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Infor LX Tips, Infor LN Tips, BPCS Tips, Baan Tips, Infor M3 Tips & Infor ERP News

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Infor ERP Tips & News from the Experts

Infor LX | Infor LN | BPCS | Baan | Infor M3

Baan/LN Tip of the Day: Configuring Items

Kathy Barthelt 0 2237 Article rating: No rating

In LN, the configuration of a generic item not always results into a customized item. Configured items can now be customized items as well as standard items. If users configure items without PCS projects, standard items are generated instead of customized items.

 

The sessions for generating product variant structures for sales quotations and sales orders are moved from the Product Configuration module in Manufacturing to the Sales Control module in LN. The following new sessions are available in Sales Control:

▪ Generate (Budget) Structure for Sales Quotations (tdsls1201m100).

▪ Generate (Project) Structure for Sales Orders (tdsls4244m000)

BPCS/LX Tip of the Day: Shop Order Control

Anthony Etzel 0 443 Article rating: No rating

To create and maintain shop orders use SFC500 Shop Order Entry Maintenance. These orders use the standard bill of material (BOM) as the base list of components. You can also set up standard routings, which list the operations,

or work steps, involved in manufacturing.

 

To release shop orders, use the Shop Order Release program, SFC505. Infor ERP LX groups shop orders by user ID for batch processing. Use Shop Packet Print, SFC520, to print the shop orders that you select. SFC530 allows you to create multi-level shop orders to link shop orders together with a common end item parent. Linking multiple shop orders together for a final assembly product provides support for make-to-order and engineer-to-order manufacturing environments which need to schedule these multiple orders together or as a vertical slice in the production schedule.

 

You can make changes to shop orders after you print them. Use Shop Order Entry/Maintenance, SFC500, to update the shop orders. Changes are immediately visible on the inquiry screens for SFC300 and SFC350. To reprint the shop packet, use Reprint Shop Packet, SFC560.

Baan/LN Tip of the Day: Multi-Company Service

Kathy Barthelt 0 240 Article rating: No rating

Service departments and warehouses that contain spare parts and components used for service and maintenance belong to enterprise units. To perform separate financial accounting for the service departments and their warehouses, you can assign service departments and warehouses to enterprise units that are linked to different financial companies.

 

If material, labor, or other costs are transferred between service departments and warehouses, or from one service department to another (in the case of internal subcontracting for depot repair), LN can perform the invoicing between these departments and warehouses. In the Enterprise Modeling Management module, you can define internal trade relationships with invoicing between various entities.

 

You can also record and process service operations in a multi-logistic company environment.

BPCS/LX Tip of the Day: Material Requirement Dates and Lead Time Offsets in MRP

Anthony Etzel 0 322 Article rating: No rating

The system automatically performs offsets for requirements dates for components in the MPS/MRP calculations. It also performs offsets for calculation of material need dates at the time that shop orders are released.


To calculate the offset, the system takes the parent lead time from the Item 
Master and adjusts it by the bill of materials offset (plus or minus) for the component. This gives the lead time days for that specific component. The system starts with the due date of the parent and backs up and skips all non-work days in the shop calendar.


Note that the offset calculation uses only calendar records that have a blank 
work center (the calendar record applies to all work centers). See the information for the Shop Calendar Maintenance program SFC140, in your Shop Floor Control documentation for shop calendar details.

Baan/LN Tip of the Day: Multi-Company Taxation – LN

Kathy Barthelt 0 278 Article rating: No rating
Tax reporting is part of the financial accounting and is restricted to one country. Therefore, the LN tax handling in a multi-company structure is similar to the tax handling in a single company environment.

Tax handling in LN includes the following:

· Tax registration

For tax registration, you define the various tax details for each country in the Taxation module. In the General Ledger module of Financials, you specify the ledger accounts for the tax amounts separately for each financial company. LN can post the tax amounts calculated for a tax code to different ledger accounts in the individual financial companies, for example, in a single logistic, multi-financial company structure.

BPCS/LX Tip of the Day: Accounts Payable / Purchasing

Anthony Etzel 0 981 Article rating: No rating

You can integrate Accounts Payable (ACP) with Purchasing. ACP requires more detailed information in the Vendor file than Purchasing requires. Accounts Payable automatically checks for a valid purchase order when you

match invoices to POs and receipts. Enter any outstanding active purchase orders through PO Release, PUR500, before you can match invoices in Accounts Payable.

 

Accounts Payable can also update the Actual Cost fields in the Inventory Master file directly from vendor invoices. You must provide the following information in order for Accounts Payable to complete this update:

▪ Define a type C inventory transaction.

▪ Enter a valid purchase order on the Invoice Entry header screen, ACP500D2-01, or in the Next Purchase Order field on the Invoice Entry: PO Costing screen, ACP500D3-01.

▪ Enter the information for the actual cost transaction on the appropriate lines.

Baan/LN Tip of the Day: Virtualization

Kathy Barthelt 0 48880 Article rating: No rating

The advantages of virtualization include the following:
 

• You get more out of your existing resources. Pool common infrastructure resources and break the legacy “one application to one server” model with server consolidation.

• You can reduce datacenter costs by reducing your physical infrastructure and improving your server to admin ratio. Fewer servers and related IT hardware means reduced real estate and reduced power and cooling requirements. With better management tools, you can improve your server to admin ratio so personnel requirements are reduced.

• You can increase the availability of hardware and applications for improved business continuity.

• Securely back up and migrate entire virtual environments with no service interruptions. Eliminate planned downtime and recover immediately from unplanned issues.

• Gain operational flexibility. Respond to market changes with dynamic resource management, faster server provisioning, and improved application deployment.

 

The disadvantages of virtualization include the following:

 Virtualization adds overhead to the CPU, memory, IO, and network.

 Virtualization adds an additional layer to the hardware and software stack. Therefore, additional complexity is introduced in the following circumstances:

CST Industries Goes Live With LN Ecommerce Site for Dealers

Crossroads RMC 0 30426 Article rating: No rating

Crossroads RMC has partnered with Xenitel Managed Service Solutions and CST Industries to create an online parts ordering site for CST’s dealers. The site is live as of June, 2015. This site was developed largely to simplify the ordering process for CST’s dealers, providing information on available inventory, flexible ordering, fast shipments, and improved dealer support.

 

CST is a global leader in the manufacture and construction of factory coated metal storage tanks, aluminum domes and specialty covers.

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Tips:  LX | BPCS | M3

New IDF Inquiries 

Infor LX has a long history of providing IDF inquiries over most critical business areas, but there are still some areas that lack this capability.
The following IDF inquiries are now available in 8.4.2:

  • Customer Quote
  • Customer Quote Line
  • RMA (Return Material Authorization)
  • RMA Line

Benefits

  • Ability to sort, subset, filter, and view information in a modern and intuitive way
  • Point and click navigation to related information – 360 views
    • Exceptional personalization and extensibility capabilities

New IDF Inquiries 

Infor LX has a long history of providing IDF inquiries over most critical business areas, but there are still some areas that lack this capability.
The following IDF inquiries are now available in 8.4.2:

  • Customer Quote
  • Customer Quote Line
  • RMA (Return Material Authorization)
  • RMA Line

Benefits

  • Ability to sort, subset, filter, and view information in a modern and intuitive way
  • Point and click navigation to related information – 360 views
    • Exceptional personalization and extensibility capabilities
Last

Tips: LN | Baan

Kathy Barthelt

Infor LN & Baan Tips & Tricks for EXECUTIVES

TECHNOLOGY: Data Sharing Methods (Advantages and Disadvantages)

Depending on the multicompany scenario you choose, an implementation team must decide whether or not tables must be logically linked or if data must be synchronized in another way to achieve availability of data across various companies. 

There are 3 ways in which data may be shared among companies. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of each:

  1. Logical Table Linking - If two companies use the same physical data, the physical table exists, or is used, in only one company: the physical company. Each piece occurs only once: one instance of the same data. If the term logical table linking is used, users from multiple companies use a single physical instance of the data. If the company tables are on the same server, this can be accomplished by logical table linking. Access to specific data can be restricted, if required.

    • Advantages: Logical Table Linking takes place in real time; therefore, the moment a record is created or modified in one company, a record becomes available in all other linked companies as well. The setup and maintenance of logical table linking is easier than the setup and maintenance of data replication. Logical table linking is extremely reliable because this type of linking is independent of network connections and user interventions. 

    • Disadvantages: Table sharing implies that all attributes for a record are the same in all companies. Therefore, suppose you share the item table and, for a particular item in a company, the product class is XXX. In this case, in all other companies, the product class for this item must be XXX as well.

  2. Data Replication - In this situation, each company has exactly the same data, but each company has a unique copy of the data. The same piece of data exists in multiple (physical) places: multiple instances of the same data. The process to copy the data is called data replication.

    • Advantages: Rather than using table sharing by means of the logical linking of tables, you can replicate the content of tables between companies. The advantage is that, on company level, some (non-key) attributes of a record can differ by company. For example, if the bills of materials are replicated instead of shared, for each company, you can link a different warehouse to the bill of material. As a result, the bills of materials can be the same across all companies and only the warehouses differ. Using replication, you can also make only a subset of the records available in other companies. For example, if you replicate items between companies, in a sales company, for example, by means of the item group, you can only make end items available. In addition, you can replicate only a subset of items, for example, depending on the item group. Note that replication also requires that the referenced tables are replicated or shared.

    • Disadvantages: Replication is not in real time, and therefore, for processes that require real-time integrated data as the financial integration processes, replication is not an option. For replication, you also must take into account the sequence in which you replicate. First, you must replicate the child tables and then the parent tables, and therefore first the business partners and then the purchase contracts. During the replication process, the data must be frozen. This point is of particular importance if the replication process takes a lot of time.

  3. Manual Syncronization - If only a small number of records are the same between some companies, you can enter, maintain, and keep the records synchronized manually. Note that the more dynamic data is, the more difficult this process is. This solution is strictly procedural. Therefore, depending on the discipline of the users, the solution is error sensitive: data can be forgotten, updated too late, or typing errors may occur.

  • Advantages - The main advantage is the flexibility so that only the data that really must be shared can be kept synchronized. By manually keeping data synchronized, not all attributes of a record need to have the same value.

  • Disadvantages - The main disadvantage is that this method depends on user interaction. Therefore, the method depends on the user’s time - because the method is not a real time procedure and the user may forget to update the data - and users can make mistakes.

OPERATIONS: Creating a Purchase Order with Subcontracting

To create a purchase order (with subcontracting) third party outsourcing from purchase order, execute these steps:

  1. Create a purchase order using the same data set defined in the Subcontracting Models (tisub1100m000) session.
  2. In the Purchase Order Intake Workbench (tdpur4601m200) session, click New. The Purchase Order (tdpur4100m900) session is displayed.
  3. Select the business partner in the Business Partner field, Press Tab. Note: Infor LN populates the default data for the selected business partner in the other fields of the purchase order header.
  4. Select the order type for subcontracting in the Order Type field, purchase office in the Purchase Office field, and the related order series in the Order field.
  5. Click New on the Order Lines tab and select your subcontracted price item in the second segment of the Item field.
  6. Specify the required quantity in the Ordered Quantity field, price of the item in the Price field and click Save.
  7. Click the Approve button to approve the purchase order. The purchase order Status is updated to Approved.
  8. Verify that the material to be sent to the subcontractor is updated on the Material Supply Lines tab.
  9. Select the material line on the Material Supply Lines tab and click Actions > Generate Supply Order.
  10. Select the generated supply order line updated in the Supply Order Line field on the Material Supply Lines tab and click References > Supply Lines. The Warehousing Order (whinh2100m100) session is displayed.
  11. Select the outbound order line on the Outbound Lines tab and click References > Status Overview. The Outbound Line Status Overview (whinh2129m000) session is displayed.
  12. In the Outbound Line Status Overview (whinh2129m000) session, ensure that the Generate Outbound Advice and the Release Outbound Advice activities are automatically executed.
  13. On the specific menu, click Freeze/Confirm. The Shipment Lines (whinh4131m000) session is displayed.
  14. Select the shipment line and click Confirm. The shipment line Status is updated to Confirmed on the Status tab.
  15. Verify that the Line Status is Shipped for the outbound order line on the Outbound Lines tab in the Warehousing Order (whinh2100m100) session.

FINANCE: Cash Flow Statements (tfgld 0123m100)

Use this session to define or maintain cash flow statements and hierarchical structures of cash flow reasons for cash flow statement reports. 

On the Cash Flow Reasons by Statement tab, you can select cash flow reason groups and cash flow reasons to build a hierarchical structure of cash flow reasons for the cash flow statement report.

To link a child cash flow reason group to a parent cash flow reason group:

  1. In the Parent Cash Flow Reason Group field, select the parent cash flow reason group.
  2. In the Child Cash Flow Reason Group field, select the child cash flow reason group.
  3. Leave the Child Cash Flow Reason field empty.

To link a cash flow reason to a cash flow reason group:

  1. in the Parent Cash Flow Reason Group field, select the cash flow reason group
  2. Make the Child Cash Flow Reason Group field empty.
  3. In the Child Cash Flow Reason field, select the cash flow reason.

Note: To link cash flow reasons to a child cash flow reason group, you must select the child cash flow reason group in the Parent Cash Flow Reason Group field.

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