Syteline system cut over will be the biggest milestone of your implementation project.  Careful planning would be essential to your project success.

Section A – Initial Setup

Section B – General Ledger Setup

Section C – General Financial Setup

Section D – Accounts Payable Setup

Section E – Accounts Receivable Setup

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Backup Database before entering Section F (note Parameter forms can be entered, no master data just static data)

Section F – Inventory Setup

Section G – Purchasing Setup

Section H – Sales/Order Entry Setup

Section I – Manufacturing Setup

Section J – Human Resources / Payroll Setup

K – Beginning Balances

L –Action Items

The “Query” function in Syteline allows you to use multiple selection criteria to query transaction.  The example below show you how to query manual transactions for inventory account in a given date range.

Open the “GL posted transaction query” form.

Click “Additional Criteria” tab.

In the first pull down list, select “Account”.  In second pull down list, select “=”.  Put in an account#, or select from pull down list in the last field, then click the “Add” button.

Select “Posted from”, let it “=” to General.  That means we will only select transactions that is posted from “General Journal”, instead of normal inventory transactions that are posted from “IC Journal”.  Then click the “Add” button.

Repeat the similar process for “Transaction date”, to give a date range.  Once finished entering all the criteria, click the “Refesh” button.  Transaction data should shows up.

Right click on left-upper corner of the grid, from the menu, select “To Excel”, you will then be able to export the data to Excel.

The similar query process will work on all the “Query” form.

The Definition of Procedures

Procedures represent the documentation of business process.  Their purpose is to document all business processes, strategies, and principles and their related information.  In terms of ISO 9000, procedures represent the Level B/Tier 2 of the Quality System.  Procedures should be written in a detailed manner.  They should cover the ‘5 – Ws’, what, where, when, why, and who.  A common rule of content to adopt is 90% specific and 10% general.

Getting Started

Getting organized to begin the process of procedure writing requires several administration steps.  The first step is to determine what kind of procedure system do you require.  This can be determined by reviewing your current procedure situation.

• Do procedures exist?
• Are these procedures current?
• Is there a common procedure?
• Are or will the current procedures required for a regulatory certification?
• Review current situation
• Determine required control
• Pick a procedure format
• Start a procedure log
• Educate procedure writers

Getting Started

The answers to these questions will assist in determining the level of control required manage your procedures.

The next steps are to select the proper procedure format for your system and develop a procedure log to establish procedure requirements. There is no one standard procedure format.  Selecting a procedure format is a matter of reviewing possible styles and selecting the one suited best to meet your requirements.  If a certification, like ISO 9000, is factor a specific procedure format or content may be required.  . Check with you registrar for recommendations.  Establishing a procedure log through the course of the implementation will allow written procedures to be documented and tracked.  Establishing this log prior to the business pilot will allow you to determine the scope of procedure writing required for your implementation.  Some of the most common elements of a procedure log are procedure numbers, titles, revision level, functional area, person responsible, approval responsibilities, and related dates.

Once the procedure system and format have been established, the next step is to select and educate procedure writers.  Often the best people to write the procedures are the ones responsible for the tasks.  The selected procedure writers should be given proper education on what is expected and to review the selected procedure format and content.  Practicing flowcharting business processes is an excellent way to begin the process and to develop proper technique.  Flowcharting helps to understand the level required and where additional or smaller procedures are needed.  After completing the flowchart, the procedures can then be easily written in the specified format or in a draft fashion for a clerical person to input for review.  The final step is to review, approve, and distribute the finished procedures.

Procedure for writing a procedure

1.0 Purpose

1.01     The purpose of this procedure is to detail the requirements necessary                  in documenting a procedure

2.0 Scope

2.01     All procedures must be prepared on standard format paper.

2.02     All procedures must have as a minimum the following:

• title
• procedure number
• issue number
• date
• page number
• purpose
• scope
• responsibility
• definition
• procedure itself
• references

2.03     The decision, as to whether or not a written procedure is necessary,                          should be taken on the basis that if the absence of such a procedure                                could adversely affect the quality of work being performed, then a                          procedure is necessary.

2.04     The language used in a procedure should be specific enough to avoid                 ambiguity and general enough to ensure it is practical.

2.05     Documentation Control controls the issue of the procedure numbers                               and the procedure log.

3.0 Responsibility

3.01     Primary responsibility for the adherence to the requirements of this                           procedure shall rest with the originator, with contributing                                          responsibility from the appropriate Function Head.

4.0 Definitions

4.01     Function Head.

The Function Head is defined as the manager for the area in which                                the procedure will be performed.

4.02     Originator.

The preparation and writing of a procedure shall be undertaken by                          personnel familiar with the function to be controlled.  The person(s)                                so defined shall be the originator of the procedure.

4.03     Controlled Document.

Authorized copies of procedures, which are produced on the colored                 pro-forma paper, shall be classified as controlled documents.

Authorized copies of procedures, which are not on colored pre-                          printed paper, shall be classified as uncontrolled documents, i.e.                                 photocopies.

5.0 Procedure

5.01     The Originator will prepare a draft procedure.

5.02     The Originator will then forward the draft procedure to all                                        departments affected by the procedure for their comments.

5.03     Departments are normally given two weeks to respond with their                             comments.  (Originators should specify in a covering memo, the                          deadline for comments and circulation list.)

5.04     Comments are taken into account and the procedure modified if                               necessary.  The Project Leader will arbitrate on any disagreements.

5.05     The Originator signs and dates the document under the Approval                            Section.

5.06     Document Control issues official copies of the procedure.

6.0 Reference Documents

6.01     The references shall identify all procedures, operating instruction,                                   and documents referred to within the procedure, which are not part                                of the procedure itself.

Sample Procedure Format

1.0 Purpose

Objective of the procedure.

2.0 Scope

To what activities the procedure applies.

3.0 Responsibility

Who is responsible for implementation?

4.0 Definitions

Terms or words not readily understood.

5.0 Procedure

Step by step instructions of each activity stating:

• What is done?
• By whom?
• When, where, and possibly why?

6.0 Reference Documents

Any other documents or referred to activities.

CRP – INVENTORY CONTROL

• Set up parameter files
• Determine item structure for Item Master.  Determine what will be inventory items and non-inventory items.
• Determine structure for Product Codes/Distribution Accounts.
• Set up master files
  • Item Master
    • Purchasing information
    • Manufacturing information
    • Costing information
    • Engineering information
    • Sales information
  • Product Codes/Distribution Accounts
  • Warehouse Master
  • Stock Locations
    • Nettable/non-nettable
    • Temporary/permanent
  • Reason Codes for miscellaneous inventory transactions
  • Set up Customer/Item and Vendor/Item Cross References
  • Determine valid item/stockroom locations for each inventory item & ranking
  • Determine use of lot tracking and/or serial tracking
  • Determine use of item reservations
    • Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements:
      • Item maintenance, including BOMs
      • Product Code/Distribution Accounts maintenance
      • Warehouse orders and transfers
      • Use of miscellaneous inventory transactions
      • Cycle count
      • Physical inventory
      • Periodic procedures and utilities
        • Rebalance utilities
        • Cost roll-ups
        • Roll current unit cost to standard unit cost
        • Delete transactions/locations/lots/serial numbers
        • Set item PTD and YTD totals to zero
• Determine reports and/or documentation to be used for all procedures – SyteLine and internal
• Establish guidelines for retention of documents and reports – printing hard copies or printing to the terminal

CRP – BOM

• Set up master files
  • Work Centers – scheduling & costing information
  • Machine Master
  • Maintenance schedules
  • Cells
  • Create current routings and bills of material for manufactured items
  • Perform BOM utilities to create standard routing/BOM
    • Low Level Processor
    • BOM Cost Roll-up
    • Roll Current Unit Cost to Standard Unit Cost
• Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements:
  • BOM maintenance
  • Periodic procedures and utilities
    • Cost roll-ups
    • Roll current unit cost to standard unit cost
    • Delete utilities
    • Substitutions
• Determine reports and/or documentation to be used for all procedures – SyteLine and internal
• Establish guidelines for retention of documents and reports – printing hard copies or printing to the terminal

CRP – ENGINEERING CHANGE NOTICES

• Set up codes
  • Priority Codes
  • Reason Codes
  • Distribution Codes
• Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements:
  • Use of Engineering Change Notices for items, estimates, and/or jobs
    • Guidelines for use
    • Requests
    • Flow of documentation through system
    • Changes to
    • Revision tracking
    • Approval
• Determine reports and/or documentation to be used for all procedures – SyteLine and internal
• Establish guidelines for retention of documents and reports – printing hard copies or printing to the terminal

CRP – ORDER ENTRY

• Set up parameter files
• Set up master files, creating examples of each possible type of record or situation that may occur
  • Customer Master
  • Ship-To Addresses
  • Salesperson Master
  • Billing Terms
  • Ship Via Codes
  • Shipping Return Reason Codes
  • Customer Hold Reason Codes
  • Set up Customer/Item cross-references
  • Determine use of Drop Ship To’s
  • Tax codes
    • Determine requirements for reporting on sales tax collected
    • Establish required tax codes
    • Establish procedures for assessing sales tax on orders
    • Pricing
      • Review requirements
      • Establish pricing by some combination of available methods
      • Determine procedures for price changes
      • Determine procedures for exceptions to existing pricing
      • Determine procedures for new item pricing and/or modifications to items
• Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements
  • Customer Order Entry – steps
    • Create order
    • Print Order Verification
    • Verify on-hand, available to ship
    • Print Order Pick List
    • Ship items
    • Print Packing Slip
    • Print Bill of Lading
    • Invoice order
    • Close order after invoicing
  • Customer Order Entry – types of orders to consider
    • Regular/blanket in stock
    • Regular/blanket manufacture to order
    • Regular/blanket conversions
    • Regular/blanket spare parts
    • Regular/blanket services
    • Other

CRP – ORDER ENTRY (contd.)

• Changes to existing orders
• Managing back orders – completing/not completing
• Expediting orders
• Progressive billing – use and management
• Stopping/re-releasing orders
• Order cancellations
• Shipping return procedures
  • Use of RMAs to manage
  • Flow of documentation through the system
  • Notification to shipping department and customer service/accounting          for credit to customer
  • Perform shipping return
  • Inspection of returned goods and return/not return to inventory
  • Generation and control of credit memos
  • Un-ship (prior to invoicing)
  • Use of credit holds and credit limits
    • Compliance and exceptions
    • Changes to credit limit
  • Order Inquiry handling by customer service
  • Reserving inventory for orders
  • Adjustments to price after invoicing
  • Commissions
    • Use of SyteLine commission structure or external
    • Management of calculation
    • Adjustments to
    • Payment through AP or Payroll
  • Routine utilities and procedures
    • Closing orders
    • Purge Customer Order Audit Trail
    • Rebalance Customer Order/Posted Balance
    • Balance History
    • Period/Year end Procedures
    • Delete and purge transactions
• Determine reports and/or documentation to be used at each step – SyteLine and internal
• Establish guidelines for retention of documents and reports – printing hard copies or printing to the terminal

CRP – PURCHASING

• Set up parameter files
• Set up master files, creating examples of each possible type of record or situation that may occur
  • Vendor Master and remit to vendors
  • Billing Terms
  • Ship Via Codes
  • Drop Ship To’s
  • Receiving Return Reason Codes
  • Set up Vendor/Item cross-references
  • Determine use of Drop Ship To’s
    • Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements
      • Purchase Requisitions – if and for what items
      • Purchase Order Entry – steps
        • Create purchase order
        • Verify cost
        • Print Purchase Order
        • Print purchasing Receiving List
        • Receive items
        • Close order after vouchering (AP)
  • Purchase Order Entry – types to consider
    • Regular/blanket for inventory stock items
    • Regular/blanket for non-inventory items
    • Regular/blanket Customer Orders – cross-reference or not
    • Regular for Job Orders – cross-reference or not
    • Regular for inter-company purchases
  • Lot/serial controls on purchases
  • Expediting Purchase Orders
  • Canceling Purchase Orders
  • Managing back orders – completing/not completing
  • Receiving returns
    • Use of RMAs to manage
    • Flow of documentation through the system
      • Notification to receiving department and accounting for credit from vendor
    • Perform receiving return
  • Un-receive (prior to vouchering)
  • Use of PO Change Orders
    • Determine use of Vendor Communications Log

CRP – PURCHASING (contd.)

• Routine utilities and procedures
  • Closing Purchase Orders
  • Closing Change Orders
    • Review and update Purchased Current Unit Cost if vouchered cost does not equal received cost
    • Purge Purchase Order Audit Trail
    • Rebalance items
    • Delete utilities
    • Determine reports and documentation to be used – SyteLine and internal
      • Determine how purchasing requirements will be determined – Purchase Requirements Report or MRP
      • Determine if tax codes are to be used for purchasing
        • Establish tax codes as required
        • Establish procedures for assessing use tax
        • Determine reporting requirements for use tax on purchases

CRP – ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

• Set up parameter files
• Set up master files, creating examples of each possible type of record or situation that may occur
  • Vendor Master and remit to vendors
  • Salesperson Master
  • Billing Terms
  • Ship Via Codes
  • State Master
  • Vendor Payment Hold Reason Codes
  • Bank Codes
  • Set up Vendor/Item Cross-references
  • Establish tax codes as required
    • Establish procedures for assessing use tax
    • Determine reporting requirements for use tax on purchases
• Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements
  • Vouchering
    • From purchasing
    • Manually through Vouchers & Adjustments
    • Generating recurring vouchers
    • Distributing manual and recurring vouchers
  • Voucher Adjustments
    • From purchasing returns
    • Manually through Vouchers & Adjustments
    • Distributing voucher adjustments
  • Payment processing
    • Manual check posting
    • Generation of standard checks
    • Manual addition of standard checks
    • Selection of check distributions
    • Check printing and posting
  • Void checks prior to posting and after posting
  • Putting vendors and/or vouchers on hold
  • Use of Vendor Communications Log
  • Routine utilities and procedures
    • Year end procedure
    • Delete transactions
    • Deactivate posted transactions
    • Generate currency gains/losses
    • Purge Vendor Master Audit Trail

CRP – ACCOUNTS PAYABLE (contd.)

• Determine reports and documentation to be used – SyteLine and internal
  • Establish procedures for retention of documents and reports – printing hard copies or printing to the terminal

Accounts Payable Cut-Over Procedures:

• Order checks
• Set up recurring vouchers
• Enter all AP open vouchers at cut-over date into Vouchers & Adjustments (this includes those items vouchered in the existing system – i.e. already recorded in general ledger on the existing system)
• Enter all AP open payments, if any, such as an un-applied deposit on a vendor’s account at cut-over date into Payments
• Post Vouchers & Adjustments and Payments files to AP Distribution Journal
• Purge AP Dist. of all transactions
• Print AP Aging.  Verify vendor balances to AP Aging on existing system.
• Enter outstanding checks into Bank Reconciliation file

CRP – ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

• Set up parameter files
• Set up master files, creating examples of each possible type of record or situation that may occur
  • Customer Master
  • Ship-To Addresses
  • Salesperson Master
  • Billing Terms
  • Ship Via Codes
  • Bank Codes
  • Establish tax codes as required
    • Determine requirements for reporting on sales tax collected
    • Establish procedures for assessing sales tax on orders
• Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements
  • Invoices, debit memos, and credit memos
    • Generate from Order Entry
    • Price Adjustments generated in Order Entry
    • Create and print from Accounts Receivable
      • Uses for AR invoices, debits, and credits
      • Distributing AR invoices, debits, and credits
    • Invoice posting
    • Transactions review
  • Payments
    • Distributions to invoices
    • Prepayments tied to Customer Orders
    • Open payments
    • Non-AR payments
    • Payment posting
    • Re-application of open payments
    • Re-application of open credits and debits
  • Add bank deposits to Bank Reconciliation file
  • Process finance charges
  • Review posted transactions for open transactions
  • Collections, statements, dunning letters
  • Use of Customer Communications Log

CRP – ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE (contd.)

• Routine utilities and procedures
  • Rebalance Customer Order/Posted Balance
  • Balance History
  • Period/Year end Procedures
  • Delete and purge transactions
  • Deactivate Posted Transactions
  • Purge Customer Audit Trail
  • Generate Currency Gains/Losses
  • Determine reports and/or documentation to be used – SyteLine and internal
    • Establish procedures for retention of documents and reports – printing hard copies or printing to the terminal

Accounts Receivable Cut-Over Procedures:

• Order invoices and statements
• Enter all AR open invoices at cut-over date into Invoices, Debits, & Credits screen (this includes those items invoiced in the existing system – i.e. already recorded in general ledger on the existing system)
• Enter all AR open payments, if any, such as an un-applied deposit on a customer’s account at cut-over date into Payments
• Post Invoices, Debits & Credits and Payments files to AR Distribution Journal
• Purge AR Dist. of all transactions
• Print AR Aging.  Verify customer balances to AR Aging on existing system.
• Enter deposits in transit into Bank Reconciliation file

CRP – GENERAL LEDGER

• Establish Chart of Accounts
• Set up parameter files
• Determine financial reporting requirements
• Determine use of Budgets and Plans
• Set up accounting periods
  • Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements
    • Posting journals
    • Standard entries and recurring journals for those entries
    • Correcting journal entries
    • Creation and generation of financial statements
    • Using Bank Reconciliation
    • Periodic procedures and utilities
      • Updating accounting period
      • Maintaining budgets and plans
      • Maintaining chart of accounts
      • Year-end closing
  • Account analysis
  • Determine reports and/or documentation to be used – SyteLine and internal
    • Establish procedures for retention of documents and reports – printing hard copies or printing to the terminal

General Ledger Cut-Over Procedures:

• Enter accounting periods for current year and other years, as applicable
• Enter net monthly GL account balances into a Balances journal for the current YTD and prior year, if applicable (this includes those items posted in the existing system – i.e. already recorded in general ledger on the existing system)
• Load budgets and plans
• Post Balances journal
• Reconcile posted GL balances to current system

CRP – PRODUCTION PLANNING/CONTROL

• Set up parameter files
• Set up master files
  • Shop Calendars
  • Holidays
  • Employees
• Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements
  • Determine how manufacturing requirements will be determined – Purchase Requirements Report or MRP
  • Job cycle – steps
    • Create job and copy item routing/BOM
    • Modify job routing/BOM
    • Release job
    • Job paperwork and dispatch list
    • Post transactions through backflushing or transaction entry
    • Lot controlled items on jobs
    • Job analysis
    • Close job
    • Lot/serial tracking finished goods
  • Job cycle – types
    • Manufacture to stock
    • Manufacture cross-referenced to Customer Order
  • Production schedule cycle – steps
    • Create production schedule and copy item routing/BOM
    • Modify PS routing/BOM
    • Set up PS releases
    • Paperwork and dispatch
    • Issue material to floorstock locations as appropriate
    • Report production to work centers
    • Report complete production
    • Run end of period costing procedure
    • Review variances
  • Modifying job/production schedule routing/BOM
  • Determine use of backflushing and/or manual reporting
  • Cross-referencing Purchase Orders
  • Job splitting
  • Job merging
  • Stopping  jobs/production schedules
  • Canceling jobs/production schedules

CRP – SCHEDULING/CAPACITY PLANNING

• Set up parameter files
• Set up master files
  • Departments
  • Shop Calendars
  • Holidays
  • Work Centers – Scheduling & Costing
  • Cells
  • Machine
  • Machine Maintenance
  • Determine scheduling methods – finite/infinite, backward/forward, move, queue
  • Determine scheduling method for each Work Center
  • Determine how to use scheduling priorities
    • Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements
      • Use outputs to review Work Center capacity
        • Analyze job schedules and production schedules in terms of load on Work Center capacity
  • Use global priority setting and scheduling methods
  • Use individual priority setting and scheduling methods

CRP – COSTING

• Determine costing method(s) to be used
• Set up parameter files
  • Procedures to be considered and tested, including how-to, responsibility, frequency, reporting requirements
    • Determine cost type & method by item
    • Overhead rates
      • Basis – material, labor, machine
      • Valuation
      • Changes
      • Routine evaluation
  • Work Center costing
    • Labor and machine rates
    • Efficiency
    • Crew size
    • Period based accounts setup
    • Changes at Work Center
    • Changes to Job/Production Schedule routing
    • Routine evaluation
  • Employee Labor Rates
    • Valuation determination
    • Changes
    • Routine evaluation
  • Determine Current Unit Cost for purchased and manufactured items
  • Roll Current Unit Cost to Standard Unit Cost for standard cost items
  • Costing method changes to existing items, new items
  • Item cost reviews (cost comparison)
  • Product Code account determinations
  • Maintenance of BOM costs
    • Review of and utilities to update
    • Scrap factor determination
  • Purchase costing review
    • Differences in Purchase Order Plan Cost and Item Cost
    • Update of Purchased Current Unit Cost for vouchered cost
    • Freight cost analysis
  • Capitalization of landed costs
  • Job cost analysis
  • Period based costing analysis
  • Review of material transactions

CRP – COSTING (contd.)

• Review of journal entries
  • Purchasing variances
  • Non-inventory item costs
  • Job costing variances
  • Period based costing variances
  • Sales and cost of sales
  • General Ledger analysis
    • Budget vs. Actual
    • Current vs. Prior Year
    • Departments

CRP – MRP

• MRP Logic – methodology
• Forecasting – data requirements
• MPS – schedule, controls
• Rough Cut Capacity Planning – capabilities, process
• MRP Detail Information – ownership
• MRP “Firm” Planned Orders – process, paperwork
• Exception Messages – priority, control, paperwork
• Regeneration vs. Net Change – when, how, who

Payroll Generation: pr/pr-trxg.p, main logic in pr/pr-trxg1.p

Payroll record prlog can be generated from 4 differ sources:

1. Manufacturing transaction jobtran.  The Generate Payroll From field on the Employee Master must also be set to M. The summarized transactions include: WC Labor, WC Machine Time and Job Labor.  prlog.posted-from = “M”.
2. Manufacturing Project transaction projtran.  The Generate Payroll From field on the Employee Master must also be set to M.  prlog.posted-from = “M”.
3. Time and Attendance record timeatt.  The PR From field must also be set to T. Total Hours are calculated on the time between clock-in and clock-out with all break times subtracted out. After each time & attendance transaction is summed to the Payroll Transaction record, the time & attendance transaction status is changed from Unposted to Posted.  prlog.posted-from = “T”.
4. Attendance transaction prhrs.  When the reason code is set to Vacation, Holiday, or Sick, the record is treated as if it were the Vacation, Holiday, or Sick record entered into the Payroll Hours file.  prlog.posted-from = “P”.  Noted that prhrs record got deleted after the process (prlog created.)
5. empabsence.  prlog.posted-from = “X”. 
   

Pay Rate calculation.   pr/calcrate.p

Example:        run pr/calcrate.p (recid(employee), prlog.hr-type, true,
prlog.shift, prlog.work-date, FALSE, OUTPUT prlog.pay-rate).

Open Credits and Debits

Any credit memo created in SyteLine from a credit return or price adjustment invoice will automatically be created as an open credit.  Debit memos created by price adjustment will also be open.  Only when creating a credit or debit through AR you are given the opportunity to dictate which posted invoice the transaction is to be applied to at the time of creation.

To “clear up” open credits, debits and payments in Accounts Receivable Posted Transactions the open items must be applied to one or more invoices.  Credit memos and debit memos cannot be selected for payment and therefore can remain on an aging report as an open balance causing some amount of trouble in reporting as well as causing aging reports and other reports to take longer to run.

The reapplication process for each transaction type will be addressed individually.

Credit and Debit Memos – One to one

To reapply a credit or debit memo to a single invoice navigate to the AR Posted transactions screen and follow these steps.  Prior to doing the steps for reapplication review the transactions for the customer and determine in advance where you want to apply the credits.

• Put focus (cursor) on the credit/debit memo to be applied.
• View the detail for this transaction.  Depending upon the version you are running this may be a check box, double click, or tab.
• In the field labeled Invoice enter the invoice number this credit is to be applied to.
• Save.

If you have an open credit and an open debit for the same absolute amount apply them to the same invoice.  If you want these items to drop off your aging immediately apply them to a paid invoice.  Providing the debit and credit are for the same absolute amount the net change to the value of the invoice will be zero.

Credit Memos and Open Payments – Applied to Multiple Invoices

In the case where there is one credit memo that needs to be spread over multiple invoices or if only a portion of a credit memo is to be applied to an invoice follow these steps.

• Navigate to A/R Posted Transactions.
• Put focus on the target credit.  Note the number appearing for this transaction in the Chk/Ref column.
• Navigate to Customer Payments.  Enter a payment for the customer under discussion.  In the Check Number field enter the Chk/Ref number you just looked up.
• SyteLine should give you a display in the Description field that says Reapplication of Open Credit.
• Be aware the date that SyteLine returns will be the date the open credit was created.  This date should be overridden and changed to the current date in order to keep historical aging reports accurate.
• Apply the credit as if it was a check, using all standards and procedures you have in place for AR cash receipts.
• You can leave an open remainder if desired.

Removing or hiding applied items

Once all of the open credits, debits and payments have been applied to the appropriate invoices you may want to have them drop off your aging and posted transaction screen.  This can be accomplished by running either Activate/Deactivate Posted Transactions or Delete A/R Posted Transactions.

Proper order for running MRP and MPS ProcessorThe order in which the MPS Processor and MRP Generation utilities are run depends upon the way you are using the MPS functionality. Which should be run first depends on whether or not you have MPS items which are not top level items and whether or not you are using the MPS Planning Fence feature. The primary function of the MPS processor is to examine the receipts and requirements which exist for each MPS item and generate the appropriate exception messages. Beginning with version 4.0, it also generates MPS receipts for requirements outside the MPS Planning Fence. It does not do any multi-level BOM processing (e.g. passing of requirements). The following is an overview of the MPS Processor algorithm.

– Reads each item master which is an MPS item.
– Deletes all exception messages which exist for the item.
– Generates requirements from COs for the item and consumes forecasts.
– Reviews all other requirements and receipts which exist for the item.
– Generates the appropriate exception messages.
– Generates MPS receipts if any unsatisfied requirements exist outside of the planning fence.

The key points to consider are the following:

1)  The MPS processor generates exception messages after reviewing all receipts and requirements for the item. Since the MRP Generation does all passing of requirements, this means that the MPS processor needs to be run after  MRP if you have MPS items which are not top-level items. In that case, if you ran the MPS Processor first it may not  generate exception messages properly since the item has not yet been passed requirements from its parent items (or had the dates of existing requirements adjusted).

2)  You can use the MPS Planning Fence field to have the system generate MPS receipts for uncovered requirements which exist for MPS items outside of the number of days specified. The MPS Processor is what generates these receipts but, like manually entered MPS records, these are exploded to the MPS item’s BOM by the MRP Generation. So, if you are using the fence and run the MPS Processor after MRP, it may generate MPS receipts which will then not be passed to the MPS item’s BOM until the next night’s MRP run.

Therefore, to have clean MRP data and exception messages after each night’s run, you should:

1. If you are using the MPS Planning Fence, run the MPS Processor and then MRP.

2. If  you have MPS items that are not top-level items, run MRP and then the MPS Processor.

3. If you are not using the planning fence and all of your MPS items are top-level items, the order in which you run them does not matter.

4. If you have top-level MPS items for which you use the planning fence and non-top-level MPS items for which you do not use the planning fence, running the MPS Processor, then MRP, and then the MPS Processor again would result in clean information.

The situation you may want to avoid is having non-top-level MPS items for which the planning fence is being used. In that scenario, you may not have completely clean data and exception messages after one night’s processing even if you run the MPS Processor twice since an MPS receipt may not be generated for an MPS item until the second time the MPS Processor is run.

For example, if a new requirement which is outside the planning fence needs to be passed from a parent item to a level-2 MPS item, it wouldn’t exist when the first MPS Processor is run so no MPS receipt would be generated to cover it. MRP would then pass the requirement to the level-2 MPS item. The second running of the MPS Processor would then generate an MPS receipt to cover the requirement and generate correct exception messages, but that MPS receipt would not be passed to the level-2 item’s BOM until the next MRP run.

Intro

There are three main tools you can use to plan with SyteLine:

• MRP
• APS, finite
• APS, infinite (APSI)

These key factors will help you decide which planning tool best fits your needs:

1. Constraint behavior
2. Accurate times
3. Motivation

There are also a few secondary factors that may affect your choice. We’ll explain each below

Constraint behavior

Do you want constraints to push out plans or do you want a fixed target?

Here are the constraints that may move plans out:

• Material availability
• Capacity
• Time on-shift
• Today

APS backwards plans. If any of the first three constraints is not available between today and the due date, and it lies on the critical path, the system will push the plans out and backwards plan from the new date. If the plan is moved out, then ALL plans for that order are moved out.

For example, a user receives a customer order. If the user constrains on a material and its lead time is such that it affects the critical path, then APS will move all plans (all purchase orders, manufacturing orders for subassemblies, etc.) for the meeting the customer order out. You can turn off this constraint at the item level, but if a constraining material is not available and on the critical path, APS will move ALL plans for the end order out.

Another example. If you do not have capacity, APS will search for earlier time when you do. If you have none, it will push out the plan to find available capacity. And because the plan for manufacturing is pushed out, so are all the need dates for purchased materials. (Time on-shift works like capacity in that APS applies your times to a working calendar, if you choose, instead of a 24×7 calendar.)

The whole concept of pushing out plans is tied to the just-in-time philosophy. So if you have capacity constraints, the APS approach will minimize the inventory by synchronizing its arrival with its use. APS provides tools to see plans that are late. You can then work to resolve those issues and meet your due date. If you want any of these constraints to move your plan dates, you’re probably a candidate for APS or APSI.

However, some users do not want constraints to move out target dates. They want a fixed target for a plan. They want to see what they need to do to ship at a certain date. They want to clearly see when something is supposed to happen and will expedite and increase capacity to make it happen. These users do NOT want to see moving release dates and non-critical item pushing out the critical path; they simply want to freeze the plan until they’ve exhausted all expedite and capacity solutions.

If you want a fixed target, you are a candidate for APSI or MRP. Generally, such users have the following characteristics

To-order environment with revenue targets and cyclical order bookings

Most of their products are engineer-to-order, assemble-to-order, or make-to-order. They often sell configured products so they can’t make them ahead of time and level their production. The best they can do is plan for common sub-assemblies and purchased parts using planning BOMs and forecasts or dummy MPS lines with a kit of these common items.

These users have quarterly revenue targets and most of the order bookings come later in the quarter. There’s a rush to sell and ship product to meet the revenue targets at the end of the quarter, then a slow period at the beginning of the next quarter.

These users don’t want their plans to move. They want a fixed target and will do whatever it takes to get it out the door.

Material, not capacity, is the critical constraint

Backlogged orders or late shipments are most often caused by material shortages. Such users would rather get material in, even if months early, than experience a shortage. Variability in lead time only adds to this issue. A lean, JIT environment poses too much risk of material shortages for these users.

Capacity is not an issue for these users. They only need to know WHEN they need the capacity and HOW MUCH. Then they’ll make sure it happens.

No negotiation power with customers

Users who have little negotiation power with their customers usually have the following characteristics:

• Often a majority of their business comes from a handful of customers.
• The customers require them to feed their production schedule, and if they’re late they’re heavily fined.
• It’s cheaper to expedite than miss the customer deadlines.
• A highly competitive environment and meeting due dates is critical.

In these situations, the user wants a fixed target for production. They want to know when they need materials in and when they need to increase capacity. They will do whatever it takes to make the date.

Accurate times

Do you have accurate operation times for mfg items and lead times for purchased parts? If not, are you willing to spend time to update them?

APS will push plans forward using mfg times and lead times. If users can identify the critical materials and operations and have accurate times for these, they will find APS results reasonable. In complex manufacturing or assembly environments, balancing/synchronizing material and capacity is more important, and APS can help if a user has accurate data.

Note: in such situations a user does NOT need accurate data on all operations and materials–they only need it for the critical materials and the bottleneck resources.

If a user does not have accurate time information for the critical resources and materials and does not want to do what is required to update those times, then that user is a good candidate for MRP or APSI. In these situations, the user is comfortable with MRP or APSI backwards planning without constraint and working with a rough idea of how much expediting is needed for a given item.

Motivation

Are you actively looking for a solution to improve your planning or are you satisfied with MRP?

APS approaches planning different from MRP. Here are some of the key differences:

• Constraints pushing out plans
• Using projected late instead of past due to flag problems
• Consolidation
• Load (APS provides)
• BOM data needed (can run MRP on lead times, good routing times not  required), good lead times defined
• New parameters

Moving from MRP to APS or APSI requires a significant change. It requires commitment and energy to revise appropriate business processes, obtain accurate date for critical resources and materials, and train the users. Many APS and APSI users have realized significant benefits in reduced lead times, reduced inventory, and increased on-time deliveries. However, if a user is simply trying to move from SL6 to SL7 to take advantage of the Microsoft platform or is happy with the results of MRP, then they are not a candidate for APS or APSI.

Secondary factors

There are a few other factors that differ between MRP and APS. Consider these when making a decision.

Load views

APS and APSI will show you capacity. MRP will not. If you want a view of the load, even if you want an MRP-like plan, and are not using scheduler, then you’ll want to use APS or APSI.

What-if analysis

Only APS and APSI provide what-if analysis with the Analyzer.

Consolidation

Will the difference in consolidation hurt your process? Can you set consolidation times to be equal at all levels of a BOM or use order mins and multiples to manage inventory?

Decision Table

The 3 key questions you need to answer:

Notice that in many instances a user can run APSI like MRP, yet take advantage of some of the tools in APS. To do this you need to make some specific settings.

How to set up APSI to run like MRP

If you want the load data, Analyzer what-if capability, and order visibility provided by APSI, but want it to run like MRP, you’ll need to set a few fields. The table below describes what you should do.