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Infor LX Tips, Infor LN Tips, BPCS Tips, Baan Tips, Infor M3 Tips & Infor ERP News

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Infor ERP Tips & News from the Experts

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Anxious to learn more about IDF? Attend Inforum Sessions highlighting the latest and greatest updates

Anthony Etzel 0 19421 Article rating: 5.0
  • ERP242 - Product: What’s new with LX 8.4
    Learn about our latest release of LX and the value it can provide to your business. This release includes additional support for IDF, new application features, and an expanded database. Additionally, this release continues to improve through ongoing enhancements from our enhancement request system.
    Thursday, Sep 26, 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM – Room 272

  • ERP243 - Product: LX—IDF Master Data Management
    Learn about the new flexibility and features available with item, cost, vendor, and customer definition through IDF during this session. Maintaining this critical information is now easier to manage and control with LX 8.4
    Wednesday, Sep 25, 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM – Room 272

  • Academy: Learn to Use IDF to Better Manage Customer, Vendor, and Item Data with LX
    Attend this session for hands-on experience using IDF to manage your critical master data in Infor LX 8.4. (Length: 1hr & 45mins) 
    Wednesday, Sep 25, 1:00 PM - 02:45 PM – Room 277

  • ERP106C - Case Study: Trinity—Upgrading a 20-Year-Old Customized ERP system
    Join this session to learn why and how Trinity is upgrading its customized 20-year-old BPCS ERP system to the latest version of LX and going vanilla. Trinity is using the best business practices built into LX along with Infor OS and IDF to support the latest user experience and integrations.
    Wednesday, Sep 25, 2:00 PM - 02:45 PM – Room 272
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OTTO: Making plans happen isn’t just about monitoring material shortages

George Moroses 0 21036 Article rating: 5.0

Making plans happen isn’t just about monitoring material shortages. Supporting activities can be the real cause of delays. Some non-material events customers have monitored using OTTO include:

  • Scheduling and coordination of outside services (such as heat treating and plating)
  • Quality Assurance for pharmaceuticals and inspection
  • Moving off-site inventory to the plant
  • Moving inventory from temporary (conveyor) location to pickable location
  • Scheduling of overseas containers
  • Design engineering for make-to-order

OTTO provides the ability to proactively manage the entire customer order backlog from top to bottom. It begins monitoring orders as soon as they’re booked and identifies and prioritizes those critical events that must happen every day so they can be managed and get orders produced and shipped on time.

Visit Our OTTO page to learn more.

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How Do I Determine If MES Is Right For My Business?

George Moroses 0 22256 Article rating: No rating

There are certain key questions that must be answered to determine whether or not an MES system would benefit your organization: 

  • How do you analyze OEE?
  • Is there an opportunity to reduce WIP inventory, indirect labor, downtime, waste or scrap?
  • What is the cost and impact of producing and distributing shop paper including drawings and work instructions?
  • Would you like to go paperless on your shop floor?
  • How are your continuous improvement initiatives tied to your ERP?
  • Is Management requesting real time production status reporting via dashboards or drilldown reports?
  • What different “islands of automation” exist on your shop floor?

The answers to each of these questions could have a significant impact on the profitability of your business. Want to quantify your results? Contact George Moroses today to schedule your FREE MES ROI Analysis.

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Consulting: Methodology for Infor LX & BPCS Upgrades

Anthony Etzel 0 32994 Article rating: 5.0

Throughout the years, Crossroads RMC has participated in several 4.0.05CD upgrades to LX, from which we had the opportunity to refine our methodology for CEA (Configurable Enterprise Accounting) implementations/upgrades. As a result, we have fine tuned our overall upgrade approach and have been very successful in implementing this approach with our clients.

CEA replaces the green screen GLD module and allows for considerable flexibility in the design of the COA (Chart of Accounts).

Our approach incorporates any changes that are needed in the COA and facilitates the transfer or replacement of Profit Centers and Account Codes from BPCS to LX, building on the existing GL. Among the issues we manage is the conversion of historical GL balances.

We maximize the use of LX and CEA while minimizing the manual effort that gets you there.

Contact Frank Petrasio to discuss how we can help you:

  • Preserve what works in BPCS
  • Optimize what works in LX

with a maximum of respect for your time and budget. Learn more about Crossroads RMC Consulting>

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Infor LX & BPCS Tip of the Week: Additional Selection Criteria for Cycle Count Purge Enhancement – 8.4

Anthony Etzel 0 31705 Article rating: 5.0

The final step in Cycle Count processing is to maintain the (ICY) Cycle Count file. This history file increases in size with each posting session. It is up to users to purge the historical data that you no longer need. Previously, INV015 Cycle Count Purge by date only allowed users to purge the cycle count file by date. Now, additional selection criteria have been added that allows users improved ways to control records they may want to purge.

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Infor LN & Baan Data Collection News: Crossroads RMC Cycle Counting Application

Kathy Barthelt 0 28215 Article rating: 5.0

How often are you counting your inventory? Are you sure your counts are accurate?  Are inaccurate counts affecting your ability to satisfy customer orders?

Crossroads RMC Cycle Counting Application gives you:

· Overall increased inventory accuracy

· Ability to review and approve count before direct update of Baan/LN tables

· Elimination of unnecessary re-orders of items with current inventory

· Greater ability to satisfy customer orders due to greater visibility to (accurate) inventory levels

· Direct labor cost savings – less staff required for count

· Increased productivity during count – with some of our customers, counts used to take weeks. They can now complete a count of all their inventory in one day.

Learn more: Crossroads RMC Data Collection - Web Collect 

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Consulting News: ERP Implementation or Upgrade... Are You Prepared?

Crossroads RMC 0 34428 Article rating: 5.0

There are several factors that need to be considered when undertaking a major project like an ERP implementation or upgrade. Before you look to others outside of your organization to provide the expertise needed, you need to first look internally to ensure that the right players are in place to lead the project and also ensure business continuity during the project.

  • Executive Sponsorship - Does Senior Management have a clear and well understood commitment to project success?
  • Strong Project Manager?
  • Core Team Functional Representation - Are the Team Members knowledgeable participants and able to keep the project moving forward?
  • User Community Support?
  • Motivation - Are the Team Members willing and able to provide the time needed for a large-scale implementation?

Do You need help figuring out if your organization is properly positioned for an implementation or upgrade? Contact us. We can help.

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Infor LN & Baan Tip of the Week: Job Shop Bill of Material – 10.7

Kathy Barthelt 0 38938 Article rating: 5.0

The job shop bill of material is defined by site. It is used as the source for the estimated materials in the job shop production order.

The new job shop bill of material differs from the old bill of material. These changes are applicable for the new job shop bill of material:

  • It has a header and a status.
  • It is always revision controlled.
  • It can be designated for planning and for costing.
  • The effective dates have been moved from the material lines to the header.
  • The BOM quantity has been moved from item production data to the header.
  • The use up has been moved from alternatives to the material line.
  • The warehouse is defined on the material line (mandatory).
  • The routing operation is defined on the material line (optional).

The job shop bill of material can be generated through the production bill of material.

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Tips:  LX | BPCS | M3

Role-Based Security introduces Role type profiles and allows combining the use of Role profiles with the traditional LX User type security profile functionality. The new Role type profile can be defined to allow or deny access to All Products, Attention Key, Products, Programs, and Transaction Effects. Facility, Warehouse, and Company securities are still defined solely by the User profile settings and are not affected by the assignment of a Role. Where applicable, the Role authority is displayed alongside the User authority on the security profile maintenance screens making it easy to see where there are differences in authority between the User and the assigned Roles. 

When Users are assigned to Roles, security access in LX becomes a combination of authorities granted or denied by the Role, plus any User Exceptions. User Exceptions override authorities set by the Roles. A User can also be assigned to more than one Role.

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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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