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Configuring Change Orders to Release Process Plans

3 min read

In this example, the business uses Change Orders to release MBOMs and their associated work instructions, represented as Process Plan items in Aras Manufacturing Process Planning (MPP).

Steps to configure are as follows:

  1. Log in with Administrator privileges
    • Sign in as a member of the Administrators group.
  2. Update Poly Sources for Affected Items
    • Open the ucm_AffectedItem Item Type for editing.
    • Go to the Poly Sources tab and add the mpp_ProcessPlan Item Type.
  3. Log in with Change Administrator privileges
    • Sign in as a member of the Change Administrators group.
  4. Update the Change Actions
    • Open the Release Change Action.
    • On the Applicable To tab, add the mpp_ProcessPlan Item Type.
    • Repeat for the Revise Change Action and any other relevant Change Actions.
  5. Edit the Change Process Definition to add validation automations
    • Purpose: Ensure a validation error appears if affected items of type Process Plan with the Release action are not in the Preliminary state.
    • While logged in as Change Administrators, open the Change Process Definition for the Change Order Item Type.

    • On the Automation Rules tab, add the existing automation named Selected action requires item to be in unreleased state, and fill in the fields as required.

      Field
      Enabled
      		✔ Checked
      		✔ Checked
      Event
      		Add
      		Update
      Automate For / (Applicable To)
      		Relationship
      		Relationship
      From State / To State
      		[empty]
      		[empty]
      Relationship
      		ucm_ChangeOrder_AffectedItem
      		ucm_ChangeOrder_AffectedItem
      Related Item Type
      		mpp_ProcessPlan
      		mpp_ProcessPlan
      Related Event
      		Release
      		Release

    • Repeat the above steps to trigger a validation error if affected items of type Process Plans with the Revise action are not in Released state. Add the Selected action requires item to be in released state automation and fill the fields as follows:

      Field
      Enabled
      		✔ Checked
      		✔ Checked
      Event
      		Add
      		Update
      Automate For / (Applicable To)
      		Relationship
      		Relationship
      From State / To State
      		[empty]
      		[empty]
      Relationship
      		ucm_ChangeOrder_AffectedItem
      		ucm_ChangeOrder_AffectedItem
      Related Item Type
      		mpp_ProcessPlan
      		mpp_ProcessPlan
      Related Event
      		Revise
      		Revise

  6. Edit the Change Process Definition to add action automations
    • Purpose: Change Orders with affected Process Plans should automatically promote the Process Plans throughout the Change Order workflow, including (but not limited to):
      • Promote to In Review when the workflow reaches the Audit activity.
      • Promote from In Review back to Preliminary if the workflow is returned for rework.
      • Promote to Released when the Change Order workflow is completed.

      Purpose
      		Automation
      		Method
      New revision of affected item.
      		Create a new revision
      		ucm_CreateNewRevision
      Promote affected item to In Review.
      		Promote new item revision to In Review for Audit
      		ucm_PromoteNewItemRevForAudit
      Promote affected item from In Review back to Preliminary.
      		Return new item revision to Preliminary state
      		ucm_PromoteNewItemRevForRework
      Promote affected item to Released.
      		Release item
      		ucm_ReleaseItem

    • The same steps can apply to other action automations as necessary, e.g. obsoleting items.

      Note
      The methods for Release, Revise, and Obsolete actions do not require modification, as they are implemented generically for any Item Type. If different business logic is needed, a new method can be created.
      Note
      Process Plans reuse existing Change Actions and lifecycle state names. If your setup uses different actions, states, or logic, update the method or create a new automation.

  7. Perform additional checks
    • Ensure the Item Type configuration supports the proper behavior for change-controlled items. For example, Process Plans should be versioned through Change Orders, and once released, they should no longer be editable.
      • Confirm the mpp_ProcessPlan Item Type is versionable.
      • Verify the Released state prevents edits (using state permissions or the not lockable setting). This ensures users can’t modify released Process Plans (operations, steps, tools, produced/consumed parts, etc.).
      • Review any other relevant Item Type configurations.

      • In the lifecycle map, check which role promotes lifecycle transitions (for Process Plans, this is usually Manufacturing Engineering) and confirm Change Executor is included in that role identity.