RE: Can Outside Processing be tracked in Mapics?

Al,

We issue a PO for outside operations, and already have an MO going, since we
send WIP for outside processing, not finished (inventory) goods.

There was quite a discussion some months ago about outside processing, and
the #2 enhancement request (right behind being able to set up, one time, an
on-going MAPICS backup schedule) voted on at the MAPICS User's Conference
this year was to integrate PO's and MO's for outside processing - would work
for both WIP and FG. Supposedly MAPICS is working on the enhancement...

Anyhow, at the moment, someone has to manually add the PO information to the
item's MO when the PO is issued (PO not usually issued at MO release). We
have three operations on the MO - send to outside vendor, receive from
outside vendor, and invoice from vendor. Shipping logs the number of pieces
to the first operation when they are sent to the vendor, receiving logs the
number of pieces to the second MO operation and receives to the PO when they
come back. AP processes the invoice, which updates the piece count AND cost
to the third MO operation (and thence to the overall cost of manufacturing
the item). What the enhancement will HOPEFULLY do is cut out the manual
logging of the PO information to the MO operation(s), and allow one
"receipt" to update both the PO and the MO operation, so we know how many
pieces have gone to the vendor and how many pieces have been returned.

We started out with only two operations, but IFM/AP sends both piece count
and cost to the MO operation (when processed as an outside operation
invoice), so we were getting double counts at the receive operation, making
it impossible to tell exactly how many pieces had come back from the vendor
(on large MO's, we usually send to vendors in batches, and they return
likewise).

Hope this helps  -- Joan

PS It goes without saying (I hope) that you issue the PO for the service
being performed, not for the finished (or WIP) end item. I.e. we issue the
PO for "machining," not for the item being machined. We put what item is
being sent (item # and brief description) in the PO extended description
fields, and the MO number and operation in the appropriate PO line item
fields...

Joan McCready, IS Manager      phone:  636-479-4499
MetalTek International         fax:  636-479-3399
The Carondelet Division        www.metaltekint.com
8600 Commercial Blvd
Pevely, MO  63070


-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Tenney [mailto:bobtenney@earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2002 6:22 PM
To: mapics-l@midrange.com
Subject: Re: Can Outside Processing be tracked in Mapics?


Al, you might want to consider using the Purchasing application to track
items sent to vendors for Outside Operations. Purchase orders are designed
to manage dealings with vendors and are better suited to this task than
manufacturing orders. Also, you probably need a PO to pay the vendor's
invoice in any case and you can have AP generate transactions for the actual
cost and send them to PC&C.

Bob Tenney
bob@tenneypubs.com
Bob Tenney Solutions, LLC
MAPICS - FRx - Crystal Reports
----- Original Message -----
From: "Al Gershen" <aldg1@charter.net>
To: "ECS: MAPICS Mailing List" <mapics-l@midrange.com>
Cc: "Gershen, Al" <aldg1@charter.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2002 5:15 PM
Subject: Can Outside Processing be tracked in Mapics?


> Environment: Mapics DB/Y2K (Mod 4) with IM, PDM and PC&C
>
> Hi Mapics ML:
>
> How do you track your Outside Processing in Mapics?
>
> Under our system, we issue an IS (Miscellaneous Issue) Inventory
> Transaction to move the Inventory Item from the main Warehouse to a
> Manufacturing Order (using a special numbering sequence for MOs of
> this nature).  The MO is used to track the actual costs for Outside
> Processing.
>
> When the Inventory Item comes back from Outside
> Processing, it's inspected and the Manufacturing Order is closed
> resulting in a RM (Production Receipt) Inventory Transaction to move
> the Inventory Item back to the main Warehouse.
>
> All of these transactions occur within the main Warehouse
> so I don't believe that there's a way within Mapics to
> track the Inventory Items that are out at Outside
> Processing.
>
> Our Production Clerk has to run a Query/400 report that summarizes the
> open MOs related to Outside Processing to get real time information
> about the status of this activity.
>
> I thought about setting up a dedicated Warehouse for
> Outside Processing:
>
> Under this plan, an IW (Interwarehouse Issue) Inventory Transaction
> would move the Inventory Item out of the main Warehouse.  A RW
> (Interwarehouse Receipt) would receive the Inventory Item into the new
> Warehouse.
>
> The IS (Miscellaneous Issue) Inventory Transaction to move the
> Inventory Item to a Manufacturing Order would be recorded out of the
> new Warehouse.
>
> When the Inventory Item comes back from Outside
> Processing, its inspected and the Manufacturing Order is closed
> resulting in a RM (Production Receipt) Inventory Transaction to move
> the Inventory Item back to the new Warehouse.
>
> Another IW would move the Inventory Item out of the new Warehouse and
> a RM would record the receipt of the Inventory Item into
> the main Warehouse.
>
> When I look at this plan, it seems to require to many "Inventory
> Transactions" which results in a labor intensive bookkeeping process.
>
> What do you do in your shop to track Outside Processing?
>  Are there simpler ways to handle Outside Processing and
> are youe able to have Mapics track this activity?
>
> I look forward to your comments on this matter.
>
> Regards,
> Al Gershen
> Grants Pass, OR
> aldg1@charter.net _______________________________________________
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