Work order mass allocation

You can optionally reserve some or all component stock in advance of production at a site or clear all stock reserved at a site. Reserving stock can ensure that delays to production are avoided, and a possible increase in production costs are avoided as the components are available when needed for production.

You can mass allocate or deallocate stock on an ad hoc basis, as and when required, or you can schedule and track one-time or recurring tasks, or jobs. Scheduling the task can save time and resources. If you have a large data set, you can schedule tasks during off-peak hours to improve performance.

When an ad hoc or scheduled job is completed a notification displays in the Notification centre. You can go straight to the results from the notification and navigate to the Batch task history page to view the status and result for the job.

Allocate or deallocate stock

1.  Select the stock procedure to perform:

   1. Leave the Action as Allocation to allocate stock to work orders.
   2. Select Deallocation to clear stock allocations from work orders.

2. Enter a Description to help you identify the mass allocation or mass deallocation results set. You can leave the description blank.

   The results set will then display either Mass work order allocation or Mass work order deallocation as appropriate.

3. You can mass allocate or deallocate stock at a single production site. You can either select the parent Company then select a production Site that belongs to the parent company or you can select the production Site first. The parent company displays automatically if you select the site first.
4. Enter the selection criteria to filter for the work orders or component items at the site. You can select from a latest work order production start date, components and released items, operation numbers, and from work order references.

5. Select one of the following actions:

   1. Allocate or Deallocate to allocate stock to or deallocate stock from work order components now. The action you need displays automatically.
   2. Schedule to schedule a one-time or recurring task, or job that runs when and how often you decide.

Schedule a batch task

When you select Schedule, the New batch task wizard guides you through the process. Tasks are active by default. Below are some key points to remember when following the wizard:

1. Decide how often to run the task:
   

   Run once: The job runs at a time that you decide. It does not repeat, but you define when and at what time the job runs.
   

   Recurring: The job repeats on a schedule you define. You can delay the start and decide if the job runs daily or weekly. And you can decide when the job stops repeating.

2. You need to select a date and time in the future to start and stop the job. The time is in 24-hour format.

   If the job is recurring, you also need to define if the job runs every day, or on a specific day or days of the week. At time sets when the job runs for each iteration. Start time is the time when the job can begin on the selected Start date. And you have the option to set when the recurring job stops running, by entering a specific date and time.

3. Select Next. The job that runs is Mass auto allocation. You cannot run a different job from this page.

4. Select Next again. The job is set up for you but you can edit the values. You might decide you want to give the job a specific description so that you can identify it in the list of scheduled jobs more easily.

   • stockAllocationParameters: This is the job reference. Enter a description to identify the mass allocation or mass deallocation job schedule.
   • data: The stock procedure to perform on the work orders is {"requestType":"allocation"} for a mass stock allocation to all or selected work order components, or {"requestType":"deallocation"} for a mass deallocation to clear allocated stock from all or selected work orders. You do not need to edit the value.
   • filter: The expression filters for work orders at the production site to process from your selection criteria.
5. When you select Finish, a job is scheduled.
On the Job schedule page, you can edit the job and view each time the job runs.
On the Batch task history page, you can view the status of current jobs and results for completed jobs.

Limitations

Work order mass allocation only updates work orders and allocates the components from stock when you select the Allocate action. If stock was used for a different stock allocation transaction between entering your mass allocation selection criteria and selecting the Allocate action, the component stock allocation will fail.

Working with mass work order stock allocations

Refer to the list of questions in this section for guidance on how to use your Sage Distribution and Manufacturing Operations solution to carry out stock control tasks.

• If I reserve stock in advance of production, can I change my mind and choose stock from different batches or lots?
• What method of stock control does the mass allocation or deallocation process use?

If I reserve stock in advance of production, can I change my mind and choose stock from different batches or lots?

Yes. Stock allocations in advance of production are optional. In the Work order page you can reallocate component stock to reserve it from different lots or batches, from different bins in the warehouse or workshop, or because stock has passed inspection and quality control and has become available since the original stock allocations to the work order. You can also edit any allocated serial numbers.

To reallocate stock for an individual component, select the More actions icon for the component number then select Allocate stock. In the Detailed stock allocation window, edit the stock allocations. See Allocate or reserve stock for production for more information.

If you need to remove all the allocated stock for a work order, from the More actions icon for the work order select Deallocate stock then OK at the information message. All your stock and serial number allocations for all components will be removed and you can select them again.

What method of stock control does the mass allocation or deallocation process use?

Stock is allocated to the selected work orders from the first available batches or lots using a FEFO (First Expired, First Out) or FIFO (First In, First Out) method which is determined by the Lot management and Expiry date management rules for each component. This is critical if the potency or safety of some of the components is only guaranteed for a set period of time or the goods have a specific shelf life.

Deallocating reserved stock from a work order also processes the lots using the appropriate FEFO or FIFO method, which is again determined by the Lot management and Expiration date management rules for the component.

If a component has an expiration date, FEFO rules ensure the lots that are due to expire first will be allocated first. Stock is deallocated in the same order in which it was allocated.

If a component is lot or serial number managed without an expiration date, FIFO rules apply. The oldest lots or highest serial numbers are allocated first. Stock is deallocated in the same order in which it was allocated.