How to Use the Baseline Feature

The Baseline feature in Nora IPLM allows you to create a fixed reference point for your structures including products, programs, projects, or any individual objects. This enables you to compare changes over time, track deviations, and maintain control over your designs and processes.

What is a Baseline?

A Baseline is a snapshot of your product, project, or item data at a specific point in time. Once a baseline is established, you can use it to compare future iterations, monitor progress, and ensure that changes align with your objectives.

Key Benefits:

• Track Changes Over Time: Capture the state of your project at various stages and compare future changes to ensure alignment with goals.
• Version Control: Securely manage multiple versions of items, projects, or products, ensuring that you can reference previous versions when necessary.
• Manage Configuration: Maintain consistency in your designs by referencing a known state, which helps prevent misalignment and errors as you move forward.

How to Create a Baseline:

1. Navigate to the Object : Start by opening the item or project for which you want to establish a baseline.
2. Select the Baseline Option: Select the “Create Baseline” command in the command bar or right-click menu.
   1. Structural Baseline: If you want to capture the baseline of the object’s entire structure, select the “Include Structure” option.
   2. Individual Baseline: If you want to capture the baseline of the object only, do not select the “Include Structure” option.
3. Name Your Baseline: Assign a unique baseline revision name and description to your baseline to easily identify it in the future.
4. Capture the State:
    Once you’ve confirmed everything, click ‘Save’ to create your baseline.

How to Compare Baselines:

1. Use the Structure Widget/Comparison Widget for structural comparison: Both the Structure Widget/Comparison Widget offer comprehensive baseline comparison options.
2. Use the Details Widget /Comparison Widget for single object comparisons: 
3. Select the Baselines to Compare: Choose the baseline you want to compare against another. You can compare multiple baselines if needed.
4. View Differences: The comparison widget will highlight changes between the two objects, allowing you to view added, modified, or removed components.

Updating and Managing Baselines:

• Re-baseline: If significant changes occur, you can create a new baseline to capture the updated state.
• Delete: If a baseline is no longer needed, you can delete it immediately.

Use Cases for Baseline:

• Product Development: Capture the design state at key milestones and track changes over time to ensure the product meets requirements.
• Project Management: Establish baselines for project timelines, tasks, and deliverables to monitor progress and deviations.
• Compliance and Audits: Maintain a record of baseline states to provide a clear audit trail for compliance purposes.

FAQs:

Q: Can I compare multiple baselines at once?
A: Yes, Nora IPLM allows you to compare multiple baselines to view all the differences between them.

Q: Can I delete a baseline after it’s created?
A: Yes, you can delete or archive baselines that are no longer needed.

Q: Will changes after a baseline creation be automatically tracked?
A: No, changes must be captured in a new baseline for tracking.