Case Automatic Replenishment

 

Situation

Company X produces packaging materials for the paint & chemical market and is part of a European organisation with sites in France, U.K., Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Czechy and the Netherlands. The organisation wants to implement BPCS. Attached to their current system is a replenishment application that calculates the quantities to deliver to a major customer as well as the quantities to produce. The replenishment application automatically generates replenishment orders and production advices through pre-set parameters and calculation mechanisms. The required information is exchanged through EDI messages sent between customer and Company X.

Problem

Next to the regular implementation, the currently available replenishment system needs to be transferred into BPCS as well. The customer is not to be bothered with the cutover to BPCS. As the replenishment application system is dependant on their current system, it is therefore required that the integrated BPCS replenishment system runs fluently immediately after the actual BPCS implementation is completed. The current EDI links are to be used for exchanging the required information.

Mission

To fully integrate the current replenishment functionality into BPCS without ‘bothering’ the customer.

Approach

First, several interviews were held with members of the original project group that had implemented the current replenishment system. During these interviews the focus was put on the required functionality. With this group the differences between their current system and BPCS were pointed out and decisions were taken as to how to handle these differences in a way that the current functionality would be preserved. This way the current business processes were translated into BPCS. In the meantime the technical possibilities of receiving and translating the EDI messages into BPCS (into Electronic Commerce Manager) were investigated.

When the developments were ready, the next step was to train the end users on how to use the functionality of the system, and the local IT people on how to maintain the system. Finally, an integrated test (as part of the total integrated test of the entire system) was held before the actual go-live.   

Result

The new replenishment system is now fully operational within the total system. Although the orders are derived from another source than normal, the replenishment system is optimally integrated in the regular order flow. Orders are handled like normal DRP orders. In the final result the everyday business processes are respected, which was strongly recommended by the Moer from the beginning of the project.