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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 Week: Project Templates

Kathy Barthelt 0 193601 Article rating: No rating

Project templates are useful because you can specify all of the information that you would normally want to include when creating a new project such as project structure, budget and so on.

In Baan IV/V, project templates do not exist, but you can set up a project template by creating a regular project, and setting the status to simulated or free. This is done so that the project does not create plans. Under this scenario, you can easily copy one project to another.

In LN, when you create a new project, a template can be used as the starting point. This is similar to copying a normal project, but unlike normal projects, no costs or revenues can be posted on a template.

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Infor LX and Crossroads MES Selected by Blonder Tongue

Crossroads RMC 0 33185 Article rating: No rating

Blonder Tongue, a global communication equipment supplier for TV broadcasters, cable system operator, lodging video, Internet system, and institutional systems, has selected Crossroads RMC to assist them with a BPCS 6.0.04 upgrade to Infor LX. Crossroads RMC will be providing all applications and technical consulting for this project. Also included as part of the project will be the implementation of the Crossroads MES solution. Go live for both solutions is expected in January of 2018.

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

Anthony Etzel 0 45019 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 164408 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 48095 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 132635 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 401450 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 43515 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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Tips:  LX | BPCS | M3

Tips: LN | Baan

Don't laugh - the average lifespan of an ERP system is 7-10 years

Don't laugh - the average lifespan of an ERP system is 7-10 years

Don’t laugh! I know, I know…many of our customers say that after 7-10 years they are finally settling in after the implementation! We have seen many a customer stretch out the lifespan of their ERP system to 20+ years. That sounds great for the company’s bank account, but is it good for the business?

An outdated ERP system hurts your business in many ways, not just with slow performance. The best-of-breed functionality is now 2 decades old, and obsolete technology can't leverage newer technology. Lack of integration leads to siloed data that hurts communication and your internal teams feel the pain, and your customers are noticing. Poor visibility into your operations makes it nearly impossible to achieve industry-based regulatory compliance and meet financial auditing requirements. Not to mention the sheer size of Big Data that is being collected today vs. 2 decades ago or the fact that your vendor is no longer supporting your ERP version.

Let’s scrap it all and start over!

Is it that black and white though? There is an ocean between “do nothing” and “replace everything”. Taking incremental steps can give your organization a tremendous amount of benefit without the tremendous price tag that often goes with ERP replacement, but you need to be willing to take the first step. Maybe there is a manufacturing ERP add-on that you know would provide tremendous benefit and improve overall efficiency, or a web portal that you log in to that allows you to communicate with your suppliers, but it has no tie to your purchase orders, or maybe your team would benefit from a review of industry best practices and how that compares to how your ERP system is currently being used. Or at the very least you need to know if your ERP system is still meeting the organization’s needs.

Success will never be a big step in the future. Success is a small step taken just now.” – Jonatan Martensson

Crossroads RMC specializes in helping manufacturers maximize the benefit of “the small step”.  Not sure how Crossroads RMC can optimize your business?

Our Infor ERP Services can optimize your business with the following initiatives and many more:

Infor LX (ERP LX) Services>
Infor LN (ERP LN) Services>
BPCS Services>
Baan Services>

It's time to take the first step today!
800-762-2077  |  solutions@crossroadsrmc.com

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