The new Configurator User Interface (UI) has been built from the ground up to empower the manufacturing sales roles in doing their work in a simple, lean and effective manner. Watch this short video to familiarize yourself with the new user interface and transition easily from the old to new user interface.

This feature was first introduced with the 21/02 upgrade, more than a year ago. Now with the 22/05 upgrade, all end-users will switch to the new configurator UI by default, which can be accessed through the Configuration icon on the right of the product name on each quote line. (See details in section Configuration)

Also, using the Equilizer icon in the Item detail view you can navigate back to the configurator.

Note: There will be a toggle to re-activate the old configurator for business continuity. This would enable access to the old configurator by clicking the line item number as usual. Clicking on the Configuration icon would always lead to the new configurator. If re-activated for any product gaps, do let us know why – via the support channel (support@inmindcloud.com)

To reactivate, click on the profile page at the top right-hand corner of the Digital Sales Platform. Then, select the 'Preferences' tab > toggle 'Enable Old Configurator' Yes/No

Setup: Sales Items Configurator

To reduce the number of clicks when using the new configurator UI, after adding the products, you can complete configuration work across all configurable line items without navigating back the to line-item table (Sales BoM) view. Once you are done with the configuration you can switch to pricing to review the same.

Go to 'Administration' > 'Master Data Management' > 'Setting Boolean' > 'Return all sales items on the configurator'

Setup: Progress Visualization

Go to 'Administration' > 'Master Data Management' > 'Setting Boolean' > (insert text; refer table below)

Tip: To improve the overall performance, it is recommended to enable Manual Refresh of Quote's status and progress on the configurator. This way, every change made during configuration will not result in re-calculation; saving time on every round trip.

Configuration

The new Configurator UI can be launched directly from the quote line item’s Configuration icon .

After configuration is complete and the Bill of Material is generated, you can click on the position number to finish the other details like Price Items and Partners.

• Clicking on Partner navigates the user to the partner of the same line item which was selected in the configurator.

The concept of Configuration Navigation allows a user to focus and complete a related configuration process swiftly. In other words, the user starts with a configuration of any configurable quote line item, manages its required configuration, and then continues the process until all the sub-line items that may have exploded and until all child line items have been configured. Each configurable line item allows intuitive navigation through its groups and subgroups and allows the user to jump directly to a specific field. Some examples to demonstrate the behavior and assistance of focus:

Completed Configuration	Incomplete Configuration

The configuration navigation indicates the user where the user is currently working on the configuration by highlighting the respective position (group and subgroup). The mandatory field must be set”_ indicates an inconsistency error where a field must be configured before the quote may reach a valid state. An incomplete mandatory field(s) will be marked in red with the status "Incomplete". The user(s) can navigate which field(s) via the configuration list on the left-hand side of the panel.

Mandatory fields must be defined to get a correct base price or a valid configuration. Mandatory fields show a vertical red bar in front of the label of a characteristic. It is a permanent visual helper that cannot be hidden.

Once you have configured the mandatory field(s),  the red field(s) will disappear with the green status shown as "Complete".

User vs System Defined Configurations

A new concept within our SaaS solution is the usage of User Defined and System Defined inputs. It allows the user to see which configuration was important to the customer once they are talking about the offering. This also works in cases where someone else did the initial configuration and passes it along to a sales representative or manager for example and it allows a great entry point for additional questions to the prospect. Whatever the reason may be, it also helps to understand what configuration is done by the human and what proposals the system has set based on the user input.

System Defined inputs are configuration effects that can be triggered via script or triggers or any other system provisioned change. Such a change can be overridden (if the model does not permit it) with user input and will then be marked accordingly.

Fields that have a dotted blue border are the System Defined inputs. The system changed some of the previous configurations used to any other changes based on human interaction. 

Fields that have a solid blue border are the User Defined inputs. These inputs come from human interaction.

This works with any control and does not require any setup by an administrator. Subsequently, in the Filter Settings section, we will find a way to also filter according to those input types giving us a great way to look at the right data point at the required point in time.

Main Navigation

While looking at the process of configuring line items, the navigation concept allows the user(s) to consistently access navigation-related items on the left-hand side portion of the screen. Navigation for the system and the line item configuration are brought closer but are still separate from each other.

To hide the system’s main navigation bar, click on the navigation icon at the top left-hand side of the Digital Sales Platform.

Another option via profile settings under the "Navigation" category:

Line Item ID

Line item IDs can be displayed or hidden based on the user’s preference:

Side Panels

There are two new major types of assistance that Side Panels now offer and assist the users with their configuration and they are as follows:

• Manage UI workspace and the configuration of UI
• Get additional help while configuring

Side Panels are launched primarily using the tool icons, where a highlighted tool icon shows which panel is currently opened and active. The side panel will keep the existing configuration open and provide additional assistance or interaction.

Filter and View Settings

This Side Panel combines two functionalities in one panel. On the left-hand side, the characteristics tag and configuration input filters are available. On the right-hand side, the view options can be set to match the need a user identifies for his/herself.

Filter by

Field Tags

The Digital Sales Platform supports mandatory, quote, cost, price, and relevant tagging of characteristics. This allows assignment besides topic-wise grouping of characteristics to set tags according to the sales configuration process. This is a setting that needs to be performed by the administrator of the product knowledge base either via UI Administration or Excel Upload. 

This allows the user to parse the screen easily and follow the business categories' color. This makes the user proceed with the configuration in a faster manner without having to read every single attribute’s name or label. The workspace can also selectively represent only the desired categories via the field tags.

The UI workspace is of utmost value if it can cater to all business processes and data entry. In addition, it always prompts the user(s) with a few options. Filtering the workspace gives several advantages in doing the right work at the right time. Filtering increases focus and effectiveness touching only the required data points. The side panel portion denoted to the filtering provides a few filter options ready for applying.

The filters may be selected in multi-selection mode. All filtered categories will be displayed. After a certain stage within the configuration process, the user might want to see unconfigured (“empty”) fields to compile the configuration fully. The unconfigured (“empty”) category is a calculated field representing the difference/remainders of the already configured fields

Configuration

View Settings

The user can control the appearance of the UI-based requirements by either temporarily or permanently storing them in the profile. To save the newly made settings and change the modification for future UI configuration, click on the "Save as Default" button.

Sales Text and Partners Assist pane

Changing and editing of sales item text is a regular part of the ETO process, where special requests are keyed in, besides the configuration of attributes captured. 

A Partners section also allows for any deviation in the Ship-to or Bill-to information to be specified. 

While these features were previously available, users are no longer directed to a separate screen, and can now enjoy increased effeciency and a smoother ETO quotation process.