Understanding project definitions

All of the functionality of the Meridian Advanced Project Workflow Module Managed Change revolves around project definitions. Project definitions are the elementary building blocks upon which project folders are created to contain project copies of master documents for revision.

Project definitions are created by a system administrator with the BlueCielo Meridian Enterprise Configurator tool. Project definitions determine the following characteristics of a project folder:

• The associated custom folder type that can have custom properties and can limit where project folders may be created within the vault’s folder structure.
• Project workflow states and transitions that model the project life cycle.
• Sub-project folders that may be created within the project folder to represent subordinate engineering processes.
• Workflow interlocks (rules) on the documents within a project folder that must be met before the project’s workflow can change.
• Workflow interlocks (rules) on the parent project, peer projects, or sub-projects that must be met before the project’s workflow can change.

Although project definitions can be complex, from the end user’s perspective, using project folders is relatively straightforward. Any project folders available in a vault are listed on menus alongside available folder types and document types for easy selection.