Create an item

Create items by adding files or folders to Dimensions CM. You can also create items with no initial content.

To create items by delivering files, see Deliver to project. 

Guidelines for creating items

Review these guidelines and limitations before creating items from files or folders.

To add multiple files as separate items, see Create multiple items.

Guidelines and limitations:

  • To create items, you need the Create Item privilege.

  • This operation is not available for items in streams.

  • Your process model may require you to relate a new item to a request.

  • You can add an existing folder as a directory item. Folder contents, including subfolders and files, are compressed and stored in Dimensions CM as a single item.

    Note: Dimensions CM doesn't maintain metadata for directory items. Operations that rely on metadata, such as deliver, update, and synchronize, may not work as expected for directory items.

  • When you first create an item, it is displayed in your inbox but not in the inboxes of other users.

  • You cannot use the following characters in the item ID: . ; - " @ ` :

  • If you specify a lifecycle state that has been set to 'sensitive' in your process model, the sensitive state is ignored and the item is created at the initial state of the lifecycle.

    Example: Assume that you have three states, A, B, and C, and B is set to sensitive. If you try to create a new item at status B, it is created instead at the initial state, A.

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Create an item

You create an item by adding a file or folder to Dimensions CM. Or you can create a virtual item with no content.

To create an item:

  1. In the My Current Project view or Items view, in the navigation pane, select the project folder to add an item to.

  2. Click the Add Item button.

  3. For Location to add from, select one of the options:

    Item file Select this option to create an item from a specific file.
    Directory label

    Select this option to create an item from a folder and its files and subfolders.

    The folder and all its contents are stored in Dimensions CM as a single item.
    Virtual item Select this option to create an item with no content. Virtual items are primarily used for controlling hardware configuration items rather than software.

  4. If you are creating an item from a file or folder, in the location field, enter the path to the file or folder you want to add, or click the browse button to find it.

  5. For After Item Added, select the action to subsequently take for the files in the work area, Leave workfile as read-only or Delete workfile.

  6. For Owning Design Part, enter the name of the design part, or click the browse button to find it.

  7. If required, for Related Requests, enter the name of the related request, or browse to find the request.

  8. To select an item type other than the default, which is based on the file extension, click Advanced Options, and select an item type.

  9. If you are creating a virtual item with no content, enter a Project Filename. If you don't see this field, click Advanced Options.

  10. To set attributes, select the Attributes tab, and enter or select values.

    Required attributes are marked with a red exclamation point.

  11. Click OK.

The new item is added to your inbox. It is not displayed in other users' inboxes until you action it to them.

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See also: