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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

BPCS/LX Tip of the Week: LX 8.3.5 Facility Period Close

Anthony Etzel 0 44885 Article rating: 5.0

The Facility Period Close process was introduced in Infor LX 8.3.4 and has been enhanced in 8.3.5. This feature allows continuous or 24-hour worldwide operations in multiple facilities to submit Period End Close jobs for each facility as daily operations cease, or shifts end.

This enhancement provides a batch mode for the Facility Period Close (INV930) process and allows the Update IIM Inventory from IWI (INV931) process to be submitted from the INV930B program. The enhancement also provides a batch mode for the INV931 process.

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Baan/LN Tip of the Week: Order Series Full – Switching to a Different Series

Kathy Barthelt 0 164281 Article rating: 5.0

In general, you can enter a different series in the order field if you have an available series.

To add a new series, find the appropriate group in the First Free Number session, and add a new series and first free number (usually 1).

In Baan IV, go to the Maintain First Free Numbers Session (under Common, Tables, Maintain Logistics Tables, Maintenance 1).
Groups are easily identified (e.g., Purchase Order, Sales Order, etc.).

In Baan V, go to the First Free Number Session (under Common Data, Tables, Logistics). There are number groups (e.g., 570 may be for Purchase Orders, 650 may be for Sales Orders, etc.).

In LN, go to the First Free Number Session (tcmcs0150m000 – it is in different places in the menu under different Feature Packs). There are number groups (e.g., 210 may be for Purchase Orders, 310 may be for Sales Orders, etc.).

BPCS/LX Tip of the Week: Revisit The Last Brilliant Idea

Anthony Etzel 0 48017 Article rating: No rating

Sometimes the best ideas have to be tabled due to competing priorities. That doesn’t mean that the idea was bad. Revisit previously suggested cost savings ideas, or ideas to make a manual process more efficient. Now could be the right time to do something great!

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Baan/LN Tip of the Week: Difference Between a Serialized Item and Unit Effective Item

Kathy Barthelt 0 132469 Article rating: No rating

A serialized item is not the same as a unit effective item. A serialized item has a serial number that is used to identify and track individual items, whereas a unit effectivity item has an effectivity unit that provides some information about the item's configuration. However, an item can be both serialized and unit effective.

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Baan/LN Tip of the Week: Alternative Materials in BOMs:

Kathy Barthelt 0 401242 Article rating: No rating

Often, multiple items are interchangeable even when these are purchased from various vendors. You can use any of these items as material in a bill of material (BOM). If a shortage of a standard material is expected to delay a production order, LN can automatically select one of the alternative materials. You can define up to nine alternative materials for any material in a BOM.

The use of alternative materials has the following advantages:

  • LN can handle material shortages for some items without user intervention.
  • The use of alternative items can reduce the average inventory level.

BPCS/LX Tip of the Week: Purchase Order “In Use” Reset Feature 8.3.5

Anthony Etzel 0 43434 Article rating: No rating

 

This new feature provides the ability to resolve or reset a purchase order or requisition that is no longer being processed, but the system still indicates it is ‘in use’. We all remember those situations where we could never figure out how the order got hung up.

What we previously had to do was run a behind the scenes script to reset the flag so the order was again accessible. This enhancement provides the ability to resolve the issue and resume processes quickly.

This option is now on the PUR menu, and the user can select the Purchase Order/Requisition in Use Maintenance, PUR940D. The user then enters an order or requisition to remove the “In Use” status.

 

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Baan/LN Tip of the Week: Advantages / Disadvantages of Virtualization

Kathy Barthelt 0 136447 Article rating: 5.0

I know a lot of our customers are considering virtualization projects. I came across this, and thought it might be useful:

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:

  • When sizing the physical server.
  • When planning VM capacity.
  • When planning multiple VMs on the same physical server.
  • When investigating performance issues.

 

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Tips:  LX | BPCS | M3

Tips: LN | Baan

Kathy Barthelt

Infor LN & Baan Tip: Important Porting Set Announcement (all versions of LN & Baan)

There has been a recent porting set change due to Infor’s Product Life Cycle Policy.  

How to determine the maintenance stage of an Infor LN product version and release

Before a customer starts deploying Porting Set 9.4a or a later release, they must determine the actual maintenance stage of their Baan / Infor LN product. The definition of the maintenance stages for the product versions and releases of all versions of Baan and Infor LN are outlined in the Product Support schedule as published in the PLC policy. The maintenance stage of the ERP version is either “Mainstream Maintenance”, “Extended Maintenance” or “Sustaining Maintenance”.

How to manage Porting Set updates

The following conditions apply to customers who intend to upgrade to Porting Set 9.4a or later Porting Set releases:

  • For customers with a product version in Mainstream Maintenance, there will be no difference with regards to Porting Set updates. They can install Porting Set 9.4a or any newer release.
  • Customers with a product version in Extended Maintenance will be able to use Porting Set 9.4a only under the condition that they acquire an Extended Maintenance license and have applied the corresponding validated license key to their SLM License server. This key is a Server license type.
  • Customers with a product version in Extended Maintenance who have not acquired an Extended Maintenance license will not be able to use Porting Set 9.4a or any newer version. The latest Porting Set for these customers that can be installed and used is 9.3j which was released in April 2021.
  • Customers with a product version in Sustaining Maintenance will not be able to use Porting Set 9.4a or any newer version. The latest Porting Set for these customers is 9.3j which was released in April 2021. Customers who are not entitled to upgrade to Porting Set 9.4a can use any Porting Set release prior to Porting Set 9.4a. These continue to be available through the Infor Support Portal.

You can find more information in KB 1946498 General: Infor LN and Baan Product Lifecycle Policy and KB 2204515, or you may contact Crossroads RMC for assistance in determining whether or not you are able to upgrade your porting set.

800.762.2077

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