The Open MTO Interface (OMI) is the standard interface for easy and transparent access to all the data in the Bill of Materials (BOM) module.
OMI allows you to import and export complete project BOM structures or any selected subsets of that structure. Because it can work with plain ASCII files in their own native format as well as with PDS standard type-G BOM reports, it allows for a convenient interchange of structured BOM data with external systems as well as with other Smart Materials systems.
Additionally, an open PL/SQL API is provided. This API makes it much easier for Smart Materials users to develop and implement a customized solution to retrieve and preprocess BOM data from their existing data sources in cases where creation and loading of ASCII files may not be desirable. This API is seamlessly integrated with the standard OMI processing and enables users to import data from such external data sources in one single step.
This chapter provides an overview of BOM terminology and key concepts. Understanding these concepts is necessary for an understanding of how the OMI interface works and using its features to their fullest extent.