Define Rules for Planned Distribution Order Priority

'Priority Rules. Open' (RPS195) provides a configurable and flexible way to assign priority to planned distribution orders. You can define a set of logical rules that will be evaluated in sequential order until a priority is found.

Limitations

  • This functionality is limited to planned distribution orders, and cannot be used to determine priority of released distribution orders or other planned orders.
  • There is no support for automatic resequencing of rules.
  • When a planned distribution order is manually created, a priority is suggested at panel initialization, but the user is responsible for maintaining it from this point. Manually changing a field that is used by a priority rule will not trigger automatic recalculation of the priority.

Follow these steps

If priority rules are set up and activated, they will be applied in these situations:

  • When planned distribution orders are automatically created or changed (for instance, from an MRP/ROP calculation, generated by a supply chain order, or initiated from a customer order)
  • When a planned distribution order is created manually in 'Planned Distribution Order. Open' (DPS170).

The rules are processed in sequential order. If a rule is evaluated as true, the order will be assigned priority according to that rule, and no more rules will be evaluated. If a rule is evaluated as false, the processing will continue to the next rule. If no rule is evaluated as true, priority will be assigned per standard logic.

This functionality will only be active if the setting 'DO prio rule' in'Settings - Warehouse Planning Control' (CRS701) is enabled.

  1. Start 'Priority Rules. Open' (RPS195/B).

  2. Specify a sequence number and click 'Create'. When rules are evaluated, this will be performed in ascending order by sequence number.

  3. On the E panel, specify which rule to use. Available values are:

    Rule Remark
    1-Alphanumeric A table field of character, string or integer type is compared to a specified value, 'Compare alpha', specified as a string. This can be used with fields of types such as identifiers, order numbers, drop-down values, statuses, and so on.
    2-Field A table field is compared to another field, 'Compare field' which must be of the same type.
    3-Numeric A table field of numeric type is compared to a specified value, 'Compare value' which is a numeric value with up to 6 decimals. Examples of such fields are quantities, currency amounts, factors, or rates.
  4. Select the name of the field to compare, which will act as the left operand. You can only select fields that are applicable to the chosen rule. Fields from these tables are available in the field group:

    Prefix/Table Remark

    DO****

    MDOPLP

    Fields from the planned distribution order that is being created or updated.

    MB****

    MITBAL

    Fields from the 'Item. Connect Warehouse' (MMS002) record of the destination warehouse of the planned DO.

    MM****

    MITMAS

    Fields from the item master (MMS001).
  5. Select an operator. The standard binary comparison operators are available.

  6. Specify a value to compare to. Depending on the rule field, 'Compare alpha', 'Compare field', or 'Compare alpha' will be visible. This will be the right operand.

  7. Define what should happen if the rule is true. Specify one of these options:

    Setting Remark

    'Priority method' = 0-Rule priority

    'Priority' = Desired priority

    'AND operator' disabled

    Stop the processing of rules, and assign the priority specified in the priority field.

    'Priority method' = 1-Standard logic

    'Priority' = Blank or 0

    'AND operator' disabled

    Stop the processing of rules and assign:

    1. the priority specified by connected order, if applicable

    2. the priority per order type settings

    'Priority method' = Blank or 0

    'Priority' = Blank or 0

    'AND operator' enabled

    Continue processing the next rule. If that rule is true, it will decide what to do.
    Note: If a rule with the 'AND operator' is false, the rule processing will skip the next rule. Use the 'AND operator' to create a chain of rules that must all be true to assign the priority defined in the final one.

Example

Consider this set of rules:

Seq no Rule Field Description Op Compare alpha/ value/ field AND Prio mtd Prio
10 1 DOACTP Action message = B7 0-Rule prio 7
20 1 DORORC Ref order category = 3 1-Std logic
30 1 MBABCD ABC class - vol <= B 1 0-Rule prio
31 2 MBSTQT On-hand balance = 0,00 0-Rule prio 2
40 1 MBABCD ABC class - vol <= B 1 0-Rule prio
41 3 MBSTQT On-hand balance < MBSSQT 0-Rule prio 3

This means that the following applies, in this sequential order:

  1. Any planned DO that is suggested to be deleted by MRP (AM = B7) will get priority 7, regardless of other rules.

  2. Any planned DO initiated by a customer order (reference order category = 3) will inherit its priority from the customer order.

  3. Any planned DO for an item that is A- or B-classed and is out of stock at the destination warehouse will get priority 2.

  4. Any planned DO for an item that is A- or B-classed and is below safety stock at the destination warehouse will get priority 3.

  5. All other planned DOs will get their priorities per standard logic.