Define and Build SCP Node Network

This document explains how you create the physical network to be used in supply chain planning. The network consists of nodes and node distribution relations.

Outcome

A network of nodes is connected by node distribution relations.

The node network is used when optimizing/simulating the supply chain in M3 Supply Chain Planner.

During this process, the following tables are updated:

  • Node master table (MNOMAS)
  • Nodes - SCP version connection table (MSCSAL)
  • Node distribution relations table (MSCREL).

Before you start

  • The general SCP settings must have been defined in 'SCP Settings' (CRS701).
  • You must have sufficient knowledge about your company's network of customers, suppliers, manufacturing plants and/or distribution centers.

Follow These Steps

Create Node

  1. Start 'Node. Open' (SPS020/B).

  2. Enter an identity and a node type for the new node. Click New.

  3. On the E panel, enter the coordinates for the node (optional) and the icon type that you want to connect to the node. Press Enter.

  4. Repeat the steps for each node that you want to create.

Connect Market to Sales Node

  1. For the sales nodes, select option 11=Connect objects to start 'Sales Node. Open' (SPS025/B2).

    When starting (SPS025) from (SPS020), the B2 panel (sales node objects per sales node) is displayed. Sorting order B1 displays all sales node objects within the company in question.

  2. Enter the object that you want to connect to the sales node.

    Example: If you have selected the 'Country' and 'Area State' key fields, you could connect the Sweden and Southern Sweden objects to the sales node.

Create Node Distribution Relations

  1. Start 'Node Distribution Relation. Open' (SPS120/B).

  2. Enter the nodes that should be connected by the node distribution relation, and the node delivery method that should be used. Click New.

  3. On the E panel, enter the number of transportation days and hours, and the transportation cost and currency for this node distribution relation.

  4. Enter the weight and volume capacity, the cost and capacity type, and whether capacity should be considered in the optimization/simulation in M3 SCP.

Parameters to Set

Program ID/Panel Field The field indicates …
(SPS020/B) Node … the identity of the node.
Node type … the type of node. Node types are user defined and indicate the kind of node. There are three hard-coded node categories to be used for the node type: 1=Purchase node, 2=Supply Node (a manufacturing plant or a distribution center) and 3=Sales node (a market).
(SPS020/E) Geographic code X/Y … the longitude/latitude coordinates of the node. These coordinates are set on the geographical maps in M3 SCP and are updated when data is exported from SCP to M3 BE.
Virtual code X/Y

… the virtual longitude/latitude coordinates of the node. These coordinates are set on the virtual maps in M3 SCP and are updated when data is exported to M3 BE from SCP.

Note that you must not enter any of these coordinates when creating nodes in M3 BE. They can be entered manually or via drag-and-drop technique in M3 SCP.

Node icon type … a type of icon that shows the node on the maps in M3 SCP. There are four different node icon types: 1=Supplier, 2=Manufacturing Plant, 3=Distribution Center, 4=Market.
(SPS025/B) Field

… the key fields to connect to sales nodes. The key fields are entered per company in (SPS701).

Sales node demand is retrieved from customer order statistics (datasets) according to the selections made in these fields.

(SPS120/B) From node … the node from which the transportation starts
To node … the node to which the goods are distributed.
Node delivery method … how the delivery between two nodes is made, such as by truck or boat. You create node delivery methods in 'Node Delivery Method. Open' (SPS125).
SPS120/E Transportation days … the transportation lead time expressed in days.
Transportation cost … the transportation cost in local currency. This cost is either based on volume or weight.
Currency … the currency used for the transportation cost.
Weight capacity … the total weight capacity per day per node distribution relation. The weight capacity's unit of measure is set in (SPS701).
Volume capacity … the total volume capacity per day per node distribution relation. The volume capacity's unit of measure is set in (SPS701).
Cost and capacity type … whether transportation cost is based on volume or weight.
Consider capacity

… whether the manually entered capacity in (SPS120/E) should be considered in the optimization/ simulation in M3 SCP. If this parameter is not selected, SCP uses infinite capacity.

Note that this setting may be overridden in SCP.

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