What are Items, Item Types and Projects?

In this article, learn the difference between Items, Item Types and Projects, and how they relate to each other

Applicable Subscription Levels:   

QC MANAGER |  STARTER  |  PRO  |  PRO+  |  ENTERPRISE

Overview

This article will review the following entities within the Idencia application:

Item Types
Items
Projects

Item Types

Item types are categories of items.  All items of a given item type will share that item type's properties. In many ways, your list of item types can be thought of as a product catalog. 

A concrete pipe manufacturer, for example, may have item types like:

• Item Type Number: 6.15.TG
  • Name: 6'x15" Class I Tongue and Groove Reinforced Concrete Pipe 
  • Diameter: 15" 
  • Wall Thickness: 2.25"
  • Gap: 0.25"
  • Length: 6' 
  • Weight: 127 lb/ft
  • Concrete Class: I
• Item Type Number: 3.36.TG
  • Name: 8'x36" Class II Tongue and Groove Reinforced Concrete Pipe
  • Diameter: 36" 
  • Wall Thickness: 2.00"
  • Gap: 0.25"
  • Length: 8' 
  • Weight: 524 lb/ft
  • Concrete Class:  II

A heavy equipment rental company may have item types like:

• Item Type Number: 3CXBH
  • Name: 3CX Compact Backhoe
  • Horsepower: 74
  • Maximum Dig Depth:  14' 3"
• Item Type Number: 8KRTF
  • Name: 8,000 lb Regular Terrain Forklift
  • Horsepower:  74
  • Maximum Lift Height:  15/22ft

Items

Items are the actual assets being tracked in your Idencia system. Each item has it's own unique serial number.  Affixing a serial number to an individual asset makes the asset a 'serialized' item available for tracking in the Idencia system.

For example, each item in a concrete pipe manufacturer's Idencia system would represent a single serialized pipe. Each item in a heavy equipment rental company's Idencia system would represent a single serialized piece of equipment available for rent. Each item in your Idencia system will represent the individual assets you want to track.

An item in a concrete pipe manufacturer's Idencia system could have attributes like this:

• Serial Number: 1C5624B48596
  
  • Item Type:                         6.15.TG 
  • Cast Date:                         05/25/2017
  • Concrete Mix ID:                C5EF946G
  • Meets Design Specs:           YES
  • Erection Mark:                    AS-562B
  • Repair Work Required:         None
  • QC Inspector:                     John Q. Inspector
  • Inspection Date:                 06/27/2017
  • Status:                               Shipped

An item in a heavy equipment rental company's Idencia system could have attributes like this:

• Serial Number: BH456T890
  • Item Type:                          3CXBH
  • VIN Number:                       8930RHP38D-5953DW
  • Safety Inspection Date:        5/25/2017
  • Safety Inspector:                 John Q. Inspector
  • Operator Manual Present:     YES
  • Boom/Bucket Welds:            Needs Repair
  • Emergency Break:                OK
  • Status:                                Maintenance Required

Items can also represent non-product assets like:

• Cylinder sets poured for strength testing
• Molds and forms used to cast product
• Lots of raw materials like rebar and mesh

Projects

Projects are collections of custom item types related to a specific customer order, production run, or yard stock. A quantity is associated with each custom item type and production progress for the project can be tracked within the Idencia management portal.  

A concrete pipe producer that uses the projects feature to track customer orders may create a project for each order with attributes like this:

• Project Number:                            ABC40
• Project Name:                               ABC - I40 Widening
• Customer:                               ABC Construction Company, Inc.
• Purchase Order Number:          180525-12
• Delivery Location:                    123 Spring Street, City, ST
• Custom Item Types:

A concrete pipe producer that uses the projects feature to track daily stock production may create a project for each production run with attributes like this:

• Project Number:                             20170525A
• Project Name:                                05/25/2017 AM Production Run
• Customer:                                None/Stock
• Custom Item Types:

A heavy equipment rental company that uses Idencia to track equipment rentals & maintenance processes may not use the projects feature at all.