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EPLAN Page Structure Guide

A comprehensive reference guide to the standard page structure of an EPLAN Electric P8 project, including page structure types, purposes, examples, and applicable standards.

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EPLAN Page Structure Guide
EPLAN Page Structure Guide
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EPLAN Page Structure Guide

EPLAN P8 Page Structure Guide

Overview

The Page Structure dialog in EPLAN P8 defines the naming and identification scheme for electrical schematic pages. It creates a hierarchical template that dictates how pages are organized, labeled, and referenced throughout your electrical project documentation.

Page Structure Components

1. Functional Assignment (==)

Purpose: Groups related electrical circuits or functions together at a high level

Status: Not available (disabled)

Example:

  • POWER DISTRIBUTION
  • MOTOR CONTROL
  • SAFETY SYSTEMS

Use Case: When you want to organize pages by major system categories

2. Function Designation (=)

Purpose: Names individual circuit functions or subsystems

Status: Identifying (active)

Example:

  • PUMP_01 (pump circuit)
  • HEATER_CTRL (heater control)
  • EMERGENCY_STOP (E-stop circuit)

Use Case: Each unique function gets its own designation for clear identification

3. Installation Site (++)

Purpose: Specifies the physical location where equipment is installed

Status: Not available (disabled)

Example:

  • WAREHOUSE_A
  • PRODUCTION_LINE_2
  • EXTERNAL_SUBSTATION

Use Case: When the same circuit design is replicated across multiple physical locations

4. Location Designation (+)

Purpose: Identifies the specific cabinet, panel, or enclosure where electrical components reside

Status: Identifying (active)

Example:

  • MCC_01 (Motor Control Center 1)
  • PANEL_A (Control Panel A)
  • BREAKER_BOX_MAIN (Main breaker box)

Use Case: Essential for linking documentation to physical equipment locations

5. Document Type (&)

Purpose: Categorizes the type of electrical page/document

Status: Identifying (active)

Example:

  • SCH (Schematic)
  • WIRING (Wiring diagram)
  • LAYOUT (Component layout)
  • DETAIL (Detail sheet)

Use Case: Distinguishes between different documentation types for the same system

6. User-Defined Structure (#)

Purpose: Custom fields for project-specific organizational needs

Status: Not available (disabled)

Example:

  • REV_A (Revision)
  • VENDOR_SIEMENS (Vendor identification)
  • COST_CENTER_123 (Accounting reference)

Use Case: Flexible custom metadata when standard fields don’t fit

7. Higher-Level Function Number

Purpose: References parent functions in a hierarchical structure

Status: Not available (disabled)

Example:

  • Links PUMP_01_MOTOR_CTRL back to parent PUMP_01

Use Case: Creating multi-level functional hierarchies

Status Meanings

StatusDefinitionImpact
IdentifyingField is active and used to uniquely identify pagesPage names must include this field
Not availableField is disabled in the current schemeField won’t be used for page identification

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Industrial Control System

Current Scheme: Function designation, Location designation, Document type

Page Names Generated:

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PUMP_01 + MCC_01 & SCH
PUMP_01 + MCC_01 & WIRING
MOTOR_CTRL + PANEL_A & SCH
MOTOR_CTRL + PANEL_A & DETAIL
HEATER_CTRL + PANEL_B & SCH

Breakdown:

  • PUMP_01 = function (identifying)
  • MCC_01 = location/cabinet (identifying)
  • SCH = schematic document type (identifying)
  • + and & = connectors showing structure

Example 2: Manufacturing Plant with Multiple Sites

Enhanced Scheme (if enabled):

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WAREHOUSE_A ++ PUMP_01 + MCC_01 & SCH
WAREHOUSE_B ++ PUMP_01 + MCC_01 & SCH
WAREHOUSE_A ++ HEATER + PANEL_A & WIRING

Breakdown:

  • WAREHOUSE_A = installation site (physical location)
  • PUMP_01 = function
  • MCC_01 = cabinet
  • SCH = document type

Example 3: Safety System Documentation

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EMERGENCY_STOP + SAFETY_RELAY & SCH
EMERGENCY_STOP + SAFETY_RELAY & DETAIL
EMERGENCY_STOP + CONTROL_PANEL & WIRING

Benefit: All E-stop pages are grouped together and easily searchable by function

JSON Format Export

When exporting or automating EPLAN projects, the page structure can be represented as JSON:

Basic Structure

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{
  "pageStructure": {
    "scheme": "Function designation, location designation and document type",
    "description": "Function designation, location designation and document type identifying",
    "identifyingFields": [
      {
        "name": "Function designation",
        "symbol": "=",
        "status": "Identifying"
      },
      {
        "name": "Location designation",
        "symbol": "+",
        "status": "Identifying"
      },
      {
        "name": "Document type",
        "symbol": "&",
        "status": "Identifying"
      }
    ],
    "nonIdentifyingFields": [
      {
        "name": "Functional assignment",
        "symbol": "==",
        "status": "Not available"
      },
      {
        "name": "Installation site",
        "symbol": "++",
        "status": "Not available"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Page Instance Example

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{
  "pages": [
    {
      "pageId": "PUMP_01+MCC_01&SCH",
      "functionDesignation": "PUMP_01",
      "locationDesignation": "MCC_01",
      "documentType": "SCH",
      "description": "Pump 01 schematic in Motor Control Center 01"
    },
    {
      "pageId": "MOTOR_CTRL+PANEL_A&WIRING",
      "functionDesignation": "MOTOR_CTRL",
      "locationDesignation": "PANEL_A",
      "documentType": "WIRING",
      "description": "Motor control wiring diagram in Panel A"
    }
  ]
}

When to Modify Page Structure

Modify When:

  • ✅ Adding new physical locations to your facility
  • ✅ Implementing new equipment categories
  • ✅ Need to track additional metadata (revisions, vendors, cost centers)
  • ✅ Expanding from single-site to multi-site operations
  • ✅ Standardizing naming across multiple EPLAN projects

Don’t Modify When:

  • ❌ Project is already in production documentation phase
  • ❌ Changing structure would break existing page references
  • ❌ Team hasn’t agreed on new standards

Best Practices

1. Naming Conventions

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FUNCTION:     Use descriptive, uppercase names
              ✓ PUMP_01, MOTOR_CTRL, HEATER_BLOCK_1
              ✗ P, M, HB (too vague)

LOCATION:     Use cabinet/panel identifiers
              ✓ MCC_01, PANEL_CTRL, BREAKER_MAIN
              ✗ ROOM_A, FLOOR_2 (too vague)

DOCUMENT:     Use standardized abbreviations
              ✓ SCH, WIRING, LAYOUT, DETAIL
              ✗ DIAG, DRAWING, DOC (inconsistent)

2. Consistency

  • Establish and document your naming standard before starting
  • Use the same delimiters throughout (+, =, &)
  • Avoid special characters that complicate searching

3. Scalability

  • Design structure to accommodate future expansion
  • Consider multi-site/multi-panel scenarios early
  • Leave room for additional functions

4. Documentation

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Example Project Structure:
├── Function Designations (PUMP_xx, MOTOR_xx, CTRL_xx)
├── Locations (MCC_01-03, PANEL_A-C, BREAKER_MAIN)
└── Document Types (SCH, WIRING, LAYOUT, DETAIL)

Troubleshooting

Issue: Can’t find pages by location

Solution: Ensure Location designation is marked as “Identifying”

Issue: Pages with same function appear scattered

Solution: Add Installation site to identifying fields if managing multiple locations

Issue: Naming becomes inconsistent

Solution: Create and enforce a naming standard document in your team

Issue: Schema is too complex

Solution: Simplify to only truly identifying fields; use comments for metadata

Integration with Automation

Python Example: Parse EPLAN Page Structure

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import json

# Load page structure from JSON export
with open('page_structure.json', 'r') as f:
    structure = json.load(f)

# Extract identifying fields
identifying = [field for field in structure['pageStructure']['identifyingFields']]

# Generate page ID from components
def generate_page_id(function, location, doctype):
    return f"{function}+{location}&{doctype}"

# Example
page_id = generate_page_id("PUMP_01", "MCC_01", "SCH")
print(page_id)  # Output: PUMP_01+MCC_01&SCH

Excel Template for Page Planning

| Function | Location | Document Type | Page ID | |———-|———-|—————-|———| | PUMP_01 | MCC_01 | SCH | PUMP_01+MCC_01&SCH | | PUMP_01 | MCC_01 | WIRING | PUMP_01+MCC_01&WIRING | | MOTOR_CTRL | PANEL_A | SCH | MOTOR_CTRL+PANEL_A&SCH |

Summary

The Page Structure in EPLAN P8 is a powerful organization tool that:

  • Identifies pages uniquely using consistent naming schemes
  • Organizes electrical documentation hierarchically
  • Scales across single and multi-site projects
  • Integrates with automation and data management workflows

Use identifying fields strategically to balance organization with simplicity, and document your choices for team consistency.

References

  • EPLAN P8 Documentation: Page Structure Configuration
  • IEEE 1346: Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems
  • IEC 61346-1: Industrial systems, machines and devices - Structuring principles and reference designations
EPLAN, Page Structure, Reference
Eplan page structure reference
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