advice number

The number of the individual advice line. A warehousing order line can be subdivided into one or more advice lines depending on the number of lots and/or locations that have been assigned.

archive company

A company created for the purpose of archiving historic documents and data. You can store redundant data in an archive company.

To access and retrieve data from an archive company, you must change company to the archive company.

blanket warehousing order

A warehousing order that is generated during the creation of a push schedule or a production schedule and that contains:

  • A position number and sequence number of zero.
  • An item as defined on the purchase schedule or production schedule.
  • An order quantity equal to the quantity as defined on the purchase contract line. If based on a production schedule, the order quantity of the blanket order is based on the quantity specified in the Transfer Quantity field of the Work List (tirpt4602m000) session.
  • An empty planned delivery date and planned receipt date.
  • A lot selection defined as Any.

BOM line

The line number within the bill of material.

buffer

An assembly line workstation where no operations are carried out, and where orders are waiting to enter the following work station.

You can use buffers to change the sequence of products from one line segment to another. Buffers in LN are random access type.

buyer

The employee of your company who is the contact to the concerned buy-from business partner. The buyer is also known as the purchasing agent.

buy-from business partner

The business partner from whom you order goods or services; this usually represents a supplier's sales department. The definition includes the default price and discount agreements, purchase-order defaults, delivery terms, and the related ship-from and invoice-from business partner.

supplier

cross-docking

The process by which inbound goods are immediately taken from the receipt location to the staging location for issue. For example, this process is used to fulfill an existing sales order for which no inventory is available.

LN distinguishes the following three types of cross-docking:

  • Static

    To initiate this type of cross-docking, you must generate a purchase order from a sales order in Sales.
  • Dynamic

    This type of cross-docking, available in Warehousing, can be:
    • Based on inventory shortages.
    • Defined explicitly during receipt of goods.
    • Created on an ad hoc basis.
  • Direct Material Supply

    You can use this type of cross-docking, available in Warehousing, to meet demand in a cluster of warehouses, and is based on:
    • Receipts
    • Inventory on hand
Note: You can maintain cross-dock orders that originate from Sales in the same way as cross-dock orders created in Warehousing, with the exception of the sales order/purchase order link, which you cannot change.

dock

A location in a warehouse where goods can be loaded or unloaded.

effective date

The first day on which a record or a setting is valid. The effective date often includes the effective time.

employee

A person who works at your company who has a specific function such as sales representative, production planner, buyer, or credit analyst.

financial company

A company that is used for posting financial data in Financials. You can link one or more enterprise units from multiple logistic companies to one financial company.

handling unit

A uniquely identifiable physical unit that consists of packaging and contents. A handling unit can contain items. A handling unit has a structure of packaging materials used to pack items, or is a part of such a structure.

A handling unit includes the following attributes:

  • Identification code
  • Packaging item (optional)
  • Quantity of packaging items (optional)

If you link an item to a handling unit, the item is packed by means of the handling unit. The packaging item refers to the type of container or other packing material of which the handling unit consists. For example, by defining a packaging item such as Wooden Crate for a handling unit, you specify that the handling unit is a wooden crate.

inventory unit

The unit of measure in which the inventory of an item is recorded, such as piece, kilogram, box of 12, or meter.

The inventory unit is also used as the base unit in measure conversions, especially for conversions that concern the order unit and the price unit on a purchase order or a sales order. These conversions always use the inventory unit as the base unit. An inventory unit therefore applies to all item types, also to item types that cannot be kept in stock.

item

The raw materials, subassemblies, finished products, and tools that can be purchased, stored, manufactured, and sold.

An item can also represent a set of items handled as one kit, or which exist in multiple product variants.

You can also define nonphysical items, which are not retained in inventory but can be used to post costs or to invoice services to customers. The examples of nonphysical items:

  • Cost items (for example, electricity)
  • Service items
  • Subcontracting services
  • List items (menus/options)

kanban

A demand-pull system of just-in-time production that regulates the supply of items to shop floor warehouses.

Kanban uses standard containers or lot sizes (also called bins) to deliver items to shop floor warehouses. In the shop floor warehouse, two or more bins are available with the same items. Items are only taken from one bin. Typically, if a bin is empty, a new bin is ordered and the items are taken from the (second) full bin. To each bin a label is attached. The line stations use the label to order a full bin with the required items.

Sometimes, not every bin is provided with a label. For example, a label is attached to every second bin. When both bins are empty, the user scans the label of the second empty bin to generate a supply order for both empty bins.

kanban signal

A signal used to trigger the creation of a kanban supply order. A kanban signal includes a label code and a supply quantity, and is linked to a warehouse and item combination.

load

In LN, all goods and/or shipments carried by one means of transport on a specific date and time and using a specific route.

logistic company

An LN company used for logistic transactions, such as the production and transportation of goods. All the logistic data concerning the transactions is stored in the company's database.

logon code

The identification code for the LN user. This code is used for system security.

lot

A number of items produced and stored together that are identified by a (lot) code. Lots identify goods.

number group

A group of first free number series that you can assign to a specific use.

For example, you can assign a number group to:

  • Business partner codes
  • Purchase contracts
  • Sales orders
  • Production orders
  • Service orders
  • Warehousing orders
  • Freight orders

Within a number group you can define multiple series. Each series is identified by the series code. The series numbers that LN generates consist of the series code followed by the first free number in the series. Series codes of the same number group have the same length.

offset

The cumulative lead time of the production process. The offset is calculated from the production stage, which requires the relevant critical material or critical capacity, to the final stage of the production process. The lead-time offset is a factor in determining the start date of the critical material or critical capacity requirement.

operation

One of a series of steps in a routing that are carried out successively to produce an item.

The following data is collected during a routing operation:

  • The task. For example, sawing.
  • The machine used to carry out the task (optional). For example, sawing machine.
  • The place where the task is carried out (work center). For example, woodwork.
  • The number of employees required to carry out the task.

This data is used to compute order lead times, to plan production orders and to calculate standard cost.

order horizon

The time period for which Enterprise Planning uses order-based planning to plan supply.

The order horizon is expressed as a number of working days from the date you carry out the simulation.

If the order horizon is zero, Enterprise Planning does not use order-based planning for the item involved.

To calculate the order horizon, LN uses the calendar that you specified for the enterprise unit of the default warehouse to which the plan item belongs.

If you did not specify an enterprise unit for the default warehouse of the plan item, Enterprise Planning uses the company calendar to calculate the order horizon.

Note:  LN moves the order horizon towards the end of the plan period) in which it falls, because Enterprise Planning must know whether a plan period falls within the order horizon.

order line

An order entry. It includes information about an item on an order.

order origin

The source of the information on which an order is based, such as LN sessions, or user defined sources such as phone, mail, and so on.

order series

A group of order numbers or document numbers starting with the same series code. The numbers consist of 9 characters.

Series identify orders with certain characteristics, for example, all sales orders handled by the large accounts department start with LA (LA0000001, LA0000002, LA0000003, and so on).

order set

The order set groups order lines of the same order.

The order lines are grouped if the following attributes match:

  • Ship-from partner
  • Ship-to partner
  • Ship-from address
  • Ship-to address
  • Carrier
  • Shipping date
  • Original company

order type

A group of orders that are processed according to the same procedure (series of order steps = sessions). In addition, these orders share a number of other characteristics (return order y/n, collect order y/n, subcontracting order y/n, and so on).

order-type priority

The priority fields show the priority in which the various types of outbound advice are processed.

Each advice type can only appear once in the list of priorities. Whenever you make a change in the priorities, a corresponding change appears elsewhere in the list.

Example

If priority 4 contains advice type sales and you change it to contain advice type purchase, the two advice types swap places in the priorities list.

picking

The process of withdrawing from inventory the components to make the products or the finished goods to be shipped to a customer.

picking list

A document that lists the material to be picked for manufacturing or shipping orders. This document is used by operating personnel to pick manufacturing or shipping orders.

position (number)

The warehousing order line number. If the order is generated by a package other than Warehousing, this number is the same as the original order line number.

position number

An internal number that indicates the place of the activity, state, or control activity in the business process diagram.

priority

An option that enables you to add a certain rating for suppliers. If the priority is defined, the item/supplier combinations are sorted according to descending priority.

production order

An order to produce a specified quantity of an item on a specified delivery date.

production order status

The status assigned to a production order, which indicates the process stage of a production order. For example, Created, Printed, or Released.

purchase order

An agreement that indicates which items are delivered by a buy-from business partner according to certain terms and conditions.

A purchase order contains:

  • A header with general order data, buy-from business partner data, payment terms, and delivery terms
  • One or more order lines with more detailed information about the actual items to be delivered

purchase order type

The order type determines which sessions are part of the order procedure and how and in which sequence this procedure is executed.

reason code

A user-defined description that is based on a transaction and its type. Reason codes assist in selecting data for inquiry and for reporting.

receipt

The physical acceptance of an item into a warehouse. A receipt registers: received quantity, receipt date, packing-slip data, inspection data, and so on.

receipt number

The sequence number assigned to every individual receipt of goods.

routing

The sequence of operations required to manufacture an item.

For each operation, the reference operation, machine, and work center are specified, as well as information about setup time and cycle time.

run number

A code assigned to a selection range. Run numbers are used to reuse selection ranges in these processes:

  • Generate outbound advice
  • Release outbound advice
  • Generate inbound advice
  • Put away inbound advice
  • Generate storage lists
  • Put away storage lists
  • Generate picking lists
  • Pick picking lists

For example, when a run number is assigned to a selection range that is used to generate outbound advice, this selection range can be reused if you specify the corresponding run number when releasing outbound advice.

sequence number

The number that identifies a data record or a step in a sequence of activities. Sequence numbers are used in many contexts. Usually LN generates the sequence number for the next item or step. Depending on the context, you can overwrite this number.

serial number

The unique identification of a single physical item. LN uses a mask to generate the serial number. The serial number can consist of multiple data segments that represent, for example, a date, model and color information, sequence number, and so on.

Serial numbers can be generated for items and for tools.

series

A group of order numbers or document numbers starting with the same series code.

Series identify orders with certain characteristics. For example, all sales orders handled by the large accounts department start with LA (LA0000001, LA0000002, LA0000003, and so on).

shift

The production work force can be organized in shifts. The most common models are one, two or three shifts models, but more complicated models are possible with different shift divisions planned for various days of the week.

A shift has the following properties:

  • An unique key that identifies it.
  • The key is generated based on a mask.
  • The start and end dates and times are specified.
  • The shift net time is specified.
Note: A shift with a start date and time in the past cannot be deleted.

ship-from business partner

The business partner who ships the ordered goods to your organization. This usually represents a supplier's distribution center or warehouse. The definition includes the default warehouse at which you want to receive the goods and if you want to inspect the goods, the carrier that takes care of the transport, and the related buy-from business partner.

ship-from supplier

shipment

All goods that are transported to a specific address on a specific date and time by using a specific route. An identifiable part of a load.

site

A business location of an enterprise that can maintain its own logistical data. It includes a collection of warehouses, departments and assembly lines at the same location. Sites are used to model the supply chain in a multisite environment.

These restrictions apply to sites:

  • A site cannot cross countries. The warehouses and departments of the site must be in the same country as the site.
  • A site is linked to one planning cluster. Consequently, all warehouses and work centers of a site must belong to the same planning cluster.
  • A site is linked to one logistic company.

You can link a site to an enterprise unit or an enterprise unit to a site.

If an enterprise unit is linked to a site, the entities of the site belong to the enterprise unit. Conversely, if a site is linked to an enterprise unit, the entities of the enterprise unit belong to the site.

supply quantity

The quantity that must be supplied to a shop floor warehouse.

In a Kanban environment:

  • The signal supply quantity is the quantity supplied for a kanban signal by a kanban supply order.
  • The total supply quantity is the aggregated supply quantity of the signals defined for an item and warehouse combination.

team

A way to group employees for planning and authorization purposes. If you assign roles to a team, all the employees assigned to the team have the authorizations that correspond to the roles.

transaction date

The date on which the order is changed and/or written to the history file. For each change, LN inserts a new line and a new transaction date. This applies to any type of order.

Among other things, the transaction date is important for:

  • Scheduling
  • Statistics
  • Determining due dates and currency exchange rates

warehouse

A place for storing goods. For each warehouse, you can enter address data and data relating to its type.

warehouse order-advice

A recommendation to supply a shop floor warehouse based on the quantities defined for the kanban loop of the item and the warehouse. Warehouse order advices must be confirmed and transferred to convert them into actual production orders.

warehousing order

An order for handling goods in the warehouse.

A warehouse order can be of the following inventory-transaction types:

  • Receipt
  • Issue
  • Transfer
  • WIP Transfer

Each order has an origin and contains all the information required for warehouse handling. Depending on the item (lot or non-lot) and warehouse (with or without locations), lots and/or locations can be assigned. The order follows a predefined warehousing procedure.

Note: In Manufacturing a warehousing order is often called a warehouse order.

warehouse order