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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

An ERP System Review is NOT a Report Card

It's a no-judgment-review - we promise!

Kathy Barthelt 0 28923 Article rating: 5.0

report card C minusWe all remember our school days and the nervousness that we felt when it came time to get our grades. Even if we were doing well, we were still nervous. Sometimes we experienced that same nervousness when it came time for a performance review in our job. Nervousness…sometimes dread…knowing that our performance maybe was not what we wanted it to be, or others expected it to be. 

Somehow I think the feelings that we felt in our past often find ways to creep into our present. I have seen this recently when I suggested an ERP system review to one of our customers. They immediately became flustered and thought about every possible problem that they knew existed within the software and how they were currently using it.

An ERP system review or more specifically a Utilization Review is NOT a personal report card, or performance review showing how well a particular individual does his/hers/their job, nor is it an attack on the team that implemented the software. 

An ERP Utilization Review will:

Infor LN & Baan Finance Tip: Unallocated Payment

Kathy Barthelt 0 70892 Article rating: 5.0

How do I assign an unallocated payment to a purchase invoice when the document dates are not the same?

When trying to assign an unallocated payment, it is possible that the purchase invoice is not displayed in session Assign Unallocated / Advance Payments to Invoices (tfcmg2106s000), even though it is showing in the open entries. This can happen when the document date of the unallocated payment lies before the document date of the purchase invoice you want to assign it to. There are 2 ways to handle this...

Infor LX & BPCS Tip: What items should be M-P-S planned vs. M-R-P planned?

George Moroses 0 34396 Article rating: 5.0

Master Scheduled Items are those items that are finished goods, or service items, that receive their requirements either specifically from Independent demand, or both Dependent and Independent demand.

  • Independent Demand is demand that cannot be calculated from higher-level demand in the product structure, and therefore must be either a forecast or an actual customer order (Finished Goods or Service parts sold to customers).
  • Dependent demand.....

Infor LN & Baan Tip: Separate item codes for incoming & outgoing subassemblies

Kathy Barthelt 0 62442 Article rating: 5.0

You may be wondering if it's necessary to have separate item codes for incoming and outgoing subassemblies.

No, it is not necessary to have separate item codes for incoming and outgoing subassemblies, but it is recommended. In theory, you could have only one item code with the description subassembly and use the same item code for the outgoing subassembly and for the incoming subassembly. However, when monitoring inventory movements and financial integration transactions, it will be difficult to understand the process. Also, the costing logic is much clearer when different item codes for the incoming and outgoing subassemblies are used. Because of this, it is advised to use a different item code for the outgoing subassembly and a different item code for the incoming subassembly.

Infor LX & BPCS Tip: Changing an item to non-inventory

George Moroses 0 24521 Article rating: 5.0

When an attempt is made to change an item’s type to a non-inventory item from any other value, a new validation is performed to determine if the item has any inventory on hand and, if so, prevents changing the item’s type.

This enhancement available in LX 8.4 prevents LX from showing an on-hand inventory balance for a non-inventory item.

The programs or areas impacted include:

  • Facility/Planning Data Maintenance, MRP140D2
  • IDF Enterprise Item

To get this enhancement, request and apply MR 80120.

Top 10 Things (you might not know) About Crossroads RMC

Crossroads RMC 0 15498 Article rating: 5.0


10.  Crossroads RMC has been in business since 1984 & has been an  partner since 1991
 

 9. Crossroads RMC offers functional & technical training on all versions of Infor LX, BPCS, Infor LN, and Baan and will completely tailor the training to your specific needs. 🤝🏽

 8.  Our consultants have over 1,000 years of combined experience working with manufacturers just like you! 🤓

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Kathy Barthelt

Infor LN & Baan Tips & Tricks for OPERATIONS: What is Statistical Inventory Control (SIC) and How Does It Work?

Statistical Inventory Control (SIC) is an inventory-controlled order system designed to maintain stock levels based on predefined thresholds, rather than being demand-driven like EP (Enterprise Planning). Since SIC relies on inventory levels, it may lead to higher stock levels. To minimize financial risks, SIC is best suited for:

  • Low-cost items.
  • Items with predictable demand or short lead times.


Applications of SIC

  • Low-Cost Items: Particularly effective for inexpensive goods.
  • Predictable Demand or Short Lead Time: Suitable when demand patterns are stable or lead times are minimal.
  • Warehouse-Specific Planning: Useful for planning by warehouse rather than across the supply chain.
  • Trading Industries: Commonly employed in sectors like supermarkets.
  • Immediate Demands: Effective for items required immediately by customers.
  • Ease of Use: Simple to implement and manage.


Limitations of SIC

  • Does not account for dependent demand from planned orders (e.g., MPS/MRP/INV).
  • Does not generate distribution orders.
  • Ignores time-phased planned orders.
  • Lacks forecast consumption techniques.
  • Uses both nettable and non-nettable warehouses.

How SIC Works

SIC operates based on the Reorder Point, Stock Levels, and Order Method.

Triggering SIC

When Economic Stocks (calculated as On-Hand Inventory + On-Order – Allocated Stocks) on the Horizon Date fall below the Reorder Point, SIC triggers the creation of:

  • Planned Purchase Advice.
  • Planned Production Advice.


Order Methods in SIC

The quantity for these advices is determined by the Order Method, which can be one of the following:

  • Replenish to Maximum Stock
  • Fixed Order Quantity
  • Economic Order Quantity (EOQ)
  • Lot-for-Lot

Example: SIC in a Supermarket

Scenario: Managing stock for Ice Cream (1 Kg Pack)

  • Current Stock: 10 PCs
  • Reorder Point: 5 PCs
  • Safety Stock: 2 PCs
  • Lead Time: 1 Day
  • Order Method: Replenish to Maximum (Maximum Stock: 20 PCs)
  • Maximum Anticipated Consumption: 3 PCs/Day

Process:

  1. Customer purchases reduce the stock.
  2. When stock reaches 5 PCs, SIC is triggered.
  3. A Purchase Advice is generated for 15 PCs to replenish stock to the maximum level (20 PCs).
  4. During the lead time (1 day), the remaining 3 PCs (excluding Safety Stock) meet customer demands.
  5. In emergencies, Safety Stock can also be utilized.

Statistical Inventory Control offers a practical approach for managing inventory levels, particularly in industries with predictable demand or fast-moving items. However, its limitations make it less ideal for complex or time-phased planning scenarios.

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