Generic items in Enterprise Planning

A generic item represents an item structure that is configured according to a customer's preferences. This configuration takes place in the PCM Configurator or the Product Configuration (PCF) module.

When an actual sales order is entered for a generic item, LN generates a project structure, and the demand is recorded for the corresponding project item. This means that for the generic item itself, no actual demand exists. Only the following types of demand can exist for a generic item:

Master-based planning

Master-based planning for a generic item is similar to master-based planning for a normal item. You can maintain an item master plan for a generic item, and use the bill of critical materials and bill of critical capacities to explode critical requirements.

As long as the configured (project) items involved are derived from the generic item (see the Derived-from Item field in the Items - General (tcibd0501m000) session), you can:

  • Maintain one item master plan that includes both the generic item and its configured items
  • Apply forecast consumption to the forecast of the generic item
Order-based planning

Order-based planning for a generic item differs from normal order-based planning in that it uses:

  • A generic BOM instead of a normal BOM.
  • A generic routing instead of a normal routing.
Generic BOM

The following fields in the Generic BOMs (tipcf3110m000) session are relevant for planning in Enterprise Planning:

The planning percentage roughly indicates how often this particular material is actually used for a configured item. The requirement date of a material in a generic BOM is determined as follows:

  • Start from the planned finish date of the planned order involved.
  • Plan backward the lead-time offset from the generic BOM.
Note

All the item data of items customized with the PCM Configurator is maintained outside of LN. To plan with PCM configured items you must generate a generic BOM using the Planning - Generic BOM (cprpd3140m000) session strictly for planning use.

Generic routing

The operations in a generic routing are not planned with regular backward planning, but each operation involved is planned with its own lead-time offset.

The following fields in the Generic Routing (tipcf3120m000) session are relevant for planning in Enterprise Planning:

The planned production time is used to plan the operation involved. The planning percentage roughly indicates how often this particular operation is actually used for a configured item. The start date and finish date of an operation in a generic routing are determined as follows:

  • Start from the planned finish date of the planned order involved.
  • Plan backward the following offset to determine the operation's finish date.
Note

All the item data of items customized with the PCM Configurator is maintained outside of LN. To plan with PCM configured items you must generate a generic routing using the Planning - Generic Routing (cprpd3150m000) session strictly for planning use.

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