Question on M/O's from C/O's

[DaleGindlesperger@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Hello group!

I'm hoping one of you has already had to deal with this situation and can
help me.  Here's the scenario.

We produce one of our product lines (the Coleman Caravan travel trailer) as
make-to-order, configured using COM's Features and Options.  That is more
than adequate for our needs.  The sales person goes through the order form,
and picks the options for the trailer.  COM F&O builds a customer order
bill of materials and costs it out.  The order sits in queue until it is
scheduled for production (there is no date assigned during COM order
entry).

When the trailer is going to be built and shipped (1.2 days on the line),
the factory department scheduler releases the manufacturing order from the
customer order, standard MAPICS I/M order release feature.  That takes the
COM open order bill of material and loads it to the MO bill of material.  I
understands why MAPICS does it that way - the order has been costed using a
custom built product structure and that could be important for product
costing.  Incidentally, that is NOT an issue for us.

The problem is that during the interim period between when the CO is
entered, and the MO is launched, Engineering effectivity dates may (do)
pass, and the MO bill of material is no longer accurate for production.  We
use MDCC's automatic inventory backflush by operation (hundreds of
components per operation, not practical to verify on the line), and we are
charging parts that are no longer used or available, and not charging parts
that are actually being used.  An example would be if we change tire
manufacturers.  We charge out Company X's 14" tire, but actually put on
Company Y's 14" tire.  Instant Automatic Inventory Error!

I need to have the bill of material rechecked for effectivity dates when
the order is released to production from the customer order.  The only way
I can think of is to have the factory department scheduler enter the MO in
I/M, and just use the S-number from the CO to have I/M order release
rebuild the open order bill of material, then go in and add the CO#
information after the order is released.  (I could write something to do
that automatically, I suppose).

Have any of you on the thread had to deal with this?  And have you come up
with a better idea?

Thanks!

Dale Gindlesperger
IT Manager
Fleetwood Folding Trailers, Inc.