You can define a Populator on a non-BOM node to automatically create child structure for that node using Items, Item Types, and Properties in the CZ schema's Item Master.

For example, you can create a Populator on Component X and specify the following criteria: "Create Options from Items where the Item is of Type 'Processor Speed'." Running this Populator creates a Feature for each Item that matches the specified criterion. In other words, if there are 10 Items in the CZ schema whose Item Type is Processor Speed, then the Populator creates 10 Features as children of Component X. By default, the nodes that a Populator creates have the same names, descriptions, and Properties as the data used to create them.

When you use a Populator to build Model structure from Items in the CZ schema's Item Master, any Properties and Property values that are associated with the Items are also associated with the new Model structure.

The primary benefit of using Populators is that Configurator Developer maintains a permanent link from the nodes that the Populator creates to the source data in the Item Master. Therefore, when data in the Item Master changes, such as when new options are added to an BOM Option Class in Oracle Inventory, you can update the Model simply by re-running the Populator (that is, after refreshing the BOM Model). This is called "repopulating" the Model. Additionally, if the source data no longer exists in the Item Master, repopulating the Model deletes the corresponding nodes.

You can delete a Populator, but it is important to remember that doing so also deletes any Model structure that was created by running the Populator.
The Properties section on a Model node's details page displays a table with two columns: Inherited and Imported. A check mark in the Inherited column next to a Property indicates that the Property was attached to the node by running a Populator.

Inherited Properties can be used in the same way as User Properties that you create manually (for example, when defining rules).
Note: You can repopulate one or more Models without logging into Configurator Developer by running an Oracle Applications concurrent program.

You can also create Model structure using Items and Item Types in the CZ schema's Item Master without using a Populator. Nodes created using this method are also linked to data in the Item Master, but they cannot be easily updated when data in the CZ schema's Item Master changes. Additionally, Properties and their values are not incorporated into the Model when you use Item Types to build Model structure.