Re: BPCS Docs

Jerri,

In a message dated 1/6/00 5:12:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, JMartin@iwgid.com 
writes:

<<snip>>
> But add
>  the files that are used in the process and it would be better.  Add the
>  programs used and that would be great.  Add such information such as when
>  the transaction codes on the RAR changes to a 'Z' and that would be
>  wonderful.  Explain about what happens when a transaction is backed out and
>  what it leaves in the file.
<<snip>>

Documentation issues are the primary reason that BPCS remains 
"un-validatable" for pharmaceutical users.  If you take FDA validation 
literally (which most pharma-users do), you cannot validate the BPCS package. 
 Despite on-site participation from PUG at SSA, there is not yet even an ERD 
that can support the FDA validation of BPCS.  Fortunately for SSA, no other 
ERP package can be validated at this point either.

Frankly, I'm not sure how many people remain at SSA that have the technical 
expertise to follow such a project through at this point.  Heck, I've been 
working with BPCS for nearly ten years and couldn't do it myself.  BPCS 
started from a small package (like many majors do) and _HAD_ no base designs. 
 Recent efforts to flow the system had to fall by the wayside in order to 
make recent enhancements work.  Would you rather have documentation or have 
INV500 work like it should?  The lesser of two evils, I think.  You can't 
fault SSA for the lack of documentation, but you can fault them for not 
keeping what they have up to date.  There never was what IBM used to call a 
"Logic Guide" detailing entity relationships for BPCS, and there probably 
never will be.  Personally, I'd rather that SSA got "back on their feet" with 
solid software and customer support than have good technical documentation 
for the package.  Unless they start charging me for not reading the manual, 
of course :)...

JMHO,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-mail:  DAsmussen@aol.com

"The greatest joy in life is doing what others say you cannot do." -- Walter 
Bagehot
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