Forecast consumption

[Chris Kelleher]

According to the manual, forecast are consumed based on the due date of the
customer order. However if we change the due date I am not seeing a
corresponding movement in 22.3. I should be seeing a movement here and and
a different time where the allcoations are consumed. Any suggestions.

 

[Chris Kelleher]

M. Zajac,

I'd look further into the manual to cover forecast consumption (backward
and forward), and repost your question with a specific example so that you
may possibly be assisted. What does the data look like originally, what do
you change, and what do you expect to happen that doesn't? Your current
settings for consume forward/backward (from the I/C control file) will also
be needed.

Good luck.

Scott
===============================================================
Scott M. Dulecki /* 1998061901 */ +1 616 975 6322
Product Manager scott_dulecki@qad.com
QAD, Inc. http://www.qad.com
1188 East Paris SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA

Next Michigan Progress Users Group: 17 November 1999

All opinions are my own, and don't necessarily reflect those of
any other living being.
===============================================================

 

[Chris Kelleher]

Does anyone know of a way to, in the sales
order side, control the consumption of forecast entered in 22.1, so
that
when the date reaches a certain time (or next period) that any
unconsumed
forecast will disappear so that MRP will not plan? I know I can set it
so
that it consumes backward and forward to control it that way, but what
I
wonder is can it be set so that it can just drop off to 0 if the
customers' forecasts (which we enter into 22.1 monthly) do not turn into

sales orders? Thanks.
Unix, Ver 7.4.
Steve Siegel

 

[Chris Kelleher]

Steve,

I believe the answer is "no", but let me make sure I understand what you're
trying to do.

You're entering in forecast information in 22.1.

You get real customer orders that consume that forecast.

You've specified how far into the future and past you want order to look in
order to consume forecast.

Now, you'd also like to be able to specify a time-frame (say, four weeks
out) at which point you want to have MRP stop paying attention to forecast?

MRP will stop paying attention to forecast once it is old enough, which I
believe means outside the "consume backwards" window. Forecast numbers
never turn into sales orders, but they can cause MRP to generate work
orders to produce the inventory needed. This will, of course, be offset by
current inventory balances, which could be the result of previously
unconsumed forecast amounts.

So, to get back to your question, I still think the answer is no. More
specifically, I believe that the setting of your forecast consumption
(forward/backward) is probably the answer to your question, combined with
the ever-elusive search for better forecasting methods.

Good luck.

Scott
===============================================================
Scott M. Dulecki /* 1998061901 */ +1 616 975 6322
Product Manager scott_dulecki@qad.com
QAD, Inc. http://www.qad.com
1188 East Paris SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA

Next Michigan Progress Users Group: 17 November 1999

All opinions are my own, and don't necessarily reflect those of
any other living being.
===============================================================

 

[Chris Kelleher]

MRP will ignore unconsumed forecast beyond the number of weeks you ave set
the Consume Backwars setting in the control file. This is contrary to the
field help for Consume Back field in the Sales Order Control File in MFG/PRO
which says:

"If forecast consumption is specified to consume backward, any unconsumed
forecast from past due periods is recognized as demand by material
requirements planning. If unrealized past due forecast should be ignored,
the forecasts for those periods should be reduced to the quantity sold or to
zero."

This help text may be causing you to think that you need to zero out your
forecasts - which you do not (We thought that as well, after reading it, and
we discovered differently while looking into another problem).

MRP Recognizes Demand as Actual Sales Orders + Net Forecast (which can be
seen in 22.2 Forecast Worksheet Maintenance or the Forecast Inquir or
Report. Net Forecast, regardless of the true math (forecast quantity - Qty
Sold) will show as zero for all weeks in the past that are beyond the
Consume Backwards period.

You will also see this in the MRP Detail Inquiry/Report where is shows the
Net Forecast quantities as demand.

I am saying this based on 8.6c and above - I do not know when this was
changed (if ever, but based on that field help I would guess that it used to
be different). If anyone else knows more (ie Scott Dulecki et al) please
share.

Brendan Kehoe
Crane Co. SWAT Team
Phone: (203) 363-7261
Mobile: (914) 414-6287
Fax: (203) 363-7246