Simulate Availability (Supply Model Simulate)

This document describes how to respond to customer inquiries regarding availability by using 'Supply Model. Simulate' (OIS340). The best alternatives for supplying the demand from your customer are found and proposed.

A demand can be supplied in several ways, for example by delivering from stock in different warehouses or by distributing, manufacturing or purchasing against an order. And the best solution for the customer might be a mix of several alternatives. Therefore, it is not easy to say when a certain quantity of an item can be delivered to a customer.

Supply model simulation is very useful when the interaction with the customer is more like a 'request and answer' process before committing to delivery, for example, when questions about availability and delivery dates are crucial to sort out before continuing with the order flow.

Before you start

  • Number series Y for number series type 01 must be defined in 'Number Series. Open' (CRS165).
  • A supply model must be defined in 'Supply Model. Open' (MMS056).

Follow these steps

Start the Function and Set Up Program Parameters

  1. Start 'Supply Model. Simulate' (OIS340)

    Proceed to Enter Customer Information if the setup is already OK.

  2. If you are using the function for the first time, you must define program settings by opening the OIS340/P panel. Use the 'Settings' button (F13).

    On the OIS340/P panel, the settings have some similarity to 'Customer Order. Open Line' (OIS101).

  3. Fill in 'Check sequence' field and 'Search sequence alias' field in order to be able to retrieve the item numbers.

  4. Select the 'Search supply option' field if all possible alternatives should be explored and displayed; otherwise the processing stops when a matching alternative is found. This has a negative impact on performance, especially if there are a lot of alternatives in the supply model or if the item is a kit with reservation level on the included items.

  5. You can specify a dummy customer to use for the simulation. This is useful if customer data is not key input to your supply model execution. Also note that a dummy customer can also be defined in 'Settings – Customer Order Entry' (CRS720). It will be proposed if the customer in OIS340/P is blank.

Enter Customer Information

  1. On the OIS340/B1 panel, specify the information in the 'Customer number' field, and then press Enter. By doing so, default information is fetched based on the settings on the P panel, and information in the customer order type and the customer master file.

  2. The supply model is retrieved according to the rules specified in 'CO Type Field Selection' (OIS014), or from the settings panel.

    This includes retrieving the supply model from a supply model selection table (CTS030) if *SEL in OIS014/E on the customer order type. Action 'Next Supply Model' (F18) can be used to retrieve the next supply model (from a lower priority in the selection table). F18 is only visible if the supply model in the header was retrieved from the selection table.

    The following fields cannot be changed after item lines have been specified:

    • Customer number and Delivery address ID
    • Customer order type

    The following fields can be changed and taken into account when recalculating the results during simulation:

    • Requested date and time
    • Supply model
    • Backorder
    • Partial delivery
    • Alternative and Split on alternative.

Enter Detailed Lines (Items)

  1. Specify the warehouse if requested. This warehouse will only be used if the '*DW' is defined on the From or To warehouse in 'Supply Model. Open Lines' (MMS059/F)

  2. Specify the item number, unless OIS340 was called from the item toolbox (MMS200, option 48 – then the item number is transferred from MMS200).

  3. Specify the order quantity. Optionally, enter an alternate unit of measure. The unit of measure used here will also be reused in (CTS100). That is, all availability quantities are recalculated to the ordered unit of measure.

  4. Press Enter to enter the line. When the line is specified, 'Supply Model Execution' is run immediately. This means that the availability and the dates are presented line-by-line. Also, all prior lines are recalculated according to the settings defined.

  5. As the line is validated, the following scenarios may happen:

    • A single item - the line is validated and recorded on the list panel.
    • A style or an assortment - the full screen panel is prompted. After you vali-date the full screen panel, the lines are recorded on the list panel.
    • A kit is created with a fixed structure, according to kit control in PDS001/G. The lines are recorded in the list panel. Only the header may be changed.
    • A kit is created with a variable structure, according to kit control in PDS001/G. The lines are recorded in the list panel. Both the header line and the detailed lines may be changed. The detailed line is indented one position in relation to the header line.

  6. Repeat these steps to register new lines.

Simulate the Sales Price

'Sales Price. Simulate' (OIS320) can be accessed by using related option 12 – Display Sales Price. The necessary data is transferred, which means that the result of the price simulation is displayed at once without having to manually specify any data.

Simulate New Results Based on Changed Conditions

  1. The purpose here is to find an even better solution for the customer by changing some of the conditions. The parameters to change are primarily:

    • Backorder
    • Partial delivery
    • Alternative and Split on alternative.

    In 'Customer Order Simulation' (OIS340) these parameters affect the total demand for multiple lines. For instance, partial delivery field affects all lines for a split or joint delivery.

    The following scenarios illustrate how the parameters can be used.

    • Customer does not accept backorder:

      Set Backorder field off and press Enter. All proposed quantities with a delivery date and time later than the requested date and time will be removed.

    • Customer requires that all goods arrive at the same time:

      Set the 'Partial delivery' field off and press Enter. A proposal for a common delivery date and time will be presented. In this case the date and time on the latest delivery among all lines will be proposed.

    • Customer requires that all goods arrive at the same time AND does not accept backorder:

      Set both the Backorder field and 'Partial delivery' field off. There may be no proposal at all if the best common delivery date is later than the requested date. Then you may want to change the Backorder field back to see what can be delivered.

    • Customer prefers to get everything delivered from the same alternative (any alternative):

      Set the 'Split on alternative' field off. A proposal from one alternative will be calculated. If no alternative can deliver everything according to the requested date and time the alternative with the best common delivery date will be proposed.

    • Customer would like to get everything from a specific alternative (warehouse xxx):

      Set the 'Split on alternative' field off, and enter a specific alternative. Only delivery from the selected alternative will be proposed. This selection will also acknowledge the fields for Backorder and 'Partial delivery.'

  2. The following views are available:

    • Sourcing information with quantity, dates and time
    • Item name

View Detailed Information About Proposed Alternatives

  1. Clicking 'Next alternative' (F15) displays an overview of the sourcing for all lines and for one, or all, selected alternatives. Also, information in the sourcing view is then completed with the consignor:

    • Alternative 00 - Each line displays proposed quantities and dates that may refer to multiple sourcing alternatives.
    • Alternative nn - Each line only displays the proposed quantities and dates related to the 'nn' alternative. This means that some alternatives show zero quantities since they were not selected, or they show a quantity that is a part of the totally proposed quantity.

  2. Select 'Show' to view more details about a single line in the OIS340/E panel. The lines at the bottom of the panel may show information messages that explain the results or the lack of results.

  3. To view and change the detailed alternatives about one specific line, select 'Open Related - Supply Details'. The function (CTS100) will be started. In (CTS100), the details can be viewed and changed, that is, the proposed sourcing can be altered on a detailed level.

Recalculate the CTP

  1. By clicking 'Recalculate CTP' (F16), 'Supply Model Execution' is run for all lines. Also, proposals that have been manually overridden will be erased and recalculated.

  2. Each change to a parameter or to an order line will initiate a recalculation of all lines except those that have been manually overridden. The following changes trigger a partial recalculation:

    • New, changed, or deleted lines
    • Changed supply model
    • Changed requested date and time
    • Changed delivery rules for backorder, partial delivery and split on alternative.

  3. Use 'Recalculate CTP' primarily when manual selections need to be erased or when the information may have become invalid due to time dependencies.

Finish or Restart Simulation

A simulation is finished or restarted in the following ways:

  • Click 'Previous' (F12) or 'Exit' (F3) to finish the customer order simulation .
  • Click 'Delete Lines' (F17) to restart the simulation by deleting all lines. You may continue with the same customer or a new one.

Outcome

The customer gets a reliable answer on whether and how the request can be fulfilled. The result is temporary and is valid only at this moment in time. All results are automatically deleted when the simulation is ended.

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