Additional Windchill Capabilities > Manufacturing Process Management > Working with Manufacturing Objects > Overview of Creating Extended Data and Department Data > Considerations for Creating a Department Data Object
  
Considerations for Creating a Department Data Object
A department data object can be created for a new part or an existing part. Based on the value set for the preference Automatically Create Department Data, the department data object is created automatically when creating a part or by using a load file for an existing part. For more information on using a load file, see Creating Extended Data and Department Data Objects from Loader.
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You can create, view, edit, or initiate change tasks on a department data object only if you are assigned the required permissions to do so. For more information, see Access Permissions.
A department data object belongs to the Department Data object type in Windchill. Under this type, you can create subtypes that relate to the functions of a plant such as Inventory and Procurement. The subtype of the department data object that is created for a part depends on the values set for the following preferences:
• Views with Specific Extended Data: To associate a view with an enterprise data type. For example, Design: Plant1, Manufacturing: Plant2
• Part Types for Creating Department Data: To specify the part types for which department data objects can be created as per the mapped plant data type. For example, Electrical part, Manufacturer part
• Department Data Types for Extended Data: To specify the department data object types to be created for each plant data type. The plant data type is driven by the preference Views with Specific Extended Data. For example, Plant1: Planning, Processing, Production; Plant2: Inventory, Procurement, Packaging
• Department Data Types for Part Type: To specify the department data object types to be created for each part type. The part type is driven by the preference Department Data Types for Extended Data. For example, Electrical part: Processing, Production, Procurement; Manufacturer part: Planning, Inventory, Packaging
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For more information on the preferences, see Preferences in MPMLink.
Let’s say you want to create department data objects for a manufacturer part in the Manufacturing view. Based on the configurations set for the given preferences, the department data object types that are common across the preferences Department Data Types for Extended Data and Department Data Types for Part Type are created for the associated plant data, that is Plant2, and the associated part type, that is Manufacturer part. As a result, the department data objects created are Inventory and Packaging.
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If any of the given preferences are not set appropriately, the department data objects will not be created.
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By default, a newly created department data object follows the basic life cycle. You can customize the OIR for the object to use the advanced life cycle.