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Analytics Dashboard: Reports are great, but only provide a snapshots of a specific moment

Don’t you need to know what’s happening right NOW?

Crossroads RMC 0 30623 Article rating: 5.0

Get up-to-date views of your data, graphs, charts, you name it!

All the way YOU want it!  All without touching your ERP!

Learn how Analytics Dashboard for Infor LN & Baan works in your unique environment.
Learn how Analytics Dashboard for Infor LX, BPCS, & M3 works in your unique environment.

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The Top 5 Benefits of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES)

by PlanetTogether

Anthony Etzel 0 31355 Article rating: 5.0

MES provides the right information at the right time to show the floor manager how to optimize current conditions to improve production output.

Need 5 more reasons why you should invest in an MES system?
Read the full article by PlanetTogether:
https://www.planettogether.com/blog/the-top-5-advantages-of-a-manufacturing-execution-system

Clearly, an MES does more than simply track the amount of product coming off of your production lines. Improving your facility's efficiency begins with accurately recording production, material usage, and personnel time. Crossroads MES accomplishes this feat with ease and precision.

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Infor LX & BPCS Tip of the Week: Trim Leading Zero

George Moroses 0 37623 Article rating: 5.0

In LX 8.4, an enhancement has been included to allow for the expanded Company fields to have the leading zero truncated.

To trim leading zeros, CEA515B is called during macro resolution to trim the leading zero based on the position in the Zero Trim file (GZT). The Zero Trim file contains all the company number fields currently defined in the CEA Cross Reference fie (GXM).

This enhancement provides year over year comparison in financial reports and eliminates the need to setup new companies in programs such as Alias Definition. Financial programs trim the leading zero on Company fields, such as Company 010, on subsystem transactions to process as Company 10 during CEA macro resolution. Clients who prefer to retain the Company value as 010 on financial reports can clear the GZT file.

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Infor LN & Baan Add-ons: Need a reason why you should barcode your inventory? How about 8 reasons!

Kathy Barthelt 0 28106 Article rating: 5.0

Top Eight Benefits of Barcodes

Barcodes are often overlooked as a method for cutting costs and saving time. A valuable and viable choice for businesses looking to improve efficiency and reduce overhead, barcodes are both cost-effective and reliable.

  1. Barcodes eliminate the possibility of human error. The occurrence of errors for manually entered data is significantly higher than that of barcodes. A barcode scan is fast and reliable and takes infinitely less time than entering data by hand.
  2. Using a barcode system reduces employee training time. It takes only minutes to master the hand-held scanner for reading barcodes. Furthermore, employees do not have to gain familiarity with an entire inventory or pricing procedure. This also makes employee training less expensive, since they do not have to be paid for extra training time, and another employee does not have to be compensated for training them.
  3. Barcodes are inexpensive to design and print. Generally, they cost mere pennies, regardless of their purpose, or where they will be affixed. They can be customized economically, in a variety of finishes and materials.
  4. Barcodes are extremely versatile... Click title to read more reasons...

Crossroads RMC offers RMClabel which can be tied to any data collection system, or run stand-alone. Create barcode labels with 1D

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Infor LN & Baan: Data Collection

Be honest. Does your business REALLY operate in real time?

Kathy Barthelt 0 33619 Article rating: 5.0

Do you have up-to-date real-time information on labor, machine time, and parts consumed? How accurate is your data? Can you get an accurate picture of what is going on across your operations at any time?

If not, Crossroads data collection solution should be considered. By combining sessions, eliminating duplicate entries and using available information to complete a transaction, Web Collect, formerly RMC3 extends the Infor LN and Baan applications to ensure efficiencies and timely information flow and reporting. 

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Consulting News: Are you familiar with your Infor LN / Baan System Log?

Kathy Barthelt 0 32149 Article rating: 5.0

Data about the system and the application is stored in a system log. The system data includes information about:

  • The application environment
  • Any reorganization of tables
  • The available free disk space
  • The back-up schedule
  • The user data reports
  • The updates
  • Changes in the system
  • The error messages and solutions

Are you comfortable with reading your ERP system log? Have you checked it lately? Need help interpreting if your system may have a problem? Contact Kathy Barthelt today and one of our expert technical consultants can help to put your mind at ease and make sure your system is running as it should.

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Infor LN & Baan Tip of the Week: Warehouse Blocking – LN 10.7

Kathy Barthelt 0 38951 Article rating: 5.0

The functionality to block a warehouse for inbound or outbound transactions has been enhanced. A check for blocks is performed not only during receipt and shipment confirmation, but at multiple stages in the process. In addition, you can specify these blocking options for the inbound and outbound processes:

• No

• Yes

• Interactive

For example, if Blocked for Inbound is set to Yes, no inbound actions are allowed in the warehouse. Consequently, users cannot confirm receipts, generate and put away inbound advice or storage lists, and perform inbound inspections. 

If Interactive is set, during a non-automatic warehouse inbound procedure, warnings are displayed which offer the user a choice to either cancel the action or continue. Batch or automatic inbound processes continue, but the corresponding reports and logs make note of the blocking. However, in all scenarios, receipt confirmation is not allowed.

The same rules are applicable for the warehouse outbound procedure steps. The restriction for receipt confirmation also applies to shipment confirmation.

For warehouse transfer orders, not only the ship-from warehouse is checked for outbound process blocks, but also the ship-to warehouse. This prevents situations in which goods get stuck in transit due to inbound procedure blocks that apply to the destination warehouse. Now, the transfer process is already blocked during outbound.

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Tips:  LX | BPCS | M3

TECHNOLOGY: Facility Security Ranges

Previously, a user could complete the Cost Transfer (CST920) process for any range of facilities regardless of their security settings established in SYS600. This enhancement verifies the user security settings set up in SYS600 before processing cost transfers for a range of facilities in CST920. If the user has authority for a facility range, but there are facilities within that range that are not authorized, the program skips those facilities and completes the cost transfer process.

FINANCE: Expiration Date for Quotes and RMAs

A Cancel-by-Date has been added to the Quote Header and RMA Header panels. This optional field can limit how long a quote or authorization to return items for credit is valid.  

For quotes, this enhancement provides an optional end date for the quote. For RMAs, it provides an optional date by which the customer must return the items to receive the credit listed on the RMA.

The Cancel-By-Date prints on the Order Acknowledgement and RMA Acknowledgement to inform the customer of this important limitation to the quote or return authorization. 

An Order Entry user cannot copy the quote to create a new order if the Cancel By Date has caused the quote to expire.

OPERATIONS: Default Split Salesperson to Customer Orders

Sales commissions are based on combinations of the Primary, Split, and Line-Level salesperson and the commission codes defined for the customer and item. You can now define the Split Salesperson in the same master files as the Primary Salesperson. While the Primary Salesperson is mandatory, the Split Salesperson is optional. It defaults during Order Create using the identical hierarchy as Primary Salesperson. Using Split Salesperson provides more flexibility in the calculation of sales commissions. The ability to define a default Split Salesperson improves the accuracy of sales commission qualification and calculation and reduces maintenance and adjustments necessitated by corrections.

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Previously, a user could complete the Cost Transfer (CST920) process for any range of facilities regardless of their security settings established in SYS600. This enhancement verifies the user security settings set up in SYS600 before processing cost transfers for a range of facilities in CST920. If the user has authority for a facility range, but there are facilities within that range that are not authorized, the program skips those facilities and completes the cost transfer process.

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Tips: LN | Baan

Kathy Barthelt
/ Categories: Infor LN & Baan Tips, Finance, Operations, Technology, Executive

Infor LN & Baan Tips & Tricks for EXECUTIVES

FINANCE: Can accounts receivable invoices be uploaded into LN using Excel?
Yes, this is possible, by following the steps below:

1. Maintain a batch

2. Maintain an invoice header, export it, add an additional invoice header to the Excel file, and import it

3. Maintain an invoice line for the first invoice, export it, add additional invoice lines to the Excel file and import it
 

Below the above steps are described in detail.

1a. Open the transactions (tfgld1101m000) session and create a batch.

1b. Insert a transaction type, used for creating sales invoices, like ACR, and open it.

2a. The Sales Invoices (tfacr1110s000) session starts. Maintain the invoice header and save it. For example sales invoice ACR 4497.

2b. In the Actions menu select Export and Import -> Advanced Export (fields: All tabs).

2c. In the excel file created during previous step, add the headers for the invoices to be uploaded. Notice if for the transaction type the Documents in Fixed Sequence checkbox is ticked in the Transaction Types (tfgld0511m000) session, the document number for the not-yet existing invoices to be imported in LN should be equal to the default series for this transaction type. Otherwise, so if the Documents in Fixed Sequence checkbox is not ticked, the desired document numbers can be maintained in the excel file.

2d. In the Sales Invoices (tfacr1110s000) session in the Actions menu select Export and Import -> Settings, and make sure the Import Only in This View checkbox is NOT ticked. Then select in the Actions menu select Export and Import -> Import, select the excel file as saved in the prior step, and import it. Afterwards the invoice headers should be visible in the Sales Invoices (tfacr1110s000) session.

3a. Navigate to the first invoice, select Lines. The Transactions (tfgld1102m300) session opens. Maintain at least 1 line and save it.

3b. Open the line created in the prior step. Notice the detailed version of the Transactions (tfgld1102m300) session opens.

3c. In the Actions menu select Export and Import -> Advanced Export (fields: All tabs).

3d. In the excel file created during previous step, add lines for the header invoice numbers as available in the Sales Invoices (tfacr1110s000) session (as per step 2d).

3e. In the detailed version of the Transactions (tfgld1102m300) session in the Actions menu select Export and Import -> Import, select the excel file as saved in the prior step, and import it.


OPERATIONS: MPS Planned vs. MRP Planned
When deciding what items should be MPS (Master Production Schedule) planned and what items should be MRP (Material Requirements Planning) planned, it's crucial to understand the nature of the items and their demand sources. Here's a breakdown:

  • Master Scheduled Items:

    • Master Scheduled Items are typically finished goods or service items.
    • These items receive their requirements from both Independent and Dependent demand sources.
       

  • Independent Demand:

    • Independent demand cannot be calculated from higher-level demand in the product structure.
    • It is driven by forecasts or actual customer orders, primarily applicable to Finished Goods or Service parts sold to customers.
       

  • Dependent Demand:

    • Dependent demand is derived from higher-level demand in the product structure.
    • It includes components, raw materials, and sub-assemblies.
    • Dependent demand items are not typically part of Master Production Scheduling (MPS).
       

  • Service Parts:

    • Service parts can have both independent demand from forecasts or customer orders and dependent demand from higher-level demand if they are used in sub-assemblies or other products.
       

  • Cumulative Lead Time:

    • Cumulative Lead Time is a concept used in MPS.
    • It combines the fixed lead time and variable lead time required to produce a product.
    • It represents the longest path through a Bill-of-Materials (BOM).
    • Your ERP system will calculate the cumulative lead time (Critical Path) based on MPS setup options.
       

  • Infor LN Approach:

    • Infor LN does not differentiate between MPS and MRP planning.
    • It uses Enterprise Planning (EP) with one set of planned orders.
    • While you can set up items and generate orders at plan levels, it's not always necessary.
    • In theory, you could treat plan level 1 similar to MPS items.
       

  • Defining Independent Demand in LN:

    • In LN terms, independent demand is demand not related to other planned items.
    • Dependent demand comes from related planned items higher up in the BOM structure.
       

  • COLT (Cumulative Order Lead Time):

    • COLT exists in the purchase and manufactured planned items.
    • It considers non-critical and critical lead times based on components marked as critical.
    • Once calculated, COLT can be used to update the order and planning horizons of a planned item.

Relevant Sessions:

In Baan IV:

  • Maintain Item Data (tiitm0101m000)
  • Generate MPS (timps3201m000)
  • Maintain Master Production Schedule (timps3101m000)
  • Display Planned Inventory Movements by Item (timrp1510m000)
  • Display Planned MRP Purchase Orders (timrp1521m000)

In Baan V:

  • Plan Item Data (cprpd1500m000)
  • Item Master Plan (cprmp2101m000)
  • Time-Phased Overview (cprrp0520m000)

In Infor LN:

  • Item – Planning (cprpd1100m000)
  • Item Master Plan (cprmp2101m000) - Same as Master MPS if used


TECHNOLOGY: Are you running the latest Infor components?
Always good to stay on top of new releases for your various Infor components. Here is a list of knowledge base articles that you can check for the components listed below:

For the last Infor LN, Infor Baan5, and Infor Baan4 porting set see KB 22923520

For the last BaanIVc 6.1c porting set see KB 22923521  No fixes are made based on the 6.1c porting set.

For the last Worktop set see KB 22881488 For the last BW set see KB 22881483 For the last EME set see KB 22866552 For the last Office integration set see KB 22867312 For the last Dynamic Form Editor see KB 22881485

For more information and assistance, you can contact Crossroads RMC at 800.762.2077 or via email at solutions@crossroadsrmc.com.

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Kathy Barthelt

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