Subcontracting with material flow for Depot Repair

When a subassembly is subcontracted, an outgoing subassembly is created with Action Outgoing Subassembly set to To Subcontractor in the Work Order Outgoing Subassemblies (tswcs4150m000) session. When this subassembly is processed, a subcontracted activity is created.

When you plan and release the subcontracted activity, an Other Resource line is created for the cost item, and based on that a purchase requisition or a purchase order is created, with the outgoing subassembly on a material supply line and on the purchase order line. The material supply lines are also created for the material linked to the subcontracted activity in the Purchase Order Material Supply Lines (tdpur4116m000) session.

Note: The 'planned' subcontracting (the subcontracting activity is created when creating the work order) only supports the material flow, and not the end-item / subassembly flow.

The following are the possible scenarios:

Scenario 1: Sending an item to the subcontractor and receiving the same item back

The maintenance sales order can be created manually or generated from a call, for the item (serialized). When the item is specified on the part maintenance line, the related work order is generated. For more information refer to Subcontracting flows.

For this work order activity, a purchase order is generated, only if the Subcontracted check box is selected. The item to be repaired is specified by creating an outgoing subassembly.

A warehouse transfer order is generated from this material supply line to transfer the item to be repaired to the subcontractor. After repairing the item, subcontractor returns the item to the warehouse, so it is received on the purchase order line. Subsequently, the item is issued to the work center by means of an incoming subassembly. The work order can be closed after all the activities are completed and the related MSO is updated. The repaired item is sent back to the customer and an invoice can be sent to the customer. The purchase invoice is costed on the MSO and the purchase invoice sent by the customer is managed in ACP.

Note: In this scenario, the item to be repaired is owned by the customer.

Scenario 2: Sending an item and part to the subcontractor and receiving the same repaired item back

The process of subcontracting the item is the same as that described in scenario 1, an additional component is sent to the subcontractor, along with the item, to be repaired. This component is specified on the material supply lines.

Note: The additional component can be company-owned or customer-owned.

A warehouse transfer order is generated from this material supply line to transfer the item, and the additional component, to the subcontractor. After repairing the item, subcontractor returns the item to the warehouse. Subsequently, the item is issued to the work center. The work order can be closed after all the activities are completed and the related MSO is updated. The repaired item is sent back to the customer and an invoice can be sent to the customer. The purchase invoice is costed on the MSO and the purchase invoice sent by the customer is managed in ACP.

Note:

When the item is received back from the subcontractor in the warehouse, backflushing (decreasing the stock in the administrative warehouse) is required.
In this scenario, the item to be repaired is owned by the customer.

Scenario 3: Sending an item and material to the subcontractor and receiving the same repaired item and a broken part, back

The process of subcontracting the item is the same as that described in scenario 2, except that, after repairing the item, the subcontractor returns the item along with the broken part, to the warehouse.

Scenario 4: Sending item A serial 123 and receive item A or item B with a different / other serial number

In this scenario, the item scheduled for repair, is sent to the subcontractor along with the additional component. A warehouse transfer order is generated from the material supply line to transfer the item and the additional component; to the subcontractor. After repairing the item, subcontractor returns the item to the warehouse.

In this scenario, as the item returned from the subcontractor has a different serial number, the related orders such as the work order and the maintenance sales order, must be updated with the new serial number.

Note: In case a service contract is specified for the old serial number and is not specified for the new serial number, the receipt of the item is not possible. Hence, it is recommended that you define a contract at a higher level such as, the item.

To support these scenarios, the following processes are possible:

An end-item/subassembly flow (to and from the subcontractor)
A parts (material) flow to the subcontractor
A broken parts flow from the subcontractor