creation commands have been added for a specific type of reference "Create parameter for type," "Connect to type."
• Added comments to additional parameter aliases.
• If you change the revision naming rule, you are prompted to change the revisions of existing objects that were previously assigned to the directory.
• Added the ability to display links on connections of complex hierarchy.
• The order of displaying parameters in directory management has changed, parameter groups are displayed immediately after directory parameters.
• A column displaying the parameter group Guid has been added to the Show Table Structure command window.

The T-FLEX PLM server adds the ability to convert databases from Oracle to MS SQL Server, as well as a data masking utility for Oracle and PostgreSQL databases, which provides an additional level of data security.

2020: Upgrade to version 17

On November 12, 2020, Top Systems announced the release of the 17th version of the T-FLEX DOCs PLM system and solutions based on it.

T-FLEX DOCs 17, being the basis of the T-FLEX PLM complex, has become more focused on high-tech industries and modern production, as well as production with great variability of products: rocket engineering, aircraft engineering, automotive, shipbuilding, helicopter engineering, etc.

The system functionality allows you to not only manage the development of complex and ultra-complex products, but also provides the implementation of complex conceptual ideas of large customers, allows you to solve the problems of controlling serial numbers of products during their operation, managing batches when working with series.

T-FLEX DOCs version 17 includes many features and changes that have brought the system to a new level, ensuring the implementation of an increasing number of product lifecycle management functions.

Key changes include a significant improvement in the functionality of managing electronic product structure, configuring complex high-tech products, managing options, the ability to create comments, measurements, performing geometry analysis in a single design environment (T-FLEX CAD + T-FLEX DOCs), a serious improvement in performance when working with large data sets, and much more.

Based on T-FLEX DOCs 17, a demand management system has been introduced that allows you to seriously raise the level of tasks solved by the T-FLEX PLM complex when organizing the development of complex products thanks to the full support of the requirements-based product design methodology.

Also on the basis of T-FLEX DOCs 17, a system for managing master data and regulatory reference information for corporate use has been released, which is already being implemented at Russian enterprises.

2018: Upgrade to version 15

In January 2018, Top Systems, a developer of automation systems for design, preparation and production planning, announced the release of the next version of the corporate system that underlies the T-Flex PLM software product complex designed to manage engineering data and documents - T-Flex DOCs 15.

The various configurations of the T-Flex DOCs are ready-made solutions for a variety of tasks in the design, preparation, and production management process. The development of version 15 was planned on the basis of extensive experience in its application at a large number of customer enterprises, the company explained.

During the development of T-Flex DOCs, special attention was paid to the implementation of such tasks as:

• Increase efficiency when a large number of users operate in a constantly growing number of information objects under the control of the system. In particular, the product structures on which the system was tested totaled tens of millions of objects.
• Improve user interface convenience and visibility. Numerous wishes and suggestions of users from various industries and applications of the system have been realized. This made it possible to create a flexible tool for solving the most common production tasks.
• Expansion of functional capabilities of the system application. The T-Flex DOCs 15 provides many features that allow you to use the system in various areas of enterprise and corporate automation.
• Development of ready-made application solutions. The T-Flex DOCs version 15 system provides users with a number of ready-made solutions that do not require additional configuration before application.
• Increase integration capabilities. The functions that allow interaction with other systems and applications in various areas and areas of application are significantly expanded.

According to the developers, the version of T-Flex DOCs 15 implemented a number of significant functional improvements:

• Updated user interface;
• Connect to multiple servers;
• Event subscriptions;
• Work with orders;
• Task management;
• Product structures;
• Management of production design preparation;
• Web server;
• Web services;
• Data exchange;
• Project management;
• Support for PostgreSQL;
• Performance analysis tools.

The trial version (30 days trial use) of T-Flex DOCs 15 is available for download on the site tflex.ru.

2015

Update T-FLEX DOCs 14.1

On July 13, 2015, Top Systems announced a large-scale update to the T-FLEX DOCs^[1] system^[1].

The company, according to its statement, took a noticeable step to meet the interests and wishes of customers: an interim cumulative update of T-FLEX DOCs 14.1 was released.

Additional features of T-FLEX DOCs 14.1 include:

• access check mechanism is optimized in the server part of the system
• added the ability to compress traffic between the client and the server.

As a result of this work:

• The speed of communication between the client and the server has increased significantly
• faster work with lists of documents and files,
• The speed of access verification has increased so much that it almost equals the benchmarks for reading and loading data without any checks.

Configuring Access Modes, 2015

The functionality of the project management system has been replenished:

• Optimized import and added export of project to MS Project.
• The possibility of automatic construction of the project work tree based on the product composition tree has been added. It is important to note that throughout the work on the project, the system allows you to synchronize the work structure of the project with changes in the product structure. Today, it is a unique functionality for such systems.
• You have the ability to control access to resource changes.
• The Project Inspection Tool now enables you to quickly detect and report conflicts related to project resources.
• The project print command has been seriously revised, a preview window with print settings has been added.

Added a set of service functions, minor improvements, data optimization and other useful tools in real use.

The functionality of the mechanism of a single information and help system continued to develop, on the basis of which the entire T-FLEX PLM platform was built. Added a new user-requested access inheritance mode, in which explicit access to the object does not cancel inheritance from the parent objects. You can explicitly specify how and which objects are affected by the defined access: only the object itself, only its child objects, or the entire branch of the hierarchy.

Work has been done to optimize work with large tree structures in such important operations as copying and borrowing objects. Now the execution of these processes has become much more comfortable.

It is known that not a single serious implementation of the system is without the development of small specialized macros that automate the tasks of the subject area of ​ ​ application of PLM solutions. In this regard, serious attention was paid to the modifications of the tools for creating, debugging and applying macros in C#.

As a result:

• A new report generator has been added - the T-FLEX CAD report generator, which is designed to generate complex specifications and similar design and technological documents.
• A IntelliSense mechanism (automatic hints when entering macros) has been added to the flowcharts - a serious step towards simplifying the process of creating a macro by a non-specialist. For the same purposes, the flowchart editing interface has been significantly refined and simplified.
• Added additional event handlers when modifying objects and working with the cart.
• Added API CAD Document Simplified.

The T-FLEX DOCs user interface also affected the changes:

• Enhanced settings for the appearance of windows and search engine capabilities
• features in catalog management,
• Simplified and enhanced security password interface
• much more.

Tasks Solved by T-FLEX DOCs

T-FLEX DOCs Capabilities

• Technical document flow
• Office and clerical document management
• Organizational and Administrative Documents Management
• Enterprise Archive, Enterprise Data Warehouse
• Project management, resource and cost planning
• Mail and tasks. Business Process Management (Workflow)
• Integration in ERP systems
• Maintain product items, corporate directories, and classifiers
• Product Composition, Configuration and Version Management
• Interaction with well-known CAD systems
• Creating Custom Information Systems

Technical document flow

T-FLEX DOCs ensures the unity of all design and technological data and accompanying information. Structured storage allows you to work with any data. It can be design drawings, 3D models, specifications, sheets, data on materials of details, technological processes, the CNC programs, etc. The Enterprise Specialty Item Directory stores all necessary information about the applicability of parts and assemblies. Tools for managing and forming product compositions provide all the necessary tools for finding and selecting analogues, as well as a mechanism for borrowing objects. The automatic generation of symbols and object names in accordance with classifiers, standard types of design and technological documents and rules for inheritance of symbols will ensure the maximum productivity of the designer. The T-FLEX DOCs system allows you to store and quickly find almost any regulatory information, as well as various advertising or marketing documents and much more.

Office and clerical document management

T-FLEX DOCs has a number of functions that give users all the necessary tools to register electronic documents and monitor the execution of orders. A set of templates for standard office documents will save time when creating and writing standard documents, and a mechanism for sending orders with convenient means of monitoring execution and notification will allow you to perform all basic business procedures with maximum efficiency. T-FLEX DOCs contains logging functions and case items that fully comply with case management standards. For office services, the system provides a specialized user interface configuration that allows you to quickly perform all the actions necessary for the office from a single window, the functionality of which can be expanded to perform various specialized tasks. Thus, the system allows you to organize the simplest document flow, built on the principles of "Commission-Completed-Checked," in which all the necessary documents are involved.

Organizational and Administrative Documents Management

• Document registration according to standards. T-FLEX DOCs includes a directory in which the creation and filling of registration and control cards (RCC), registration journals, with which the mechanism for the formation of registration numbers, the nomenclature of cases, a rubricator, a number of various auxiliary directories are associated.
• Maintain log entries and case items. The standardized document logging mechanism implemented in T-FLEX DOCs allows you to group electronic documents according to the rules of work adopted in the organization. The means of maintaining the nomenclature of cases fully comply with the standards and allow the clerk not only to perform standard functions of writing off processed documents to cases, but also to quickly search for registration and control cards of documents by numbers and parameters of cases.
• Generate registration numbers. The most flexible tool for setting up registration number generation rules allows you to automatically generate a number of almost any complexity and structure.
• Work with electronic documents of any type. T-FLEX DOCs allows clerks to work with any necessary data: documents of various types, all kinds of information about contracts, partner and dealer organizations, protocol data of negotiations and much more.
• Reach all business units. The functions of the T-FLEX DOCs system allow employees of various departments to record the execution of resolutions and instructions, quickly connect them to all kinds of data, documents and drawings that they are working on directly.

Enterprise Archive, Enterprise Data Warehouse

T-FLEX DOCs has a number of specialized tools for managing data structures. Unique tools allow you to organize any possible methods of linking objects of various types, as well as describe the logic of the interaction of such objects. This mechanism is at the heart of the organization of a single data warehouse, which can operate on any data and store objects of any subject focus: from product structures and enterprise nomenclature to contact lists of customer organizations and suppliers.

Project management, resource and cost planning

• Project planning and monitoring. The project management module, which is part of the system, is designed to solve planning tasks. Simple and visual tools for building the project work tree are available to the user. Each work can be divided into separate sub-items to any acceptable level of detail. Presented in the form of a traditional Gantt diagram, the project can be used for several purposes: managing the dates of planned work, setting the sequence of their execution and the conditions for launch.
• Business Process Logic Management. In T-FLEX DOCs, it is possible to describe and standardize the logic for the execution of all basic business procedures, according to which the work of departments and individual employees is built. Any project work can be described as one or more business processes. Thus, starting with the planning of a general list of works, you can gradually switch to organizing the work of specific performers.
• Flexible project resource management and cost assessment. T-FLEX DOCs allows you to quickly specify the set of resources that will be involved in any project task. All resources can be planned and described in terms of the cost schedule, that is, the system allows you to specify when and under what scheme money will be spent on a particular resource. The system allows you to quickly see the spending schedule for the entire project, quickly see the cost schedules for individual resources, compare with each other and evaluate the overall picture.
• Starts and monitors the project execution process. The T-FLEX DOCs system allows you to develop the structure of a new project. You can immediately start it for execution by simply issuing a task. The system itself decides which responsible users should be notified. At the same time, the project manager and managers always have the opportunity to clearly evaluate the entire process both throughout the project and for any individual work.
• Interaction of all project participants. The system allows you to specify the responsible contractor, planned completion dates, as well as the controller and control date. Any executor can accept the task and begin to carry it out or refuse to work, arguing his refusal. The guarantor receives notifications of any actions of the executors, which makes it possible to manage the project.
• Quickly adjust dates at any stage of the project. The T-FLEX DOCs system allows you to maintain any operational adjustments to the project execution plan, both in terms of time and scope of work. The project can be frozen at any time and a new version of the project will be created.
• Link project tasks to data and documents.
• The directory structure allows you to establish any relationships between objects.
• Flexible access addresses security and data retention.
• A unique mechanism for applying changes and automatically creating versions with the ability to quickly return to any of them.
• A fully customizable user interface enables you to quickly select and group data.
• The search system allows you to find data, display it in the desired form, disclose any information related to the found data, and, if necessary, display it in the form of reports of various formats.

Mail and tasks. Business Process Management (Workflow)

T-FLEX DOCs has all the necessary functions of organizational and administrative document management and allows you to combine the work of any departments of the enterprise into a single whole: from the office to the design and technological services. The system allows you to organize multi-level control of executive discipline, including: traditionally adopted simple and hierarchical resolutions, automatic alerts of performers and managers about all stages of the work, monitoring the timing and appointment of supervisors. BPM is an important and integral part of many T-FLEX DOCs solutions. The functions of the module are aimed at automating the processes of user interaction during the execution of various works. T-FLEX DOCs has an easy-to-use job issuance tool to ensure clear and consistent actions in the project process. The program contains, among other things, a specialized calendar window, in which the user is given the opportunity not only to see the target dates of all his works and orders, but also to quickly create reminders for himself and make various entries.

Integration with ERP systems

In the T-FLEX DOCs system, the processes of appearance and transformation of the structures of the developed products and information about the technology of their production and assembly are constantly taking place. This information can be transferred to various production control systems both through unified XML exchange files and by creating specialized software modules.

Maintain product items, corporate directories, and classifiers

The Product Item Master Data is an automatically generated list of all objects that are involved or may be involved in a product.

A special tool of the T-FLEX DOCs system - catalog management - makes it possible to create an arbitrary structure of directory folders, with each of them a rule can be associated, according to which only the necessary data will be selected from a huge directory. You can also create free-fill folders. The set of reference books included in the delivery kit of the T-FLEX DOCs system includes everything necessary: from technological equipment to a material guide.

The system provides for automatic filling of basic parameters of objects included in the article. This function allows you to describe the structure and logic of the internal relationships of the classification code for almost any of the known classifiers. Classifiers are also included in the delivery.

Product Composition, Configuration and Version Management

• Tools for organization of work with product composition data. The system allows you to take into account all possible options and preferences of users regarding the organization and storage of data. There are options for storing parts and assembly units in different directories separately from standard and purchased products, as well as combined storage of all design and technological information.
• Automatically match an existing object. In T-FLEX DOCs, you can group object types according to their general identification rule. In other words, if you need an object with a known name or designation, the system itself will find all suitable (similar) objects or, if there are none, will create a new one.
• Manage product composition versions. T-FLEX DOCs implements a universal version mechanism that allows you to track changes in product compositions. This makes it possible to quickly cancel any changes and return to any of the previously saved versions of the object.
• Prototype mechanism. As a prototype, both an individual object and an entire node can be used. The use of prototypes not only significantly speeds up the process of forming the composition of the product, but also significantly reduces the likelihood of errors in the formation of the product structure.
• Organization of collective work on the project. The mechanism allows you to conduct convenient and conflict-free product design by an almost unlimited team of developers.
• Generation of standard design and technological documents, reports and lists. When forming the composition of any product, the system automatically generates the main design document - a specification, which is a standard report available for modification or reconfiguration.
• Change notices. The built-in tool for issuing and issuing change notices not only provides the user with all the services necessary for this, working in strict accordance with the rules of the ESKD, but also allows you to automate many actions to directly carry out changes, which significantly speeds up the process and reduces the likelihood of errors.

Interaction with well-known CAD systems

T-FLEX DOCs has ready-made integration modules for almost all the most popular design systems, including T-FLEX CAD, Solid Works, Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD, Compass, Pro/E and Siemens NX.

Creating Custom Information Systems

• Support for .NET technology. T-FLEX DOCs API allows you to create scalable applications based on the.NET standard, so the development of custom applications is not time consuming, several dozen programming languages ​ ​ are supported. User applications are independent of T-FLEX DOCs system version updates.
• Organization of remote work through the Internet. To organize such work, only a regular Internet connection and the presence of a secure communication channel (VPN) are required.

Notes