Here you can find questions and answers regarding IMDS content and usage in several categories. To see the content of each category and to read the answer to a question, please click on the category/question to expand the content.
You find OEM-specific IMDS documentation for suppliers in the Help category "OEM Specific Information" (no longer under FAQ).
Here you can download a document which attempts to give a little insight into how IMDS works in an effort to improve your IMDS experience: What you should know about IMDS
Are there any hints to how to find things in IMDS?
While one can always take a screen capture of the tree structure, the information is rather limited. Many companies are requiring proof of acceptance of IMDS data. Both functions can be achieved by using the Create MDS Report in IMDS.
From any search results screen that contains the MDS (Search, Sent, Received), highlight the desired MDS.
Right click to see the context menu options or use one of the Menu buttons to open the context menu and chose Create MDS Report.
If given an option, select the Point of View.
Click on OK
Click Open or Save for the File Download.
Print or save file to hard drive.
Is there any explanation on deleting Material Data Sheets?
Since IMDS is a database with linkages between different IMDS companies, delete really doesn't delete an MDS or basic substance from the system - deleting just makes it unavailable for attaching to future MDSs. Anywhere an existing linkage exists still remains.
The deleted MDS/substance will still appear on any component, semi-component, or material it's attached to. If that component, semi-component, or material has been made productive prior to deletion, it can be attached to any future component, semi-component, or material from now until IMDS expires.
However, if someone wants to make a copy or new version of a component, semi-component, or material that has a deleted MDS/substance attached at the first level (child attached directly to the top of the tree), they will get an error message and they will have to remove the deleted MDS/substance from the tree and add something else.
As far as the send/receive lists, in order to maintain consistency with off-line sysetms, you cannot delete an MDS that has been sent and approved or an MDS in status "prec". If you delete a rejected or not yet accepted MDS, delete will not remove an MDS from either of these lists. All deleting will do is to change the status to cbs (cancelled by sender). The user can use the filter and not display those with status cbs, but they will not disappear from the lists. You cannot delete an MDS your company did not create.
When you click on delete, the system asks more than once if you are really sure you want to delete. This is done because, although nothing ever really disappears, the IMDS Service Center cannot undelete.
How can I use the IMDS advanced editing functions?
Firstly, IMDS is never going to work as quickly as an application installed on your PC. You are being connected to a server many thousands of miles away and, chances are, the signal is having to traverse at least one ocean and continent. With every click, you are sending data over the same internet that everyone else uses, going into the database, gathering information that you want along with how it is to be displayed on your computer, data travels back to you and is decoded as to how it is to be displayed, and is displayed on your screen. Internet traffic as well as the bandwidth into your own building have an impact on performance.
IMDS contains a tool called Network Test that can be reached from the IMDS Help window within the application. The IMDS Help window can be accessed by clicking on the ? in the tool bar. The Network Test measures different areas of the IMDS architecture that gives hints to determine the performance bottleneck. In case of ongoing bad performance you may contact the IMDS Service Center asking for further investigations coming from your internet connection over the public internet. We have found for companies in the Asia Pacific region, a chage of Internet Service Providers (ISP) will sometimes greatly improve performance.
For further questions please get in contact with one of the IMDS Service Centers.
How can I get IMDS to notify me that I need to login and take
action?
Is there guidance on how to establish an effective IMDS- &
Chemical Management process? *** NEW ***
Here you can download a document containing Steering Committee recommendations to establish or optimize IMDS and Chemical Management processes and procedures within a company supplying the on-road vehicles industry. This document is the basis for the evaluation conducted using the Global Product Chemical Compliance Process Management Questionnaire. (Superseding the document IMDS Efficiency and Effectiveness Vers. 1.2 from Oct. 2007)
What are Organization Units and How Can I use them?
Is there any other way to enter data apart from the browser?
The Car Manufacturers pay for the development and hosting of the browser interface to IMDS and it is free to users.
Several vendors have offline systems that interface with your in-house systems and develop code in XML that can be uploaded into IMDS. While the various vendors have their own pricing model for their systems, the ability to upload into IMDS requires an IMDS Advanced Interface license. Please see IMDS-AI for further information and pricing.
Additionally, HPE has also developed a Java program that resides on your PC. This has a Windows-Like feel with drag-and-drop and multi-windows capability along with other functionality. Please see IMDS-a2 for further information and pricing.
What is the process for a company reorganization in IMDS and
how much does it cost?
All information regarding the reorganization of your IMDS company data can be found on our service pages under menu item IMDS Reorganization.
Is there any guidance on handling IMDS data with Company Mergers or Sell Offs?
