We are on 405CD using AS/400 model 170 whose disk space is almost 80%
consumed. Due to BOM complexity & prior MRP discussion here, we run
several extra MRP500 on each facility ... I figure in aggregate maybe 15
runs of MRP500 MRP600 when all facilities and reruns into
consideration. Currently we only run CAP600. We used to also run
CAP500. We capture some data from CAP files for our own reports.
I have experimented with using multiple JOBQ running con-currently &
concluded that is generally counter-productive to performance. Now we
sometimes use alternate JOBQ for quicky tasks to get past heavy duty number
crunching jobs placed in their own separate JOBQ.
Occasionally we have some high volume data entry by some customer whose
requirements are extremely urgent, such that we try to schedule an MRP net
change at approx lunch time for most of the office workers. Because there
are always a bunch of people working throughout the day, doing a simple
MRP500 600 one time each on one facility, in combination takes just over
one hour.
When I run the full regeneration & extra net changes (due to BOM
complexity) in evenings, it is just nite shift workers using some inquiry,
and me for a few hours mainly in files unrelated to MRP.
The difference in speed I figure has to do with the volume of people making
updates to the same files that are input to MRP work.
We have added some tasks to the normal job stream, such as after MRP's list
any items with active MRP requirements, which are lacking in costs (null
... no entry in CMF). This is because we run a lot of query/400 reports
that expect all relevant files to match on all contents.
By BPCS standards, there is an enormous volume of overlap in our
operations, so CAP has only limited value. We have develioped our own
modifications to get data like CAP functions the way our people want.
When the mass of co-workers leaves in the evening around 5 6 pm, I do
Billing then post to General Ledger & get reports via Ops Nav to managers
e-mail for first thing next morning, then load up JOBQ with MRP etc. Some
nites I also include a Standard Cost Rollup. All of the MRPs are done in
maybe 3-4 hours. A single cost rollup can take 3-4 hours. Sometimes we
copy standard to simulation first, then afterwards can run a report showing
what's different standard vs. simulation. I also have a simulation that is
a copy of actual cost, to roll up the simulation, to see what the costs
would be if we were allowed to roll up actual.
Off top of my head I figure we have maybe 3,000 customer order lines
active, 5,000 shop orders, 500 PO's, over 1,000 inventory transactions a
day, mainly from shop order reporting.
Another measure of our data volume.
If i run a SAVE-21 it takes about 2 3/4 hours.
There is something I call a SAVE BPCS which takes 1 hour, and uses GO BACKUP.
That saves all the data associated with BPCS files & software, including
modifications.
On weekends I run a shop order purge (it takes 2-5 hours) followed by MRP &
CAP600, along with a few other jobs. SYS120 can take an hour, but if run
first, a lot of other stuff runs in more than 1 hour faster.
Before we had BPCS, our ERP was MAPICS, Except for MAPICS being Y2K
compliant decades before any other ERP, it was vastly inferior to BPCS,
especially in how long MRP took to run.
On an earlier version of BPCS (System 36), MRP was structured quite
differently, such that it was only practical to run it on weekends, plus a
human being had to be present for 1/2 a day, feeding it, so we made our own
modifications to automate the process. Even so, it was impractical to do a
regeneration during the week, because if we launched it when leaving the
office in the evening, it would still be running when we returned the next
morning. That is no longer a reality, thanks to using the siizng
questionairre wisely, analysing & getting rid of dead orders, periodic
updates to hardware speed, and being hard nosed about people who leave
their work stations signed on when done for the day.
While modifying the process, I had to study the logic of MRP.
I was amazed at how much good work this software got accomplished in so
little time.
Today we can load up the JOBQ with a ton of tasks, then leave the 400
running unattended. This is never a problem except end-fiscal month, which
we just had last weekend. I got out of there Fri nite after midnite, while
the JOBQ load did not complete until 9 am Saturday. Because co-workers
sometimes work Saturday mornings, I was back there Saturday working 2 pm to
2 am, then back again Sunday for another 5 hours. How long the MRP takes
is the least of my concerns.
I am still working on EOM stuff. Basically there are a ton of report
modifications that I call "Excel friendly" which I am combining into Excels
to deliver to various people: GL Dump; Commodity Content; Sales Analysis;
Unused Inventory.
End Year will be a nightmare because we also do a physical inventory at
that time, the company insists on year ending Dec-31 which is middle of
week. I will be doing EOM thru INV900, then people will be working several
days on physical inventory, plus I have a set of programs to replace the
standard costs. The company grants workers some days off during holidays,
which gives me just enough days to get the job done.
We use the GO CMDSCDE to run some standard reports waiting for people first
thing in their morning. We do not have IBM advanced scheduler or ROBOT
from HELP SYSTEMS so it has not been practical to put many BPCS tasks there.
Al Macintyre
We are running BPCS 8.0 and in the process of converting to LX.
We are, however, using another program to run MRP, and re-evaluating it.
My question is - if you are running BPCS MRP nightly, how long
does it take?
Dick Bailey
MCFA, Inc.
midrange.com
