A configuration structure is the definition of possible materials and back office rules used to make up a configurable parent part. Just as in product structures, the configuration structure identifies the components used to assemble or repair a parent part. However, a configuration structure represents an array of structure possibilities depending on specific configuration values. Back office configuration rules (see About Back Office Configuration Rules) attached to the structure elements determine which element should be included or modified to meet the required parent configuration. The configuration structure is a generic definition. Production or repair orders might involve order-specific changes to this list of needed components, but the list of components for the order is initially created based on evaluation of the configuration structure rules of the ordered part's configuration specification.
Configuration structures are used by Master Scheduling and Costing to determine what components are in demand, based on an expected average planning rate of use. They are used by discrete manufacturing to determine the components required to build a part or the additional material needed to repair one. Configuration structures are also used to help in calculating costs and production lead times. Configure-to-Order Manufacturing is dependent on configuration structure definitions.
Configuration structures are divided into three elements: a structure header, a structure alternate, and structure line items.
A structure header is where the part, site, revision, and type of configuration structure are identified. Possible configuration structure types are Manufacturing, Purchasing, Prototype and Repair:
| Type | Description |
| Manufacturing | Represents the structure used when the part is planned or manufactured. |
| Purchasing | Represents the typical makeup of a part purchased from a supplier. |
| Repair | Represents the structure used when repairing a part. |
| Prototype | Represents the structure used when prototyping a part |
A part revision may have several structure headers associated with it, one for each of the structure types. A structure header is automatically created when a new part revision is created for a configurable inventory part of part types Manufactured or Purchased. If the part is a manufactured part, the structure header is created with the manufacturing structure type. If the part is a purchased part, the structure header is created with the purchasing structure type.
Note: A structure with the type Prototype creates a unique part revision with the Prototype Part Revision Prefix defined in the Site/Manufacturing tab.
A structure alternate defines the state of a configuration structure and represents a slightly different way of making the same part. The differences might be based on the quantity of parent parts being built, the use of acceptable alternate materials, or some other non-standard condition that indicates a different structure. All structure headers have at least one defined structure alternate, known as the default alternate, which is indicated with an asterisk (*) value in the Alternate No field.
The state of the structure alternate indicates how the structure information can be used. The ability to change the component records depends upon the state of the alternate structure, defined in the Product Structure tab of Product Structure, and the site's Structure Update attribute, defined in Site/Manufacturing. Possible states are:
| State | Description |
| Tentative | A structure alternate is created in Tentative state and, normally, this is the default value. This state indicates that the structure alternate is not yet usable, and the structure data will not be used by Planning or Manufacturing. Components may be changed in this state. |
| Plannable | A structure alternate promoted to Plannable state can be used to calculate cost and planning information, but is still not used for Manufacturing. Components may be changed in this state. |
| Buildable | Structure alternates promoted to Buildable
state are completely visible in the system, and can now be seen and used by
Manufacturing, as well as for planning and costing purposes and for generating order
components. The Structure Update attribute, defined in Site/Manufacturing, determines your ability to modify a component's attributes in this state. If Simplified, most changes are allowed. If Enhanced, only some changes are allowed. If Restricted, most changes are not allowed. |
| Canceled | The structure alternate has been canceled and will not be available for use in Manufacturing or Planning nor used to generate costing information. You can change to this state at any time; however, once done, only the state may be changed. |
| Obsolete | The structure alternate has been obsolete and will not be available for use in Manufacturing or Planning nor used to generate costing information. You can change to this state at any time; however, once done, only the state may be changed. |
Configuration rules can be associated with a structure alternate. This could be used, for example, to attach conditions such that a different alternate is selected based upon the values for a specific configuration.
Note: If the structure type is prototype the structure alternate can only have Tentative and Obsolete states. The structure alternate is created in Tentative state and can be used by Manufacturing. Structure alternates in the Obsolete state will not be available for use in Manufacturing and cannot be changed to a different state.
Structure line items are the components of the configuration structure. Each line item identifies a component potentially used in the manufacture of this parent part, and a default quantity per assembly, which is the number of components needed to make one parent part (as identified in the structure header). In a repair type structure, the quantity per assembly reflects the number of components needed to service or repair one parent part.
A structure line item can be identified as a Non-Consumed item, which means that although the part appears in the configuration structure, the demand for that component will not be generated when an order is created for the parent part. A structure line item may also be associated with an operation number from the routing for the parent part, indicating that the component is to be issued or used during the indicated operation. Functions within Shop Order Operation Reporting will automatically issue material linked to specific operations, and a Pick List Report can be generated for an operation, showing only material linked to that operation.
Configuration rules can be associated with a structure line item and work guideline. For example, conditions could be defined such that different components are selected based upon the values for a specific configuration. Actions could be defined to set an appropriate quantity per assembly based upon the values in the configuration.