Calculations

Purpose: Use the Calculations window to review, create, or delete calculations that you can include in probability rules. Calculations allow you to add flexibility in how you present availability information in locate items search results or select a location for Routing Engine assignment. In order to include a calculation as part of a rule, you must first set it up at this window.

Example: You might set up a calculation of Available quantity Reduce by [%] 10 so that you can create a rule that displays a lower available quantity. For example, if the complete rule is Always Available Quantity Equal [=] Available Quantity Reduce By [%] 10, and the available quantity for a product location based on your last update is 500, the search results display an available quantity of 450.

Used for the Routing Engine module.

There are two basic ways to use a calculation as part of a rule: as part of a test, or as the result. Any existing calculations are available for selection in the Probability Rule Wizard at either the Conditions or Then screen.

Test calculation: Allows you to specify when to apply a rule. For example, you might want to apply a certain rule only if the available quantity plus the next PO quantity for a product location is less than the requested quantity for the locate items request. You create the calculation: Available Quantity Plus [+] Next PO Quantity. You can then include this calculation in a rule such as:

If Available Quantity Plus [+] Next PO Quantity Less Than [<] Requested Quantity

Then Exclude Location
Result calculation: Allows you to perform a calculation against the available quantity, next PO date, or next PO quantity displayed in the locate items search results. For example, you might want to add 5 days to the next PO date if the PO is for a certain group of products that is known to ship late. You create the calculation: Next PO Date Plus Days 5. You can then include this calculation in a rule such as:

If Department Equal To [=] XYZ

Then Next PO Date Equal [=] Next PO Date Plus Days 5

You could also create a rule using the Always test and the calculation, such as:

Always Next PO Date Equal [=] Next PO Date Plus Days 5

Note:

If the calculation is based on the Next PO date plus a number of days, but the product location does not have a Next PO date, the Routing Engine avoids returning an error by basing the next PO date calculation on a date of January 1, 1970. In this situation, the locate items response might include a date such as 1970-01-21.

For more information: See:

overview on probability rules: Using Probability Rules
complete instructions for setting up rules, including sample rules and calculations: Probability Rule Wizard

How to display this window: Click Calc at the Probability Rules screen.

Note:

Available if Use Routing Engine is selected at the Tenant screen. Only users with Probability Rules authority can display this screen. See the Role Wizard for more information.

In this topic:

Options at this screen

Option	Procedure
create a new calculation	From the first drop-down box, select the Element you would like to use as the first part of the calculation. For example, to set up the calculation `Available Quantity Reduce By [%] 15`, select Available Quantity. From the second drop-down box, select the operator you would like to use as part of the calculation. For the sample calculation mentioned above, select Reduce by [%]. Note: See the Valid operators for elements table below for guidelines on which operators are available for different types of elements. Use the last field to select from the list of values in the drop-down list, or to select Enter value... and enter a specific value. For the sample calculation mentioned above, enter 20. Click Save. Order Broker verifies that your selections and any entry are valid before creating the calculation. Click Cancel when you are done to return to the previous screen. Note: You cannot create the same calculation more than once.
delete an existing calculation	Select the delete icon () next to a calculation to delete it. You cannot delete a calculation that is included in a probability rule.
return to the previous screen	Click Cancel.

Fields at this window

Field	Description
Entry fields
Element	The element you would like to use as part of a Test or Result calculation in a probability rule. Available elements are: Available Quantity for a product location Next PO Quantity for a product location Next PO date for a product location Last Updated date (MM/DD/YY) for a product location Requested quantity for the locate items request or submit order request Today Sell Quantity/Multiple for a product location Daily Sell Through Quantity for a product location Minimum Sell Quantity for a product location Shrink Rate % for a product location Sales Velocity for a product location
Operator	The calculation to perform against the element from the first field. Depending on whether the first element is a quantity or a date, different operators are available to apply. See Valid operators for elements for more information. You cannot select the operator until you select the element in the first field.
You can select either a value or a metric to use in the third position of a calculation.
Element or Value	You must select the value in the first field before you can enter or select the value in the third field: If the first field is numeric but not a date (Available Quantity, Next PO Quantity, Requested quantity, Sell Quantity/Multiple, Minimum Sell Quantity, Daily Sell Through Quantity, Shrink Rate %, or Sales Velocity), then your selection or entry in the third field must also be numeric. Valid selections are: Available Quantity Next PO Quantity Requested quantity Sell Quantity/Multiple Minimum Sell Quantity Daily Sell Through Quantity Shrink Rate % Sales Velocity Example: If the first element is `Next PO quantity` and the operator is `Plus [+]`, your entry in the third field might be `Available quantity`. Valid entries: If you enter a specific value rather than selecting from the drop-down list, your entry must be a whole number and cannot be negative. Example: If the element in the first element is `Available quantity` and the operator is `Reduce by [%]`, your entry in the third field might be 10 (10%). If the first field is a date (Last Updated date, Next PO date, or Today), valid selections are: Last Updated date Next PO date Today Valid entries: If you enter a specific value rather than selecting from the drop-down list, your entry must be a whole number and cannot be negative. Example: If the element is Next PO date and the operator in the operator is `Plus Days`, your entry in the third field might be `10`. Formatting: Format is based on the settings at the User Profile Configuration screen.
Calculation fields
Calculation	The contents of a calculation you have created. Note: The calculation displayed on the screen cannot exceed 40 positions; additional characters are truncated. For example, the calculation of `Available Quantity Plus [+] Next PO Quantity` is displayed on the screen as `Available Quantity Plus [+] Next PO Quan`.
Delete	Select the delete icon () next to a calculation to delete the calculation.

Valid operators for elements

The following table lists the operators that you can apply to different types of elements, and information on the resulting calculations.

Operator	Sample Calculation	Sample Result/Comments
Quantities: Available Quantity, Daily Sell Through Quantity, Minimum Sell Quantity, Next PO Quantity, Requested quantity, Sell Quantity/Multiple, Sales Velocity, or Shrink Rate %
`Reduce by [%]`	`Available quantity Reduce by [%] 10`	Reduces the available quantity for the product location by 10%. If the first quantity is a negative number, such as -10, the result is a lower negative number, such as -11.
`Increase by [%]`	`Daily sell through quantity Increase by [%] 10`	Increases the daily sell-through quantity for the product location by 10%. If the first quantity is a negative number, such as -10, the result is a higher negative number, such as -9.
`Plus [+]`	`Next PO quantity Plus [+] 10`	Adds 10 to the next PO quantity for the product location. If the first quantity is a negative number, such as -10, the result is a higher number, such as 0.
`Minus [-]`	`Available Quantity Minus [-] Daily Sell Through`	Subtracts the daily sell-through quantity for the product location from the available quantity. If the available quantity is a negative number, such as -10, the result is a lower number, such as -15.
`Divide [/]`	`Available Quantity Divide [/] Minimum Sell Qty`	Divides the available quantity for the product location by the minimum sell quantity. If the first number is a negative number, such as -10, the result is a higher number, such as -5. If the second number is 0, the rule is invalid, and Order Broker skips it.
`Multiply [*]`	`Requested Quantity Multiply [*] Sell Qty`	Multiplies the requested quantity in the locate items request by the Sell quantity/multiple for the product location. If one of the numbers is negative, such as -10, the result is a lower number, such as -40.
Dates: Last Updated date, Next PO date, or Today
`Plus Days`	Next PO Date`(MM/DD/YYYY) Plus Days 5`	Increases the next PO date for the product location by the number of days. If the next PO date is 07/01/2013 and the number of days specified is 5, the result is 07/06/2013.
Minus Days	Next PO Date Minus Days 3	Decreases the next PO date for the product location by the number of days. If the next PO date is 08/15/2013 and the number of days specified is 3, the result is 08/12/2013.