This chapter describes the Spares Logistics functionality which includes creating parts requirements, ordering parts, viewing order status, and returning excess parts to inventory.
This chapter covers the following topics:
The Parts Search and Ordering functionality enables the technician, dispatcher or other field service user to create a parts requirement, search for available parts in the field service supply chain, select the closest or most cost effective source and generate an order for the parts that are found. The Parts Requirement page is used to define the parts required for the task.
This process is referred to as Forward Logistics or sending the parts to the technician. You can use the Parts Search and Ordering module to:
Locate parts search based on distance
Use ATP or Inventory sourcing for parts search as alternate to distance search
Search technician’s own inventory and reserve parts
Search other technician’s inventory and determine working or not working
Distinguish between manned and unmanned warehouses
Determine open and closed for manned warehouses using CRM calendar
Include supersession and substitutes in search results
Include global searches across entire supply chain
Consider spares dedicated to a site
Integrate with order creation when parts are found
Search for parts from a single source
Provide delivery date and time for shipments from a manned warehouse
Integrate with GPS to find technicians current location
Include Mobile Field Service and Technician’s Portal
You can define the key prerequisite setups in the Site Attributes tab of the Planner’s Desktop to use the Parts Search and Ordering functionality. You can define site parameters that describe the inventory locations in the field service supply chain.
To include an inventory location in the search results of the Parts Search and Ordering functionality you must enter the following parameters in the Site Attributes tab.
To setup site parameters in the Site Attributes tab
Navigate to the Planner’s Desktop in the Spares Management Navigator.
In the Spares Planning tree on the left pane, you create and enter multi-level nodes that describe and organize the field service supply chain.
Note: This tree is seeded and all other nodes you create are added under this tree.
Add inventory locations, sub-inventories or inventory organizations to the Spares Planning tree.
Note: Larger warehouses are modeled as inventory organizations and technicians are modeled as sub-inventories. Small warehouses are modeled as either sub-inventories or inventory organizations depending on functionality and financial considerations.
Click on an inventory location in the Spares Planning tree and click on the Site Attributes tab.
Enter the following Site Attribute parameters:
Select a stocking site type from the list to display in the Parts Search and Ordering search results. Required. Options include: Technician, Manned Warehouse, Unmanned Warehouse or Site Dedicated Spares.
Note: Site Dedicated Spares (SDS) is an unmanned site that is dedicated to the support a specific customer site. Inventory location in the SDS site appears in the search results for the customer site on the service request that is supported by the Site Dedicated Spares.
Enter a Calendar and a Time Zone for a stocking site type entered. The calendar and time zone is used to determine in the search results whether the manned warehouse is open.
Note: Technician calendar and time zone is entered in the Oracle Resource Management. The calendar and time zone is optional for unmanned warehouses or site dedicated spares.
Enter the values for Managed By, Contact and Phone, After Hours Contact, and Phone fields. Optional.
Select the Stocking Site Exclusion check box to exclude this inventory location from the search results.
Enter any special instructions if applicable. Optional.
Select and enter a Geocoded Address for the manned warehouses, unmanned warehouses and site dedicated spares. The geocoded addresses are used to determine travel distances, directions, and times.
Note: Technician addresses are entered and managed in the Addresses tab of the Addresses and Sub-inventories window.
To use the Geocoded Addresses list, you must run the following concurrent program:
Responsibility: Trading Community Manager
Program: Spatial Information for Locations Batch Update.
Enter the Party Sites that an inventory location supports, when the stocking site type is Site Dedicated Spares.
Note: When a service request is entered for a party site that has Site Dedicated Spares assigned, the search results displays the SDS site, if parts are available at that site.
Parts Search and Ordering functionality enables you to:
Create the Parts Requirement
Search for the parts required
View the parts in the search results
Select a source
Create the order
Prerequisites:
Set up Inventory Organizations, Sub-inventories, and Items
Set up Shipping Networks
Set up Methods of Shipment
Set up Transit Times for methods of shipment in Shipping Networks
Set up Site Attributes in the Planner’s Desktop
Set up Resources for the technicians
Set up Calendar for the technicians in Oracle Resource Management
Set up Delivery Times
Run the Spatial Information for Locations Batch Update concurrent program. See step 5, in the Key Setups for Parts Search and Ordering section for more information.
Run the Generate Field Service Trips concurrent program using the Field Service Manager responsibility.
Note: This program generates the technicians working schedule. You can run this program in add, close, delete, fix, replace, and upgrade mode. Refer to the Generating Field Service Trips section in the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide for more information.
Refer to the Key Setups for Parts Search and Ordering section for more information.
Creating A Parts Requirement
Navigate to the Parts Requirement page from the Spares Management navigator.
Enter a task or a resource in the Requirement Information region:
If you enter a task number, then the Technician’s Name, Ship To address, Destination Organization (usable sub-inventory), Sub-Inventory (organization), Need By Date (current date), and Time are entered automatically.
Note: The technician’s default ship to address and usable sub-inventory are setup in Resource Addresses and Sub-inventories window.
If you enter a resource, then you select a Task from the list assigned to a technician. The Ship To address, Destination Organization (usable sub-inventory), Sub-Inventory (organization), Need By Date (current date), and Time are entered automatically.
Change the Ship-To address if desired from the default value. Select an address from the list defined by the address type. You can select the Ship To Address Type from the list with the following values:
Technician: All active usable addresses setup in the Addresses tab of the Resource Addresses and Sub-inventories window.
Task: The incident address displayed for the task from the Service Request.
Customer: Displays all Ship To addresses associated with the customer.
Special: Used to create a new address and is added to the list of technician addresses.
Change the Destination Sub-inventory and Organization if desired from the default value.
Change the Need By Date and Time if desired from the current date and time.
Note: This header information is used to define the ship-to organization, sub-inventory, address and need by date and time for creating an order or a reservation.
Enter the values for Item Required, Revision, and Quantity fields.
Click on the Apply button to create the parts requirement. A message displays stating that the parts requirement has been successfully created.
Search existing part requirements using the Find Parts Requirement page from the Spares Management Navigator.
Searching for Parts Required
Click on the Search Parts button. The Parts Search page appears.
Select the desired search parameters in the Simple Search region and click on the Go button.
Note: If a technician has setup search parameter preferences in the Oracle Mobile Field Service Wireless application, then these parameters are selected automatically. You can also create and save the search using the Create New Search button.
You can set the following search parameters:
My Inventory: To include the search results from the default sub-inventory assigned to a technician.
Note: Sub-inventories are assigned to the technician in the Sub-inventories tab of the Addresses and Sub-inventories window.
Other Working Technicians: To include the search results from the default the sub-inventories of other technicians who are working.
Note: Calendar and time zone defined in the Oracle Resource Management is used to know if the technician is working. Technicians are defined in the Stocking Site Type field in the Site Attributes tab of the Planner’s Desktop.
Open Manned Warehouse: To include manned warehouses that are open based on the calendar assigned in the Site Attributes tab of the Planner’s Desktop.
Note: Warehouses are defined as manned or unmanned in the Site Attributes tab of the Planner’s Desktop.
Unmanned Warehouse: To include search parts from unmanned warehouses.
Note: Unmanned warehouses are always open and accessible.
Include Supersessions and Substitutes: To include parts supersessions and substitutes.
Note: Supersessions are defined in Spares Management Supersessions window. Substitutes are defined in the Oracle Inventory Item Relationships.
Attachments are created for the supersessions and substitutes and these attachments are displayed in the Search Results, when substitutes and superseding parts are included in search. See the Supersession and Supersession Notes section for more information.
Include Closed Warehouses and Non-working Technicians: To include warehouses and technicians who, per their calendars are displayed as either closed or not working.
Use On-hand instead of Available On-hand: To include parts with on-hand greater than zero.
Note: On-hand Available = On-hand - Reserved orders.
Use Excess instead of Available On-hand: To include parts from the excess list.
Note: Excess = On-hand Available - Maximum.
The excess list is filtered by business rules that are setup in the Spares Management Business Rules window.
Ship Set: To include only those inventory locations in the search results that can supply all of the parts and quantity defined in the parts requirement.
Use Current Location: To use the technician’s current location as the center point for the search.
Note: The technician’s current location is based on GPS, if connected, or the technician’s most recent task location and status if GPS is not being used.
Search Distance: Enter a distance value. For example 25 miles or Kilometers.
Note: The CSF Profile: Default Distance Unit is used to determine whether distance is expressed in miles or kilometers.
Note: This parameter is used to determine which warehouses and technicians are displayed in the search results based on distance. All technicians and warehouses beyond this distance parameter based on a straight-line calculation are excluded from the search results.
Note: Site Dedicated Spares (SDS) is used to identify an inventory site that is dedicated to support a customer site. If there is an SDS site setup in the Site Attributes tab for the customer on the service request; then, only the SDS site is displayed in the search results if parts are available. The SDS is not displayed in the search results for any customer site, which is not supported.
Viewing the parts in the search results
You can view parts search results at the source level:
Note: The search results displays all inventory locations that match the search parameters selected for a search. The inventory location is setup in the Site Attributes tab of the Planner’s Desktop.
Note: All inventory locations in the search results displays the On-hand Available, the On-hand or excess depending on the search parameters selected.
Source Organization and Sub-inventory: Is displayed as either a source organization or a source organization and a sub-inventory. Technicians are modeled as a sub-inventory and warehouses are modeled as either an organization or sub-inventory depending on the size.
Click on the Source Organization link to view source organization details.
Source Type: Defined in the Site Attributes tab of the Planner’s Desktop as Technician, Manned Warehouse, Unmanned Warehouse, or Site Dedicated Spares.
Shipping Method: Define the Shipping Methods setup in Shipping Networks for the source and destination organization. The shipping methods are only applicable to manned warehouses. Shipping Methods can also be setup in Transit Times when required to define shipping methods for the region, zone or external location.
Cost: The average cost of shipping the parts from the source to the destination. The cost of shipping a single part from the source to the destination is setup in Shipping Networks or Transit Times.
Arrival Date and Time: Expected arrival date and time at the destination based on intransit time between the source and destination and the delivery time.
Distance: Distance from the source to the destination address as defined in the ship to address in the Part Requirement. This is a straight-line calculation.
Click on the Show on Map button to view street level drive times and distances.
Selecting Parts at Source
Click on the Show link to view Item details at the source. You can view the following details:
Item Supplied: The Item on the Part Requirement or the superseding or substitute item, if Include Supersession and Substitute parameter is selected.
Description: Description of the Item Supplied.
Supplied Item Revision: Revision of the Item supplied.
Attachments: This icon appears if any notes are defined for the supersession or substitute. Click on the Attachments icon to open the Attachments page.
Required Item: Item on the Parts Requirement if the item supplied is a supersession or substitute.
Description: Description of the required item.
Required Item Revision: Revision of the item required.
Quantity Available: Quantity available, quantity on-hand or excess quantity depending on parameters selected.
Required Quantity: Quantity required from the Parts Requirement.
Creating An Order
Select the Item and the Source check boxes and click on the Create Order button to create an order. A message displays stating that the order is successfully created.
Note: The order type that is created depends on the organization relationship between the source and destination.
| Source Type | Source Organization Same as Destination Organization | Intransit | Order Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technician | Yes | Not allowed | Sub-Inventory Transfer |
| Technician | No | Not allowed | Inter-org Transfer |
| Manned Warehouse | Yes | Yes | Move Order |
| Manned Warehouse | Yes | No | Sub-inventory Transfer |
| Manned Warehouse | No | Yes or No | Internal Order |
| Unmanned Warehouse | Yes | Not allowed | Sub-inventory Transfer |
| Unmanned Warehouse | No | Not allowed | Inter-org Transfer |
Note: A reservation is created to update the on-hand availability for Sub-inventory Transfers and Inter-org Transfers.
Click the Cancel button to exit the Parts Search page and return to the Spares Management navigator.
The Parts Return functionality enables the technician, dispatcher or other field service user to return defective or excess parts to predefined destinations. The destinations are defined for using the Return Routing Rules setup.
Parts Return Routing Rules
The Return Routing module uses business rule parameters that include a source, which is an inventory location, or territory; return type, part category and item. The business rules are used to determine the destination(s) from any point in the supply chain. It is from anywhere to anywhere approach.
A single location in the supply chain that has defective or excess parts to return sends those parts to multiple destinations. Those destinations are repair suppliers for defectives and consolidation points for excess. Other specialized destinations may be required for scrap or Defective on Arrival or DOA.
Excess is defined as available parts, which are in excess of maximum (Max) levels. Spares Management uses a program to define excess parts and business rules are optionally applied to filter the excess list. For defectives, all available quantity is considered to be excess. Max levels are not applied on defective parts.
This process is often referred to as Reverse Logistics or sending the parts back to the supply chain or to the appropriate destination. The main features of the Return Routing Rules module include:
Excess identification based on max levels
Business rules to focus on high impact excess
Send defective or excess parts to any destination
Advanced return routing module to determine the returns destination
Integrate with customer’s return routing module
Create the return order
Integrate with Oracle Mobile Field Service and the Technician and Administration Portals
Key Setup for Return Routing Rules
Return Routing Rules are classified as a setup for returning parts to any inventory location in a supply chain.
The Return Routing Rules are key prerequisite setups for using Parts Return
Note: If Return Routing Rules are not defined, then the routing rules from the customer integration or the default routing rules available in the Sub-Inventories tab of the Address and Sub-inventories window are used.
Navigate to the Return Routing Rules page from the Spares Management Navigator.
Click on the Create New Rule button. The Create Return Routing Rule popup appears.
In the Create Return Routing Rule popup enter the parameters and destination for a routing rule.
Note: Routing Rules are generic or specific depending on the needs of the user. The minimum definition of a routing rule is a destination. In this case the source is an inventory location or a territory, return type, category, or item. The specific definition is where the routing rule specifies: source, return type, category or item
Click on the Create button. The new routing rule displays in the Return Routing Rules page.
Searching Existing Return Routing Rules
In Search region of the Return Routing Rules page enter the search criteria and click on the Go button.
Updating Return Routing Rules
View the Routing Rules in the Routing Rules page.
Click on the Update icon for a routing rule. The Update Return Routing Rule popup appears.
Enter changes to the existing routing rule and click on the Update button.
The updated routing rule is displayed in the Return Routing Rules page.
Duplicating Return Routing Rules
Click on the Duplicate icon to duplicate the existing routing rule. The Duplicate Return Rule popup appears.
Enter changes to the routing rule and click on the Save as New Rule button.
The duplicate routing rule is displayed in the Return Routing Rules page
Deleting Return Routing Rules
Delete existing routing rules by selecting the Select check box and clicking on the Delete button.
Mass Update Routing Rules
Update the destination for multiple routing rules by selecting the Select check box and clicking on the Update Rules button.
Enter the change in destination, Start Active Date, End Active Date and click on the Update All button.
Exporting Data to Excel Spreadsheet
Click on the Select check box to select the routing rules for export or leave check boxes blank to export all Rules.
Click on the Export Data button. The spreadsheet appears.
To convert spreadsheet to Microsoft Excel format:
Save the file to a local disk.
Open the file with Oracle Open Office. Make sure, Separator is selected as Comma.
Data is displayed in spreadsheet application.
Simulating Routing Rules
Routing rules overlaps when more than one rule is applied to a given set of routing parameters. The purpose of the simulation is to determine, which routing rule applies to a given set of routing parameters. To resolve any overlap or conflict in the routing rules a hierarchy of parameters is applied. The following hierarchy of parameters is used:
Item
Item Category Set or Item Category
Return Type: Excess or defective
Source: Organization, Organization or Subinventory or territory
For example, a routing rule that is specific to item dominates over a routing rule that is specific to return type.
Click on the Run as Simulation check box and enter the simulation parameters in the Search region of the Return Routing Rules page. Enter the following simulation parameters:
A source type
A source
A return type
An item category or an item
Click on the Go button and the routing rule that matches your simulation parameter appears in the Return Routing Rules page.
Parts return process includes the following steps:
Run the concurrent program: Create Excess or Defective Lists
Select a source
Select a destination
Select the Items and quantity
Create the return order
Prerequisites:
Set up Organizations, Sub-inventories, and Items
Set up Territories
Set up Setup Category Sets and Item Categories
Set up Addresses and Sub-inventories
Set up Business Rules: Excess Rules
Set up Shipping Networks and Methods of Shipment
Set up Site Attributes in the Planner’s Desktop
Refer to the Key Setups for Parts Search and Ordering section for more information.
Navigate to the Parts Requirement page from the Spares Management Navigator.
Enter a resource type and resource name or enter a source organization and source sub-inventory.
If a resource type and a resource name are entered, then select a source organization and source sub-inventory.
Note: The technician’s sub-inventories are setup in Resource Addresses and Sub-inventories window.
Note: The organization and sub-inventory is used as the source to create the return order.
Enter an Item. Optional. The Item is used to limit the parts return to a specific item.
Enter a Condition. Optional.
Choices are Excess, Defective or Null (both). Used to limit the source sub-inventory to a specific condition. The condition of the sub-inventories is defined in the Addresses and Sub-inventories window
Note: Source, Item and Condition is used in combination to limit the item and sub-inventories or excess or defective that is returned.
Click on the Consolidate check box to ship each part individually.
The Consolidate check box is used to determine whether the parts are shipped in one consolidated shipment under one waybill or individually one by one on separate waybills.
Click on the Go button and the Excess / Defective Items table displays the destination summary.
The Destination Summary region displays a summary of items and quantity for each destination. Change the destination, if required.
Click on the Show link. The Item and Quantity details displays in the Destination Summary line.
Click on the Select check box to select items that you want to return and change return quantity as desired.
Enter the following shipping details for a Source line:
Carrier
Shipping Method
Shipment Number. Required.
Waybill Number
Note: Serialized parts are displayed with the quantity value as 1. Select the serial number and enter values for Lot, Locator and Revision that is required for parts subject to those controls.
Click on the Return button on the Source line to create an order.
Refer to the Order Types table in the Using Parts Search and Ordering section to know the order type that is created based on the organization relationship between the source and destination.
You can create excess lists for both usable and defective parts. Run the Create Excess / Defective List concurrent program to identify excess parts and apply the excess rules to filter for high impact excess parts.
Note: Run the Create Excess List concurrent program just prior to initiating the return excess parts process to ensure that the latest updates are included in the excess parts data.
Excess lists rely on "excess rules", which you define during implementation. Excess rules allow you to create lists based upon business considerations. For example, you may not want to return excess parts if the on-hand stock maximum is set at 50 and the field technician has 51 on hand. You define excess rules to handle this type of situation. See the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide for more information.
Excess rules apply only to the determination of excess in a usable subinventory or warehouse. For a defective subinventory, all parts are considered excess.
Use the Parts Return window to view and approve excess parts for return.
You can search for excess lists by organization, field technician, subinventory, or item. Spares Management enables you to move retrieved excess lists to the Return Lists table, where you can then create an inter-organization transfer or internal order to return the parts. You can return all of the excess parts, or only part of the excess.
The bottom region of the window is called Return Lists and displays excess lines that have been approved for return.
To Return Parts, follow these steps.
Prerequisites:
Oracle recommends defining excess rules during implementation, but it is possible to return excess parts without having defined excess rules.
Create Excess Lists or Defective Lists
Navigate to the Submit Request window for the Create Excess Lists or Defective Lists concurrent program.
Alternative navigation path: You can launch this request from the Planning tree by territory or field service manager or any other logical grouping that is defined by a node in the tree by right-clicking on the desired node, and then selecting the Create Excess Lists or Defective Lists concurrent program.
The Submit Requests window appears. The Create Excess Lists or Defective Lists concurrent program populates the Name field.
In the Parameters window, select the node, warehouse, or technician for which you want to create an excess list. For all other parameters, review and change from the default values as required.
When a node is selected, excess lists are created for all organizations and sub-inventories under that node.
Click OK to save your entries and close the Parameters window.
Click Submit to submit the request for this concurrent program.
Print Excess List or Defective List
To run the Print Excess List or Defective List concurrent program, navigate to the Submit Requests window for the Print Excess List or Defective List concurrent program.
The Submit Requests window appears. The Print Excess Lists concurrent program populates the Name field.
In the Parameters window, select the Organization ID for the excess list that you want to print from the list of values.
Select the Subinventory for the excess list from the list of values.
Click OK to close the Parameters window and return to the Submit Request window.
Click Submit to run the concurrent program.
Return Excess Parts
Initiate the Excess Return process by navigating to the Excess Lists window.
The Excess Lists window appears.
From the Excess Lists window, use the Find function to display the excess lists that you want to access. You can search for excess lists by entering values in any of the following fields:
Resource Type and Resource Name
Organization
Organization and Subinventory
Item
If you want to include defective or usable parts in the search, select the appropriate check box. To search for all excess lists, select the check boxes for both defective and usable parts.
Click Find.
The excess lists for that selection appear in the Excess Lists spread table. You can view and review the excess lists.
The excess quantity number is the available quantity in excess of the maximum as defined in the Authorized Stock List after applying the excess rules.
The excess quantity is a link, that you can use to change the return quantity.
To change the return quantity, click the Current Excess Quantity link.
The Return Quantity window appears; the value of the Current Excess Quantity appears in the Return Quantity field.
To return all of the excess parts, or only part of the excess, manually change the return quantity before approving the parts return. Change the value in the Return Quantity field to the number that you want to return. Click OK.
The excess list moves to the Return Lists box, and the value you just entered appears in the Current Return Quantity field.
Alternatively, if you do not want to change the excess quantity, you can move the excess list to the Return Lists box by selecting it, and then clicking the Add button.
If you want to move a list from the Return Lists box back to the Excess Lists box, highlight the list and click the Remove button.
When you approve an excess line and move it to the Excess Lists box, the Status field changes to "Modified". To reject an excess list, select the list, and then click the Reject button. This changes the Excess Status to "Rejected".
Once you have approved an excess list for return, highlight the list and click Return.
The Return Item window appears.
For a resource, the Return Organization and Return Subinventory fields contain default values if the Return To organization and subinventory are defined in the Addresses and Subinventories user interface in Spares Management.
For a warehouse, select the Return Organization and Return Subinventory from the lists of values.
(Optional) Enter a Carrier name and a Waybill number for the return.
Enter a Shipment Number for the technician return.
Click OK.
For a resource, the system creates an inter-organization transfer order. For a warehouse, the system creates an internal order.
The two methods used to create parts requirements are described in the following procedures:
You can manually create a parts requirement by accessing the Parts Requirement user interface directly, and then entering the appropriate information. The Parts Requirement user interface is divided into four parts:
Header information: This information can include service request number, resource name, and requirement number.
Ship To Address: Populate this block with one of the addresses already assigned to the technician. Addresses can include ship to address, one of the customer addresses, or a special address entered at the time the parts requirements is created.
Items for the parts requirement: You can associate multiple items to a parts requirement.
Item scratch pad block: When the item number is unknown, enter a temporary part number that is set up in Oracle Inventory as a placeholder. Then describe the item in the scratch pad block. You can use this information either to find the correct item number in the item master or to create a new item in the item master. Once you have found the item or created the item, change the placeholder with the item number found or created.
Follow these steps to manually create a parts requirement:
Prerequisites
Steps
Navigate to the Parts Requirement window.
The View Parts Order Status window appears. To modify an existing parts requirement, you can search for it here.
To create a new parts requirement, click New.
The Parts Requirement window appears.
To create a parts requirement, the minimum information that is required in the header region is a destination organization. Select an organization from the Destination Organization list of values. This is the organization that contains the location where the item will be shipped.
Destination Organization, Subinventory, and Address fields automatically populate if they have been set up for the resource.
If you are creating the parts requirement for a specific service request or task, enter the service request number. If you know the task number, enter it, and the service request number associated to the task automatically populates.
Resource Type and Name fields automatically populate if a resource (field technician) has been assigned to the task.
If the resource name is associated with a subinventory, the Destination Organization field populates with the organization associated with that subinventory. The Destination Subinventory field is also populated.
Enter a date in the Need By date field.
Select the order type from the list of values. The value appears by default from the order type you define in the profile option: CSP: Order Type.
In the Ship To block, select the option for the type of address: Engineer, Customer, or Special. The default selection is Engineer. When selected the engineer’s default address appears.
If you want to change addresses, click the Addresses button, and select the address where you want to ship the parts. If you select the Special option, enter the address, and then click Save.
The special address is added to the engineer’s list of addresses.
In the Required Item field of the Requirement tab, enter the item number that you want to assign to the parts requirement.
In the Required Quantity field, enter the quantity needed for the parts requirement.
Repeat steps 9-10 for each item that you want to add to the parts requirement.
To create the parts requirement, click Save.
This creates a requirement number, that you can use to access the parts requirement at a later date if you need to view or modify it.
In many field service operations, required parts are known for frequently executed tasks. You can create parts requirements automatically when you create a service request for a product by using a task template where parts have been predefined in Oracle Spares Management for that product and Task Template combination. See the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide for details.
You create task templates and define items associated with products and task templates during Spares Management implementation. For more information on creating a service request and creating tasks using a task template, see the Oracle Field Service User Guide.
You can use the Spares Management Delivery Times to define the delivery times for the methods of shipment at the sub-inventory level along with Inter Location Intransit Time.
Prerequisites
Steps
Navigate to the Service Request window.
The Service Request window appears.
After you create a basic service request for a product where parts requirements have been defined, navigate to the Tasks tab, and then click the Use Template button to create a task based on the template.
Note: The product used in the service request and the task template combination must have the required parts predefined in Spares Management Task Parts.
In the Create Tasks from Template Group window, select the Template Group that corresponds to the task template that you want to use.
The parts requirement for the product and task is automatically created.
Go to the Parts Requirement in Spares Management. Query the parts requirement from the service request or task to view the parts requirement.
You can manually create an internal order or create a reservation for a technician’s trunk stock.
You can use internal orders to ship the required parts to the field technician at the specified ship to address. Internal orders are tracked using the internal order number created for each item on the parts requirement. Internal orders are used in the field service supply chain to ship parts between organizations. You can also use the internal order to ship within the organization when, in-transit shipping is not available.
If a technician has the parts available in trunk stock, you can use the availability feature to create a reservation for the parts, which allocates the parts to the specific task for which the parts requirement was created. This ensures that the same parts are not assigned to multiple tasks.
You can create an order from the search results and the order type will be automatically selected based on the Ship From and Ship To inventory organizations and with the source as a warehouse or another technician.
The search results are used to select the source and create either an order or a reservation. The following order type alternatives are used:
Move order
Internal order
Inter-Organization transfer
Subinventory transfer
The following variables determine the order type for the parts search and ordering:
Technician or warehouse
Manned or unmanned warehouse
Source organization same as or different than destination organization
In-transit required between source and destination
You can create an internal order or reservation at the same time as the parts requirement. You can create an internal order after a parts requirement has been created.
Follow this procedure to create an internal order or a reservation:
Steps
Navigate to the Parts Requirement window.
The View Parts Order Status window appears.
From the Parts Requirement window, query the parts requirement for which you want to create an internal order. Otherwise, use the View Parts Order Status find function to search for a parts requirement. If a parts requirement does not already exist, you can create the requirement at the same time that you create the internal order.
Note: If you set the profile option CSP: Include Alternates to Always, the availability search automatically includes alternate parts. These alternates include both substitute and superseded parts. Other values for the profile option include Never, Parts Requirement Only, or Scheduler Only.
If the part does not already have a value, enter the required quantity for the part.
If there are multiple items that you want to ship together on the same internal order, enter the identical number for each item in the Ship Set field. For example, if you have four items, and you want items one and two to ship together and items three and four to ship together, enter a ship set of "1" for items one and two and a ship set of "2" for items three and four.
(Optional) To manually select the sourcing for the part, select the Source tab.
Enter the source organization and source subinventory, if required.
Save your work.
To create an internal order, click Create Order. You can view this internal order or reservation by selecting the Order tab.
(Optional) To view sourcing options using a modified version of Available-to-Promise (ATP), click the Availability button.
If the quantity ordered for the part is available, or a suitable substitute for a superseded part is available, available-to-promise functionality populates the following fields:
Item Required
Required Quantity
Item Supplied
Available Quantity Source Type
Source
Order Quantity
Shipping Method
Arrival Date
If multiple options are available, all the options appear in the Availability window. The availability of alternate parts, as defined by the sourcing rule used by available-to-promise, appears.
The options available for Source Type depend upon the configuration of the supply chain.
If the technician has parts available in the trunk stock, the Source Type reads "Reservation."
If the parts are available in a warehouse, the Source Type reads "Internal Order."
To create an order or a reservation, select the Select check box next to the option that you want to use.
Click Order.
After you create the order or reservation, the main Parts Requirement window populates with the appropriate information.
You can cancel an order by navigating to the Order tab, and then selecting the Cancel check box. You must also enter a cancel reason.
You can view this internal order or reservation by selecting the Order tab.
When you successfully create an order, on the Requirement tab, the Status is set to "Booked".
On the Order Tab, the Document Number field populates with the internal order number used in Oracle Order Management.
The parts search hierarchy functionality is used to locate parts within the field service supply chain. This functionality integrates with the Parts Requirement user interface to search beyond the normal supply chain when the Availability button does not find a source. Use the parts search hierarchy functionality to run a global search for the parts that you need. By using the "expression" and "condition" functionality, you narrow the search to return only those subinventories that meet the specified criteria. For example, narrow the search to display only those organizations and subinventories that have the necessary quantity on hand that you need to complete the task.
With any search, the parts search hierarchy’s tree structure collapses to display only those planning tree nodes that meet your search requirement.
View parts information at the organization, subinventory, or node level. With the Display Alternate Items feature in the Find Items window, you can include substitutes and supersessions in the results. You can also search by location to view all parts that are in the requested location.
Use the Part Search Hierarchy and the Part Requirement Search pages in High Availability mode to provide round the clock support to the users. High availability refers to enabling operational continuity of the parts search functions in Oracle Spares Management during a scheduled production outage.
Note: You cannot order parts, repair parts, receive inbound orders and reservations, repair purchase order details, create move orders, reserve parts, print picklists, confirm picklists, receive shipments, and return parts in the High Availability mode. Business critical transactions on the production environment are not captured in High Availability mode.
Refer to the High Availability chapter in the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide for more information on the functions available in High Availability mode.
Follow these steps to search for parts:
Prerequisites
Steps
Navigate to Parts Search Hierarchy window.
You can also access the Parts Search Hierarchy directly from the Parts Requirement window by clicking the Parts Search button.
The Find window appears in front of the Parts Status and Navigator windows.
Click the hierarchy node, organization, or subinventory from which you want to search for the part. A red X indicates a defective subinventory. A green check mark indicates a usable subinventory.
To search for a specific part, click the flashlight in the tool bar or right mouse click and select 'Find' from the popup window.
Note: You can navigate to a specific node, organization, or subinventory in the planning tree before you search for a part.
The Find Window appears.
Enter a part number in the Item field.
To include all available parts, alternates, substitutes, and supersessions in the results, select the Display Alternate Items check box.
(Optional) Use a condition expression to narrow the search results.
For example, to search for locations that contain a sufficient quantity of a part so that you can process an internal order for the part, use a conditional expression in the Find window to narrow the search results.
Expression: "Usable Onhand", Condition: "Greater Than", Expression: "14" retrieves organizations and subinventories having at least 15 of the specified part in stock.
Click Find.
The Parts Search Hierarchy’s tree structure collapses to display only those organizations and subinventories that meet your search requirement.
The Parts Status tab displays only the status for the item or items if alternate items were included and the planning tree shows only the nodes that contain the part for which you searched.
The Drill Down tab displays the details of the warehouses and the subinventories beneath the highlighted node in the tree.
Click nodes, subinventories, or organizations in the planning tree to view the Parts Status tab for the item for that node.
Click a subinventory, warehouse, or node name to see the on hand quantity and order status for this part.
The spread table shows the status as of the last time that the Create Part Availability Data program was run. The current values for Actual On-Hand and Available appear in the lower Parts Status tab. The On Hand quantity field includes reserved quantities. The Available quantity field does not include reserved quantities.
To create an internal order, click Order Part.
See Creating an Internal Order or a Parts Reservation.
The Parts Requirement window appears with the source and item pre-populated.
Note: The Order Part button is enabled only when you are in a subinventory or a warehouse.
Field service representatives, as well as dispatchers and managers, can process move orders for parts within a single inventory organization.
Move Orders includes the following topics:
Move Orders can be used only to transfer parts between subinventories within the same inventory organization. The following features are available when creating a move order:
Designate the source and destination subinventories.
Override the automatic receipt setting at the Move Order level. Automatic receipt is typically set at the subinventory level.
Ship parts on a Move Order to a special address.
To create a move order to move parts between subinventories within one inventory organization, use the following procedure.
Steps
Navigate to the Move Orders window.
The Move Orders window appears.
If the Select Organizations window appears on top of the Move Orders window, select the inventory organization that you want to access.
The Select Organizations window closes to reveal the Move Orders window for the specified inventory organization.
(Optional) Enter the source subinventory and destination subinventory in the Default section of the Move Order window if you want this information to become the default values for your move order lines. This default feature is useful when you are entering multiple lines with the same source and destination subinventories.
On the Item tab, enter the part number in the Item field.
Note: If you accessed the Move Order window from Parts Search Hierarchy, then the selected part number automatically appears in the Item field.
When you select an item, the Unit of Measure (UOM) field and the Date Required fields automatically populate with default values. You can change the Date Required value by using the list of values or by entering a new date.
Enter the move order quantity in the Quantity field.
Select the Source tab, and then enter or select a source subinventory from the list of values.
Note: If you accessed the Move Order window from Parts Search Hierarchy, the source subinventory for the selected item automatically appears in the Source Subinventory field.
(Optional) Enter Locator, Lot Number, Serial From and Serial To, if your part is using these Oracle Inventory features.
In the Destination tab, select a destination subinventory from the list of values.
(Optional) In the Service Controls tab, select the Service Request and Task numbers from the list of values.
(Optional) Enter the Customer PO number and Comments.
Note: The Project and Task tab and the Control tab are not used for Spares Management.
Use the automatic receipt feature when the shipment must be automatically transacted into the destination subinventory at the Confirm Ship step.
The default value for the destination subinventory comes from the destination subinventory. To override the automatic receipt setting for this move order, click the Special Ship To button. Check or clear the Auto Receipt check box.
To ship the parts to a one time address, click the Special Ship To button. Enter a special address or click the Address button, and then select from a list of addresses previously entered for customers or locations.
Automatic receipt is often used along with a special ship to address when a drop shipment is required. The move order special ship to address specifies an address other than the standard address assigned to the destination subinventory.
(Optional) Select the Shipment Method and Carrier from the list of values.
Click OK to close the window.
Save your work.
The Move Order number appears.
The move order must be in an Approved status for further processing to continue. While your move order is not yet approved, you can update any field in the move order.
To update existing move orders, navigate to the Create Move Orders window, and query the Move Order number that you want to update. You can also find your move order on the View Move Order Status window. After updating the move order, click Save.
To change the status of the Move Order to Approved, click Approve.
After your move order is approved, you can update any field except Quantity and Destination Subinventory.
Note: If you click Approve before saving your move order, the save and the approval both occur.
Allocations are used to reserve parts in a specific subinventory location for a move order. Allocation ties the inventory to the move order.
This process is optional because the Create Pick Lists process allocates the inventory automatically. This functionality is typically used to ensure that the move order that has been generated to support a service request task is fulfilled as a priority if inventories are limited.
When creating manual allocations, you can:
View on-hand and available quantities
Allocate the inventory
Follow these steps to view inventory quantities, and then create a manual allocation for a move order.
Prerequisites
Steps
Navigate to the Create Allocations window.
If the Select Organizations window appears, select an inventory organization, and then click OK.
The Find Move Order Lines window appears.
Viewing On Hand and Available Quantities
Enter the move order number in the Number field of the Headers tab.
Click Find to open the Create Allocations window for the selected inventory organization.
The On Hand quantity field value includes reserved quantities. The Available quantity field value does not include reserved quantities.
Creating an Allocation
Select the Select check box to the left of the Move Order Line field.
Click Allocations.
Changing Allocation Quantity
Click View/Update Allocations to open the Transact Move Order Line Allocations window.
Scroll right, and then enter a quantity in the Quantity field.
Click Update.
Verifying the Allocation
(Optional) Click View/Update Details again to verify the allocated quantity.
The allocation was created successfully if the Allocated Quantity field displays the allocated quantity.
Printing a pick lists produces a report that specifies the parts to be picked from their location in the warehouses. Printing the pick list changes the Move Order status to Printed. Furthermore, if an allocation was not previously created, printing the pick list creates the allocation automatically. You can print a pick list for an individual move order or you can print a pick list for a batch of move orders.
Use this procedure to print pick lists:
Prerequisites
Steps
Printing Pick Lists
Navigate to the Submit Requests window.
The Submit Requests window appears.
Note: If the Select Organizations window appears, select the inventory organization for the pick list.
To print a pick list for an individual move order, enter a Move Order number, and then click OK.
To print pick lists for a batch of move orders, enter appropriate values in one or more of these parameters: Source Subinventory, Destination Subinventory, Date Required and Requestor. Click OK.
Click Submit to run the concurrent program that creates the pick list.
Click No in the Decision window if you are finished printing pick lists.
Verifying Pick List Printing
(Optional) Navigate to the Move Order Status window to verify that the pick list was created.
The Move Order Status window appears.
Enter your Move Order number in the Find window, and then click Find.
The line status indicates "Printed". The pick list number is assigned to the move order, and the picked quantity field displays the correct quantity.
You confirm pick lists so that the quantity actually picked is verified before packing and shipping the parts. Confirming the pick list changes the Move Order Line status to "Confirmed".
With this feature, you can change the picked quantity only in the Reservations user interface. You can split pick list lines into multiple lines for shipping.
Follow this procedure to confirm a pick list:
Prerequisites
Steps
Confirming a Pick List
Navigate to the Confirm Pick List window.
The Find Pick Lists window appears.
Note: If the Select Organizations window appears, select an inventory organization.
Enter a pick list number or select from the list of values, and then click Find.
The Confirm Pick List window appears and populates with data from the selected pick list.
Click Confirm Pick to confirm the pick list.
Verifying Pick List Confirmation
(Optional) Navigate to the Move Order Status window to verify that the pick list was confirmed.
Enter your move order number or your pick list number in the Find Move Order window and click Find.
The line status indicates Confirmed and the picked quantity displays the correct quantity.
A pack list is used to define the contents of a box and to execute the physical shipment. Pick lists are assigned to boxes. Pack lists are created for each box.
Pack lists are printed and then confirmed. The confirmation process transacts inventory out of the source subinventory and relieves the allocated quantity. If the auto receipt feature is enabled, confirmation transacts inventory into the destination subinventory. If auto receipt is disabled, the shipment is transacted into the in-transit subinventory.
With this functionality you can:
Find consolidation opportunities by viewing all pick lines destined for the same ship to address.
Assign multiple pick lines to one box.
Split pick lines into multiple boxes.
Automatically assign the ship to address from the pick list to the pack list header.
Print the pack list and confirm the shipment from the same window.
Prerequisites
Steps
Opening a Packing List
Navigate to the Packing Lists navigator tree.
The Packing Lists navigator tree appears.
Note: If the Select Organizations window appears, select an inventory organization.
Click the + sign to expand the Packing Lists node.
The Packing Lists folder expands to display the Open, Received, Received Short, and Shipped status folders.
Click the + sign for the Open folder to display open packing lists.
Click the Open folder and then right-click it.
The right-click popup menu appears.
Select Create Packing List from the right-click menu.
The Create Pack List window appears and displays the Pack List Details tab.
(Optional) Enter shipping information such as Carrier, Shipment Method, Waybill, Comments, Ship to Subinventory, and Location Address.
Note: You can also enter this information later when you are finalizing the pack list.
Click Save to create the pack list.
The pack list appears within the Open folder.
Adding Items to a Shipping Box
Click the + sign for the new pack list to display Box 001.
Click Box 001 to open the Box Details tab.
(Optional) Enter the weight.
Open the Picked Items tab.
The Find Pick lists window appears.
Enter the pick list number and then click Find. If you do not know the pick list number, leave the pick list number blank, and then click Find to run a blind query for all pick lists that have not been previously assigned to a pack list.
Select from the spread table the pick list item to be added to the box. You can select multiple items.
To assign the selected lines to the box, click Add.
The selected pick line disappears from the Picked Items tab and transfer to the selected box. All other pick lines that are assigned to a ship to address that differs from the pick line just selected, disappear from the Picked Items tab.
To add more pick lines to the same box, repeat steps 11 through 14.
Adding Additional Shipment Boxes
To add a second box to your pack list, click your pack list folder, and then right-click it.
A right-click popup menu appears.
Select Create Box. Optionally enter the weight in the Box Details tab. Click Save.
Your new box number appears under your pack list.
Splitting Quantities into Multiple Boxes
To split the quantity on a pick line into more than one box, click the quantity value of a pick line in the Picked Items tab.
The Split Quantity window appears.
Enter the quantity to be assigned to the first box, and then click OK.
To add the remaining quantity to another box, click the other box number.
Click the pick list number containing the remaining quantity. Click Add.
Creating the Pack List
To finalize the pack list, click the pack list number.
Enter values for carrier, shipment method, waybill and comments in the Pack List Header tab.
Save your work.
Enter the box weight in the Box Details tab.
Save your work to create the pack list.
Printing the Pack List
Click Print in the Pack List Header tab to the print the pack list.
The Submit Request window appears.
Click Submit to print the Pack list. Click No in the Decision window.
Confirming the Pack List
Click Ship Confirm in the Pack List Header tab to confirm the shipment.
Receiving is performed at the packing list level. The receipt transaction relieves the in-transit subinventory and increments the inventory at the destination subinventory. Receiving parts runs automatically if auto receipt is enabled.
With this process:
If the quantity received is correct, you can receive the entire shipment.
If the quantity received differs from the quantity shipped, you can correct the quantity received.
You can close the receipt with a short quantity (for example, in the case of lost parts).
Follow this procedure to manually record the receipt of parts:
Prerequisites
Steps
Navigate to the Receive Shipments window.
The Find Pack Lists popup window appears.
Enter a pack list, and then click Find or leave the Pack List field blank and then click Find to run a blind query.
The Receive Parts window appears with a list of shipments that match your search criteria.
If the quantity shipped is the same as the quantity received, select all the lines, and then click Receive.
If the quantity shipped is different from the quantity received, click the quantity value located under the This Receipt column.
Enter the actual quantity received, and click Receive.
To close a partially received line, select the line, and then click Close Line.
Important: To activate the Close Line button, you must set up an inventory account alias, named CSP_RECEIPT, in the relevant organization. For information about setting up the account alias, refer to the Oracle Field Service Implementation Guide section on setting up inventory organizations.
The View Move Order Status window enables you to view the move order status and details at each step in the logistics process. This window also enables you to:
Track move order quantities throughout the logistics process
View the date and time of each step of the logistics process
View multiple move orders
View details such as pick list number, pack list number, and carrier and waybill numbers
Navigate directly to the Move Order window
Follow this procedure to view the status of one or more move orders:
Steps
Navigate to the View Move Order Status window.
The Find Move Orders window appears.
To view multiple move orders, specify combinations of parameters in the Find window, including move order number, source subinventory, destination subinventory, pick list number, pack list number, waybill number and line status.
Enter the criteria that you want to use to limit the results of your search in the Find window, and then click Find.
A list of move orders that match your search criteria appears.
Scroll to the right to view details.
To navigate to the Move Order window, click a move order number.
Use the View Parts Order Status window to view parts requirements and internal order details at each step in the logistics process.
This window enables you to:
Track internal order quantities throughout the logistics process
View the date and time of each step of the logistics process
View key logistic details such as carrier and waybill number
Navigate directly to the parts requirement window
View multiple internal orders
Check whether an internal order has been created for the parts requirement
View whether a service request and task have been assigned to the parts requirement
Follow this procedure to view the status of one or more parts requirements or internal orders:
Prerequisites
Steps
Navigate to the View Parts Order Status window.
The View Parts Order Status window appears.
To view multiple internal orders, specify combinations of the parameters in the Find window, including Order number, Source Organization, Status, Item Number, Order By Date, Promise Date, Service Request, Need by Date, Resource, Task, Requirement, Waybill number, and Line Status.
Enter the criteria that you want to use to limit the results of your search in the Find window, and the click Find. A list of parts requirements that match your search criteria appears.
Scroll to the right to view all details of the parts requirement.
To view a specific parts requirement, either select the parts requirement, and then click OK, or click the Requirement Number link.
The Parts Requirement window appears.
Technician trunk stock and field service warehouses must be periodically replenished with parts used by the technician or shipped by the warehouse.
Replenishment is accomplished by running the Oracle Inventory Min - Max Planning Report concurrent program. You can run the program in two modes: automated or manual. The automated mode automatically creates the internal order, move order, or purchase requisition, depending upon the sourcing used. The manual mode provides a report that the planner can be review before they create orders or requisitions.
Prerequisites
Steps
Navigate to the Min - Max Planning window.
Alternative navigation path: From the Planner’s Desktop, right-click the node or subinventory that you want to replenish. You can launch this report from the Planning tree by territory or field service manager or any other logical grouping that is defined by a node in the tree by right-clicking on the desired node, and then selecting the Create Min - Max Planning Report concurrent program.
When you select the Min - Max Planning Report concurrent program, the Parameters window appears.
Select Subinventory or Organization in the Planning Level field.
Parts replenishment is done at either the organization or subinventory level.
If you select Subinventory, select the subinventory in the Subinventory field from the list of values.
Select Yes in the Restock field if you want to run in the automated mode. Select No if you want to run in manual mode.
Review and change other parameters from the default values as required.
For more information regarding these parameters, see the Oracle Inventory User’s Guide.
Click OK to save your entries and close the Parameters window.
Click Submit in the Min - Max Planning window to submit the request.
Click No in the Decision window to close the main Min - Max Planning concurrent program window.
To check the status of your concurrent request, select View from the Tools menu, and then select Requests.
Click Find to view all of your concurrent requests.
To view the output of the Min - Max Planning Report, select the request, and then click View.