Configuring Confirmations for Production Orders

Depending on your business requirements, the system offers various variants for order confirmation:

• Production order confirmation on order header level

  In this scenario, you enter a confirmation for the entire order. If you enter a confirmation on order header level, the system confirms all operations that have a control key in which confirmation is possible or required. The quantities confirmed in the operations are proportional to the quantities confirmed in the order header. You can either confirm the order in one confirmation posting or post multiple order confirmations until the order quantity is reached. After posting an order confirmation, the system sets respective confirmation statuses on order header and operation level.

• Time ticket confirmation

  In this scenario, you enter a confirmation for each (confirmation relevant) operation in the order. Similar to the previous case, you can either confirm each operation in one confirmation posting or post multiple operation confirmations until each operation of the order is fully confirmed. After posting an operation confirmation, the system sets a respective confirmation status on operation and order header level.

• Milestone confirmation

  In this scenario, you also confirm the order on operation level. However, by assigning a respective control key to the operations, you define some of the manufacturing operations as milestones. You must only post confirmations for milestone operations. At the same time, the system automatically confirms the non-milestone operations that lie in between the milestones.

• Time event confirmation

  In this scenario, you confirm time events (for example setup start, setup finish, processing start, processing finish, and so on) for each operation. The system calculates the duration based on the time difference between the start and end event of the respective operation segment. For example, the setup duration is the time between the setup start and the setup finish time event, respectively.

After posting the confirmation, the order and operation status values are updated to either partially confirmed (PCNF) or confirmed (CNF). An order is partially confirmed if at least one but not all of the operations that require confirmation are confirmed (operation status PCNF or CNF). An order is also partially confirmed if all the operations requiring confirmation are finally confirmed, but there are confirmable operations that are partially confirmed. An order is finally confirmed when all operations for which confirmation is required are finally confirmed (status CNF) and when there are no confirmable operations that are partially confirmed (status PCNF).

In the figure, an example of an operation confirmation and the effect of the confirmation posting to the order is displayed. When confirming the operation, you provide, for example, the following information:

• Operation quantities: Yield, scrap, and rework

  The yield quantity is the number of partially manufactured items, which are produced during this operation and can be transferred to the next work center. The scrap quantity is the number of partially manufactured items that had to be scrapped when you executed this operation. If required, you can provide additional information in text form or even create quality notifications. The rework quantity is the number of partially manufactured items that cannot be transferred to the next manufacturing operation due to, for example, quality reasons. After you've executed the repair, the respective items reenter the planned production flow.

• Actual dates

  You enter the actual start and finish date of an operation, which can be used for analysis purposes or rescheduling of subsequent production operations.

• Operation activities

  You enter operation activities, for example, setup time, machine time, labor time, and so on, to confirm how much time effort is invested into the operation. For each operation activity, the system calculates the respective costs using information maintained in the work center and charges these internal activities to the order.

• If configured, for example, in the operation control key, the confirmation also triggers the automated goods receipt of the manufactured items. The goods receipt quantity corresponds to the yield quantity. Furthermore, if components are marked as backflushed, the confirmation triggers the goods issue posting of the respective components. The goods issue quantity corresponds to the sum of all three operation quantities multiplied by the number of components required for the manufacturing of one item. In our bike example, posting a yield of five bikes consumes 10 wheels and five frames, respectively.

Regardless of the confirmation option you select, confirmation parameters must be defined in the configuration activity Define Confirmation Parameters for each order type and plant in order to be able to post confirmations.

To be able to use user-specific layouts for time ticket confirmations, you must set up confirmation profiles in the configuration activity Define Single-Screen Entry for Confirming Production Orders.

For an operation to be confirmed, the control key for the operation must be set accordingly. The control keys contain information whether an operation is a milestone operation, or whether an operation must, can, or cannot be confirmed. The control keys are defined in the configuration activity Define Control Keys.

To be able to enter confirmations for production orders, confirmation parameters must be defined for each order type and plant in the configuration activity, Define Confirmation Parameters. 

When you open the configuration activity, you first find an overview of all the entries are already created, as shown in the previous figure. You can create new entries or display or change the details of already existing entries.

In the detail view of an entry, in the Generally Valid Settings tab, you find the following information and control settings:

• Process control:

  The following processes can be automatically triggered by a confirmation: Automatic goods receipt, backflushing, and determination of the actual costs. With the process control key you define, when each individual process that is automatically triggered by a confirmation is executed: Immediately online, immediately in an update program, or later in a background job.

  Note

  The process control keys are defined in the configuration activity, Define Time for Confirmation Processes.
• Quantity calculation for milestone/progress confirmation:

  With this indicator, you can specify that for milestone or progress confirmations, the quantities(yield, scrap) of automatically generated confirmations are calculated without considering the scrap percentage rate of each operation. If you do not set this indicator, then the planned scrap percentage rate of each operation is considered when calculating the confirmed total quantity. In the generated confirmations, the proportional scrap is added to the yield. If you set this indicator, then the automatic confirmations are posted with the same total quantities as the milestone or progress.

• Confirmation profile:

  A confirmation profile defines the layout and settings for the single-screen entry of confirmations, that is, time ticket confirmations, for the given plant and order type.

  Note

  The confirmation profiles are defined in the configuration activity, Define Single-Screen Entry for Confirming Production Orders. This is explained later in this lesson.
• Checks:
  • Operation sequence:

    This key defines whether a system message is to be issued when the operation sequence is not adhered to and if so, which type of message.

  • Underdelivery:

    This key defines how the system is to react during confirmation if the yield and the rework quantity fall below the order's underdelivery tolerance when the operation is finally confirmed.

  • Overdelivery:

    This key specifies what the system does if the overdelivery tolerance of the order is exceeded by the confirmed yield and rework quantity during confirmation.

  • Results recording (QM):

    This key controls the system message that appears when you confirm an order, if QM inspection results must be recorded for an operation but no results are available yet.

  • Dates in future:

    This indicator determines whether dates in the future can be used in a confirmation. If the indicator is not set, you cannot make any confirmations using dates in the future. If you try to do so, the system issues an error message.

• Goods movements:
  • All components:

    If you set the indicator, the system displays all the components regardless of whether or not the backflushing indicator is set for the components in the order. The system then posts the withdrawal of all components displayed in the overview as a backflush. If you do not set the indicator, the system only displays the components for which the backflushing indicator is set, and the system only posts the withdrawal of these components as a backflush.

  • Goods receipt for co-products:

    This indicator defines that when production orders are confirmed and an automatic goods receipt for the product is triggered, the goods receipts of co-products can also be posted.

In the Individual Entry General tab, you find the following information and control settings:

• Confirmation function excluding single-screen entry:
  Note

  This settings are not evaluated for time ticket confirmations, that is, single-screen entries.
  • Confirmation type:

    This setting specifies what sort of confirmation is to be proposed.

  • Clear open reservations:

  • This indicator specifies that with a final confirmation the indicator Final Issue is also set for components that are not backflushed.

• Error Handling/Logs:
  • Actual Costs:

    This indicator controls whether the system automatically generates a log of the actual costs, when you confirm activities.

  • Termination for Incorrect Actual Costs:

    This indicator controls if the confirmation is terminated in the event of incorrect actual costs.

  • Goods Movements:

    This indicator specifies that if you save a confirmation with goods movement errors (that is, backflushing or automatic goods receipt), then the system displays an error log before saving. This enables you to correct the errors using the goods movement overview before you save the confirmation.

  • Termination for Incorrect Goods Movements:

    This indicator controls if the confirmation is terminated in the event of incorrect goods movements.

• Shift:
  • Shift Proposal:

    This setting determines whether for time ticket confirmations or header confirmations the Shift field is visible and whether this field contains a default value. For header confirmations, the Shift in Header Confirmation indicator must also be set.

  • Shift in Header Confirmation:

    This indicator specifies that the Shift field is to be shown in header confirmations.

In the Individual Entry and Operation with Initial Screen tab, you find the following information and control settings:

• Propose Quantities and Activities to be confirmed:

  You can have the system propose the open confirmation data for entry. For the quantities and activities, the system proposes the quantities are yet to be confirmed according to planning. Already confirmed quantities are no longer considered for the proposal data.

• Selection:

  You can decide which operations the system proposes for confirmation: If you select the Find Only Confirmable Operations indicator and an operator creates a confirmation, the system tries to determine a confirmable operation. If there is more than one operation, the operator must select the operation number.

When you open the configuration activity, you first find an overview of confirmation profiles that have already been created, as shown in the previous figure. You can create new entries or display or change the details of already existing entries.

The Standard Profile check box defines a profile as the standard profile. You can define only one profile as the standard profile.

In the detail view of an entry, in the Area Selection tab, you find the following information and control settings:

• Use profile for plant/order type / alternative profile:
  Note

  The Profile for Plant/Order Type field is only ready for input if the confirmation profile is marked as standard profile.
  Note

  The Alternative Profile field is only ready for input if you select the Use Profile for Plant/Order Type check box.

  If an operator enters a time ticket confirmation in a specific plant with reference to a specific order type, the confirmation profile is determined as follows by checking the details of the standard profile.

  When the Use Profile for Plant/Order Type check box is set, the system checks whether a confirmation profile has been assigned to the combination of plant and order type in the configuration activity, Define Confirmation Parameters. If yes, it uses this profile.

  Note

  We have already discussed the settings of the configuration activity, Define Confirmation Parameters at the beginning of this lesson.

  If no profile is found in the configuration activity, Define Confirmation Parameters, and if you have entered an alternative profile, the system uses the alternative profile.

  Note

  You cannot enter the standard profile again as an alternative profile. It must be a different profile.

  If no profile is found in the configuration activity, Define Confirmation Parameters, and if you have not entered an alternative profile, the system uses the standard profile.

• Area selection:
  • Header area:

    In the header area, you can define which data is to identify the operation to be confirmed. Here, for example, you can define whether only the confirmation number and/or order number, sequence and operation can be entered.

  • Detail area:

    In the detail areas, you define which information can be entered for the operation to be confirmed and in which order the fields in question are displayed. You can select up to seven detail areas, each containing one group of possible entry fields. Every input and output field can only be outputted once.

    Titles can be assigned to the detail areas, which are reproduced on the buttons above the corresponding area. You can use these buttons to open and close the areas. This means that the number of fields on the screen can be kept to a minimum. With the Closed check box, you define that the area is to be closed when the function is first called up.

    You can display a preview of the individual area and also of the entire entry screen. To do this, choose the corresponding button (header area preview, detail area preview, or list screen preview).

In the Default tab, you find the following information and control settings:

• Confirmation function:

  The confirmation type defines whether a partial confirmation, final confirmation, or a final confirmation with posting of open reservations is to be proposed.

  The Clear Open Reservations check box specifies that with a final confirmation Final Issue check box is also set for components that are not backflushed.

• Default value:

  You can define the time of default determination for quantities, activities, and/or dates (no proposal, immediate proposal, proposal when saving).

  You can specify how the system is to proceed in determining the shift to be proposed.

• Services:

  For the activities, you can define six texts that are displayed during confirmation entry. These texts are overwritten with the texts from the standard value key in the work center after you have chosen ENTER. If you want to prevent this from happening, set the Fix text checkbox. You can hide activities for which you do not want to enter a confirmation by setting the Hidden check box.