RPM -- BPCS-L

You may find the following press release to be of interest:

Systems Plus Announces Release of the latest BPCS Interface for OTTO On-Time
Orders software for Reality-based Priority Management (RPM)

Companies use OTTO to improve on-time delivery by presenting useful,
pro-active information from existing ERP systems.

Greensboro, NC, August 1, 2002.  Systems Plus, the world's leading developer
of software for Reality-based Priority Management (RPM), today announced
version 5.0 of the BPCS interface for their OTTO On-Time Orders system is
now complete and ready for implementation.  The OTTO system is an
inexpensive add-on software application that provides reports and inquiries,
using the host BPCS system's data and utilizing the innovative RPM
methodology for giving operational managers a clear view of priorities and
helping prevent delays, improving on-time shipment performance.

"OTTO is the world's leading implementation of innovative RPM methodology,"
according to company president Jim Rittenmeyer.  "We have spent years
developing the required algorithms.  We then use standard data warehousing
techniques, to extract data from the existing ERP system's database and
transform that data to support a series of data mining queries and reports,
without affecting the normal operation of the system.  The queries and
reports provide reality-based priorities and truly practical and useful
information for production managers, purchasing, and operations management.
Knowledge workers can now see the importance of each and every ongoing
activity and planned order, and make intelligent decisions about what they
have to do today to insure on-time shipments tomorrow, the next day, and
next week."

RPM methodology has evolved over the last eight years as the key to
achieving the return on investment that manufacturing companies anticipated
when they first implemented their systems.  Most have not been able to
translate plans effectively into actions because MRP, as a planning tool,
tends to bury the link between today's activities and the specific customer
orders that they support.  "MRP develops plans item-by-item," says
well-known consultant and author Dave Turbide, "and develops planned orders
and exception messages based on net requirements.  While good planning is a
requirement, a production manager looking at a planned or on-going work
order has no easy way to find out if this component order supports a
customer order that's due to ship tomorrow, will end up in a product that
won't be shipping for several weeks, or maybe it's even going to end up on
the shelf as replenishment inventory or safety stock.  Sometimes, the parts
from one production order will end up in all of these places.  The
production manager can't tell that by looking at the MRP recommendation."
As one plant manager said: "I know you need it all but which is needed
first?"

OTTO's implementation of the RPM methodology presents materials management
personnel with easy-to-understand detailed information identifying exactly
where each and every part is going - which customer order requires each
individual part.  Then it becomes easy to sequence work, adjust lot sizes,
work the tradeoffs, and keep the important work moving.  The result is
dramatic improvements in on-time shipments and significant reductions in
lead-time, inventory, and expediting costs.


Systems Plus Systems Plus, Inc.  has been developing and installing
RPM-compliant add-on software systems since 1994.  As the world's leading
provider of RPM software, Systems Plus is proud to offer OTTO (On-Time
Orders), an inexpensive, non-invasive add-on that self-installs in less than
an hour, implements in 4 hours and delivers on the promises of MRP / ERP
that have thus-far been elusive for so many firms in less than 30 days.

For more information, visit our web site at www.systemspluscorp.com or call
Systems Plus at (336) 446-7189

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OTTO is a trademark of Systems Plus Corporation.  All other trademarks are
the property of their respective owners.

Roy Luce