Characteristic 

Definition

Characteristics describe the properties of objects. These characteristics are specified in specifications using characteristic values.

Use

Characteristics can be inherited. This means that the characteristics and characteristic values in a class are passed down to all subordinate classes (subclasses) in a class hierarchy.

The advantage of characteristic inheritance is that you only need to enter a characteristic once, in a class at the top of a hierarchy.

It is then passed down to all subordinate classes in the hierarchy. This saves you from having to enter the characteristic separately for each class.

When you set up a class hierarchy, the subclasses in the hierarchy inherit the characteristics of the superior classes. On the class hierarchy screen, you see characteristics that have been inherited from superior classes, as well as the characteristics that are assigned directly to the class.

The characteristic unit and characteristic type are specified as additional information for the characteristics. Furthermore, an indicator displays whether the characteristic is required or not. This data is for information purposes only. The application does not check the user's input for conformance. You can assign the string '100 - 200' to a characteristic of the type number, for example. A data sheet can be saved, even if no value has been entered for a characteristic that is marked as required.