Craig....comments about E.R.S. and JDE
--We are primarily on World.
--We are an automotive, repetitive manufacturer, few suppliers, high volume
--Our release process was based on Excel spreadsheets fax'd to Suppliers
--Implemented JDE shop floor and MRP
--Purchased a web-based SCM solution called Supplyworks
(
www.supplyworks.com). User needs only Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher (and
a fast PC with good Internet connection).
--Supplyworks customized their application greatly (& quickly) to meet our
needs
--Part information for vendors using Supplyworks comes from JDE PDM via
integration (Supplyworks built integration). New parts are recognized and
sent up to Supplyworks.
--Blanket POs are set up in Supplyworks (not JDE blankets) by our Purchasing
Dept. Individual Blanket POs are set up for each part due to special
requirements for each part. Includes max quantity, price, payment terms and
Evaluated Receipts flag.
--Via integration (Supplyworks built) Supplyworks take a feed from our MRP
output and creates Supplier Schedules which can be manually adjusted before
posting.
--Suppliers indicate when they plan to ship
--Our planners and our suppliers Customer Service view same screen showing
our demand and Suppliers planned shipments. Lots of info on this
screen....amazing. Lots of collaboration tools provided. Alerts
automatically created and sent when vendor indicates they cannot meet our
demand.
--From same screen, suppliers shipping department can indicate that they are
shipping (we call it an ASN), the parts, the quantities (default in from
plan but can be changed), the number of boxes and the number in each box,
and their "packing list number" (hopefully this is the same as the invoice
number in their system or is some type of number that their A/R department
can use because this number becomes the Invoice Number on the voucher
created by E.R.S.). The Supplier's Shipping department prints out a
shipment summary that includes a Bar Code and includes this paper with the
shipment. PO status is Shipped.
--Supplyworks electronically sends us the ASN, integration creates standard
JDE POs (Doc type "OZ" to separate them from standard "OPs") containing part
and quantity info from ASN, supplier info, payment terms, and pricing from
Supplyworks Blanket PO. Single shipment creates multiple POs. POs exactly
match what the supplier says they ship.
--Supplyworks integration also updates a tentative receiving file (our
design) containing a unique bar code for that shipment, and all the
information need to complete JDE receiving including the packing list
number.
--When Shipment arrives, Receiving scans bar code on the printout that comes
with the shipment. Using SST functionality (SST is software that can take
data and complete JDE data entry forms) this then completes all receipts for
all POs on the shipment and puts the Supplier "packing list number" entered
above into the Supplier Remarks field in the F43121 receiving file.
--If shipment doesn't arrive and we don't process within a day of expected
delivery, an automatic alert is created by Supplyworks and sent to our
Planning and Suplier's Customer Service. It has been know to happen that
shipping paperwork doesn't get processed. (THIS IS IMPORTANT TO INSURE THE
VENDOR GETS PAID FOR ITEMS SHIPPED!)
--Integration back to Supplyworks from JDE receiving changes PO Status to
Received.
--E.R.S. runs automatically at night, processing options look for receipts
from selected vendors with Evaluated Receipts flag set to "Y" and Invoice
Logging Field set to "P". E.R.S. wants to create a voucher for each P.O.
Our clever RPQ programmer figured out that the JDE P43800 program would
group POs on a single voucher if a "P" was put into the Invoice Logging
Field in the F43121 so before P43800 fires off we have a little program with
the same processing options as P43800 which puts a "P" in the Invoice
Logging Field. When E.R.S. runs a single voucher is created for the
multiple POs that usually are part of any shipment from our vendors. One
Shipment, one packing list number, multiple parts, multiple POs, one
voucher.
--A/P prints out vouchers (using an AS/400 query) and files.
--Checks are created based on payment terms. The amounts by invoice on the
check stub are really amounts by packing list number. This has not caused
any major problems with our vendors, but for some (where the packing list
number is not the invoice number) they have had to develop some special
processes.
--Quality Department verifies quantities and quality after shipment. If
returns are necessary or parts are bad or quantities are wrong, Quality
works with Supplier. Supplier sends "negative ASN" through Supplyworks that
is then processed just like a regular E.R.S. Negative receipts are
processed in E.R.S. just like positive ones. Quality initiates a paper
process (VDMRs-Vendor Defective Material Report) which can include
additional charges if necessary. These charges are manual credits entered
using Standard Voucher Entry.
Glitches:
--Additional freight, or material surcharges, or box charges or whatever
can't be added by the vendor but must be included in the piece price or
charged monthly via a separate invoice.
--Supplyworks does not currently handle multiple currencies, but it will be
in the next release (we will be going live with a Canadian company that
needs this feature fairly soon).
--Vendors must support this. They have to have powerful PCs (lots of Java
applet processing on local boxes) and fast internet connections. Their
Customer Service, Shipping and to some extent their A/R departments must
learn how to use the system.
--Supplyworks is slow to repaint the screen, but they are working on
improving speed (more server side processing and less transfer of data &
local processing).
--Integration is tricky to set up. Requires some local expertise and
separate integration server (what's another server).
--Planning added Suppliers to Supplyworks and did not tell me (controller of
JDE processing options) or A/P. Good communication is necessary....duh.
--I only see this working for our "good" vendors who ship regularly. For
suppliers who send us lots of small quantity MRO items where items are added
all the time and pricing changes frequently, I don't see this as a solution.
World 7.3, Cum 10
Moving to XE, AS/400, Coexistence, HTML