Input Data Interface

The Input Data Interface (IDI for short) is used to link data from an external data source (e.g. Microsoft Excel) to settings of different objects in FACTS.

Supported file formats: '.xlsx', '.xlsm' and '.csv'.

There are three main parts to the IDI:

Loaded Input Files - Here input files are added and listed.
Mapping To FACTS - The actual mapping from the input file to settings of objects in FACTS.

Note: For models with a hierarchy of Custom components and/or Selections the automatic mapping have a better chance of finding a correct match if the full path of the FACTS object is entered in the input file.
Settings - Settings for the selected input file and its mappings.

How to use the IDI is presented through example 1 below, whereas example 2 further down shows the how to structure data for Source/Demand and Assembly objects in Excel.

Example model 1

Input sheet - MachineData

Input sheet - BufferData

Input sheet - MachineSetupTimes

Example 1 model after update (Note: Only Minor failures visible in notes.)

I. Select input files

Press and browse for and select the input file.
This brings up the 'Select sheets'-dialog. Add the sheets containing relevant data by selecting them and pressing or simply press 'Add All'.

Use or 'Remove All' to remove added sheets.

Press and the IDI will try to map the data in the sheets to objects and settings in FACTS.

II. Mapping To FACTS

If the IDI got some header mapping wrong correct them using the drop-down menu's of the incorrect mappings.

In this example we need to correct the following input headers:
- Machine=> to the object type Operation
- Repair=> to the setting MTTR

For the sheet MachineSetupTimes the following corrections are needed for input headers:
- Machine=> to the object type Operation
- A=> to the object type Variant Setup Time^*
- B=> to the object type Variant Setup Time^*
^* HINT: With 'batch change' it is possible to map several 'Input Headers' to a single 'FACTS type' at once like this:

First select all rows that should be mapped to the same 'FACTS type', e.g. row 'A' and 'B'.

Then select a 'FACTS type' (e.g. 'Variant Setup Time') using a Ctrl-Click instead of an ordinary Left-Click in one of the selected rows and it will be applied to all selected rows.
Control that the suggested mapping of objects is correct, otherwise fix incorrect ones by pressing the 'Edit'-button (see next step).
Note: Different disturbances are mapped as objects, in this case 'Minor' and 'Major'.

The Edit-dialog lists all model settings mapped to the input object/cell being edited. How to add/remove model settings is described below.
ADD:
Select desired model setting in the drop-down menu and press the 'Add'-button.

REMOVE:
Select model setting to be remove in the list and press the 'Remove'-button, or use the 'Remove All'-button to remove all listed model settings.

Note: For the purpose of demonstration (i.e. not part of this small Example) failure 'Fail1' has also been added to the input object 'Minor'.

If there are more sheets, e.g. BufferData, select each sheet by pressing its tab and repeat step 1, 2 and 3 above.

Now the mapping is complete and the last step is the three options at the bottom of the IDI-dialog.
- - Use the created/changed mapping to update mapped settings in the model.
  Note: This will close the IDI-dialog.
- - Keep the created/changed mapping and close the IDI-dialog.
  Note: The mapping isn't saved until the model is saved and unless 'Update Model'-button was pressed no changes are made to the model.
- - Discard the created/changed mapping and close the IDI-dialog.

III. Settings

This dialog lists settings for the different sheets along with some general settings for the mappings. E.g. one can specify the row number of the row containing headers and whether or not paths to the input files should be stored as relative or absolute etc.
Note: By selecting a setting a short description is shown in the window below all settings.

Example model 2

A simple model with three Sources and an Assembly and the four variants A, B, C and Carrier.

SourceCarrier - That creates Carriers according to a delivery table.
SourceAB - That randomly creates A or B.
SourceC - That sequentially creates C.
AssemblyOnCarrier - That assembles either A, B or C on a Carrier.

Note: The three assembly tables have different settings.

Input sheet - SourceData

Input sheet - AssemblyData

Example model 2 after update.