Automatic Purchasing

[Dave Tenerowicz]

I'm having some difficulty getting Automatic Purchasing to work. I have
set the RequirementsEnumMethod to a variety of values (PRODRQM_STOCK,
PRODRQM_STOCK_ATP, PRODRQM_ATP) for some products, which are backordered.

When I click on the Requirements shortcut from (Purchase) Orders I see
no items in the Requirement list. What am I missing?

--
Dave Tenerowicz
[hidden email]

Office: 303.493.6727
Mobile [phone]
Fax [phone]

Visit us at http://www.salmonllc.com

[Daniel Martínez-4]

Hello Dave,

I am trying this to work also. Two tips, requirement type has to be
product requirement (I got it created automatically with
RequirementsEnumMethod set to automatic for every sales order, BTW what
is ATP?). Also the requirement should be approved.

Please give me a line if you get it to work.
--
Daniel

Dave Tenerowicz escribió:
> I'm having some difficulty getting Automatic Purchasing to work. I
> have set the RequirementsEnumMethod to a variety of values
> (PRODRQM_STOCK, PRODRQM_STOCK_ATP, PRODRQM_ATP) for some products,
> which are backordered.
>
> When I click on the Requirements shortcut from (Purchase) Orders I see
> no items in the Requirement list. What am I missing?
>

[Scott Gray]

ATP = Available to Promise, i.e. Quantity on Hand - Reservations = ATP

Regards
Scott

On 11/06/07, Daniel Martínez <[hidden email]> wrote:

>
> Hello Dave,
>
> I am trying this to work also. Two tips, requirement type has to be
> product requirement (I got it created automatically with
> RequirementsEnumMethod set to automatic for every sales order, BTW what
> is ATP?). Also the requirement should be approved.
>
> Please give me a line if you get it to work.
> --
> Daniel
>
> Dave Tenerowicz escribió:
> > I'm having some difficulty getting Automatic Purchasing to work. I
> > have set the RequirementsEnumMethod to a variety of values
> > (PRODRQM_STOCK, PRODRQM_STOCK_ATP, PRODRQM_ATP) for some products,
> > which are backordered.
> >
> > When I click on the Requirements shortcut from (Purchase) Orders I see
> > no items in the Requirement list. What am I missing?
> >
>

[Daniel Martínez-4]

Well, I got it. The requirement should have at least a party with role
SUPPLIER. This happens automatically if this is parametrized in the
product screen.

This leaves me wondering ... The only way a product requirement is
candidate for a purchase order is that we already know a supplier for
it. I will write an email for the dev list.

Regards,
--
Daniel

Daniel Martínez escribió:

> Hello Dave,
>
> I am trying this to work also. Two tips, requirement type has to be
> product requirement (I got it created automatically with
> RequirementsEnumMethod set to automatic for every sales order, BTW what
> is ATP?). Also the requirement should be approved.
>
> Please give me a line if you get it to work.
> --
> Daniel
>
> Dave Tenerowicz escribió:
>  
>> I'm having some difficulty getting Automatic Purchasing to work. I
>> have set the RequirementsEnumMethod to a variety of values
>> (PRODRQM_STOCK, PRODRQM_STOCK_ATP, PRODRQM_ATP) for some products,
>> which are backordered.
>>
>> When I click on the Requirements shortcut from (Purchase) Orders I see
>> no items in the Requirement list. What am I missing?
>>
>>    

[Daniel Kunkel]

Hi Daniel

This subject has come up before, and there have been some interesting
ideas...

One idea that intrigues me, as it is the way I think about making an
order, is if a business would setup a requirements/automatic purchasing
system that would run periodically on a supplier by supplier basis
instead of after every sale on an item by item basis.

For example, setup a purchasing scan that runs through all the
suppliers, and looks for items that need to be reordered. It might
eliminate the need for all of the requirements data tables in the
database, and instead could create orders automatically, or on-demand
for any particular supplier.

Additionally, for those companies that like to operate this way, the
orders could easily be adjusted to meet minimum quantity or dollar
values for price breaks or reduce the number of orders you're likely to
need to place with a particular supplier by including items in the order
that you are running lowish on. Rather than just ordering items that
have a strict requirement, you would include items that are relatively
low on. This might save you from needing to place another order as soon,
and would probably cut down on shipping costs, but stocking would be a
little more complicated since the orders would have few numbers of a
larger variety of products.

In other words, if you're already placing an order, why not include some
of the other items that you're running low on.

I believe a system like this might allow a business to reduce
backorders, since most items would usually be reordered before the
inventory actually reaches the minimum.

A previous discussion on the topic.
http://www.mail-archive.com/user@.../msg00675.html 

Another thread about combining Requirements, etc.
http://osdir.com/ml/java.ofbiz.user/2005-11/msg00020.html 

Thanks
--
Daniel

*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-
Have a GREAT Day!

Daniel Kunkel           [hidden email]
BioWaves, LLC           http://www.BioWaves.com
14150 NE 20th St. Suite F1
Bellevue, WA 98007
800-734-3588    425-895-0050
http://www.Apartment-Pets.com  http://www.Illusion-Optical.com
http://www.Card-Offer.com      http://www.RackWine.com
http://www.JokesBlonde.com     http://www.Brain-Fun.com 
*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-

[Daniel Martínez-4]

Hi Daniel, thanks for the tips,

What I was wondering in my previous mail is why has a supplier role be
informed in a product requirement for it to be candidate for a purchase
order.
IMO a product requirement should always be subject to purchase. Anyway,
I have yet to look closer on this.

Daniel Kunkel escribió:

> Hi Daniel
>
> This subject has come up before, and there have been some interesting
> ideas...
>
> One idea that intrigues me, as it is the way I think about making an
> order, is if a business would setup a requirements/automatic purchasing
> system that would run periodically on a supplier by supplier basis
> instead of after every sale on an item by item basis.
>  

From my experience (small-medium sized production companies) companies
purchase when ATP gets low (i.e. for products with regular demand) or by
sales order (i.e. for products with peaks on demand). I haven't looked
very close on ofbiz capabilities yet but I think it covers most needs.
> For example, setup a purchasing scan that runs through all the
> suppliers, and looks for items that need to be reordered. It might
> eliminate the need for all of the requirements data tables in the
> database, and instead could create orders automatically, or on-demand
> for any particular supplier.
>  
Well, I like a lot the requirement model of ofbiz because I think it is
conceptually clear and very flexible. Also, IMO automatic creation of
orders is not a good idea for most companies, I rather like automatic
creation of requirements and then let the humans purchase ;). What I
miss in ofbiz is to place an order from the requirement screen with the
possibility select more than one but this shouldn't be difficult.

Also, a planning report (one that shows links between sales/purchases
orders and shipments) will be desirable ;).

> Additionally, for those companies that like to operate this way, the
> orders could easily be adjusted to meet minimum quantity or dollar
> values for price breaks or reduce the number of orders you're likely to
> need to place with a particular supplier by including items in the order
> that you are running lowish on. Rather than just ordering items that
> have a strict requirement, you would include items that are relatively
> low on. This might save you from needing to place another order as soon,
> and would probably cut down on shipping costs, but stocking would be a
> little more complicated since the orders would have few numbers of a
> larger variety of products.
> In other words, if you're already placing an order, why not include some
> of the other items that you're running low on.
>  

If I understood well, grouping requirements in an order will cover this.

> I believe a system like this might allow a business to reduce
> backorders, since most items would usually be reordered before the
> inventory actually reaches the minimum.
> A previous discussion on the topic.
> http://www.mail-archive.com/user@.../msg00675.html 
>
> Another thread about combining Requirements, etc.
> http://osdir.com/ml/java.ofbiz.user/2005-11/msg00020.html 
>
> Thanks
>  

Regards,
--
Daniel Martínez

[Jacopo Cappellato]

Daniel,

Daniel Martínez wrote:
> Hi Daniel, thanks for the tips,
>
> What I was wondering in my previous mail is why has a supplier role be
> informed in a product requirement for it to be candidate for a purchase
> order.

Where are you seeing this? I agree with you that unassigned requirements
are as good as assigned ones; in the rightmost requirement screen there
is a checkbox to select all the unassigned requirements. You can then
manually assign to them a supplier and then create the order.
But maybe I am missing the screen where you see that this is not working
(and you are probably correct because some of them still need to be
cleaned up).

Jacopo

[Jacopo Cappellato]

Daniel,

Daniel Martínez wrote:
> Well, I like a lot the requirement model of ofbiz because I think it is
> conceptually clear and very flexible. Also, IMO automatic creation of
> orders is not a good idea for most companies, I rather like automatic
> creation of requirements and then let the humans purchase ;). What I
> miss in ofbiz is to place an order from the requirement screen with the
> possibility select more than one but this shouldn't be difficult.

The screen is the ApprovedProductRequirements:

https://demo.hotwaxmedia.com/ordermgr/control/ApprovedProductRequirements

Select a supplier and do the search and at the bottom of the screen
you'll see the "Purchase Order Quick Entry" button

Jacopo


>
> Also, a planning report (one that shows links between sales/purchases
> orders and shipments) will be desirable ;).

[Daniel Martínez-4]

Jacopo,

Jacopo Cappellato escribió:

> Daniel,
>
> Daniel Martínez wrote:
>> Hi Daniel, thanks for the tips,
>>
>> What I was wondering in my previous mail is why has a supplier role be
>> informed in a product requirement for it to be candidate for a purchase
>> order.
>
> Where are you seeing this? I agree with you that unassigned
> requirements are as good as assigned ones; in the rightmost
> requirement screen there is a checkbox to select all the unassigned
> requirements. You can then manually assign to them a supplier and then
> create the order.
> But maybe I am missing the screen where you see that this is not
> working (and you are probably correct because some of them still need
> to be cleaned up).

The screen I was talking is the "RequirementsForSupplier" screen. It is
accesed from the (purchase) order entry and it seems to be the only way
to order the requirements. Maybe a tick for "unassigned requirements"
will be needed here also.
--
Daniel

[Daniel Martínez-4]

Jacopo,

Jacopo Cappellato escribió:

> Daniel,
>
> Daniel Martínez wrote:
>> Well, I like a lot the requirement model of ofbiz because I think it is
>> conceptually clear and very flexible. Also, IMO automatic creation of
>> orders is not a good idea for most companies, I rather like automatic
>> creation of requirements and then let the humans purchase ;). What I
>> miss in ofbiz is to place an order from the requirement screen with the
>> possibility select more than one but this shouldn't be difficult.
>
> The screen is the ApprovedProductRequirements:
>
> https://demo.hotwaxmedia.com/ordermgr/control/ApprovedProductRequirements
>
> Select a supplier and do the search and at the bottom of the screen
> you'll see the "Purchase Order Quick Entry" button

Thanks,  I see. Of course this only works for assigned requirements. A
"quick assign" button to a provider will be desirable.

The situation I am thinking is a lack of parametrization in the catalog
data. This is common if we want a system that is quick to use in the
beginning. If a company has lots of products/suppliers it will be some
time until it informs ofbiz about the possible suppliers for each
product. It would be good that ofbiz would let to create orders from
requirements passing over information about the supplier (and i.e. the
supplier product id) in the run.

--
Daniel