Glossary

Change master

A change manager in SAP is used to jointly manage the validity of processing statuses of objects that are assigned to the change master.

Change master record

General data collection for the change master.

API

Application programming interface

Background method server

The method server is a central part of the Windchill architecture. Both dialog and background methods can be called. If several method servers are configured simultaneously, dedicated servers for dialog and background processing are provided. See also foreground method server. 

Daemon

Program that runs in the background and provides certain services.

Data server

The data server provides data from a database and implements functionalities necessary for ERP integration.

Document

Corresponds to the document master at SAP

Document type

The document type in SAP divides documents according to characteristic features for the respective organizational processes. It is a central control element in SAP document management. 

Document data

Corresponds to the document info record at SAP.

Document master

This search and analysis model is used to query the master data of the assessment document. Corresponds to documents at Windchill.

Document management

Document management in SAP is used to assign documents to material master records, orders, equipment or other objects in SAP.

Document info record

Collection of factually related data that describes a document in SAP. Corresponds to the document data in Windchill. 
One or more originals (files) can be assigned to a document info record.

Document structure

The document structure is a formal directory that summarizes related documents in a possibly complex document structure. 

EPMDocument 2D

Visualization of drawings

EPMDocument 3D

Visualization of models

Foreground method server

Method server for dialog processing.

See also background method server. 

Function module

Function modules are defined within special ABAP programs, the function groups. These can be called from all ABAP programs.

Some function modules are marked as remote-enabled and can also be called from outside the SAP system, e.g. from the IFConneX interface.

Gateway

Hardware and/or software components that establish a connection between two systems.

GUI

Abbreviation for graphical user interface

IBA

IBA or IBAttribut stands for instance based attribute: Attributes in Windchill that refer to instances of objects (version-based) and can be easily added in the system. 
The counterpart are MBA (or model based attributes), which are automatically managed by the Windchill system across versions.

Class management

SAP transaction for managing class characteristics for class and class type. Classes are used in SAP, for example, to assign company-specific properties to materials.

Classification

Objects in SAP, for example material masters, are classified by assigning them to corresponding classes of the class management and evaluating the characteristics defined there.  

Knowledge Provider (KPro)

Software component in SAP for managing document data. Used, for example, to manage visualization data (e.g. technical drawings or neutral formats of models).

Material master

The material master contains information on all materials (articles, products, components, parts, ...) that a company procures, manufactures, stores or sells. 

Corresponds in SAP to the product master / WTPart at Windchill.

Material master record

Material master data record.

Bill of materials

Bill of material from which a material master is composed.

Usually, these material BOMs represent the structure of products that are produced in the company. In addition to materials, you can also enter documents as components of this BOM, for which a document info record must exist in the SAP system. 

MBA

Model-based attribute. See IBA.

Feature management

SAP transaction for assigning class characteristics to class and class type.

Method server

Object-oriented server components in Windchill.

NetWeaver

Is an SAP platform for business applications. Includes the complete SAP Basis. 

Ports

A port is an input or output used as a connection point for an application program or peripheral units. These are address components that are used in a network to assign data packets to an application.

Product

In SAP a material master. In other software components, products are also referred to as articles. As a rule, a product is saleable.

Product master

Corresponds to the material master at SAP

Product parts list

Corresponds to the bill of material at SAP.

RE daemon

ReleaseEngine daemon

ReleaseEngine

Is a modular system to process different tasks in interaction with different systems, usually in the background.

RPE daemon

Retrieve protocol for execution

Server manager

Central component of the Windchill architecture. To have a Windchill system online, the server manager is started first. This starts the method server and other components.

Single sign on

Authentication process to gain access to different services, applications or resources without having to log on to them all separately.

SOAP

Network protocol that allows data to be exchanged between systems and remote procedure calls to be made. SOAP is an industrial standard of the W3C.

Parts list

Corresponds to the product parts list at Windchill. Material, document and other bills of material are managed in SAP.

System logging

Automatic logging of the system.

TCP/IP-Ports

Part of a network address

Tomcat

Open source web server and web container

Uniform resource locator (URL)

Unique web address

Workstation Application

WTDocument

A Windchill document

WTPart

Windchill objects of this kind represent articles or materials (in different ERP systems).