Introduction to Material Availability

Material Availability Check

Three types of checks can be performed to identify material availability during the various phases of order processing.

All three checks-are depend (partly) on the Planned Inventory Transactions (whinp1500m000) (PIT). For all different origins, expected receipts and issues are listed in this session.

  • ATP check (Long term): Available to Promise (ATP) is a check on the quantity that can be promised to a customer based on the allowed demand. The main purpose of the ATP check is to reserve a certain quantity of the inventory. This is the inventory quantity arrived at, based on the current inventory, planned inventory transactions (actual orders with status planned) and the planned inventory movements (planned but not yet created orders).
  • Planned Available inventory (Medium Term) : Current On-Hand inventory minus PIT issues plus PIT receipts.
  • On Hand Inventory check (Short Term) : Current On Hand inventory minus PIT issues.
Material Availability

When planning orders (Field service or Depot Repair) in Service, the planner checks for the availability of the material for the job. All the material must be available before the order can be released and executed. The type of material availability check depends on the time available for executing the order.

The On Hand Inventory check is the most definitive of the three checks, calculating what is now available in the Warehouse minus the planned issues for the orders. The Planned Available check is a less definitive as this check also consider the planned receipts and their is no certainty that such a receipt is actually delivered. ATP check is the least definitive as this check also consider planned movements along with planned issue and planned receipt.

Usually, ATP check is performed in the planning phase (optional). An On Hand check is conventionally performed when releasing the order. For example: Orders scheduled for release in the coming two days. The Planned Inventory check is performed in this interim period. However, it is also possible to perform the Planned Available and On Hand inventory check when planning the orders.

If there is a shortage for the Material Availability:

  • Set the Scope of Inventory Check from Current Warehouse Only to All Warehouses in Planning Cluster in the Check Material Availability (tstdm2220m000) session: You must check the warehouse assigned to you as well as all the warehouse in the same cluster. If available, generate a transfer order for the warehouse assigned to you. Else, change the warehouse specified for the order material line.
  • Create extra supply: Call your supplier, generate a rush order or increase the production.
  • Execute your order at a later date: Use the Update options in the Check Material Availability (tstdm2220m000) session. Delaying your order can be automated. But resetting your order to the original date must be performed manually. When setting the Update options without the Check options, Infor LN considers the available date (ATP date or Planned Available date) of the previous check to make the updates. Hence, it is possible to first perform the check on a wide range of orders, investigate the results and update only specific orders based on the investigation.
Note

Delaying an order with a big demand, can have an impact on the Material Availability of another order.

Inventory levels are constantly changing (due to demand and supply), so the material availability for service, work and maintenance sales orders can be checked at any moment, using the Check Material Availability (tstdm2220m000) session. For an individual order or a range of orders, the ATP, Planned Available and On Hand inventory can be checked, independent of each other. The result of these inventory checks can be viewed in the Service Material Availability (tstdm2520m000) session. This session also displays summary of order data and order activity data which helps identify shortage at the order or activity level.

Summarizing availability from material level to order or activity level:

  • For dates (Check On Dates and Available Dates): If a material line is available, the latest date of the material lines belonging to the order or activity is considered.
  • For Availability: If a material line is not available, the whole order or activity is also not available.

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