This feature controls access rights to data in IFS/Vehicle Information Management (IFS/VIM). For example, this will handle the controlling access to data between operational units in armed forces, suppliers, manufacturers, leasing companies, customers for an MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) organization or the maintenance organization for an operator. This feature will only apply to data in IFS/VIM.
The solution for data control will allow multiple vehicle operators and maintainers to work in one common database. This means that the different companies cannot see and update data to which they do not have access. Users must be defined per company and per site as done in IFS/Applications, and will only see the data to which they have access. The serials protected in IFS/VIM will be visible in all the other components of IFS/Applications if the user has access to the site where the serial is located.
This feature will only apply for serial and maintenance programs in IFS/VIM. Specific users will maintain the access rights for the serials. The access rights for serials are also maintained as the serials are installed and removed from structures. The access rights control the serials. The access rights are stored on the parts. When a serial is installed in a structure, it will always inherit the access rights from the parent serial. If a serial is not installed in a structure, it will inherit the access rights stored on the part. Although access to the parts is granted directly, the parts are not access controlled.
If access control in IFS/VIM is not required, all the users will automatically have access to all data.
For more information on how access control affects serials in IFS/VIM, view the online help files: About Serial Structure Templates In IFS/VIM, About Serial Structures in IFS/VIM, and About Serial Structure Changes in IFS/VIM.
To gradually establish access control in IFS/VIM, access groups and the users belonging to the access groups must be defined. When you define an access group, you will automatically become a member of the access group along with the access rights defined for IFSAPP. All the users who are members of an access group will have access to the serials and maintenance programs that will be subsequently defined for the access group.
Examples for access groups could be Maintainers, Operators, Suppliers, Manufacturers, Customers, Leasing Companies, Divisions, and Military Units.
You can delete an access group if it is not used by any template parts, sub parts, serials, or maintenance programs. The users belonging to the access group need to be deleted before the access group can be deleted. There are no restrictions for the number of times the users can be added and removed from the access groups.
If access control is established in IFS/VIM, the list of users in all the access groups must be maintained. This can be done by selecting a specific user to view and maintain the access group information.
To establish access rights for serials, access groups must be defined for the template parts. When you define an access group for a template part, the access will be spread to all the parts, serials, and all the alternates for these parts at all the levels of the structure belonging to the template part.
You will be able to specify whether the access applies to all the serials or a selected amount of serials connected to the template part. The access will be spread to all the serials including the alternates and the disconnected serials on all the levels for the specified serials belonging to the template part. If you do not select any serial, the access will be extended to the defined template parts, and all the parts and alternates on every level of the template part structure. In addition, access groups for a selected top serial can be extended to the serials on every level.
With this feature, you can update the access group list defined for a template part, and the part access for all its parts and serials will be updated automatically. You will also be able to update, defined access rights for a serial and all its serials.
When a new serial is created it automatically inherits all access groups defined for its serial part revision. When the serial is installed in a structure it will automatically receive the same access as its topmost parent. When the serial is removed from the structure it will receive the access defined for its serial part revision. Note: Access can be manually changed for a serial that is not installed in a structure, but only within the defined access groups for the serial part revision.