A comprehensive set of Excel tools for designing state-based control at Plant Area level — capturing all process and instrumentation requirements across eight structured sections and automatically generating individual FRS files for every Unit Module (BPCS and SIS).
P5 is the requirements gateway for the entire P6/P7 pipeline. Everything captured here — process descriptions, control objectives, LOA decisions, tag allocations, and operating trends — flows automatically into the FRS Engine, eliminating manual transcription between phases.
The User Requirement Specification is the owner's requirements document. It defines the purpose, justification, and measurable performance criteria for the procedural automation — from the owner's perspective, not the engineer's implementation perspective.
It is technology-agnostic and system-independent. A well-written URS can be handed to any DCS vendor and serve as the basis for their implementation. The CDL P5 tool ensures your URS meets ISA‑106 and IEC 63690 structural requirements — covering all eight mandatory sections in the correct sequence.
"What to do" — defines the purpose, measurable performance criteria, and scope of the procedural automation. Technology-agnostic. Owner-authored. Built with P5.
P5 URS Builder — Current"What the system must do" — describes control system functionality to satisfy the URS. Includes I/O, Steps, Transitions, and CM/CCM allocations. Built with P6.
P6 FRS Engine — Next"How to build it" — complete CM and CCM definitions with all I/O and parameters. The DDS is the input to P7 ACM for automatic DCS code generation.
P7 ACM — Code GenerationThe P5 URS Builder covers all eight mandatory sections defined by ISA‑106 and IEC 63690 — divided into two groups: Group A for process definition at Plant Area level, and Group B for instrumentation and Unit Module scoping.
The most powerful feature of P5 is its automatic FRS generation capability. Once the URS is complete — all eight sections filled, all tags allocated, all UM types defined — a single operation generates a populated FRS file for every Unit Module in the scope.
Each generated FRS file is pre-populated with the relevant data from the URS: the UM's tags (B2), its operational limits (B3), its LOA classification (A3), and its Startup/Run/Shutdown step framework (A5). The P6 FRS Engine picks up directly from this generated file — no manual data transfer between tools.
For facilities with multiple UMs of the same type, the Master UM pattern allows a single detailed FRS to be created once and then automatically replicated — with I/O substituted for each reused instance.
P5 includes access to the CDL Generic Control Module (CM) and Complex Control Module (CCM) Libraries — pre-built templates covering the most common control building blocks in process automation.
During the B2 PA‑UM Definition step, the engineering team reviews these generic libraries and develops a project-specific User CM and User CCM Library — selecting and customising the modules appropriate for each Unit Module in the Plant Area.
This library-based approach is fundamental to the ISA‑106 methodology — it ensures control modules are designed once, reused consistently, and mapped to the target DCS with confidence in P7 ACM.
PID loops, on/off valves, pumps, motors — the atomic control elements that CM/CCM modules are built from.
Pre-built combinations of multiple CMs — heat exchangers, compressors, column control schemes.
The CDL Generic CM Library contains ISA‑106 aligned templates for the most frequently used control module types.
The project team develops User CCM modules by extending generic templates — tailored to the specific equipment in the Plant Area.
The UM is defined once and used once in the Plant Area. A full FRS is developed for this specific unit — no replication occurs. Appropriate for equipment with unique process characteristics.
The UM is defined once as a master template and reused multiple times across the Plant Area. The Master UM contains the full step logic — reused instances inherit this logic with only I/O substituted.
A reused UM references the Master UM definition. The CDL tool automatically substitutes the correct I/O tags for this specific instance — generating a complete FRS without repeating the step design work.
Two overview documents are available before purchase — a full URS overview and a deep-dive into the CDL CM and CCM Libraries. Use your browser back arrow to return after reading.
A comprehensive walkthrough of the full P5 URS Builder package is available by Zoom. Contact us at info@CtrlDesigner.com with your company email to request a session.
Available via our online store or by invoice. Service engagements are also available — ideal for teams using P5 for the first time or working through a complex Plant Area URS with multiple Unit Modules.