1 Overview to Configuration Management

This chapter contains these topics:

Many manufacturers sell products that are an arrangement of components that a customer orders. In this environment, a manufacturer assembles a large variety of end products from relatively few components. When customers place orders, they specify features and options about the product.

When you enter a sales order for a configured item, a series of forms appear within which you answer questions about the item's segments (features and options). The system verifies each segment value against user defined information, such as rules and user defined code tables of choices. If the configuration is valid, the system processes the order.

Although setup for Configuration Management can be complex, there are many benefits. During setup you must define the following information:

However, as a result of using Configuration Management, you can:

Examples of manufacturers who typically use Configuration Management include:

1.1 System Integration

The Configuration Management system works with other JD Edwards World systems to generate the following for configured items:

  • Sales orders

  • Parts lists

  • Routings

  • Work orders

  • Price information

  • Work order costing

  • Invoices

Figure 1-1 Configuration Management System

Description of Figure 1-1 follows
Description of "Figure 1-1 Configuration Management System"

JD Edwards World also offers kit processing that enables feature and option processing. However, kit processing might not be appropriate for features or complex specifications, such as conditional part requirements. The Configuration Management system is appropriate for items that:

  • Are complex

  • Require routings that change based on features or options

  • Include features that are not compatible with other features

  • Require multiple work orders to define an assembly

1.1.1 Enterprise Requirements Planning and Execution Review

Configuration Management is one of many systems in the Enterprise Requirements Planning and Execution system.

Use the Enterprise Requirements Planning and Execution system to coordinate your inventory and labor resources to deliver products according to a managed schedule. It is a closed-loop manufacturing system that formalizes company and operations planning, and the implementation of those plans. The Enterprise Requirements Planning and Execution system includes the following JD Edwards World systems.

Figure 1-2 Enterprise Requirements Planning and Execution (ERPxE)

Description of Figure 1-2 follows
Description of "Figure 1-2 Enterprise Requirements Planning and Execution (ERPxE)"

1.2 Terms and Concepts

Term/Concept Description
Configured item A configured item is comprised of different features requested by a customer, for example, a forklift. You associate segments with the configured item. For example, the configured item FORKLIFT-A contains the following segments:

FORKLIFT-A

  • Segment 10 (Lift Rating)

  • Segment 20 (Power Type)

  • Segment 30 (Boom Height)
Segment When you set up a configured item, you define segments to represent characteristics of a configured item, such as an optional paint color or a lift rating. For example:

Segment 10 (Lift Rating)

  • 2000 pounds

  • 4000 pounds

  • 6000 pounds

Segment 40 (Paint)

  • STANDARD

  • CUSTOM

A segment might also be called a feature or an option.
Configured string During sales order entry, the system joins the segments and expresses the configuration as a string of segments separated by a delimiter. For example:

2000/PROPANE/08/STD/50/3587.4659217
Multi-level configured item You can set up a configured subassembly within a configured item. For example, the configured item FORKLIFT-A contains a configured subassembly for the item BOOM.
Cross-segment editing rules Use cross-segment editing rules to establish the relationships between the configured item segments with logic statements. This enables you to avoid invalid combinations and prevent invalid sales orders. The system edits the segments on the sales order against these cross-segment editing rules and error messages appear for information that violates the rules. For example:

If segment 10 (Lift Rating) = 6000 pounds, then segment 30 (Boom Height) must = 12 (feet) else segment 30 must be <= 10 (feet).
Assembly inclusion rules Use assembly inclusion rules to translate requested options and values from sales order entry into the specific components, operations, and calculated values necessary to build and price the configured item. For example:

If segment 10 = 6000 and segment 30 >= 10, then use part F170, else use part F175.

1.2.1 Analyzing Your Configured Items

Before you work with Configuration Management, ensure that you can answer the following questions about your configured items:

  • How do customers order the configured item?

  • How will the configured item be priced?

  • Which components make up the configured items?

  • Which routings do the configured items require?

  • Which calculations are required to support prices, components, and routing steps?

This information will help you determine the sequence of questions. This is important because you can define levels of questions within multi-level configured items. Knowing this information before you set up this system will save time during setup.

1.3 Features

The Configuration Management system enables you to perform the following functions:

  • Specify a variety of features and options with configured item segments

  • Establish relationships between options to prevent invalid product configurations

  • Define multi-level configured items and multiple associated work orders

  • Establish default values or ranges for options and features

  • Calculate values for options with algebraic definitions

  • Create generic rules that can be used across branch/plants

  • Create assembly inclusion rules that control price adjustments, routings, and parts

  • Define a table of values that is referenced by assembly inclusion rules

1.4 Tables

The Configuration Management system uses the following tables:

Table Description
Configured Item Segments (F3291) Contains the segments for the configured items defined on the Item Master and Branch/Plant
Cross-Segment Editing Rules (F3292) Defines the relationships among the configured items' segments
Configurator Constants (F3209) Stores constants that you define to control processing at the branch/plant level
Values Detail (F32921) Stores the *VALUES definitions for cross-segment editing rules and assembly inclusion rules
Range Detail (F32922) Stores the *RANGE definitions for cross-segment editing rules and assembly inclusion rules
Assembly Inclusion Rules (F3293) Stores the components, routings, calculations, and price adjustments for configured items
Configured String History (F3294) Stores the history for the configured items of all the configurations ordered
Configured String Master (F32941) Contains the configured string identifier for each configuration
Configured String Segments (F32942) Stores the configured string for each segment
Rules Table Definition (F3281) Stores table information such as description, table type, number of segments and return values
Configured Item/Rules Table Cross-Reference (F3282) Defines which segment values reference tables for each configured item
Rules Table Value Definition (F32821) Defines which segments will be populated with the returned values
Table Detail (F3283) Stores the actual table values for each combination of segment values that you define for the table
Item Master (F4101) Stores basic information about each item in inventory, such as item numbers, description, category codes, and units of measure
Branch/Plant (F4102) Stores branch/plant information, such as quantities and branch level category codes
Item Location (F41021) Stores primary and secondary locations for an item.
Cost Ledger (F4102) Stores cost information for an item
Base Price (F4106) Stores base price information for an item
Sales Order Detail (F4211) Defines which level of the configured item is related to a component and complete information for each line of the sales order
Sales Order Header (F4201) Maintains the billing instruction, address, and delivery information for a customer order

1.5 Menu Overview

The JD Edwards World Configuration Management system uses the following menus.

Figure 1-3 Menus in the JD Edwards World Configuration Management System

Description of Figure 1-3 follows
Description of "Figure 1-3 Menus in the JD Edwards World Configuration Management System"

1.6 Example Multi-Level Configured Item

A forklift is an example of a multi-level configured item. Its subassemblies include the boom and fork. For the item and each subassembly in the forklift, segments represent features and options.

Figure 1-4 Example Multi-Level Configured Item

Description of Figure 1-4 follows
Description of "Figure 1-4 Example Multi-Level Configured Item"

To enter a sales order

You enter a sales order to record information about your customers and the items they order. When you enter a configured item, the system prompts you to answer option and feature questions to define the correct components, prices, and work orders. Revise the following steps as needed to clarify flow.

On Enter/Change Sales Order

Figure 1-5 Enter/Change Sales Order screen

Description of Figure 1-5 follows
Description of "Figure 1-5 Enter/Change Sales Order screen"

  1. Complete the following required fields and press Enter:

    • Sold To

    • Branch/Plant

    • Quantity

    • Item

    On Configured Item Specifications

    Figure 1-6 Configured Item Specifications screen

    Description of Figure 1-6 follows
    Description of "Figure 1-6 Configured Item Specifications screen"

  2. Do one of the following:

    • To accept the default values, press Enter.

    • To select another value, access Segment Value Selection and select a value.

  3. Repeat step 2 for the remaining segments and lower level items.

  4. To process the sales order, press Enter.

  5. On Enter/Change Sales Order, locate your sales order to display the price, component item, and configured text information.

    Figure 1-7 Enter/Change Sales Order (Details) screen

    Description of Figure 1-7 follows
    Description of "Figure 1-7 Enter/Change Sales Order (Details) screen"