Multi-selection combo box in Embedded Configurator

Kinetic ERP
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Good morning everyone!

I’m working with our engineering team on building out embedded configurators in Application Studio ahead of our implementation in the next couple of months, and I’ve run into an interesting dilemma that I’m uncertain of how to solve. We’re using Kinetic on the cloud as an added note.

Most of our products are MTO and highly customizable. As a result, BOMs and options are changing pretty constantly. Most of the data and logic has been set up using combo boxes with Configurator Lookup Tables tied to them to populate the selections and make it easier to manage if something needs changed. A lot of our products offer “Addons” that are extras the customer can choose if they see fit, as shown in the screenshot below:

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This is where I run into the issue:

Is there a way to make multiple selections in a combo box input, rather than just a single one?

The closest thing I’ve been able to find that allows multiple selections is the “List” input option in the Toolbox. As far as I can tell though, these don’t have the capability to have a lookup table tied to them, just static items that can be listed from within the input itself. Below is a screenshot of the “List” input’s description in the Toolbox:

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My biggest concern with using the “List” input, is that the Configurator Rules will not see the selection choices the same way that the combo boxes populated with lookup tables do, which will lead to parts not being pulled onto the BOM after the item has been configured by the sales team.

I still need to do more testing, but I’m wondering if it’s possible to have a multi-selection combo box, which will save us a fair amount of work if so.

Appreciate any and all input on this, and hope everyone has a great day!

2 Likes
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The configurator combo Box is built with a single selection value concept. So I think as you mention it would require some manipulation at rule time to deal with multiple selections if they were possible.

What I have done in the past is to create a read only text box that works together with the combo box. You pick something from the combo box and then you add the information into the text box. Then they can pick something else from the combo box and it will get added. Each item is on a new line. At rule time you can loop through the items from the text box splitting on newline character.

Depending on the requirement I may remove the item they just picked from the combo box list so they don’t pick it again. Another approach is if they pick it again I remove it from the text box.