Item Replacement

Outcome

An alternative item is found when ordering an item that is no longer carried.

Purpose

Find an alternative item when ordering an item that is no longer carried.

An item that is no longer carried can be replaced by another item (A) or by several other items (A and B) or there can be conditions for the replacement (A or B based on some conditions). The replacing item might, in its turn, be replaced, continuing in long chains of replaced items.

How

Related items are defined in 'Item. Define Relations' (MMS020). Items with Replacement type 1 and 2 can be found at CO line entry. We recommend that you use only type 1 or type 2 when having chains of replacements.

Replacement type 1 indicates that the item is completely replaced and should have status 90. Replacement type 2 is intended to be used when setting the item status to 50-'Still allowed to sell', which will automatically be changed to status 80 when the current stock balance is used. But replacement type 2 also works fine together with status 90. Replacement type 2 is searched first and then replacement type 1 is searched. This means that if item A is replaced with item B with replacement type 1 and item B is replaced with item C with replacement type 2, then no valid replacement will be found. This is why we recommend that you only use type 1 or type 2 when having chains of replacements.

You can also build quite complex replacement structures. Related option 12-'Drill down' can be used to navigate in the replacement structure. Use F12 to 'go back up'.

The replacement structure will be searched alphabetically, drilling down to the bottom of every chain of replacement. As noted before, replacement type 2 is searched before replacement type 1.

Example:


A, type 1, status 20
B, type 2, status 80	B2, type 2, status 80
C, type 2, status 80	C2, type 2, status 80	C3, type 2, status 80
	C4, type 2, status 80	C5, type 2, status 80
		C6, type 2, status 20
	C7, type 2, status 20
D, Type 2, status 20

Item C6 will be found as a valid item replacement at CO entry. The complete search sequence if all items would have been in status 80 or 90 would have been the following: B, B2, C, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, D, A.

Replacement information on the order line

When an order line is created for the replacing item, then the 'Replaced item number' (REPI) is updated with the ordered item number. If Action reason 90 is activated in 'Action Reason. Open' (OIS009) and the action reasons check box is selected in 'CO Type. Open' (OIS010/H), then the Action reason (ARST) on the order line is set to 90 and the Reason code (RSC1) are set from the Action reason definition (OIS009/E).

You can jump to 'Item. Define Relations' (MMS020) from 'Customer Order. Open Line' (OIS101) and 'Customer Order. Open Line Toolbox' (OIS301) through related option 48-'Related Items'. The program will be positioned on the replaced item number (REPI).

Conditional replacement

An item can be conditionally replaced by other items, like item A is replaced by item B if the machine that it is used in was made before year 2010 and item C if the machine was made year 2010 or later.

A related item of type 1 and 2 can be defined as conditional by selecting the 'Cond replacement' check box in 'Item. Define Relations' (MMS020/E). The condition for the replacement can be described in the text field 'Condition' and/or in the Text panel.

A manual decision is needed at CO entry when the replacement is conditional. Item replacements without conditions will be searched first at customer order line entry. If no replacement is found, then 'Item. Define Relations' (MMS020) is opened, displaying only conditional replacements. There are a number of useful related options available in MMS020:

'Text' (16) brings up the Text panel, which might hold more information about the conditions for the replacement.
'Kit header' (13) calls 'Product Structure. Open' (PDS001), which allows easy access to the kit structure of a replacing kit.
'Item Toolbox' (17) calls 'Item. Open Toolbox' (MMS200).
'Supply model. Simulate' (18) calls OIS340 where you can find out when the item can be delivered.
If a conditional replacing item is also replaced, then Related option 12-'Drill down' can be used to find or select the item that replaces it.

If (MMS020) is closed without selecting a replacing item, then no order line is created.

If the customer order line is created through batch order entry, then one of two things happens. If Action reason 55 is activated (and action reasons selected on the CO type): The CO line is closed (status 99). Action reason (ARST) is set to 55-'Conditionally replaced' and the Reason code (RSC1) is the reason code connected to action reason 55.

If Action reason 55 is not activated: Stopped in BO entry with this stop message: 'The item is conditionally replaced by XXX'. Check/release in 'Batch Order. Open Lines' (OIS276) will give a call to 'Item. Define Relations' (MMS020).

Replaced by many

Sometimes, an item is replaced by several items. It could be that item A is replaced by item B, C and D or it might simply be that Item Z is replaced by 2 pieces of item Y.

These scenarios are solved by defining a kit that replaces the item. Kit A-RPL contains item B, C, and D and kit Z-RPL contains two pieces of item Y. The kit can contain other kits and items that are replaced by other items or other kits, including items that are conditionally replaced.

The limitation is that the kit settings for the 'top kit' (with regard to pricing, and so on) in 'Product Structure. Open' (PDS001/G) applies to all included lines, even if kits with other settings are included in the kit.

The kit screen at CO line entry (the H-panel) can be avoided by selecting the check box Suppress kit screen in 'Product Structure. Open' (PDS001/G).

Supply model

Replacements with conditions will never be selected automatically in the supply model execution 'Supply Alternative Management. Open' (CTS100). This is applicable when *SYS is specified as the 'Item number' on a supply alternative with 'Replace item' selected in 'Supply Model. Open Lines' (MMS059).

'CR' in the second column indicates that it's a Conditional Replacement', the 'Condition' is shown in the list, and Related option 'Related Items' makes it easy to access the information in 'Item. Define Relations' (MMS020).

'Supply Model. Simulate' (OIS340) shows the replacing item number if there is no condition. It shows Replacing item = 'Condition' if it is a conditional replacement.

Alternative option 1-'Select' in 'Item. Define Relations' (MMS020) enables you to select another item when called from (CTS100). The order line will be created for the selected item.

Consume stock in all warehouses before replacing the item

Select the check box 'Item status check' on the CO type (OIS010/G) to perform the status check against the item master (MMS001) instead of the item/warehouse (MMS002) if the item/warehouse status is 80.

If the item/warehouse record is in status 80, then you need to find an alternative source of supply or find an alternative item.

If no supply model is used, then an alternative warehouse or alternative item must be found using the normal shortage panels in order to be able to specify the order line. If the Item status check is selected, then the shortage panel displaying alternative items 'Sales Item Shortage. Change item' (OIS142) will also display related items defined with Replacement type 2 and two columns showing the 'Conditional replacement' parameter (0/1 = No/Yes) and the 'Condition'. Related option 'Related Items' makes it easy to also access the information in 'Item. Define Relations' (MMS020).

If a supply model is used (CTS100), then a valid supply alternative must be found in order to be able to specify the order line.

If 'Supply Model Availability. Display' (CTS200) is used, then the order line will be specified against the warehouse where it is in status 80. Supply Model Availability is activated with the check box at the Supply model field in 'CO Type. Update Field Selection' (OIS014/E) and executed with related option 54-'Supply Model Availability' in (OIS100), (OIS300), or (OIS301). The supply model availability will help you find an alternative, but you cannot select an alternative with another warehouse or another item in (CTS200) since the order line is already created. 'Customer Order. Mass Change Lines' (OIS260) can be used for changing item number or warehouse on a customer order line (you cannot do so manually) in (OIS101). This function can be accessed from 'Customer Order. Open Toolbox' (OIS300) using related option 55-'Change lines' or from 'Customer Order. Open Line Toolbox' (OIS301) using related option 49-'Change lines', or from the menu. If no alternative is found then the order line should manually be closed or deleted. Manual entry of a new order line against another warehouse or for another item is of course an alternative to using (OIS260).

Supporting functions

Batch orders that get CO lines automatically closed because of conditional item replacements probably need to be monitored. This can be done by activating application message 431 (Batch CO line closed) in 'Settings. Application Messages' (CRS424). The message will be sent to the CO responsible - the message is found in 'Application Message. Open' (CRS420). This message applies to the Action reason functionality, not only the conditional replacement action reason.

An alternative is to create a sorting order in 'Customer Order. Open Line Toolbox' (OIS301) that sorts on Action reason 55 (OBARST) or the reason code you selected to connect to Action reason 55 (OBRSC1).

Closed order lines with action reasons will be printed on the order confirmation and invoice if the check box 'Print Closed Lines' is selected on 'Settings – Customer Order Entry' (CRS720/E).

Limitations

No automatic retrieval of conditionally replaced items.

Not allowed to select the 'Preferred item' check box if there is a condition. The field indicates if, among the related items, this item is preferred for purchase order and distribution order purposes.

Do not allow inventory accounting item type 3 in any type of conditional relation. The item is not inventory accounted, but it is planned as a function number. A function number is a dummy number for items that can replace each other. As such, material planning for the item is done on the function number level instead of the item level.

The full screen entry panel (OIS101/H) does not support specifying order lines for kit. The item will be considered a normal item and the shortage panel will be shown. Abort entry. Go to normal CO line entry (OIS101/B) and create the CO line

The kit settings for the 'top kit' (with regards to pricing, and so on) on 'Product Structure. Open' (PDS001/G) applies to all included lines even if kits with other settings are included in the kit. The reservation level of each kit is respected.