CAP-Suite is "best of breed" configuration software. CAP-Suite has all the infrastructure common to the configuration process pre-built. So all the complex processing involved in handling rules, databases and the presentation layer are already done. The individual, product specific configurators are built on CAP-Suite structure and programming language, in reality a "macro" style language, which can be used by a trained user without any specific IT knowledge.

CAP-Suite integrates with SAP Business One to provide a custom Configurator facility operating within SAP Business One. Operationally the combination behaves as if there was just one software package in use.

 Each product type can have it's own Configurator "model" so that the software adapts to each product being processed.

The Specifications / Variants of customer specific configurations of standard products are described by product characteristics which operate with the "Cap-Suite knowledgebase", established rules, calculation formulae, algorithms and tables.

The results are:

- Quotation prices

- Complete order descriptions

- Materials lists and work plans.

- Automatically created / maintained Masterfiles and Quotation / Order data.

- Automatically created drawings

- Error free data.

As a consequence of using CAP-Suite the time-consuming and error-prone processing of customised "specials" and the ensuing manufacture of these 'one-offs" becomes as easy and fast as manufacturing standard products.

Worked sample using CAP-Suite with SAP Business One

Entry of a new SBO (SAP Business One)-Order (or Quotation)

In an order line a ;configurable" product is entered  (in this case pert number "ACap001“.

A configurator model is attached to the "configurable" product. The configuration process is activated by clicking the "Configure" button.

The data associated with the order line is read into the Configurator, the actual line is the one where the cursor is positioned.

In the first configuraion step the default data associated with the product can be preloaded.

The cofiguration logic immediately ckecks the specifications for validity.

Resulting error messages are clearly displayed with warning / error text, field highlighting, cursor positioning and status indication via the "traffic light" (top right corner of screen).

Because the Configurator directly references the SAP Business One database there is no need for any duplicated data.

Once the configuration selections are complete (in this example) the selling price is calculated and a CAD drawing is automatically generated.

The screen design for entry  / display of characteristics entered and graphics etc. is completely flexible and is normally tailored to suit each product "family".

In this simple demo example, there is one "sheet" which is sufficient to carry the few parameters and action buttons necessary - if more are required they they are simply added - and similarly, if more "sheets" are required to handle more info or to break up the process to make life easier for the user then they can also be added. Each 'sheet" can have it's own format.

At the completion of the configuration process the SBO order data is written back and any supporting database maintenance is automatically done.

In this example there are logics for price calculation and automatic generation of the CAd drawing.

Because all the SBO order data is automatically generated from a validated configuration, then the integrity of the data for subsequent processes is guaranteed.

Schematic of the process

2. Creation of finished product and a sales order parts list.

Exit point is as per step 1, - the order line in SBO

By clicking the "configure" button the configuration previously entered is retrieved and the feature sheet displayed with the values as per the customer specification.

The next step is the automatic generation of the Parts (materials) list and the work plan (in this case the bill of resources) for allocation.

The generation of the parts list and work plan follows the predefined rules set up in CAP-Suite and controlled by the CAP-Suite decision logic.  These are contructed according to the product (family) and can be retrieved from the underlying SBO database.

At the completion of the configuration step a new finished product (in this case "K100-0“) with its related parts list is created and updated into the order line.

The parts list can be written back either as a sales order parts list or a production parts list as required

Schematic: