Version and Alternative Management

DPM's Manufacturing Hub functionality supports both versions and alternatives.

About Versions

In Process and Resource Definition, a version represents a specific stage in the development of a given process. Multiple versions may be saved for each process as it is being developed, and may be referred back to when necessary.

When a new version of a process is created, it replaces the previous version of the process (and its children) in the PPR tree. The previous version is saved away, and any further modifications to the process only affect the new version.

About Alternatives

An alternative represents a particular implementation of a process. Different process definitions (or alternatives) can be defined to accomplish the same task, and these alternative processes may be developed in parallel-independently of one another. 

Example scenario

As an example, suppose that a person begins work on defining a process:

1. Initial work on this process is considered to be Version 1 of Alternative 1. 

2. At some point during the development of this process, a stage is reached where the current development is considered stable and should be saved, and a new version is created (Version 2). Further development of the process is then applied to Version 2, and Version 1 is no longer affected or modified. This provides the ability to go back to Version 1 of the process at any time, if necessary. 

3. Additional versions of this particular alternative may be saved in the same manner as the process is developed (i.e., Version 3, Version 4, etc.).

4. Later, an alternative of the process (Alternative 2) may be required, and this new alternative will be based on a specific version of Alternative 1. 

5. Additional alternatives (Alternative 3, 4, 5...) can then be created based on existing alternatives, if desired: