Action Messages

Before you start

You must meet these prerequisites to use the action messages:

• Correct lead times exist for the items.
• Planning policy is connected to the item.
• Time fences are set.
• Continuous net-change or other message generating functions are used.
• Criteria for generation of an action message are fulfilled.

General description

The messages are predefined in M3, but their usage and rules, in certain cases, are controlled by a setup. An action message is created for every transaction in the material plan. A transaction can have only one action message, while an item can have up to 10 action messages, based on the total number of action messages related to the item. To activate action messages, you must set up the planning policy in 'Planning Policy. Open' (MMS037), then deactivate selected messages and time filters.

Description of action message groups

Action messages can be categorized into these groups:

• A messages: These messages are release messages and are regarded as routine messages for a planner. They indicate that an order should be released or firmed up.
• B messages: These messages are rescheduling messages and indicate that some type of manual replanning or deletion is required for planned or released orders. They signal that a problem has occurred within the material plan and that action is required.
• C messages: These messages are delayed order messages and indicate to a planner that an order is or might be delayed. For these messages, replanning does not resolve the situation. An investigation into further effects on the supply chain is required.

Description of action messages

These are the action messages used in (MMS037):

• A1- Release and reschedule in
• A2- Release order
• A3- Transform to firm planned order
• A4- Release distribution order return
• A5- Increase the period production quantity (inside lead time)
• B1- Reschedule in released order
• B2- Reschedule in planned order
• B3- Reschedule out released order
• B4- Reschedule out planned order
• B5- Increase the periods production quantity
• B6- Maximum balance exceeds planning time fence
• B7- Delete order
• B8- Increase the planned quantity (only for order policy 15)
• C1- Released order is delayed
• C2- Released order will be delayed
• C3- Firm planned, order-initiated order with finish day within lead time.

A1- Release and reschedule in

This message indicates that a planned order must be released and rescheduled.

These criteria must be fulfilled for an A1-message:

• The item must be master scheduled with a code of 2 or 3.
• The planning or alternative planning date on the transaction must be within or on the lead time date for the item.

A2- Release order

This message indicates that a planned order must be released since the release date is before or equal to today's date. These criteria must be fulfilled for an A2-message:

• The item must be master scheduled with a code of 1 or 0.
• The transaction must be a manufacturing, purchase, distribution, or maintenance order
• The release date of the transaction must be passed or equal to today’s date.

A3- Transform to firm planned order

This message indicates that a planned order must be firmed since the planning date is inside the planning time fence.

These criteria must be fulfilled for an A3-message:

• The item must be master scheduled with a code of 1 or 2.
• The item must be a planned order with status less than 20.
• The planning date and the alternative planning date of the transaction must be within or on the same date as the planning time fence date on the item.

A4- Release distribution order return

This message indicates that the maximum stock is exceeded in a warehouse, which are supplied from another warehouse. The message is given on the proposed return order for the supplying warehouse. The system also automatically creates the proposed return distribution order. These criteria must be fulfilled for an A4-message:

• The projected on hand balance at the planning time fence must exceed the maximum stock at supplied warehouse
• The item must be procured by distribution with acquisition code of 3.
• The item must use a planning policy where the parameter 'Excess generates DO return' is activated.

  See Planning Policy

• The item must be reorder point planned with planning method 2 in 'Item. Connect Warehouse' (MMS002).

A5- Increase the period production quantity (inside lead time)

This message indicates that the maximum production rate in 'Production Rate. Open' (RPS030) is not enough compared to the requirements inside the lead time. The calculation is done per planning bucket.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a A5-message:

• The item status must be between 20 and 49.
• The item must not be coded as a Phantom item.
• The item must be MRP or manually planned, which is defined by the 'Planning policy' field in (MMS002).
• The item must have a period-based order policy, with or without a balance check, using order policy 23 or 24.
• All capacity in earlier buckets must be used.

B1- Reschedule in released order

This message indicates that a released order must be replanned to an earlier date because of requirements that are not covered. For an MRP-planned item, this can occur if demand within the planning time fence (PTF) is replanned to an earlier date.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a B1-message:

• The item must not be master scheduled with a code of 2 or 3.
• There is a shortage within PTF, and a released order is moved to cover this requirement. This is only valid for RoP-planned items.
• The new planning date for the transaction is moved by a greater number of days than the specified time filter days on the planning policy. This is only valid for MRP-planned items. For example, today's date is 991203, the time filter days value is 2, and the new planning date is 991202. The system then compares whether 991202 has been moved by more than 2 days from 991203 (991203 minus 2 days), which is not the case in this example. When comparing the number of days moved, the system uses these dates from the system calendar:
  • Manufacturing orders (MOs) use workdays
  • Purchase orders (POs) use goods receiving days
  • Distribution orders use distribution days

B2- Reschedule in planned order

This message gives an indication that a firm planned order should be re-planned to an earlier date due to requirements that are not covered. For an MRP-planned item this could happen if a demand, within the planning time fence (PTF), is replanned to an earlier date.

These exceptions exists for the B2-message:

• If the shortage is within the lead time and the item is master scheduled with code 0, the proposal will have an A1 message instead of a B2 message.
• If the shortage is within the PTF and the item is not master scheduled with code 0, the proposal will have an A1 message instead of a B2 message.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a B2-message:

• The item must not be master scheduled with a code of 2 or 3.
• There is a shortage within the PTF and a released order can be moved to cover this requirement. This is only valid for RoP-planned items.
• The proposed number of rescheduling days must be more than the number of time filter days in the planning policy. This is only valid for MRP-planned items. For example, today's date is 991203, the time filter days value is 2, and the new planning date is 991202. The system compares whether 991202 has been moved by more than 2 days from 991203 (991203 minus 2 days), which is not the case in this example. When comparing the number of rescheduling days, the system uses these dates from the system calendar:
  • Planned manufacturing orders use workdays
  • Planned purchase orders use goods receiving days
  • Planned distribution orders use distribution days.

B3- Reschedule out released order

This message indicates that an order must be replanned to a later date due to unnecessary replenishment. This occurs when a demand within the PTF is replanned to a later date. If no other requirements exist, the order will instead receive a B7 message.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a B3-message:

• The item must be coded as MRP-planned.
• The cost for the too early receipt must be larger than the dampening cost in the planning policy. The cost is calculated as the transaction quantity x standard cost for the item x (number of proposed rescheduling days/365) x (the inventory cost of capital/100). The alternative is that the proposed number of rescheduling days must be more than the number of time filter days in the planning policy.

  See the examples in B2- Reschedule in planned order.

B4- Reschedule out planned order

These criteria must be fulfilled for a B4-message:

• The transaction must not be released. The order category must be equals to **0.
• The cost for the too early receipt must be larger than the dampening cost in the planning policy.

  See the description of the calculation in B3- Reschedule out released order.

• The proposed number of rescheduling days must be more than dampening number of days in the planning policy.

B5- Increase the periods production quantity

This message gives an indication that the maximum production rate in 'Production Rate. Open' (RPS030) is not enough compared with the requirements. The calculation is done per planning bucket.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a B5-message:

• The item status must be between 20 and 49.
• The item must not be coded as a Phantom item.
• The item must be MRP or manually planned, which is defined by the 'Planning policy' field in (MMS002).
• The item must have a period-based order policy, with or without a balance check, using order policy 23 or 24.
• All capacity in earlier buckets must be used.

B6- Maximum balance exceeds planning time fence

This message gives an indication that the maximum stock according to the item/warehouse information is exceeded. Generally it is generated when the projected on hand balance on transaction date exceeds the allowed maximum stock.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a B6-message:

• The item must be reorder point planned.
• The orders must be released or firm planned manufacturing, purchase, and distribution or work order.
• The transaction does not qualify for a B7- message.

B7- Delete order

This message gives an indication that a replenishment order is not needed anymore. It is generated when the projected on-hand (PoH) balance is positive without the replenishment order and no other requirements in a later time will result in a negative PoH. If other requirements exist later in time, which results in a negative PoH, the order will instead get a B3-message.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a B7-message:

• The item must not be master scheduled with a code of 2 or 3.
• The planned order has status 15 and must be removed for some reason.
• If the PoH balance is greater than or equal to 0 or the safety stock, the system activates a B7 message for replenishment orders until this criterion is no longer fulfilled. The activation of B7 messages are done in the beginning of the transaction with the latest planning date.

B8- Increase the planned quantity (only for order policy 15)

This action message gives an indication that order quantity should be increased, since the demand in the "point of time" bucket exceeds the order quantity. A new planned order with status 10, containing the remaining quantity, will be created.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a B8-message:

• The order must have order policy 15.
• The parameter 145- 'Recalculate quantity for order policy 15' in 'Planning policy. Open' (MMS037) must be set to 1.
• The planned order must have status of 20.

C1- Released order is delayed

This message gives an indication that a released order is delayed. Generally it is generated when today's date has passed planning date for the transaction. It is automatically generated and can be activated for different order categories.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a C1-message:

• The item uses a planning policy where the parameter 'Should AM order delay….' is activated.

  See Planning Policy.

• The item must not be master scheduled with a code of 2 or 3.
• The transaction is a released order (order category = **1).
• Planning date for the transaction is less than today’s date minus the time dampening days on the planning policy. For example, today's date is 991203, the damp days value is 2, and the planning date is 991125. The system then compares whether 991125 is earlier than 991201 (991203 minus 2 days). When calculating the adjusted date, the system uses the these dates from the system calendar:
  • Manufacturing orders use workdays
  • Purchase orders use goods receiving days
  • Distribution orders use distribution days.

C2- Released order will be delayed

This message gives an indication that a released order may be delayed. When calculating if the C2 should be applied the system considers operations and remaining time to estimate a possible delay. Generally it is generated when a manufacturing order has not started or started operation that cannot be finished in time.

To create C2-messages for transactions you must run 'Action Message. Create C2' (PMS965) from the menu.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a C2-message:

• It must be a released manufacturing order.
• The item or warehouse must exist.
• Orders must be qualified for selected facilities or warehouse in the run.
• The item uses a planning policy where the parameter 'Should AM order delay….' is activated.

  See Planning Policy.

• No other action message must be active for the manufacturing order.
• The planned start date on the manufacturing order header is earlier than the time filter date, calculated as today's date minus the number of 'Time filter days' defined on the planning policy.
• Any operation on the order with status less than 60 and planned start date earlier than the time filter date.
• Any operation on the order with a status between 60 and 70, inclusive, where the calculated finish date is later than the planned finish date. The calculated finish date is determined by distributing the remaining time according to the available capacity in the work center's capacity calendar.

C3- Firm planned order-initiated order with finish day within lead time

This message gives an indication that a requirement might be delayed due to that a connected firmed planned order, with a planned finish day within the lead time, has not yet been released.

These criteria must be fulfilled for a C3-message:

• The item status must be between 20 and 49.
• It must be planned as a order initiated item.
• The item must not be coded as a phantom item.
• The item must be master scheduled with code of 2 or 3.
• It must be a planned manufacturing order (Order category = 100)
• The planned order must have status greater than or equal to 20.
• The planning date of the transaction must be earlier than the lead time date.

  See Lead Time.

Identifying action messages

To identify items with active action messages, the planner can use 'Action Message. Change' (RPS001). In RPS001, the planner can further analyze the item by viewing the transactions that caused the action message in 'Action Message. Open per Item' (RPS002). The only way to remove an action message is to take the necessary action to correct its cause. In some cases, particularly for C-messages, this may not be possible. In such cases, the planner can deactivate specific action messages for a transaction. This is done in (RPS002), where the action message is deactivated for a specified period based on the user-defined rules on (RPS002/P). Existing deactivations are viewed in 'Action Message. Open Exceptions' (RPS005).

In various places in the system, activated AM for transactions are displayed.