20 Overview to Material Handling

Material Handling accommodates homebuilders who prefer to purchase their materials from suppliers. Material Handling is also referred to as material takeoffs or takeoffs. A takeoff is a form of purchase order that builders use to purchase materials from suppliers. They can then use their own employees or contractors to complete a process in building the house. Material takeoffs are organized at the city level, which is determined by Category Code 5 of the Job Master.

The process the system uses for takeoffs begins when you release a lot. It first examines the Takeoff File table (F4457) by city, subdivision, option, plan, elevation, and swing. Using a hierarchal method to select takeoffs, the system determines which takeoff lines from the F4457 are appropriate to create on the takeoff (purchase order) for the lot you release. When the system locates lines which meet the criteria, it examines the Account Master table (F0901) and determines the associated trade cost code. Using the trade cost code and appropriate information from the F4457, the system selects a vendor, subdivision, and lot from the Takeoff Vendor Assignment table (F4455). The system then examines that vendor, city, supplier, and item, and the Item Price File table (F4459) for an item price. If the system locates a price record, it uses that price.

If the system does not locate a price record with that vendor for the item or there is no vendor assignment record, the system uses the price from the Item Master (F4101), Item Branch File (F4102), and Cost Ledger File (F4105) tables. After the system determines a price, it multiplies the price by the quantity from the F4457 and the price factor from the F4101. It then divides the price by the price divisor from the F4459. If there is no record in the F4459, the system sets the price divisor to 1.

The takeoff process flow is illustrated as follows:

Figure 20-1 Takeoff Process Flow

Description of Figure 20-1 follows
Description of "Figure 20-1 Takeoff Process Flow"

Material Handling includes the following tasks:

  • Set Up City Constants

  • Process Supplier Items

  • Define Takeoff Lists

  • Display Takeoff Master List

  • Copy Takeoff Lists

  • Change Takeoff Lists

  • Assign Suppliers to an Item