Using Demand and Source Vendor Site PO-CO Automation

This feature can be used only when both sites are part of an Intranet with shared tables, where the preassigned_lot_all table is shared between the sites.

Before you use PO and CO automation, set up a replication rule using the PO - CO Across Sites category between the sites for po_all, customer_all, custaddr, cust_lcr_all, item_all, lot_all, serial_all, and preassigned_lot_all tables. On the Replication Rules form, the Interval Type field must be set to Transactional.For more information, see Replication Steps and Replication Rules.

To set up and use PO and CO automation, follow these steps:

  1. On the Vendors or Multi-Site Vendors form, create or select the vendor that creates and maintains the PO for the customer orders (this is the demanding vendor).
    • On the General tab, make sure the Auto Voucher check box is selected and the Auto Voucher Method is set to Automatic.
    • In Source Site, specify the vendor that will fulfill the order (the source vendor).
      Note:  The source site vendor cannot be the same as the demanding site vendor. Also, after you specify a source site vendor, you cannot change or clear your selection.
    • In Customer (Source Site), specify the demanding site's customer.
    • To automate the process of receiving the demanding site PO upon shipment of the source site CO, select Auto Receive PO.
    • To automate the process of shipping the demanding site CO upon receipt of the demanding site PO, select Auto Ship CO.
  2. On the Customer Orders or Customer Orders Quick Entry form, create the CO for the demanding site customer.
  3. On thePurchase Orders or Purchase Orders Quick Entry form, create the PO for the source vendor site. In the Vendor field, specify the source site vendor and then click Link Source Site CO.

    The CO at the source site is created automatically. All production related fields on the CO can be used as normal, but fields maintained by the PO, such as items, price, and quantity, are display only. This keeps the PO and CO in sync at all times.

    Note: PO-CO Automation fields on the PO are set by default based on vendor settings in step 1, including Auto Receive PO and Auto Ship CO for the demanding site. If you need to perform one or both of these tasks manually for a particular PO, you can clear one or both of the check boxes here on the PO.
  4. At the source site, verify the CO. If the CO includes non-inventory items, make sure the customer's End User Type for the default Sales Non Inventory account is specified. When the CO is complete, ship the order.

    If Auto Receive PO and Auto Ship CO were both selected for the PO at the demanding site, then when the source site CO ships, the demanding site PO receiving and CO shipment transactions are created automatically. This can include a move transaction if the warehouses used differ from those specified on the PO. Items are shown as being added to and taken out of inventory. And the CO is updated to show how many items were shipped.

    A background task can be created to automate the invoicing process; however, invoices cannot be automatically posted.

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