Transmutation

CLEM.Transmutation

Transmutation details for a Resource type

Transmutation is the conversion of one resource into another resource. This approach is used to automatically fill a deficit in demand. The most common transmutation is converting finances (money) into a limiting resource such as purchasing a supplement when needed. Transmutation need not be restricted to the classic finance example, but may include multiple other resources. For example, an amount of labour and equipment (tractor) may convert pasture in the common land into pasture in the animal food store to feed cattle.

Transmutation is only used to manage resources that are in deficit. To perform a similar task with included costs and labour as an activity you can use the Process resource activity or Buy resource activity.

A Transmutation component is placed directly below the Resource Type for which it will operate when the resource is in shortfall when requested by an activity. This will be referred to as the shortfall resource and denoted by A in all the following descriptions.

Transmutations also have a Transaction category property that will be reported with all resulting transactions in Resource ledger report.

Any number of Transmutation components with their associated Transmute components can be added as a list below the Resource type. This provides a list of possible transmutations that the model will attempt to apply from the top of the list. Once a successful transmutation is found it will be applied to create the resource in shortfall (A). If no successful transmutation is found the resource will not be created and the activity will decide what to do based on the settings that determine the approach when the resource is in shortfall.

For example, it may be that an amount of labour, equipment and finance are all required to create the animal feed in deficit. In this case, two Transmute components and a Transmute labour would be supplied as a list. All the Transmute resource requested must be available for the transmutation to be successfully applied (e.g. there is no partial supply possible in transmutation).

The following parameters are associated with this component

A read only display of the resource that this transmutation applies to when in shortfall (A)

As we a working with resources of different types and potentially with different units we require a conversion factor to calculate what is needed to fill the deficit in the shortfall resource. This property represents a set amount (transmutation packet) resource in shortfall that will be equated to the amount of other resources needed.

As this value defines the quantity of resource created in a single conversion you can specify large blocks down to the single unit the resource is stored as (value of 1). By default the resource can only be created in these whole units.

This value is replaced with the Price per packet of the associated Resource pricing component if using pricing transmute style (see Transmute).

By default the exact amount of the resource in shortfall will be provided, subject to availability of the resources being used for the transmutation. Use this property switch if you require that the shortfall resource (A) is only purchased in whole packets. For example, it may be that the very act of transmutation will create a unit of the resource .

This value is replaced by the Use whole packets of the Resource pricing if using pricing transmute style (see Transmute).

A category label used to identify this transaction in all ledger reports. See Resource ledger report for details.

The following components are required to set up this component

Any number Transmute components can be added that specify the transmute resource (B) used to create the shortfall resource (A). All Transmute components below a Transmutation must have the amount available for the Transmutation to be considered successful. A generic Transmute component is used for the majority of resources with specific Transmute labour and Transmute ruminants components used for transmuting Labour and Ruminant herd respectively.

The resource type specified in the transmute component must be present (and enabled) in the simulation and have enough resource available. If the resource type is missing the Transmute and parent Transmutation will fail. This approach is in accordance with the CLEM approach of resource shortfall, but may not be expected in the concept that CLEM will run with or without a resource present. The assumption with Transmutations is that if the resource is missing we do not assume unlimited supply as this will produce confusion over what the model is doing. It is easier to review warnings and disable the Transmute for missing resources than assume unlimited resource provided when missing.

When using multiple Transmute components, each with potentially different settings or linked to resource pricing with defined packet sizes, the maximum amount of resource in shortfall (A) requested any of the Transmutes components will be used. This ensures that any packet prices from the purchase (of A) or sale (of B) pricing or the Transmute amount per packet and use whole packet settings are obeyed.

See also