Unlocking a Stranded Order or Batch (MULO)

Purpose: Use this menu option to clear the locked status of a stranded order or order batch so that you can work with it.

Why are orders and batches locked? Order Management System locks an order or batch when a user or process is working with the order, so that another user or process cannot update the order or batch at the same time.

What does the lock consist of? When a user is entering an order or selects an order for maintenance, or when a function is updating an order, Order Management System locks the order by entering the user’s login ID or the function name in the User field in the Order Header table. Similarly, Order Management System locks an order batch by entering the user’s login ID in the Entry user field in the Order Batch table.

How does an order or batch become stranded? Typically, an order or batch becomes stranded when a user is working with it and the session ends unexpectedly, such as when the workstation shuts down. In this situation, the system does not have an opportunity to clear the user ID from the order or order batch record. Similarly, an order or batch can become stranded if a process that is currently updating the record ends abnormally.

How can you tell when an order or batch is locked?

• Order: You can tell that an order is locked if the system displays the Warning: Order Locked window when you attempt to maintain it. This window indicates the name of the user or process using the order, based on the current entry in the User field in the Order Header table.

• Batch: You can tell that a batch is locked if a user ID is displayed in the In use by field at the Work with Error Orders Batches Screen. An error message displays if you try to access the batch: Order Batch is locked by user JJONES.

If a locked order is part of a locked batch: You must first unlock the batch, and then unlock the order.

Unlock Order or Batch Screen

How to display this screen: You can display this screen by entering MULO in the Fast path field at the top of any menu, or by selecting Unlock Order or Batch from a menu.

Field	Description
Order #	To unlock a stranded order, enter the order number here. You can enter either an order number or a batch number. Numeric, 8 positions; optional.
Batch #	To unlock a stranded batch, enter the batch number here. If your entry in the Order # field was created as part of a batch, the batch number defaults here. You cannot enter both an order number and a batch number. If a batch number has defaulted from the entry of a previous order number, you must clear this field before entering another order number. Numeric, 5 positions; optional.
Order status	The current status of the order. Displayed for orders only. Possible statuses are: • Blank = Open • A = Archived to optical disk • C = Canceled • E = In error • H = Held • Q = Quote • S = Suspended • X = Closed Alphanumeric, 1 position; display-only.
Batch date	The date when the batch was created. Displayed only if you enter a batch number, not if a batch number defaults because it is associated with the entered order number. Displayed for batches only. Numeric, 6 positions (in user date format); display-only.
Order date	The effective date of the order for the purposes of aging and backorder analysis. When you enter an order, the current date defaults, but you can override it. Displayed for orders only. Numeric, 6 positions (in user date format); display-only.
Locked by (order)	The user ID or process name that was updating the order at the time it became stranded. Displayed for orders only. Alphanumeric, 10 positions; display-only.
Entered date	The date when the order was created. Displayed for orders only. Numeric, 6 positions (in user date format); display-only.
Entered time	The time when the order was created. Displayed for orders only. Numeric, 6 positions (HH:MM:SS format); display-only.
Workstation	The ID of the workstation where the user was working when creating the order, or the name of the process that created the order; for example, the workstation is E-COMMERCE for orders created through the Generic Order Interface (Order API). Displayed for orders only. Alphanumeric, 10 positions; display-only.
Entered by	The user ID of the person who entered the order, or the name of the process that created the order. For orders created through the generic order API, this is either the entered_by_user specified in the Inbound Order XML Message (CWORDERIN), or your default user if the entered_by_user is not specified. Displayed for orders only. Alphanumeric, 10 positions; display-only.
Locked by (batch)	The user ID or process name that was working with the batch at the time that it became stranded. Displayed for batches only. Alphanumeric, 10 positions; display-only.
Customer #	A unique number to identify the customer who placed the order (sold-to customer). Displayed for orders only. Numeric, 9 positions; display-only.
Customer name (unlabeled field below the customer number)	The name of the sold-to customer. Displayed for orders only. Alphanumeric, 41 positions; display-only.

Unlocking a batch: Enter the batch number and click OK to display information about the batch and confirm that your entry is correct; if so, select Proceed with Unlock to unlock the batch. The system clears the Entry user field from the Order Batch table, and the batch is now available to be maintained by another user.

Unlocking an order: Enter the order number and click OK to display information about the order and confirm that your entry was correct; if so, select Proceed with Unlock to unlock the order. The system:

• Clears the User field from the Order Header table.

• Removes any pick slip preparation from the order and then reevaluates the order for pick slip preparation; see Preparing Orders for Pick Slip Generation.

• Makes the order available for maintenance by another user. If the order is in an error or suspended status, you must maintain the order in its associated order batch.

Note: If your initial entry is not correct, exit the screen and then re-enter to clear the information from your previous entries from displaying.