Units in Sales

Introduction

On the sales order line, you can use effectivity units. Usually, you enter a predefined unit, in which case a specific occurrence of a product is entered.

You can also generate a unit at sales order entry. In that case, unit effectivity is used as a configurator and is used for pegging.

Standard usage of unit effectivity

To use unit effectivity in Sales in a standard way, you must clear the Generate Effectivity Unit during Demand Entry check box in the Unit Effectivity Parameters (tcuef0100s000) session.

In the Sales Order Lines (tdsls4101m000) session, you can now enter an effectivity unit of an item that has been sold. If desired, you can zoom from the Effectivity Unit field to a predefined unit.

Unit effectivity as configurator

The functionality in Unit Effectivity can be used as a configurator. In this scenario, an existing or new unit is configured. To change the requirements of the unit, you can click Requirements in the Sales Order Lines (tdsls4101m000) session.

If you do not select an existing unit on the sales order line, a new unit is generated when you click Requirements. LN displays a message that asks you whether you are sure that an effectivity unit must be generated. If you click Yes, the new unit number is generated, and the Effectivity Unit (tcuef0102m000) session starts to configure the effectivity unit. You can also start this session later by clicking Requirements on the sales order line.

LN can also automatically generate a new unit for a unit effective end item directly after you enter a unit effective item on a sales order line. In that case, the Generate Effectivity Unit during Demand Entry check box must be selected in the Unit Effectivity Parameters (tcuef0100s000) session. The description of a generated effectivity unit consists of the sales order code and the sales order line number.

If you defined default requirements in the Item - Requirements (tcuef0108m000) session for the end item, sold-to business partner, ship-to country, and/or ship-from warehouse, these requirements are retrieved.

You can view the unit that is entered or generated on the sales order line in the Effectivity Units (tcuef0502m000) session.

The series that is used for the effectivity unit number is retrieved from the Unit Effectivity Parameters (tcuef0100s000) session.

You can run the following processes from the Effectivity Unit (tcuef0102m000) session:

  • Link requirements
  • Calculate standard costs by unit
  • Define sales characteristics
  • Define process variables

These processes are described in the following sections.

Link requirements

To configure in Unit Effectivity, you must assign a unit to requirements. To do so, add requirements in the Effectivity Unit (tcuef0102m000) session, the session that you can start from the sales order line.

To assign additional requirements to an effectivity unit, click New on the tab. You can also remove requirements. To re-import the predefined, default set of requirements, on the appropriate menu of the Requirement - Effectivity Units tab, click (Re-)Import Requirements.

You can define a default set of requirements in the Item - Requirements (tcuef0108m000) session.

Exclusive indicators

During the configuration process, you can use exclusive indicators. To use exclusive indicators, select the Exclusive Indicator check box for the appropriate requirements in the Requirements (tcuef0106m000) session.

Exclusive indicators prevent requirements that conflict with other requirements to be selected at the same time. You cannot select multiple requirements for one unit that has the same exclusive indicator. In the example, you must prevent that a long belt and a thick belt are selected at the same time. For that reason, you must define the same exclusive indicator (BELT) for both requirements in the Requirements (tcuef0106m000) session. If you try to select requirement TB (thick belt) while requirement LB (long belt) is already selected, LN displays a message.

Calculate standard costs by unit

To calculate a unit’s estimated costs, select the Prices tab in the header of the Effectivity Unit (tcuef0102m000) session, and click Calculate Estimated Cost. LN displays the costs in the session, and stores the costs for the effectivity unit. The sales price is also displayed, which makes the session important for margin control.

Process variables

A process variable is a setting or an input value related to a machine, tool, or to process quality that is relevant to carry out an operation or operation step. Examples of process variables are cutting depth, cutting speed, and so on. For a process variable, you can define a target value, an upper control limit, and a lower control limit. This type of information can vary by unit.

In the lower part of the Effectivity Unit (tcuef0102m000) session, on the Effectivity Unit - Process Variables tab, you can define process variables for an effectivity unit. Click New to start the Effectivity Unit - Process Variables (tirou1114m000) session where you can enter process variables for the effectivity unit.

If you define default process variables at item level in the Default Process Variables by Item (tirou1115m000) session, you can import the process variables for a specific effectivity unit by clicking Import Process Variables on the appropriate menu of the Effectivity Unit - Process Variables (tirou1114m000) session.

You can also define process variables for a specific operation or operation step in Infor LN Manufacturing. This information is part of the production order. If, in the Effectivity Unit - Process Variables (tirou1114m000) session, you define a value for a process variable that differs from the value that is defined on the operation for the same process variable, in the production orders, LN uses the values defined in the Effectivity Unit - Process Variables (tirou1114m000) session, which overrule the process variables defined for operations.

Sales characteristics

In the header of the Effectivity Unit (tcuef0102m000) session, you can view and maintain the following sales characteristics for an effectivity unit on the Sales Characteristics tab:

  • Sold-to business partner
  • Ship-to country
  • Ship-from warehouse

When you generate a new, unique unit number on a sales order line, LN automatically displays the sales characteristics on the Sales Characteristics tab. The sales characteristics originate from the sales order line. Because of the link between the sales characteristics and the effectivity unit, you can view the sales characteristics everywhere in LN through the effectivity unit.

If you select a predefined effectivity unit on the sales order line, and you start the Requirement - Effectivity Units (tcuef0107m000) session from the sales order line, you can select sales characteristics on the Sales Characteristics tab. If you click (Re-)Import Requirements, sales characteristics are retrieved from the sales order line.

On the Sales Characteristics tab, you can click Calculate Upgrade Price to calculate the total upgrade price of the effectivity unit.

Freeze the configuration

After you create the configuration, you can freeze the configuration. You can no longer add or delete requirements in the Requirement - Effectivity Units (tcuef0107m000) session. To freeze the configuration, on the Effectivity Unit tab in the Effectivity Unit (tcuef0102m000) session, you must select the Configuration Ready check box .

Unit effectivity and pegging

You can use an effectivity unit as a means for pegging a specific item to the sales order.

You can use unit effectivity for pegging if the Generate Effectivity Unit during Demand Entry check box is selected in the Unit Effectivity Parameters (tcuef0100s000) session.

When the sales order line is created, LN automatically generates a new unit. Note that every sales order must have a different unit.

With unit effectivity, you can combine the pegging scenario with the configurator functionality. If you use the pegging functionality, you can still click Requirements in the Sales Order Lines (tdsls4101m000) session.

Quotations

You can use effectivity units on quotations in the same way as on sales orders.