Understanding Design Properties
In Bentley OpenUtilities Designer Workflow Manager and related products, designs are defined by the following properties.
- Name - the design's unique name.
- Cost - the total cost of labor and materials at each work location; this information is generated from the compatible units assigned to the design using the Design Assistant.
- Points/Spans - the number of points and spans in the design (system-generated from the design's path data).
- Job Default - the name of the set of defaults applied to the design.
- Format - the design's format type.
- Status - the design's current life-cycle status in the workflow (system-generated).
- Labor Difficulty Factor-a cost multiplier reflecting an estimate of the extra time and effort required to complete a job.
- Linear Allowance - a cost multiplier that reflects extra linear material (such as pipe or wire) needed for a job.
- Labor Type - the source of labor utilized for the job.
- Work Type - the type of work environment in which construction will take place.
- Work Request - the name of the work request to which the design is attached or associated.
- Description - a description of the design. This information is optional.
- Owner - the owner of the design (defaults to the design's creator).
- Creator - the creator of the design (system-generated).
- Modified - the date on which the design was last modified (system-generated).
- Created - the date on which the design was created (system-generated).
Values for user-specified properties are supplied using the New Design dialog box. Editable properties can be modified using the Design Properties dialog box.
Job Defaults
In Bentley OpenUtilities Designer, a job default is a named group of default settings that determine the attributes and placement geometry of the features that you assign to a design. The design's "permanent" job default is the one that you select as the Job Default setting on the New Design dialog box or the Design Properties dialog box. You can select a different job default while working with the design in the Design Assistant window. This temporary job default applies only during that design session. The next time you work with the design, the permanent job default will be active unless you override it with another selection. For more information, see About Job Defaults.Design Formats
When you create a design, you must specify a format type for the design. A design's format type determines the kind of design data that it will accommodate as well as the design tasks that are available to you when working with the design.
In Bentley OpenUtilities Designer supports three format types:
- GIS Design : A GIS design is a full-fledged design that contains spatial data from the GIS database, such as coordinates of work locations and other geometry. This is the default format. When opening a GIS design in the Design Assistant, you must be connected to the GIS.
- Design Template : A template is a kind of "favorite" design, a basic layout that can be applied, with modifications, to a number of routine situations. The template format supports basic design tasks, such as creating work locations, assigning features and units, and generating cost estimates and bills of materials. However, a template contains no spatial information, so it cannot be attached to or associated with a work request. Templates can be created without a GIS connection. If you want to use a template as the starting point for a real job, you can copy Work Locations, facilities, or unit assignments from the template directly into your GIS design. You can also save a GIS design as a template, which deletes the design's spatial data but saves work location and facility information.
- Offline Design : The offline format, like the template format, gives you design capabilities when you are working without a GIS connection. With the offline format, you can make changes to a design in the field. As with a template, you can either construct an offline design from scratch or save a copy of a GIS design in the offline format. Whereas a template is generic, an offline design is usually created with a particular job in mind.
For more information, see Working with Design Formats.
Design Status
The Workflow Manager in Bentley OpenUtilities Designer and related products assigns a design status to each design. A design's current status is indicated by an icon in the Status column of the My Designs view. Design status cannot be assigned manually.
The design states are shown below, along with the action that triggers the new design status.
| Design Status | Triggering Action |
|---|---|
|
In Progress |
Creating the design. |
|
Submitted |
Submitting the work request and attached design for a cost estimate. |
|
Estimate Requested |
Issuing the Retrieve Estimate command for the work request and attached design. |
|
Estimated |
None in Bentley OpenUtilities Designer. Downloads of estimates are initiated by WMS. |
Labor Difficulty Factor
The Labor Difficulty Factor is a cost multiplier that can be utilized when a job is likely to require more time and effort than usual because of working conditions, manpower issues, and other factors. When you apply a Labor Difficulty Factor as a design property, Bentley OpenUtilities Designer multiplies the labor cost of all assigned units in the design by the value of the Labor Difficulty Factor.
The default value for the Labor Difficulty Factor is 1. In specifying a different Labor Difficulty Factor, you can either enter a value or select one from the list of available values. A value of 2, for example, doubles the labor cost of an assigned compatible unit. To specify a percentage, enter it as a decimal (15% = 1.15, 20% = 1.20, 35% = 1.35, and so on).
Specifying a Labor Difficulty Factor for a design determines the value of this property for all work locations, assigned features, and assigned units in the design. The Labor Difficulty Factor for these individual design elements can be changed as you work with the design using the Design Assistant. See Applying a Labor Difficulty Factor to Work Locations.
Linear Allowance
The Linear Allowance property is a cost multiplier that can be applied when extra linear material is anticipated (for example, to allow for the sag on a conductor). When you apply a Linear Allowance multiplier to a design property, Bentley OpenUtilities Designer multiplies the material cost of all assigned units for linear materials (such as pipe and wire) by the Linear Allowance value.
The default value for the Linear Allowance multiplier is 1. In specifying a different value for the multiplier, you can either type a new value oruse the drop-down calculator. A value of 2, for example, doubles the material cost of an assigned compatible unit. To specify a percentage, enter it as a decimal (15% = 1.15, 20% = 1.20, 35% = 1.35, and so on).
A Linear Allowance multiplier can also be applied to assigned features, units, and materials rather than to the entire work location.
Specifying a Linear Allowance multiplier for a design determines the value of this property for all work locations, assigned features, and assigned units in the design. Inherited values for these individual design elements can be changed as you work with the design using the Design Assistant. See Applying a Linear Allowance Multiplier to Work Spans.
Design Ownership
A design's owner is the person who controls the design. By default, the Workflow Manager of Bentley OpenUtilities Designer and related products assigns ownership to the person who creates the design or to whom the design is assigned by an external work management system. Ownership can be transferred to another user by the design's original owner and by supervisory users who have this capability.
If you have the capability to view other users' designs, you can open these designs in the Design Assistant window in read-only mode. A read-only design can be viewed but not modified.