What is the logic behind the Min and Max in Epicor? Or do we set that logic? IF we set it, how do I access it?
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They are set values by Part and they donāt update automatically unless you run the āMin Max Safety Mass Updateā
To update the Min Max values on a Part, go into Part Maintenance>Sites.
You could also use DMT (Part Plant) to update multiple Parts at once.
So, we set the Min and Max in Part Maintenance but it will not update correctly until we run the Mass update? Can that be automated?
no, you either set it manually in part maintenance, or use mass update to help you do it automatically
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ok, that makes sense. Is there any documentation on this part of Epicor? We having some issue with some o our parts with the eb and flow of our parts being purchased. So I am reevaluating how it is done.
Itās all in the help files.
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In addition to the Help files, check out the MRP Technical Reference Manual. (Iāve found the Technical Reference Manuals are well-written and give more examples on different items).
Get yours on EpicWeb. The 10.1.600 MRP TRM is here:
https://epicweb.epicor.com/doc/Docs/Epicor10_techrefMaterialRequirementsPlanning_101600.pdf
Mark W.
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What Ia m trying to accomplish is to keep us from having our backsides handed to us come Jan-March. Nov and Dec are very slow and we actually lose business in Jan-March due to being so overwhelmed. So, I want to predict our Jan-March needs and then start bringing stock up to where it needs to be; and hopefully get more business this next year.
As such Ia m torn between Forecast and Master Production. Iām leaning Master Production since I donāt have to worry about the specific company/buyer. Any input on this?
Forecasts will be consumed by incoming Sales Orders (if by customer, you donāt have to do by customer though).
MPS is static and doesnāt consume nor on hand, itās just your way of telling MRP that you want to PRODUCE that amount of that part by that date and it will then try to do that. Now if your MPS demand does not provide enough supply for additional demand from sales orders and Minās then MRP will suggest additional supply.
In both cases once the Due Date or Forecast Window pasts the demand drops off if you donāt respond with supply.
My recommendation is to set your Safety & Min to align with typical demand and then layer on with Forecasts or MPS, other business variables (such as shelf life, production & scheduling flow and habits) will usually dictate which works better.
I am NOT a fan of moving Minās around more than once a year, kinds defeats the purpose.
There are many ways predict and prepare for seasonal demand, for instance Kanban and Economical On Hand calculations, look them up online. Usually these are based on history and/or plus Sales forecasts and then a % more on top for growth.
One thing to ask your Sales team is an estimate of product mix and volume they think was lost last season and what is typical each season. That can be a starting point for a forecast or MPS.
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@Rick_Bird That is somewhat of what I was thinking. Using the Min/Max as a set point for the year. But the MPS would be used as an input on a handful of our high volume products. I will look into the other methods you have talked about.
@Rick_Bird Not sure if this is going to make any sense, as i t is from second/third hand info. My predecessor told my supervisor that the Min and Max is set to a rolling 13 week set up. Is this an Epicor defined term or is this something we can play with?
I am also reading the guide on this section and trying to learn how this par tof Epicor works before I start changing anything.
That I know of Epicor does not have any built in term for rolling Min\Max values.
However, depending what version of Epicor you are on you can set up additional values on each Part/Site or Part Class in the 'Calculate Min/Max/Safety Values and then use the Min Max Safety Mass Update to recalculate based on these values and then apply the proposed values.
One of those Part/Site values is History Windows (in days) which could do what he is referring to.
But that I know of there is not scheduled task to do this.
See page 922 & 927 of the Epicor 10.0.600 User Guide.
Interesting. Been reading and looking around and saw something that stood out to me. In the Sites tab or Part Maintenance, there is a Calc Min/Max/Safety values with a check box of Include Sales History. I am assuming from what I have been reading and understand, that if this is checked, the system will look at the historical sales for this part and make a suggestion on what to order, correct?
Currently this is not checked, so I am wondering if just checking this box will alleviate some of the issues. If it looks at historical sales data and then makes suggestions, that make sit a lot easier than just looking at Mins/Maxās that have little reference to the ups and downs of the cycle.
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Iāve used that Min/Max/Safety Mass Update, and itās a pretty nifty little utility. It looks at up to a yearās worth of usage history and gives you suggestions, which you can use, change, or ignore. Pretty much what we used to use a spreadsheet for anyway, just now built in. It is NOT automatic, you have to go in and use it, but itās an exercise that should be done annually anyway.
IMNSHO, the āinclude sales usageā and āinclude wip usageā boxes should both ALWAYS be checkedā¦ arenāt those the actual āusageā that drives what minimum and maximum should be?
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@Rick_Bird After reading on Process MRP, am i correct in saying that this process only looks at sales orders that are active and not historical sales orders?
Will,
That is correct, but MRP evaluates all demand sources, but not history.
MRP evaluates Sales Orders, Jobs Transfer Orders, Minās, MPS and Forecast Entries. If you have other modules that can add to the list of demand sources.
Will, that checkbox is for the Min Max Safety Mass Update calculation only.
By enabling that checkbox AND setting the History it can help you in the Mix Max Safety Mass Update program to set reasonable Min Max and Safety values, that THEN MRP would evaluate.
MRP does NOT evaluate historical sales orders.
@Rick_Bird Thanks! That is what I was thinking. Lastly, Min Max Safety mass update, keeps giving me an error.
The cast to value type āDecimalā failed because the materialized value is null. Either the result typeās generic parameter or the query must use a nullable type.
I canāt seem to get this one to work for me. Iāve followed the manual and either nothing populates for the update or I get this error.
@Ernie Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Why these are not being looked at is beyond me. My predecessor set this up and now I am ātweakingā it.
Will,
I have been waiting to post this, I love this YouTuber!
Caution, language, depending on your work culture, maybe not be safe for work, but great advice:
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