Prepare Windchill Requirements Connector roundtrip
This section describes how a roundtrip participant should prepare Windchill Requirements Connector in order to enable an initial import.
Define project structure
The project structure depends upon different considerations. The most important are as follows:
• How many people work with Windchill Requirements Connector?
• How many business partners are involved in this project?
The project structure on your file system will be clear and lucid if it matches the project structure in your development project closely. In many cases, the roundtrip initiator has several development projects, and exchanges requirements with several business partners within each development project. For each development project, a corresponding Windchill Requirements Connector project is created on the same level. For each business partner within a development project, a roundtrip configuration is created.
Figure 127. Supplier OEM export
You can find a description how to create a Windchill Requirements Connector project here.
You can find a description how to create a configuration here.
 | For a roundtrip to be successful, it is necessary that the roundtrip initiator (if using local replication) as well as their business partners (if using local replication) create only one project for all exchanges. Otherwise, the replication data will become inconsistent, and errors in the requirements exchange may result when using the local replication. If several employees at one roundtrip participant work with Windchill Requirements Connector within one development project, it is an indispensable to use shared projects on a network drive that all involved employees can access. |
By using a local replication, the data is stored in the same project or folder as the configuration. Because of the vital importance of the replication data for a consistent exchange process, save your projects on a shared project even if only one employee works with Windchill Requirements Connector, and include all your Windchill Requirements Connector projects in your backup plan.
When using the global replication, you have to include the oracle instance in your backup plan.
Define roundtrip details in Windchill Requirements Connector Configuration
Windchill Requirements Connector configurations allow the user to enter the decisions for the roundtrip that you have defined in the exchange plan.
Learn how to select the documents for a roundtrip import that you have defined as relevant in the exchange plan.
Learn how to modify import settings.
 | The absolute number attribute of an object is assigned by the data source and cannot be imported with its original name. It is, however, very useful for roundtrip participants to know the unique identifier of the roundtrip initiator so that they can easily reference his requirements. If you rename the absolute number requirement, for example as absolute number of owner, you can import it.The ID can also be mapped to an existing attribute for Windchill RV&S. |
Figure 128. Absolute number import to Windchill RV&S
Learn how to validate a roundtrip.
It is important to validate a roundtrip not only before executing a roundtrip, but also before you select attributes when you modify import settings. This ensures that the attributes that are currently displayed by Windchill Requirements Connector exist in the data source at that moment. |
Example 5. Example:
Different roundtrip participants may consider different project structures in Windchill Requirements Connector. Suppose roundtrip participant 1 is a supplier of the roundtrip initiator, and has several subcontractors who also participate in the exchange process. The subcontractors do not receive the documents directly from the roundtrip initiator, but from roundtrip participant 1.
Roundtrip participant 1 could configure their project similar like the roundtrip initiator. For the collaboration with their subcontractors, they create individual roundtrip configurations within their project.
Figure 129. Project structure for tier-1-supplier
Now suppose roundtrip participant 2 has no subcontractors that receive documents of this project from him. He can use a simpler project structure.
Figure 130. Project structure for an end supplier
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