TIME MANAGEMENT | CHAPTER 7

Chapter 7
Time Management

Use the Time Management module to enter and manage employee labor hours. You use Time Management programs to
enter, approve, and correct time transactions, and to set defaults used in the time approval process.

Employees, managers, and department supervisors typically use Time Management to enter and manage their own time
entries and the time entries of other employees. When configured, an optional approval process can require the approval of
time entries before time is posted in the Epicor application.

Typically, employees enter their labor hours on a daily or weekly basis and then submit their hours for approval. Authorized
approvers then review, correct, approve, or reject the time transactions. Reports are available to generate employee
timesheets and to help manage employee work hours and percentage utilization.

Employee Maintenance and Plant Configuration Control are programs you use to define the approval process. Depending on
the particular needs of your company, you may also use additional programs, such as Project Entry.

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Setup
This section describes the primary records you need to create for the Time Management module. Only the primary records are
described here. Some areas within the next Operations section may also document setup records if these items are required for a
specific workflow.

You may also need to set up some parameters within Company Configuration. Some modules have global settings you define through
this administration program. For more information, review application help for this module; the Configuration topic details the options
you define within Company Configuration. You can also review the Company Configuration chapter in the Epicor ERP Implementation
Guide.

Plant Configuration
Use the Plant Configuration Control program to determine if time transactions require approval or to bypass the approval process
entirely. You also define the approval logic, or method, used to approve indirect time and production time. You can set the approval
method to approve transactions automatically, or to approve transactions according to a setting in Employee Maintenance.

Main Menu Path: System Management > Company Maintenance > Plant Configuration Control

1. Click the Plant button to find

and select the plant you need.
The Name of the selected
plant displays.

2. Navigate to the Modules >

Time and Expense > 11
Time sheet.

3. Select the Restrict Entry

check box to restrict all
employees from entering time 2
for other employees. When
selected, you designate users 3
who can enter time for a
specific employee in Employee 4 6
Maintenance. Clear the check
box to allow any user to enter 5
time for any employee. 7

4. If you selected the Restrict

Entry check box, you can 8
select the Supervisor
Allowed Entry check box to
allow designated supervisors
to enter, modify, and delete
time transactions on behalf of 9
the employees they supervise.
Employee supervisors are 10
designated in Employee
Maintenance.

5. Select the Submit on Save

check box to automatically
submit new Time entries when you click Save. If you select or clear this check box in Time and Expense Entry, you override this
default plant setting.

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6. If you want approvers (supervisors) to validate all time entries submitted by employees, select the Approval Required check box.

7. If you want approvers (supervisors) to validate all time entries submitted by employees in the Manufacturing Execution System,
select the MES Labor Approval Required check box.

8. Use the Rights section to define whether approvers can delete or change time transactions submitted for approval by
employees.

9. Use the Logic section to define the approval method for indirect time
You define the project time approvals on each
transactions and production time transactions submitted by employees.
project as appropriate.
If the method is Automatic, time is approved automatically upon
submission. If the method is Employee, then the transactions are
approved as defined in Employee Maintenance.

10. Use the Time Defaults section to define a default Time Workflow Group used to approve time if a time workflow group is
not defined in Employee Maintenance.

11. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Time Type
Use Time Type Maintenance to define different charge rates for labor hours. For example, you may want to define time types for
higher rates charged for overtime hours or labor performed on weekends. You use time types in Time Entry when entering time for
project labor; a different charge rate is applied to the hours worked instead of the charge rate associated with the employee’s project
role code.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Setup > Time Type

To enter a new time type:

1. Click New on the

Standard toolbar. 5

2. Enter the Time Type 1

identifier for the new time
type.
2 4
3. In the Description field, enter
a description of the time type. 3

4. Leave the Inactive check box

clear to indicate the time type
is available in the application.

5. When you finish, click Save.

Employees
If you set options in the Plant Configuration Control program to define
For details about other setup requirements in
approvals according to settings in Employee Maintenance, additional setup is
Employee Maintenance, review the Personnel
required. You use Employee Maintenance to define whether time for a
chapter in the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.
specific employee is approved automatically or by a specific workflow group.
You also assign a mandatory supervisor which may be used during the
approval process. You can restrict who can enter time for another employee in this program.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Setup > Employee

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To set up an approval workflow for a specific employee:

1. On the Detail sheet, click the

ID button to find and select
the employee record you
need. The selected employee
record displays in the sheet.

2. You can also click the 1

Person / Contact button to 2
find and select the individual
you want to define as an
employee.

If you have an individual

who needs to be defined
on multiple records like a
shop employee who is 3
also a buyer, you can
define this person in
Person / Contact
Maintenance first and
then link this person
record to other records
throughout the
application. To learn about
this functionality, review
the Personnel chapter in
the Epicor ERP
Implementation Guide.

3. Click the Supervisor button

to find and select a supervisor
for this employee. If the
Approval Required check
box is selected in the Plant
Configuration Control
program, then each employee
must have a designated 4
supervisor. The supervisor is
the approver when the
approval process is not 5
automatic and you have not 6
designated a workflow group
in Employee Maintenance or
Plant Configuration Control.

4. Navigate to the Approvals >

Time > Detail sheet.

5. Select the Auto Approve

Time check box to
automatically approve time
transactions.

6. Alternately, select a workflow group from the Time Group drop-down list to designate a workflow group to approve time
transactions.

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7. You can view the workflow

group you selected. To do
this, click the Approval Tasks
tab.
9
8. Expand the workflow group
tree to review the different
7
tasks defined for the
workflow group.

9. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

Restrict Entry

If you selected the Restrict Entry check box in Plant Configuration Control, you must also define who can enter time for specific
employees in Employee Maintenance. Designated users can enter time for employees in Time Entry.

1. Navigate to the
Production Info sheet. 3

2. In the User Name field,

select the user who can enter
1
time for the employee.

3. When finished, click Save on

the Standard toolbar.
2
As a result, the designated
user can enter the employee’s
ID in Time Entry, and enter
time for the employee.

You can restrict an employee from entering their own time by selecting the
Disallow Time Entry for user assigned to employee check box on the
Time and Expense > Time > Detail sheet in Employee Maintenance. You
can also identify an employee (for example, a payroll manager) in User Account
Maintenance with the ability to update time or expense records for employees.

Indirect Labor
Use Indirect Labor Maintenance to create labor codes you leverage to track labor performed during the work day that is not associated
with a specific project or job. Indirect labor codes are available in Time Entry when employees are entering time for indirect labor.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Setup > Indirect Labor

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To create a new indirect labor code:

1. Click New on the Standard toolbar.

5
2. In the Code field, enter an
identifier for the new indirect code. 1

3. In the Description field, enter a

description of the indirect code.

4. In the Expense Code field, select the 2

code you need. The labor expense 3
code displays as the default during
time entry when you enter the indirect 4
code, and it defines the type of labor
recorded within the general ledger.

5. When you finish, click Save.

Role Codes
Role codes define a position an employee carries out on a job or project. Employees can have approval roles on time entries, expense
entries, and projects. Roles also define supervisor and labor positions. You create roles within Role Code Maintenance and you later
select these codes on quick entries and workflow groups.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Setup > Role Code

To create a new role code:

1. Click New on the Standard toolbar.

1
2. Enter the identifier for the new
record in the Role field.

3. Enter a Description for the new role.

This value displays on Role drop-down
2
lists throughout the application.
3
4. If employees will receive commission 5 4
through this role, select the
Commissionable check box.
Commission rates are defined on 6
quotes and sales orders.
7 8
5. Optionally, select the Resource Group
Billing Rates check box to indicate 9
you wish to define expense rates for 10
this role. You can then enter the
expense rates you need for this role on
the Rates > Detail sheet. You use this functionality with project billing.

6. Selecting the Resource Group Billing Rates check box activates the Primary Resource Group button. Use this button to find and
select the resource group you wish to use for billing expenses on the project. After you select a resource group, its Description
displays automatically.

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7. Select the Time and Expense Approval Role check box to indicate employees assigned to this role can approve both time and
expense transactions other employees enter.

8. Select the Project Manager Approval Role check box to indicate employees assigned to this role manage work within a
project. When you select this role within Workflow Group Maintenance, the time and expense approval process creates an
approval task for the project manager.

9. Use the Supervisor Approval Role check box to indicate

If you select more than one approver role option, tasks will be
employees assigned to this role work as supervisors over
created for all individuals matching those role criteria.
tasks carried out on jobs and projects. Selecting this check
box activates the Level field. Use this field to define how
many levels of supervisors are above the current employee assigned to this role. For example, 0 indicates no further approval is
required for the employee, while a 1 indicates the employee’s supervisor must also approve the task.

10. Select the Employee Submit Role check box to indicate employees assigned this role perform labor on the job or project. This
information is then used when creating tasks for time and expense approvals.

11. Because you determined that

this role requires resource
16
group billing rates, you
next must add these rates.
11
To do this, click the Down
Arrow next to the New
button; select New Role
Rate.

12. Define how long this rate will

be active within the Effective 12
Date and End Date fields. 13
13. Click the Currency drop- 14
down list to define the
currency used with this rate. 15

14. Enter the rate you need

within the Charge Rate field.
This rate is calculated using
the currency you selected.

15. Now select the Time Type

you want linked to this rate.
This value determines what
kind of labor will be
performed through this rate,
like week day labor or
overtime pay.

16. Continue to add the rates you need. When you finish, click Save.

Quick Entry Codes

Use Quick Entry Maintenance to define frequently used time entries and to associate them with a quick entry code. You use quick
entry codes when entering time in Time Entry. You can enter a quick entry code to populate the entry with the time defaults; thus
time transaction entry is faster and more efficient. For example, a quick entry code is useful when you are working on a project and
entering time for the same task every day. Your employees define the quick entry codes they need.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > General Operations > Quick Entry Code

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To enter a new quick entry code:

1. On the Detail sheet, click

the Employee ID button 2
to find and select the
employee record. The
selected employee record 15
displays on the sheet.
1
2. Click the Down Arrow next
to the New button; select
16
New Time Quick Entry.

3. The Time > Detail sheet

displays. In the Quick Entry
field, enter a unique identifier 3
for the quick entry code.
4
4. Click the Labor Type drop-
5
down list to select a labor
type for the time quick entry 6
code. The labor type
determines which fields are 7
available for definition. You 8
can select Indirect,
Production, Project, Service, 9
or Setup. Depending on what 10
you select, different fields
become active on this sheet. 11
12
5. If you select the Project labor
type, the Project button 13
activates. Projects define
complex initiatives your 14
company is working on. Click
this button to find and select
the project you need. You can also enter the Project identifier directly. You create projects within Project Entry; review Chapter 8:
Project Management for more information.

6. Selecting a Project labor type activates the WBS Phase button. Click this button or use the drop-down list to select the Work
Breakdown Structure (WBS) phase you wish to link to this time quick code entry.

7. If you select the Production, Service, or Setup labor types, the Job button activates. Use this button to find and select the specific
job you wish to associate with this time quick code entry.

8. After you select a job, the Assembly and Operation buttons and fields
A job can also be linked to a WBS Phase. If this is
activate. If you need, use these controls to define a specific assembly or
the case, the Job number displays by default, and
operation you wish to include.
you can then select the Assembly and/or Operation
9. Roles define a position the employee carries out on a job or project. If you you need.
need to associate a role with this time quick code entry, select it from the
Role drop-down list. You create roles within Role Code Maintenance.

10. Time types define different charge rates you use for labor hours. For example, you might create a time type for overtime hours.
Select the Time Type you need from the drop-down list.

11. If you select the Indirect labor type, the Indirect drop-down list activates. Select the indirect code you need to associate with this
time quick code entry.

12. Click the Expense Code drop-down list to define what expense type – like Inspection, Grinding, and so on – to link to this time
quick code entry.

13. If active, select the Resource Group and/or Resource you need to associate with this time quick code entry. Resources define
machines and employees involved in the production process.

14. Enter the Labor Hours you need for this entry.

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15. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

16. The time quick entry code displays in the Tree View. Notice all of the time quick entry codes and expense quick entry codes for
the selected employee display on this Tree View.

Operations
This section details the operations available in the Time Management module. Each operation is described as a workflow (sequence) to
help guide you through the process from start to finish. These programs are primarily found within the General Operations folder for
this module. If a unique setup record is required to run the operation, this record is also described in this section.

Time Entry
Use Time Entry to enter employee hours for indirect labor, production labor, or project labor and submit those hours for approval. You
can enter time on a daily or weekly basis. After time transactions are entered, you can view, modify, recall, and copy them. You can
also monitor the status of entered transactions and enter comments for approvers.

The sheets in Time Entry provide different ways for entering time. The sections that follow demonstrate some of the ways you can
enter time.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > General Operations > Time and Expense Entry

Daily Time Entry

Use the Daily Time > Detail sheet to enter labor hours for a single item and submit them for approval. The labor type you select when
entering time determines the fields available on the sheet.

To enter a new time transaction in the Daily view:

1. On the Employee sheet,

enter the Employee identifier
or click the Employee ID
button to find and select the 3
employee for whom you
are entering time. 2

2. The current date displays in 1

the Calendar by default.
Click another date to change
it.

3. Navigate to the Time > Daily

Time > Detail > Detail sheet.

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4. Click the Down Arrow 4

next to the New button;
select New Time Detail.
11
5. From the Labor Type drop-
down list, select the type of
labor performed. The labor 5
type determines which fields
are available for entry in the
sheet, and default values
populate some of the fields.
This example uses the Indirect
labor type.

6. In the Labor section, use the 10

Clock In and Clock Out
values or enter the time in the
Labor Hrs field to define the
time the employee performed 6
the labor.
7
7. Select an Indirect Code for
8 9
the labor performed.

8. Select an Expense Code for

the labor performed.

9. Select the Submit on Save check box to automatically submit new Time entries when you click Save. If you select or clear this
check box in Time and Expense Entry, you override this default plant setting.

10. The Location section defines the default resource group, department information, and resource for this transaction. You can
change these options if you need.

11. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Weekly Time Entry

Use the Time > Weekly Time sheet to enter and submit time for a week. Fields in this sheet display in a grid format for easy entry.
Press the <Tab> key to quickly move through the fields and enter values.

1. In the Calendar, select a date during the week for which you want to enter time.

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2. Click the Down Arrow

2
next to the New button;
select New Weekly Time.

3. The Time > Weekly Time 4 5

sheet displays.
3
4. Tab to the Labor Type drop-
down list and select the type
of labor. This example uses
the Production labor type.

5. Select the Job, Assembly,

and Operation for the labor
performed.

6. Tab to the fields for the

days of the week; enter 7
the number of labor hours
performed for each day.
6
7. When you finish, click Save
on the Standard toolbar.

8. Click the Submit button to

submit the time entered for
the week for approval.

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Calendar View Time Entry

The Calendar sheets display your time entries for review by day, week, or month. You can also use the Calendar to enter time.

1. Navigate to the Calendar >

Day sheet.

2. Select a date in the Calendar 1

section.
2

3. You can view the Day, Week,

or Month for the selected
date. Click the Month tab.

4. The Month of the selected 3

date displays with the date
highlighted. Right-click and
select New Time Detail.

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5. The Daily Time > Detail sheet

displays. From the Labor Type list, 9
select the type of labor. This example
uses the Project labor type.

6. In the Project section, select the

Project, WBS Phase, and Operation.
5
7. Enter the time in the Labor Hrs field.
6
8. Depending on the configuration of
your application, default values may
populate the remaining fields in the
Labor and Location sections. You can
change these values as needed.

9. When you finish, click Save on the

Standard toolbar.
7
8

MES Time Entry

If your company uses the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) interface to record labor performed against jobs, you can view time
records created through the MES interface in Time Entry. The MES interface is designed for users within a manufacturing environment.
You can enter labor against specific operations on selected jobs in the MES.

When you first launch the MES, you need to log in and select the activity you are working on.

1. Enter your Employee ID, and press the

Tab key on your keyboard. You are 8 2
now logged into the MES.

2. To begin tasks on an operation, click

the Start button for the type of activity
you are performing. You can select
Start Production Activity, Start 6
Indirect Activity, Start Setup
Activity, or Start Rework Activity.

1 9

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3. The appropriate Start

Activity window displays.
This example is for a
production activity. Enter or
search for the Job you need
to work on.

4. Select the Assembly and

3
Operation.

5. When you finish, click OK. 4

You are now working on
this operation. The clock is
active, so the MES is
calculating labor time against
this operation.

6. To stop working on this

activity, click the End Activity
button on the MES
5
Menu.

7. The End Labor Activity

window displays. Click OK.

8. To end your MES session, click

the Log Out button on the
MES Menu.

9. To close the interface, click

the Close button.

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10. Now to review your 10

time entries, log into
the Epicor application and
navigate to Time and 12
Expense Entry. Menu
Path: Production
Management > Job
Management > General
Operations > Time and 11
Expense Entry

11. To display the labor entries,

navigate to the Time > Daily
Time > Summary > Detail
sheet.

12. In the Calendar pane, click

the date you performed the
work. The labor entries display
on the sheet.

Selection Calendar
You can use the time entry selection Calendar to review and manage your time entries and the time entries of your employees. The
selection Calendar determines the time transactions that display in the time entry tree, indicates the status of the transactions, and
loads transactions into the time entry grids for review.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > General Operations > Time and Expense Entry

1. In the Employee field, enter

your Employee ID.

2. By default, the current date is

selected in the
Calendar. 3

3. Review the selection Calendar. 1

Color indicates a time
transaction has been entered 2
on the date. In this example,
green indicates a time
transaction and red indicates
a rejected time transaction.

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4. Select a date in the selection

Calendar to review time
transaction details. You can
use the Shift key or click and
drag to select and view
multiple dates.

5. Expand the date within the 4

Tree View to see the
transactions entered. Icons
indicate the status of a
transaction. In this example,
the transaction entered on 5
01/19/2010 has a Submitted
status for approval as
indicated by the icon with the
blue S. Other transaction
statuses include Entered,
Partially Approved, and
Approved.

6. Select a date in the tree to

display transaction details on
the Time > Daily Time >
Detail > Detail sheet.

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7. Click the List tab to view a list

of each time entry. Each time
entry displays in a separate
row. Use the scroll bars to
review the details.

8. Click the Approvals tab to

see who is assigned to
approve the transaction. Note
in this example, Joe N. Ito is
assigned to approve the
transaction.

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Approval Workflow
Configure the application to define an approval workflow for time transactions entered by employees and submitted for approval in
Time Entry. An approval workflow is the process a time transaction must complete to be approved.

When approvals are required, you define an approval workflow for indirect An approval workflow for project time transactions is
time, production time, and project time. Approval workflows for indirect time similar to a workflow for indirect time transactions,
and production time follow the same process flow. except that you have the additional option to use a
workflow defined on a project or a project Work
Supervisor approval is the default approval workflow for the application when
Breakdown Structure (WBS) phase. Also, the
approvals are required. To use this approval workflow, you select the Approval
approval logic, or method, used for project time is
Required check box in Plant Configuration Control. For more information, see
set on the project instead of in the Plant
the Plant Configuration Control section earlier in this chapter.
Configuration Control program.
If you require a more complex approval process using multiple approvers or
multiple levels of approvals, you can define one or more approval workflow groups using tasks, task sets, and workflow groups. The
sections that follow discuss the approval workflow configuration for indirect and production time.

You can define an approval workflow that applies to all employees or specific employees. An approval workflow can be as simple as
requiring approvals by employee supervisors or as complex as requiring multi-level approvals by different workflow groups for specific
employees.

You define approval workflows mainly through the Plant Configuration Control program. If you define an approval workflow using
Employee as the approval logic method, additional setup is required in a variety of programs, including Employee Maintenance.

When a workflow uses Employee as the approval logic method and you want to designate a group of employees as approvers, you
must also set up a time workflow group for approving time transactions. A workflow group is made up of tasks, task sets, and group
members assigned to an approver role. Once you create a time workflow group, you can use it in Employee Maintenance to associate
it with a specific employee, or you can set it as the default time workflow group in Plant Configuration Control to apply it to all
employees.

The graphic here summarizes the approvals workflow for indirect and production time transactions.

You can define time approval

workflows either using a pre-
defined workflow group
template or manually using
your own workflow. This
chapter describes how to
manually define your own
workflow. The process for
defining approval workflows
using a pre-defined template is
discussed in Chapter 26:
Expense Management.

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Tasks
An approval task is the approval of a time transaction performed by a user
belonging to a defined role. You use Task Maintenance to define one or more Tasks are used throughout the application. In the
approval tasks. A task is a combination of approving time plus an approver role. following sections, the tasks described are for use
For example, you define a task named Time Approval Task, which consists of an within Time Management.
approve time task assigned to an approver role named Time Approver. You can
assign one or more users to an approver role.

You can also define a hierarchical approval process which requires two or more levels of approvers to approve a time transaction. To
define a hierarchy of approvers, define an approval task for each level of approval, such as a task named First Approval with an
assigned First Approver role, and a task named Second Approval with an assigned Second Approver role.

Roles

Tasks require roles. Before you create approval tasks, you must first create approver role codes. Create an approver role code for each
approval task.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Setup > Role Code

To create time approver roles:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to the

New button; select New Role 1
Code.
4
2. Enter a Role code ID and enter a
Description for the First Approver role.
2
3. Select the Time and Expense
Approval Role check box.

4. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Repeat these steps to create additional roles

if you are defining an approval hierarchy 3
needing more levels.

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Tasks

After you have created approver roles, you are ready to create approver tasks. You must create a Submit Task.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Setup > Task

To create time approval tasks:

1. Click New on the 7

Standard toolbar.
1
2. Enter a Task ID and enter
a Description for the First
Approval Task.

3. In the Task Type list, select

2
Time & Expense Approval.

4. From the Role Code drop- 3

down list, select First
4
Approver. This option
associates the approval role
with the task. 5
6
5. To require users to complete
this task, select the
Mandatory check box.

6. Select the Any Approver check box if you want to assign multiple approvers to the role, and you only want to require any one
of them to approve a transaction. Clear the check box if you want to require all users in the role to approve a transaction.

7. Click Save.

Repeat these steps if you are defining an approval hierarchy with more than one level.

Task Sets

A task set is a group of organized tasks and milestones. A time approval task set must include all the approval tasks required to
approve a time transaction. For example, a simple task set might include a single approval task. If you use an approval hierarchy, you
must include all other tasks.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Setup > Task Set

To create a time approval task set:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select New Task Set.
4
2. Enter a task Set ID and a
Description for the task set.

3. Click the Type drop-down list

and select Time & Expense. 2
4. Click Save on the Standard 3
toolbar.

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5. Add milestones for each

approval task included in 7
the task set. To do this,
add a new milestone for each
task in sequential order, such
as First Approval and
Second Approval.

6. Select the First Milestone

check box for the milestone
that begins the series.
6
5
7. Click Save after adding each
new milestone.

8. Clear the First Milestone

check box on the second
milestone.

9. Associate each milestone with

the next milestone. To do this,
9
select the First Approval
Task milestone.
8

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10. Click the Down Arrow next to the

New button; select New Next 8
Milestone.
11
11. The Milestones > Next
Milestones > Detail sheet displays. 9
12. Click the Next Milestone drop-down
list and select the Second Approval
Task.
10
13. Click Save.

14. When you finish, the task set structure

is defined in the Task Sets tree.

12

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Workflow Group

A time approval workflow group consists of a time approval task set and the group members assigned to the approver roles. You set
up a time approval workflow group and assign group members in Workflow Group Maintenance. You can set up one or more
workflow groups as needed, and apply them to specific employees or use one as the default for all employees.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Setup > Workflow Group

To create a time approval workflow group:

1. In the Workflow Type list, select

Time & Expense. 2

2. Click the Down Arrow next to the

1
New button; select New Workflow
Group.

3. Enter a Workflow Group identifier

and a Description for the group. 5

4. Click the Default Task Set drop-down

list to select the time approval task set
for the workflow group.

5. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

3
4

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6. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 6
select New Group
Member. 10
7. The Group Member > Detail
sheet displays.

8. Click the Member drop- 7

down list and select the
employee you want to add to 8
the workflow group.
9
9. Click the Role drop-down list
and select the approval role
you want to assign to the
group member from the
approval task set.

10. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

Workflow Setup Example – Indirect Time

The example here defines an approval workflow for indirect time. This workflow uses Employee as the approval method for time
transactions, and it applies a specific time workflow group to the employee.

Plant Configuration Control

Main Menu Path: System Management > Company Maintenance > Plant Configuration Control

1. Click the Plant button to find

and select the plant.

2. The Name of the selected

plant displays.
1
2

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3. Navigate to the Modules >

Time and Expense > 7
Time sheet.

4. Select the Approval

Required check box to 3
require approval of all time
entries submitted by
employees.

5. Click the Indirect Approval 4

Logic drop-down list to select
the method for approving
time transactions. Select
Employee to approve time
transactions as defined in
5
Employee Maintenance.

6. If you need, select an optional

default Time Workflow 6
Group.

7. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

Employee Maintenance

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Setup > Employee

1. On the Detail sheet, click

the ID button to find and 4
select the employee record
you need.

2. Clear the Auto Approve 1

Time check box.

3. Click the Time Group drop-

down list to select the time
approval workflow group.

4. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

In this example, indirect time

2
transactions submitted for approval
by this employee are sent to the 3
employees who belong to the JB
Workflow Group for approval.

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Time Approval
Use the Time Approval program to review, approve, or reject time transactions submitted by employees. Depending on the
configuration of your company, authorized approvers can modify submitted transactions or delete existing transactions during the
approval process. Approvers can enter optional comments for review by the submitters of the transactions.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > General Operations > Time and Expense Approval

To approve time transactions:

1. On the Approver sheet,

enter your Approver ID or
click the Approver ID button
to find and select your ID.
Your approver ID is the
Workforce ID assigned to 1
you in Work Force
Maintenance.

2. All time transactions

submitted by employees for
your approval display on
the Time > List sheet; 2 3
each time transaction
displays on a separate row.

3. Use the Time > Comments

sheets to review any
comments entered by the
submitter.

4. Select the row you want to

approve; or, to select all rows
for approval, click the Select
All button.

5. To approve a transaction(s)
without entering any
comments, click the Approve
button.

6. To enter comments for the

submitter, click the Approve
With Comment button.

Once the transaction is approved, it

no longer displays in the grid. 6 5 4

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To reject time transactions:

1. On the Approver sheet,

enter your Approver ID or
click the Approver ID button
to find and select your ID.
Your approver ID is the
Workforce ID assigned to 1
you in Work Force
Maintenance.

2. All time transactions

submitted by employees for
your approval display on the
Time > List sheet; each 2
time transaction displays
on a separate row.

3. Select the row you want 3

to reject.

4. To reject a transaction without

entering any comment, click
the Reject button.

5. To enter comments for the

submitter, click the Reject
With Comment button.

5 4

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6. The Approve/Reject Comment window

displays. 6

7. Enter your comment and click Ok.

The transaction is rejected and no longer displays in the

Time and Expense Approval program.

Reports
This section describes some key reports you use to monitor your employee’s time entries. You can run these reports whenever you
need. You can also set up each report to generate and print through a recurring, automatic schedule. Review the Automatic Data
Processing chapter in the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide for information on how you link a report to a recurring schedule.

The Time Management module includes two reports to help you manage your time and the time of your employees. These reports are
the Time Report and the Time Booking Exception Report.

Time Report
Use the Time Report to generate and print a simple employee time sheet. This report displays time entered by specific employees for a
specific time sheet period. A time period typically begins on a Sunday and ends on a Saturday.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Reports > Time

To set up and run this report:

1. Navigate to the Filter sheet.

2. Click the Employee button to find and

select the ID of the employee whose
time you want to review. You can
select one or more employees. 1

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3. In the Employee List, select the

employee(s) to include in the report.

4. Click the Selection tab.

5. Use the From Date and To Date fields

to define the week to include in the
report.
4
6. Click the Print button on the 6
Standard toolbar to print the time
sheet.

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Time Booking Exception

Use the Time Booking Exception report to determine the employees with missing hours and to analyze employee utilization. Missing
hours are determined by calculating the difference between employee available work hours and total booked hours. The report
displays the number of booked hours that are chargeable, non-chargeable, and indirect. You can also select the indirect codes to
include or exclude from the calculation of employee percentage utilization.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Time Management > Reports > Time Booking Exception

To set up and run this report:

1. Use the From Date and To Date fields

to define the week to include in the
report.

2. Use the Report Options section to

define the report criteria. To include 6
Missing Hours, select = (equal to), <
(less than) , or > (greater than), and 5
enter a numeric value in the adjacent
field. For example, you can define
criteria to include employees missing 1
more than 10 hours.

3. To include a utilization percentage, 2

select = (equal to), < (less than) , or >
(greater than), and enter a numeric
value in the adjacent field. The
3 4
Indirect Codes for % Utilization list
contains the indirect codes included in
the percentage utilization calculation.

4. To exclude an indirect code from the

calculation, select the code in the
Indirect Codes for % Utilization
field and click the Blue Right Arrow
to move the code to the Exclude
Indirect Codes list.

5. Use the Filter sheet to limit the report

to specific employees.

6. Click Print on the Standard toolbar to

print time booking exceptions.

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Chapter 8
Project Management

Use the Project Management functionality to organize the manufacturing of large capital projects. Through this advanced
feature set, you can create, monitor, and finish complex projects that require significant organization and planning.

The program you primarily use is Project Entry. You use this flexible program to organize your project through Work
Breakdown Structure (WBS) Phases or project Milestones. If you use WBS Phases, you can define multiple parent and child
WBS Phases within each project. These phases can in turn have multiple jobs and tasks assigned to them. If you use
Milestones, you define specific completion points within the project. You also indicate which quotes, sales orders, and
purchase orders are required to finish the project. As work progresses, you then leverage this program to track the costs of
each phase and the total cost for the project.

You can also create projects for non-manufacturing functions like claim invoicing and progress invoicing, and these projects
are billable through various methods. When you use progress claim invoicing, each progress claim is created and managed
against projects. When you use cost plus invoicing, the normal rates for labor and burden are used as the base value for
the costs. You add a set of mark up percentages to the labor, burden, and material costs to calculate a total invoice amount.
When you use time and materials invoicing, the contract defines the rates charged for the roles required to satisfy the
contract. These roles are defined through physical resources, and the material and burden costs are calculated using a
percentage factor.

With this functionality, you also have the ability to export a project to Microsoft® Office Project 2007®. Within this Microsoft
application, the project can be changed as you need. You can then import the project back into the Epicor application where
the revised project is incorporated into your database.

Leverage this complete set of features to track and bill your capital project from start to finish.

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Setup
This section describes the primary records you need to create for the Project Management module. These programs are contained
within the Setup folder for this module. Only the primary records are described here. Some areas within the next Operations section
may also document setup records if required for a specific workflow.

You may also need to set up some parameters within Company Configuration. Some modules have global settings you define through
this administration program. For more information, review the Company Configuration chapter in the Epicor ERP Implementation
Guide.

Time Types
Use Time Type Maintenance to create and maintain Time Type codes. These codes establish different charge rates for different times
recorded against a project. These types help classify the labor placed against a project. They display on various reports and trackers.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > Setup > Time Type

To create a time type code:

1. Click New on the Standard

toolbar.
5
2. Enter a qunique identifier 1
for the Time Type. This
value displays on several
programs and reports.
2 4
3. Enter a Description for the 3
time type.

4. If this time type is no longer

in use, select the Inactive
check box. This time type will
then not be available as an
option from Time Type drop-
down lists.

5. Click Save.

Burden Codes
You create and maintain burden codes to help you track burden costs within your resources and resource groups. Use these codes to
define the unique expenses your company needs to define as burden. The expenses defined as burden are unique from company to
company, but as a costing rule, burden expenses do not include direct labor or direct material costs on a job.

The codes you create here are grouped within Burden Set Maintenance.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > Setup > Burden Code

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To create a burden code:

1. Click New on the Standard

toolbar.
1
2. Enter a unique identifier for
the Burden Code. This value
displays on several programs
and reports.
2
3. Enter a Description for the 3
burden code.

4. Select the Project Roles

sheet to indicate what 7
roles within the project are
included with this burden
code. 4

5. Select the Use All Project 5

Role Codes check box to add
all roles to the current burden
code.

6. If you only want to use some

roles, use the Arrow buttons
to select and remove specific
roles from the current burden
code. 6

7. Click Save.

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Burden Sets
Access Burden Set Maintenance to define a group, or set, of burden codes you want to apply against a project. The burden set
controls the provisional percentages used during the invoice preparation process. You also use burden sets to update actual burden
percentages you then use at the end of a project to see where the actual burdens vary from the original burden estimates. You can
also place, or nest, one burden set inside another burden set; you can then override burden rates as you need to reflect the makeup of
the capital project.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > Setup > Burden Set

To create a burden set:

1. Click New on the Standard toolbar.

2. Enter a unique identifier for the 1

Burden Set. This value displays
on several programs and reports.

3. Enter a Description for the burden set. 2

3

4. Click the Down Arrow next to the

New button; select New Burden 4
Code.

5. The Burden Codes sheet displays.

Click the Processing Sequence drop-
down list to define the sequence
through which the burden set 5
calculates the burden codes. 6
6. Select the Burden Code you want to
add to this burden set. 7

7. Use the check boxes in the Apply

Burden On section to specify what is
calculated by the invoice process (labor,
contract labor, and so on) using the
selected burden code.

8. Click the Down Arrow next to the

New button; select New Effective 8
Date.
11
9. The Burden Codes > Effective
Dates sheet displays. Enter the
Effective Date you need for the 9 10
burden code.

10. Enter the Provisional Percent you

need for the burden code.

11. Continue to add the effective dates

you need. When you finish, click Save.

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Burden Code Actual Percentage

This maintenance program updates the actual burden percentages for the burden codes used in a burden set. You leverage the actual
burden rates to create a revenue recognition journal that records actual burden costs every month.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > Setup > Burden Actual Percentage

To update the actual burden percentage:

1. Click New on the Standard toolbar.

2. Click the Burden Code button to 1

find and select the burden code.

3. In the Actual Rate field, enter the

current actual burden percentage. 2
4. Enter the Effective Date when this 3
rate becomes active. 4

5. Click the History tab. This sheet

displays historical records for all 6
percentage or date changes for this
burden code.

6. Continue to enter actual rates for all

5
the burden codes you need. When you
finish, click Save.

Role Codes
Use Role Code Maintenance to create and maintain the role codes you need for projects. You also use roles within the Customer
These codes define various functions required to complete a project. They provide the Relationship Management, Case
Project Billing process with rates for each role in order to invoice them. It is possible to Management, and Engineering modules.
assign a role code to an operation, which forces the hours to be booked against
employees authorized to carry out that role in the project.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > Setup > Role Code

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To create a role code:

1. Click New on the Standard

toolbar.
1
2. Enter a unique identifier for
the Role Code. This value
displays on several programs
and reports.
2
3. Enter a Description for the 3
role code.
4
4. Select the Resource Group 5
Billing Rates check box to
indicate the billing rates
defined for the selected 6
resource group are used in
project billing.

5. To assign the current role to a

resource group, specify the
Primary Resource Group
you need.

6. Use the check boxes in the

Time and Expense Options
section to specify approval permissions for the role. If you select more than one approval role option, tasks will
be created for all individuals matching those role criteria.

7. Click the Down Arrow next

to the New button;
select New Role Rate. 7

8. Enter the Effective Date 11

when the rate becomes
active.

9. Enter the base Currency and 8

the Charge Rate.

10. Select the Time Type for the

rate. Time Type codes 9
establish different charge 10
rates for different times
recorded on a project. You
create time types within Time
Type Maintenance; this
program is described in a
previous section.

11. Click Save.

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Employees
You set up employees to help define the work they will do on a project. You can link an employee to a resource group. Employees can
also report time against jobs directly. You can also select and review role codes on each employee record; use these role codes when
you want to track the role criterias of an employee.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > Setup > Employee

To associate an employee to a resource group and role code:

1. Click New on the Standard toolbar.

1
2. Enter a unique identifier for the
Employee. This value displays on
several programs and reports.
2
3. Optionally, select the Person / Contact
identifier for this employee record, if 3
one exists. If one does not exist, the
application uses the values in the
employee information fields to
automatically create a person/contact
record.
If you have an individual who needs
to be defined on multiple records,
like a shop employee who is also a
buyer, you can define this person in
Person/Contact Maintenance first and 4
then link this person record to other
records throughout the application.
To learn about this functionality,
review the Personnel chapter in the
Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.

4. Select the Contract Employee check

box to indicate this employee is paid on contract rather than through payroll. This value is used when the application determines
costs through an advanced billing invoice.

5. Select the Production Info sheet.

6. Select the Resource Group and

Resource you want to associate with 5
this employee.

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7. Click the Down Arrow next to

the New button; select New 7
Role Code.
10
8. The Role Codes > Detail sheet
displays. Click the Role Code
button to find and select a role
code. Role codes contain role
8
code rates which define the
effective date and end date, the 9
currency associated with the
charge rate, and time type codes.

9. Specify if this role is a Primary

responsibility for the current
employee.

10. Continue to make the changes

you need. When you finish, click Save.

Add Role Rates

You can associate charge rates to a specific role code. If the role code has a defined role rate, this rate is used to determine the charge
rate on a Time and Material project. You can define role rates for a role code in both Role Code Maintenance and Employee
Maintenance.

To add a role rate to a role code:

1. Click the Down Arrow next

to the New button; select 1
New Role Rate.
6
2. Navigate to the Role Codes >
Role Rates > Detail sheet.

3. Select the Effective Date and the

End Date for this project role 2
code rate.
3
4. Enter the Charge Rate and its
associated Currency. 4

5. Select the Time Type associated 5

with this charge rate.

6. Click Save on the Standard

toolbar.

Markup Codes
Use Markup Maintenance to enter markup percentages for specific part classes or against specific project role codes. These
percentages are linked to a markup record. You must create the markup record before you can define markup percentages.

When Cost Plus Invoicing is selected on a project, the invoice process calculates the cost of You also use markup codes within the
labor, material, and subcontract expenses, and then applies the markup percentages. Customer Relationship Management
and Quote Management modules.
Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > Setup > Markup Code

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To enter and edit the primary information for a markup record:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to

the New button; select New 1
Quote Markup.

2. Enter a unique identifier for 6

the Markup. This value
displays on several programs and
reports.
2
3. Enter a Description for the 3
markup code identifier.
4
4. Select the appropriate Percent
Type option, Markup or Profit. 5
These options change how the
markup percentages are
calculated. If you select Markup,
the cost is increased directly by the
markup percentages. If you select
Profit, the percentage is subtracted
from 100%; the cost is then
divided by this percentage.

5. Enter the markup rates as needed

for this markup identifier.

6. Click Save.

To enter material markup percentages for specific part classes:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to

the New button; select New 1
Material Markup.

2. Click the Class drop-down to 5

select a class identifier from the list
of the codes assigned to uniquely
identify the Part Class codes.

3. Enter the Mtl Markup% for 2

materials within the selected part
class. All materials assigned to this 3
part class receive this markup rate. 4
4. Select the appropriate Percent
Type option, Markup or Profit.
These options change how the
markup percentages are
calculated. If you select Markup,
the cost is increased directly by the markup percentages. If you select Profit, the percentage is subtracted from 100%; the cost is
then divided by this percentage.

5. Click Save.

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To enter markup percentages for specific project role codes:

1. Click the Down Arrow next

to the New button; select
1
New Role Code Markup.

2. Click the Role Code drop- 4

down to select a role code
identifier from the list of
previously assigned role codes.

3. Enter the Role Code

2
Markup% for the selected
role code. This information is 3
used when project roles
require a different markup
percentage from the
percentage defined on the
Markup > Detail sheet.

4. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Operations
This section details the operations available in the Project Management module. Each operation is described as a workflow to help
guide you through the process from start to finish. These programs are primarily found within the General Operations folder for this
module. If a unique setup record is required to run the operation, this record is also described in this section.

Project Entry
You create, update, and complete your projects within Project Entry. Almost every aspect of each project is controlled through this
entry program; use it to add the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) phases, milestones, checklist tasks, and the contract billing records
you need. You also add quotes, orders, and other records required to complete the project.

You start by defining a project’s main settings on the Project > Detail sheet. Once the overall project is defined, you can then add
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) phases to it.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > General Operations > Project Entry

To create a new project:

1. Click New on the

Standard toolbar. 11

2. In the Project ID and 1

Description fields, enter a
unique identifier and a
description for the project. 7
2
3. The Revision field indicates 4 3
the revision level of a project.
5
For a new project, this value is
always set to 1. When the 6
Build Project Analysis process
10
is run, you can increase the 8
revision level using the next
available number. You can 9
then keep the project data
from the previous version for use on the next project.

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4. The Start Date defines when the project will be launched.

5. The End Date defines when you expect to finish the project.

6. Optionally, use the Warehouse and Bin fields to indicate where the parts are staged during the project.

7. By default, the Active check box is selected. This indicates you can add or update records to the project. However, if this check
box is clear, the project becomes inactive and no changes can be made to it.

8. Select the Create Project Job check box to generate a new job using the next available job number. This number is assigned to
the primary job.

9. The Job field defines the project’s primary, or parent, job record. Any jobs created for a WBS phase are linked to this parent job.

10. The Assembly and Material fields define the specific assembly and material sequence that is linked to all jobs within the WBS
phases.

11. When you finish, click Save.

Define Project Approvals

You can define the approvals for all time and expense transactions against the project. You can select a different approval method for
the time workflow and the expenses workflow.

1. Navigate to the Project >

Approvals > Time > 4
Detail sheet.

2. Select the Approvals

Method. Available options:

• Employee - Project time is

approved for specific
employees as defined in 1
Employee Maintenance.
2
• Project - Project time is
3
approved by the approval
workflow group designated
for the project on this
sheet.

• Automatic - Project time is

automatically approved
when these records are
submitted.

3. Select the approval Workflow Group.

4. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

You follow the same process to assign an expenses approvals method to a project. For more information on creating time and expense
workflows, review Chapter 7: Time Management and Chapter 26: Expense Management.

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WBS Phases
You organize each project through a series of optional Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) phases. These WBS phases can contain a
series of checklist tasks and a phase job. Each phase can either be the parent or a child of another WBS phase. Use these phases to
structure the entire project. You can set up as simple or as complex a series of WBS phases as you need to complete the project.

Once the project begins, you can then use the WBS phases to track If you want, you can organize work on your project through a
your progress. You can also use the WBS functionality to record the series of milestones. Once a project milestone is complete, your
costs that accumulate for each phase. users can then move on to the next milestone. For more
information, review the Milestones section later in this chapter.
To create a WBS phase:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select New WBS Phase.
13
2. The WBS Phases >
Detail sheet displays. In the
WBS Phase ID and 2
Description fields, enter a
3
unique identifier and a
description for the specific 4
phase.
6
5
3. If this phase is a child of 7
another phase, select a
8
Parent WBS Phase from the
drop-down list. In this 9
example, the phase is a
parent phase, so this field is
blank. 10 11 12

4. Indicate how this phase is

placed in relation with the other parent or child phases through the Display Sort Sequence field. If you enter 1, for example,
the phase is the first phase within its level (parent or child) of phases.

5. Click the Status drop-down list to define whether the phase has Not Started, is In Process, or is Completed.

6. The Start Date and Due Date define when this phase is planned to both start and end.

7. Click the Date Complete field to define when this phase was actually finished.

8. Use the Duration drop-down list to define how long the phase takes to complete. This value is used as the time value for its
corresponding project task and can be passed along to Microsoft Office Project 2007. You can enter this value in hours or days.

9. Select the Create WBS Phase Job check box to automatically create a job for the WBS phase. When you save this phase, a new
job, linked to the parent job on the Project > Detail sheet, is created; the job number displays within the Job Number field.

10. You can also define multiple required operations for your WBS Phase job. The Operation field defines the operation you need
for the phase job; you can enter the operation number directly or find the specific operation.

11. Click the Role Code drop-down list to select the required role for this WBS phase. These codes define various functions required
to complete a project and they provide the Project Billing process with invoice rates for each role. You create role codes within
Role Code Maintenance; this program was described previously.

12. The Hours field defines how long it takes the operation to complete.

13. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

After you save the WBS phase, you can no longer edit the fields within the WBS Phase Job Details section. These fields are only active
when you initially create a WBS phase.

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Define Revenue Recognition for WBS Phases

Use the Invoicing and Recognition sheet to select a specific Invoicing Method and Revenue Recognition Method. The application
supports multiple invoicing methods, each tied to a revenue recognition method that captures financial data.

1. In the Tree View, select the

WBS phase for which you 5
want to define revenue
recognition methods.

2. Navigate to the WBS Phases

> Invoicing and 1 2 4
Recognition sheet.
3
3. Select an Invoicing Method.
Available options:

• Customer Shipment –
Use this method to bill this
project based on the
shipments sent to the
customer.

• Milestone Billing –
Defines costs that occur
during each milestone level within the project. Use this method when you need to divide You do not need to select an
up the costs by each milestone. Invoicing Method or a Revenue
Recognition Method on child WBS
• Fixed Fee – Defines costs required throughout all phases of a project. Use this method phases. If you leave either the
when you have a number of overall costs you want to define for the life of the project. Invoicing Method or the Revenue
Recognition Method blank, the
• Time and Materials – Use this method when you use the rates for each role assigned methods selected on the Parent
to the project to calculate the total cost on the project. WBS Phase are used by default.
You select this parent WBS phase
• Cost Plus – This method uses the defined rates for labor and burden as the base value
on the WBS Phases > Detail sheet.
for all of the costs. You can add a series of markup percentages to the labor, burden,
and material costs to calculate a total invoice amount.

• Progress Payments – Use this method to invoice a customer for a percentage of the labor, material, and burden costs during
a specific period of time. You typically use this method when product quantities are shipped before a contract is formally
negotiated. You first send out the shipments, and then the final price is agreed upon within the contract. You can then invoice
the difference between the amounts on the progress payments and the final negotiated contract amount. The costs created
for each invoice depends on a percentage defined on the Invoicing - Progress Payments sheets.

4. Click the Revenue Recognition Method drop-down list to select the appropriate method. Available options:

• On Invoice - The revenue is recognized based on the invoicing method. For the Customer Shipment and Milestone Billing
invoicing methods, revenue is recognized when the accounts receivable (AR) invoice is posted. For the Fixed Fee, Time and
Materials, Cost Plus, and Progress Payments, the Capture Revenue Recognition process must be executed after the AR invoice
is posted.

• Manual – The revenue is recorded through invoices created against this project.

• Labor Booking – As labor is received against this contract, the revenue generated through these labor costs is used to
measure the received revenue.

• Actual Burden – As burden is received against this contract, the revenue generated through these burden costs is used to
measure the received revenue.

5. Click Save.

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Define Approvals for Project WBS Phases

You can define the approvals for all time and expense transactions against the project WBS phase.

1. Navigate to the WBS

Phases > Approvals > 4
Time > Detail sheet.

2. Select the Approvals

Method. Available options:

• Project - Project time is 5

approved by the approval
workflow group designated 1
for the project on this
sheet. 2
3
• Employee - Project time is
approved for specific
employees as defined in
Employee Maintenance.

• Automatic - Project time is

automatically approved
when these records are
submitted.

3. Select the approval Workflow Group.

4. Click Save.

You follow the same process to assign an expenses approvals method to a WBS phase. For more information on creating time and
expense workflows, review Chapter 7: Time Management and Chapter 26: Expense Management.

WBS Phase Costs

You use the WBS Phase Costs sheet to review and update the costs for the current WBS phase. This sheet displays the costs in time
through its Labor Hours and Burden Hours values. It also breaks out the monetary costs for Labor, Burden, Subcontract, Material, Mtl
Burden (Material Burden), and Other Direct Costs (ODC). You can use this sheet to manually enter the planned budget and final cost
to complete (CTC) values. If this phase is a parent WBS phase, you can also pull in these costs from any child phases linked to this
parent phase.

To use this sheet:

1. If you need to enter the

planned budget for this
phase, enter these costs
within the fields under the
Budget column.
1 2 3 4 5 6
2. The Estimated column
displays the predicted costs
for this phase. To generate
these values, from the
Actions menu, select Build
Project Analysis.

7
8

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3. As time and costs are reported against this phase from your manufacturing center, they display under the Actual column. To
generate these values, from the Actions menu, select Build Project Analysis.

4. Use the Manual CTC column to directly enter how much this phase cost to complete. You can manually enter the labor and
burden hours that were accumulated, as well as the labor, burden, subcontract, material, and material burden costs.

5. The Calculated CTC column displays how much the application calculated You must use the Build Project Analysis function
that phase cost to finish. To generate these values, from the Actions menu, to populate the Estimated, Actual, Calculated
select Build Project Analysis. CTC, and Quoted columns on this sheet. To
learn how to run this process, review the Build
6. The Quoted column indicates the costs quoted to the customer. If a quote Process Analysis section later in this chapter.
or quotes were added to this project or phase, the quoted costs that apply to
this phase display in these fields. To generate these values, from the Actions menu, select Build Project Analysis.

7. If you select the Roll Child Budgets to this Level check box, the budget values from any child WBS phases are pulled into this
phase’s Budget column. You can no longer edit these costs.

8. If you select the Roll Child Manual Cost to Complete to this Level check box, the manually entered CTC values from any
child WBS phases are pulled into this phase’s Manual CTC column. You can no longer edit these costs.

Checklist Tasks
In addition to jobs, each WBS phase can have multiple tasks. These tasks define the steps to complete during each WBS phase.
Besides defining the task, you can assign start and due dates. You may also define the person responsible for completing the task.

To add a task to a project:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to the

New button; select New Task. 1

2. In the Checklist Task ID and 11

Description fields, enter a unique identifier
and a description for the new task. 3
2
3. Click the Checklist Task Type drop-down
list to select the type that best applies to this 4
task. 5 7
4. Click the Status drop-down list to define 6 8
whether the task has Not Started, is In
Process, or is Complete.
10
5. The Start Date and Due Date define when
this checklist task is planned to both begin
and end. 9
6. Click the Date Complete drop-down list to
select the date when this task was actually
finished.

7. Click the Person drop-down list to indicate who is responsible for this task.

8. Click the Project WBS Phase drop-down list to define the phase inside which you are placing this task. This phase is not
complete until all tasks assigned to it are complete.

9. Use the People section to define who is responsible for work on the task. The people who you assign to this task display within
the Available list.

10. Use the Right Arrow button to move these people to the Selected list.

11. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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General Ledger Controls

You can associate one or more GL controls within a project. Each control associated with a project must belong to a different control
type. You can then use control values when the project applies to a posted transaction. The selected general ledger control(s)
determine the accounts and journal codes used to post transactions against the project.

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select New GL Control.
5
2. Navigate to the GL
Control > Detail sheet.
2
3. Click the Type button to find
and select the appropriate GL
3
Control type.
4
Each control on a project
must belong to a different
control type. Transactions
then post to the different
controls available on a
control type. For example,
project jobs require the
Project Billing GL control
type.

4. Click the Control button to

find and select the GL Control
code associated with the GL
Control type.

5. Click Save.

Add a Quote
You can add quotes to either the entire project or to a specific WBS phase within the project.

1. From the Actions menu, select Add Quote To Project.

If you want to add a quote to a specific phase, first

highlight the phase on the Tree View. Then, from the
Actions menu, select Add Quote to Phase. 1

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2. The Quote Line Search window displays. Use 2

this window to find and select the quote you want to
add.

3. To begin, click the Search button. 3

4. Highlight the quote you want from the Search
Results list.

5. Click OK.

6. The quote detail is added to the project. It

displays on the Quotes sheet.

Add a Sales Order, Job, and Purchase Order

You follow the same steps to add a sales order, job, or purchase order to the project.

1. Click the Actions menu.

2. To add a job, select Add Job To Project.

3. To add a sales order, select Add Order To Project. 2

4. To add a purchase order, select Add PO To Project. 1 3

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5. Selecting these options launches the appropriate search

program - in this example, the Order Line Detail Search
program. Select the record you want.

6. Click OK.

7. The new record displays on

the Orders, Jobs, or POs
sheets. 7

Milestones
Milestones are specific points within the project that help you quickly If you want, you can instead organize the work on your
measure the progress on a project. In some cases, you can also use project through a series of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
milestones to indicate a payment is due for some aspect of the project. Phases. Once a WBS phase is complete, your users can then
Use this optional functionality to help you track how work is move to the next WBS phase. For more information, review
progressing during the life of the project. the WBS Phases section earlier in this chapter.

To add a milestone:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to the New button; select New Milestone.

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2. The Milestones > Detail >

3
Milestone sheet displays. In
the Milestone ID and
Description fields, enter a unique
identifier and a description for the
new milestone.

3. To add this milestone, click Save 4

on the Standard toolbar. 2 5
4. If this milestone is complete, select
the Complete check box. This
check box is also selected if its
Selection Criteria has been
satisfied.

5. If a customer is required to pay for the engineering during this milestone, an invoice is generated and sent to the customer. If the
invoice is posted within AR Invoice Entry, the Invoice Posted check box is selected.

Selection Criteria
Use the Selection Criteria sheet to define what project items must be finished before the current milestone is complete. You first
define the type of selection criteria you use for the milestone. You then define the specific values that indicate when the milestone is
complete. You can have multiple criteria for each milestone.

To define new selection criteria:

1. Click the Down Arrow next

to the New button; select 1
New Selection Criteria.
8
2. The Milestones > Detail >
Selection Criteria > Detail sheet
displays. Click the Type drop-down
list to define the main criteria you
use. Available options: Cost to
Date, Fixed Date, Job Operation 2
Complete, or Phase.
4 3
3. If you selected the Cost to Date
type, the Material, Subcontract,
Labor, Burden, and Material
Burden fields become active. Enter 5
values in one or more of these
fields to indicate the milestone is
7 6
complete when the costs equal
one or more of these values.

4. If you selected the Fixed Date type,

enter a date within the Fixed
Date field. On this date, the milestone is considered complete.

5. If you selected the Job Operation Complete type, enter the job that must be complete within the Job field. You can also indicate
the specific Assembly and Operation that must be complete in order to satisfy this criterion.

6. If you selected the Phase type, enter the WBS Phase that must be complete to satisfy this milestone.

7. The Selection Criteria Description field displays the selected criterion.

8. Continue to add the criteria you need. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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Contracts
You define the contract for the project using the Contract sheets. This series of sheets define the contract selected on the project, the
variations that may occur as work on the project proceeds, billing methods for the contract, and the taxes calculated against the life of
the contract.

Contract Details

To define the contract details:

1. Navigate to the Contract >

Detail sheet. 19
2. If this contract is with a
customer, click the Customer 18
button to find and select the
1
record you need. 3
2
3. If this customer has a
different billing location, click
the Bill To button to find and
select the customer location
that will send you payments 4 9
on this contract. 5 10
4. Click the Invoicing Method 6 11 13
drop-down list to select the
7 12
method of payment you will
use. The option you select 8 15 14
defines how the contract is
billed throughout the life of 16
the project. Available options 17
include Customer Shipment,
Milestone Billing, Fixed
Fee, Time and Materials,
Cost Plus, and Progress Payments. For more information on each method, review the previous Define Revenue Recognition for
WBS Phases section.

5. Optionally, enter a value in the Contract Reference field. Use this field to enter the reference number you use with the current
contract.

6. Enter the Total Contract Value for the current contract. This value defines how much the complete contract is worth.

7. Use the Contract Start Date and Contract End Date fields to define the overall length of the contract.

8. If you estimated a different end date for the contract, select this date in the Projected Contract End Date field.

9. Select how you are recording the revenues received from this project in the Revenue Recognition Method drop-down list.
Available options include On Invoice, Manual, Labor Booking, and Actual Burden. For more information on each method,
review the previous Define Revenue Recognition for WBS Phases section.

10. Optionally, select a Price List you want to associate with this contract. The price breaks for the part quantities created through
this contract can then be reviewed and used for the invoice billing.

11. Click the Project Manager button to find and select the individual responsible for administrating the contract. After you select a
project manager, the Name of the person also displays.

12. Select the Allow Invoicing Over Ceilings check box to indicate the application can generate invoices when the costs rise above
the estimates set up for the project.

13. Click the Hours To Be Used For Invoicing drop-down list to indicate whether Labor or Burden hours are used to calculate
amounts on the project billing.

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14. Click the Derive Project Rates From drop-down list to define from where the rates used for costs on the project are calculated.

Available options:

• Hierarchical – Uses a rate located through the rate hierarchy. When the functionality locates a rate on the hierarchy, this rate
is used for the contract. The hierarchy order is project, employee, and role. Rates found on a project are selected first,
followed by the rates found on an employee record, followed by the rates found on a role record.

• Project – Only uses the rates defined on the current project.

• Employee – Only uses the rates defined for the employees assigned to the project.

• Role – Only uses the rates from the roles assigned to the current project.

15. Select the Validate Employee Role to Operation Role check box to indicate a project role must be one of the role codes
assigned to an operation. If this check box is clear, an employee can enter any project role code defined on their employee
record.

16. Click the Revenue Recognition Journal Reversal drop-down list to select the method used
to reverse the posted transaction. Options include: The Reverse in Following Period
option is only available when the
• Reverse in Following Period
Manual Revenue Recognition
• Reverse on Project Close Method is selected on the WBS
Phase or the Contract.
• Reverse on Invoice/Shipment

• Reverse on Billing/Shipment

17. To define the currency rates used to calculate the billing amounts, select the options you need on the Rate Type and Currency
drop-down lists. The rate type defines how currency pairs convert using their various exchange rates, while the currency option
defines the specific currency used on transactions for this contract.

18. If a contract does not exactly proceed as planned, enter this variant issue on the Variations sheet. Use this sheet to keep track
of any issues that occur over the life of the contract.

19. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Contract Billing - Fixed Fee

Fixed fees define a cost set used throughout the duration of a project. These fees are different from Milestone fees, as milestone fees
are used to define the billing costs that occur during one phase of the project. Use fixed fees to cost items needed across all the
phases of a project.

To enter a new fixed fee:

1. Click the Down Arrow

1
next to the New button;
select New Billing
9
Schedule.

2. The Billing Schedule >

Detail sheet displays. Enter
the Schedule ID you want to
use for this Billing Schedule.
2 3
3. To exclude the Billing
Schedule from the invoice 4
generation process, select the
5
Schedule Inactive check box.
6
4. Click the Schedule
Frequency drop-down list to 7
select a frequency option that 8
defines how often to generate
invoices.

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5. In the Start Date field, enter the date when you want the first invoice to generate.

6. In the Total Value of Schedule field, enter the total contractual value for this Billing Schedule.

7. If you need to associate a sales order with this billing schedule, click the Order Number button to find and select a specific
order, and the Line button to find and select a specific sales order line.

8. If you need, enter the Retention Percentage for the invoice.

9. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

You can create as many Fixed Fee Billing Schedules as you need against a project. You can link one or multiple measured work
elements to each fixed Fee Billing Schedule. For more information, review the Measured Works section later in this chapter.

Schedule of Works

You can define the Schedule of Works agreed upon with the customer for each project. These schedule of works define a specific set
of related tasks required to complete the project. You have no limit to the number of schedules defined within the project.

To define a schedule of works:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select New Schedule of
5
Work.

2. The Schedule of Works >

Detail sheet displays. Enter
the Schedule of Work ID
you need. This value displays 2
on several programs and
reports. 3

3. Enter a Description for the

schedule of works.

4. If you need, select the

Planned Complete Date and 4
Estimated Complete Date.
These dates are used for your
reference, and they help you
verify the progress that is made against each schedule of works.

5. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Each Schedule of Works can have any number of Measured Work records associated with them; for more information, review the next
Measured Works section.

Measured Works

You use measured work activity records to help track the cost of a specific work activity required to complete a phase of the project.
Each measured work must be associated with either a Fixed Fee Schedule or a Schedule of Works, and it can contain as many
measured work activity details as you need.

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To define a measured work activity:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select New Measured
Work. 9

2. The Measured Works >

Detail sheet displays. Define
the Measured ID for the
measured work activity and its 2
short Description.

3. Click the Activity Unit drop-

down list to select a measure 3
4
work activity detail.
5
7
4. Click the Quantity Surveyor 6 8
button to find and select a
shop employee to assign as
Quantity Surveyor. This
individual controls the part
quantity used within this Measured Work activity.

5. Enter the Price Per Unit using the activity unit charged to the customer.

6. In the Total Amount field, enter the contractual amount in the activity unit.

7. If required, select the Parent Billing Schedule and Parent Schedule of Works from the drop-down lists.

8. Use the Percentage of Contract field to indicate how much of the project contract the current measured work item satisfies.

9. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Contract Billing – Project Activity Billing

Use the sheets under the Project Activity Billing tab to define the settings to use when a project is invoiced through either a Time and
Material or Cost Plus basis. You use the sheets under this tab to control any overrides used for project roles, employee ceilings, supplier
ceilings, and markup percentages. When a project does not use ceilings, fees, or burden sets, you can leave them at a zero or blank
value to prevent using them within the project billing.

To activate these sheets, you must select either the Time and Materials or Cost Plus invoicing method on the Contract > Details sheet.

To set up a project billing:

1. Navigate to the Contract >

Invoicing > Project Activity
Billing > Details sheet.

2. If you need to associate a

1 11
sales order with this project,
click the Order Number
button to find and select a 2
specific order, and the Line
3
button to find and select a
specific sales order line.

5
4
8
6
9
7
10

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3. To use a specific markup code to apply against this project activity billing, click the Cost Markup button to find and select this
record. The Material Markup, Labor Markup, Subcontract Markup, and Other Cost Markup fields now display a zero value
and cannot be changed. The values defined for these fields on the markup code are used instead to calculate the billing
amounts. You need markup percentages for Cost Plus billing. You create markup codes within Mark Up Code Maintenance. For
more information on this program, review application help.

4. The Retention Percentage defines what percentage of the billing to retain. Enter a percentage value in this field.

5. Click the Retention Processing drop-down list to select an option that defines how the application will use the retention
percentage to calculate amounts. Available options:

• Maximum of Contract Value – This percentage is calculated against the highest value on the contract.

• Percent of Invoice Value – This percentage is calculated against the value of invoices sent to the customer.

6. To define a maximum cost for any fees placed against the project, enter a value in the Fees field. If you leave this field blank,
there is no limit to the cost of the fees.

7. Likewise, define a maximum cost for the entire project within the Project Total field. If you do not enter a value in this field,
there is no limit to the total cost of the project.

8. You can activate cost ceilings on suppliers, employees, and project roles by selecting the respective check box. You can then
enter the cost limits for each category on the respective sheet. If you select the Individual Ceilings on Suppliers check box,
use the Supplier Ceilings sheet to enter the ceiling you need on each supplier involved with the project. (To add a supplier
ceiling, click the Down Arrow next to the New button and select New Supplier Ceiling; then enter the values you need on this
sheet.)

9. If you select the Individual Ceilings on Employees check box, use the Employee Ceilings sheet to enter the ceiling you need
on each employee involved with the project. (To add an employee ceiling, click the Down Arrow next to the New button and
select New Employee Ceiling; then enter the values you need on this sheet.)

10. If you select the Individual Ceilings on Project Roles check box, use the Role Codes sheet to enter the ceiling you need. (To
add a project role ceiling, click the Down Arrow next to the New button and select New Project Rate; then enter the values you
need on this sheet.)

11. Add any fees you need to include with the project on the Fees sheet.

12. If you need to include burden 14

sets with the project activity
billing, click the Down Arrow next
to the New button; select New
Activity Billing Burden Set.
12
13. A new row displays on the
Burden Sets grid. Enter the
identifier for the set within the
Burden Set field.

14. When you finish defining your

Time and Materials or Cost Plus
billing, click Save on the Standard
toolbar.
13

Contract Billing – Progress Payments

When you bill a customer using the Progress Payment method, you invoice the customer periodically based on a percentage of the
costs of labor, materials, and burden generated so far against the project. Use this method when product quantities are shipped before
a contract is formally negotiated. You first send out the shipments, and then the final price is agreed upon within the contract. You
then invoice the customer on the difference between the amounts on the progress payments and the final negotiated contract
amount. The costs created for each invoice depends on a percentage defined on the Progress Payments sheets.

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You must select the Progress Payments invoicing method on the Contract > Details sheet to activate the Progress Payments sheet.

To set up progress payment billing:

1. Navigate to the Contract > 12

Invoicing > Progress
Payments sheet. 9

2. Click the Order Number button to 1

find and select a specific order, and
the Line button to find and select a
specific sales order line from the 2
order. 3
4 5
3. Enter the Progress Payment
Allowable Percentage. This value 6
defines the markup percentage you 8 7
use on the costs of material, labor, 10
and burden used on the project.
11
4. Select the Hold Product Invoices
check box to indicate customer
shipments will not be invoiced
immediately. During customer
shipment entry, any packing slips for the current sales order detail line are placed on hold to prevent them from being selected
for invoicing. When you are ready to generate invoices, clear this check box.

5. The Total Progress Payments to Date field displays the total value of the invoice amounts received so far against this project.
You cannot modify this value.

6. The Total Amount Liquidated to Date field displays the total value of any liquidations taken place so far as part of the
customer shipment process. You cannot edit this value.

7. The Outstanding Balance field displays the remaining amount owed on the current project. This value is calculated by
subtracting the Total Amount Liquidated to Date from the Total Progress Payments to Date. You cannot change this value.

8. You can define a maximum cost for the entire project within the Project Total field. If you do not enter a value in this field,
there is no limit to the total cost of the project.

9. To add the burden sets you need to the progress payments, click the Down Arrow next to the New button; select New
Progress Payment Burden Set.

10. A new row displays within the Burden Sets grid.

11. Enter the identifier you need within the Burden Set field.

12. Continue to add the burden sets you need. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Contract Billing – Taxes

You use the Taxes sheet to define the tax categories associated with a transaction type on the current project. During the invoicing
process, the application uses these categories to calculate the amount of taxes owed against the various financial transactions
generated through the project.

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To define the project tax categories:

1. Select the Contract > Taxes sheet.

9
2. You select a tax category for each
project transaction type. Click the
Material drop-down list to select a tax 1
category for material transactions.
6
2
3. Click the Labor drop-down list to 7
select a tax category for labor 3
transactions. 4 8

4. Click the Other Direct Cost drop- 5

down list to select a tax category for
miscellaneous direct cost transactions.

5. Click the Burden drop-down list to

select a tax category for burden
transactions.

6. Click the Subcontract drop-down list

to select a tax category for subcontract work on the project.

7. Click the Fee drop-down list to select a tax category used to asses taxes on fees.

8. Click the Billing Schedule drop-down list to select the billing schedule tax category used for tax calculations.

9. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Copy Projects
You can duplicate an existing project and then modify the copied project to fit the requirements for the new project.

To duplicate a current project:

1. From the Actions menu, select Duplicate Project.

1

2. The Duplicate Project window 2

displays.

3. In the New Project ID, enter the

identifier for the project. 3

4. Enter a Description for the new 4

project. 5

5. If you want to automatically 6

create WBS job records for the 7
duplicated project, select the Create
WBS Phase Job check box.

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6. Lastly, select the Start Date you need for the new project. All copied items within the project use this date value to calculate
their start dates.

7. Click OK.

The new project displays within Project Entry, and you can modify it as you need.

Project Entry - Tree View

Project Entry uses Tree View icons unique to this program. Available icons and what they represent:

1. This graph icon indicates a WBS Phase for the project.

2. This wrench icon represents a Job contained within the project.

3. This binoculars icon indicates a Milestone. 1

4. Sales Orders are indicated with this green shopping cart icon.

5. This orange shopping cart icon represents a Purchase Order (PO). 2

6. Quotes are represented with this document icon. 3

7. A Task is indicated with this check mark icon. 4

8. The document icon is also used to identify a Schedules Of Work, Billing Schedule, 9
and Measured Works.
5
9. When an item is complete, a red check displays on top of the icon.
6

Project Costs
You use the Project Costs sheet to review and update the costs for the entire project. This sheet displays the costs in time through its
Labor Hours and Burden Hours values. It also breaks out the monetary costs for Labor, Burden, Subcontract, Material, Material Burden,
and Other Direct Costs.

Use the Project Costs sheet to manually enter the planned budget and final cost to complete (CTC) values. You can also pull in the
costs from all the WBS phases within the Budget and the Manual CTC columns.

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To use this sheet:

1. If you need to enter the planned

budget for this project, enter these
costs within the fields under the
Budget column.
1 2 3 4 5 6
If the Roll Project Phase Budgets to
Project check box is selected, the
project budget amounts are
disabled and calculated as the sum
of the WBS Phase costs (production
and setup combined). If this check
box is cleared, you can manually
enter the amounts.
7
2. The Estimated column displays the
predicted costs for the project. To 8
generate these values, from the
Actions menu, select Build Project
Analysis.

The cost for the Labor (Estimated), Labor Hours (Estimated), You must use the Build Project Analysis function to populate
Burden (Estimated), and Burden Hours (Estimated) fields are the Estimated, Actual, Calculated CTC, and Quotes columns
calculated as the sum of the production and setup costs. on this sheet. To learn how to run this process, review the
Build Process Analysis section later in this chapter.
3. As time and costs are reported against this project from your
manufacturing center, they display under the Actual column. To
generate these values, from the Actions menu, select Build Project Analysis.

The cost for the Labor (Actual), Labor Hours (Actual), Burden (Actual), and Burden Hours (Actual) fields are calculated as the sum
of the production and setup costs.

4. If the Roll Child Phase Manual Cost to Complete to this Level check box is cleared, you can manually enter the cost to
complete (CTC) amounts for the project. You can enter the labor and burden hours that were accumulated – as well as the labor,
burden, subcontract, material, and material burden costs. However, if this check box is selected, these fields are disabled and
calculated from the WBS phases (The production and setup values are combined).

5. The Calculated CTC column displays how much the system calculated the project to cost to completion. To generate these
value, from the Actions menu, select Build Project Analysis.

Labor Hours, Burden Hours, and Costs are calculated as an estimate of the remaining required quantity on the job. The CTC
Costs and Hours display zero when the job operation or the job are complete. Labor and Burden costs are calculated as the sum
of Setup and Production costs. CTC production hours are calculated according to the qualifier of the job operation and the
Company parameter (Load Relieved By).

6. The Quoted column indicates the costs that were quoted to the customer. To generate these To learn how to add quotes to a
values, from the Actions menu, select Build Project Analysis. project or phase, read the Add a
Quote section found earlier in
7. The cost for the Labor (Quoted), Labor Hours (Quoted), Burden (Quoted) and Burden Hours this chapter.
(Quoted) fields are calculated as the sum of the production and setup costs.

8. If you select the Roll Project Phase Budgets Costs to Project check box, the budget values from the WBS phases are pulled
into the project’s Budget column. You can no longer edit these values.

9. If you select the Roll Project Phase Manual Estimate to Complete Values to Project check box, the manually entered CTC
values from the WBS phases are pulled into this project’s Manual CTC column. You can no longer edit these costs.

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Project Schedule
When you finish setting up the project, you can then incorporate this project’s jobs into your manufacturing center’s schedule.

1. Click the Actions menu.

2. Select Project Schedule.

3. The Job Scheduling 2

Board displays. Make any
schedule changes you need.

To learn how to use the

Job Scheduling Board,
review Chapter 15:
Scheduling later in this
guide.

Build Project Analysis

You can generate and review the overall costs of the project through the Build Project Analysis function. Use this function to total
Estimated, Actual, Calculated Cost to Complete (CTC), and Quoted costs. These costs are further broken down into labor, burden,
subcontract, material, material burden, and other direct costs.

Within Project Entry, this data is then populated within the Project Costs and WBS Phase Costs sheets for your review. To learn more
about these cost sheets, read the WBS Phase Costs and Project Costs sections earlier in this chapter.

When the Build Project Analysis process is run, you can increase the revision level using the next available number. You can then keep
the project data from the previous version for use on the next project.

To generate the analysis for the current project:

1. From the Actions menu, select Build Project Analysis.

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2. The Build Project Analysis window

displays. If you want to regenerate
records in the project analysis process
table, select the Re-Generate
Project Analysis check box.

3. If you want to save a copy of the 5

project costs and analysis within your
history, select the Save Copy check
box. The saved project data is then
available for the production of 2
comparison reports as required.
3
4. If you want to schedule a time when
this process should run, select an
option from the Schedule drop-
down list.

5. When you finish, click the Submit 4

button on the Standard toolbar.

After the process runs, the costs display on

Project Costs and WBS Phase Costs sheets.

Revenue Recognition
You can produce general ledger journals that recognize the revenue for an ongoing project using the Revenue Recognition function.
The entries are based on the costs calculated from the Project Analysis function and the parameters you select. You can also close the
project, which causes the application to automatically reverse these journals for the revenue recognized to date.

You use Revenue Recognition to recognize costs and revenue on long-term projects where invoicing does not occur frequently.
Revenue Recognition provides a way to recognize costs and revenue independent of invoicing.

All journal transactions are reversed eventually based on the project setting. You can reverse journals on the Next Period or Billing
depending on the the Contract > Detail setting defined in the Revenue Recognition Journal Reversal drop-down list. You can also close
the project, which causes the application to automatically reverse these journals for the revenue recognized to date.

1. From the Actions menu, select Revenue Recognition.

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2. The Revenue Recognition 17

window displays with the cost
and revenue produced to date for
the project. Select a Sales Category
to determine general ledger account
numbers.

3. In the Calculation of To Be
Recognized Revenue is Based On
field, select an option (Quoted,
Budget, Estimated, Project Total,
Revenue Balance, or Manually
Entered) to calculate the revenue in 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
the Revenue Recognition section. If
you select Manually Entered, specify
the percentage to use for the
calculation.

4. Click the Calculate button.

5. A suggested revenue recognition

amount displays in the To Be 8 5 7
9 6
Recognized field. If needed, you
can override this calculated amount.

6. The sum of the values in the 4

Recognized To Date and To Be
Recognized fields displays in the 3 2
Total Recognized field.

7. The total projected revenue amount for the project displays in the Projected Revenue field.

8. The total value of all posted invoices made against this billing schedule displays in the Invoiced to Date field.

9. The sum of all revenue recognized for the project with an Apply Date on or before the selected Recognition Date with the
account context of Sales - Measured Work, Sales - Material, Sales - Subcontract, Sales - Project ODC, Sales - Project Fees, and
Sales - Provisional Burden displays in the Recognized (Invoiced) field.

10. The cost of sales captured by the Capture COS process after a sales order release is shipped or invoiced displays in the Invoiced /
Shipped column.

11. The cost of sales against project jobs which exist on WBS phases with the Customer Shipment invoicing method displays in the
Purged WIP to COS column. Any costs that are in work in process (WIP) will be purged from WIP to COS when the project job
is closed. If a project job is on a WBS phase which is not invoiced by shipment, costs move from WIP to COS after Invoicing and
execution of the Capture COS/WIP process.

12. The labor and burden costs recognized to date via the Labor Booking Recognition method display in the Booked column.

13. The cost of sales that have been manually recognized to date display in the Recognized (Manual) column.

14. The cost of sales amount recorded for the project with an Apply Date on or before the selected Recognition Date with the
account context of Sales Recognized displays in the Recognized To Date column.

15. The amounts that should be recorded for the project and posted to cost of sales displays in the To Be Recognized column. The
default can be overridden and negative amounts can be entered.

16. The sum of the values in the Recognized to Date and To Be Recognized columns displays in the Total Recognized column.

17. Click Save on the Standard toolbar after completing the entries.

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18. The Capture Revenue Recognition window displays. Click

Generate Only on the Standard toolbar and then close the
window.

The application creates sales and cost of sales journals based on the
amounts displayed in the To Be Recognized field in the Revenue
Recognition pane and the To be Recognized column in the Cost of
Sales Recognition pane.
18
When the project is being closed and the accrual amounts are to be
reversed, select the Close Project Accrual check box. This updates the
To Be Recognized field and displays negative amounts in the fields of
the To Be Recognized column to reflect the accruals. When saved, the
Epicor application then posts the reversals for the journals that were
previously created for the project by Revenue Recognition.

Close Billing Schedule Process

You can close a project so the application creates invoices that contain retention values you need. You can then reverse these retention
values from the General Ledger. If the project is for Fixed Fee invoicing, then the application checks whether all measured work
activities are processed up to the posted stage.

When the Billing Schedules are closed, the process creates an invoice line for each Billing Schedule retention transaction, then posts
the Invoice group, reverses the retentions, and marks the Billing Schedule as inactive.

To close the project:

1. From the Actions menu, select Close Project.

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2. The Close Billing Schedule 2

window displays.

3. Decide which progress claims to 3

close for the Fixed Fee invoice type
project. To close a claim, select the
Close check box.

If the project is for any other

invoice type and there is a
retention value, the full retention
amount is processed.

4. Click the Close Claims button. The

application creates invoices that
contain the selected retention values.

Export to Microsoft Project 2007

A key Project Entry feature is its ability to export a project into the Microsoft Office Project 2007 application. If your company uses
Microsoft Office Project 2007, you can export the project out of the Epicor application and open it within Microsoft Office Project
2007 where you can edit the project.

To do this, you run an option from the Actions menu. After you define the aspects of the project you want to export, you generate a
.csv file that you can then open within Microsoft Office Project 2007. After you finish working on the project within Microsoft Office
Project 2007, you can then import the project back into your application.

To export a project:

1. From the Actions menu, select Export to MS Project.

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2. The Export To MS Project window displays. In the Calculate %

Complete section, define the method that you want Microsoft
Office Project 2007 to use for calculating how near the project is
to completion. You can calculate this value by using either the 2
time placed against the project or the quantities manufactured to
date. You can also ignore this calculation.
The Send Phase as Task check box is disabled until you select
the Jobs check box. When you send a phase as a task, the
WBS phase is sent twice to Microsoft Office Project 2007. It is 3
first sent as a summary and then also sent as a task for a job.

3. In the Download Items section, select which project items you

want to include within the exported .csv file. You can download
Predecessors, Checklist Tasks, WBS Phases, Jobs, Phases, Job
Assemblies, and Job Operations.

4. Next, define the Operation Duration value. You can choose

either Days or Hours.

5. When you finish, click the Export button. 4

6. The Export File 6

window displays. Use this
window to place the .csv file
into a folder you use for
Microsoft project files.

7. Click Save.

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8. The system now exports the file to the location you selected. A dialog box displays,
indicating the export was successful. Click OK.

9. Launch the file within Microsoft Office

Project 2007. When the Import
Wizard window displays, click Next.

10. On the Import Wizard – Map

window, keep the New map option
selected to create your data settings
from scratch.

11. Click Next.

10

11

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12. On the Import Wizard – Import

Mode window, keep the As a new
project option selected for how you
want to import the file. Optionally, you
can select to append or merge the
data to an active project.

13. Click Next. 12

13

14. Select the types of data you want to

import. The default is Tasks. Other
types include Resources and
Assignments.

15. Select the text file options. The Import

includes headers check box is 14
selected by default.

16. Click Next.

15

16

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17. On the Import Wizard – Task

Mapping window, review the fields
from within the central grid that map
the fields from the .csv file to the
corresponding Microsoft Office Project
2007 field. 17
When a project is exported to
Microsoft Office Project 2007, the
data must be in a format the
application uses. To do this, create a
map within Microsoft Office Project
using the data elements in the
From: and To: fields that display on
the Import Wizard - Task Mapping
sheet. If additional data fields are
added to an existing project, the
new fields must be added to the
end of the map.

18. Click Next.

18

19. On the Import Wizard – End of Map

Definition window, click Save Map if
you want to save the wizard settings as
a map to use again later.

19

22

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20. In the Save Map window, select an 20

existing map from the displayed list or
enter a new map name.

21. Click Save. Click Finish in the Import Wizard to

complete the import of data into Microsoft Office
Project 2007.

21

22
22. The project displays
within the Microsoft Office
Project 2007 application.

To learn about the

features within this
application, review your
Microsoft Office Project
2007 documentation.

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Import from Microsoft Project 2007

After you finish making changes within Microsoft Office Project 2007, you can then import the updated project data back into your
Epicor application. The Microsoft Office Project 2007 changes are then incorporated into the project.

To import a project:

1. From the Actions menu, select Import from MS Project.

2. The Import From MS Project window

displays. Click the File Name button to
find and select the .csv file you want to
import back into the application. 2

3. Several import options exist. If you 6

want to generate new phases or tasks
based on the changes you made in 3
Microsoft Office Project 2007, select
4 7
the Create WBS Phases or Create
Checklist Tasks check boxes.
5
4. If you want to update the Microsoft
Office Project 2007 links you made
within the application, select the 8
Update Project/Job Links, Update
WBS Phase/Checklist Task Links, or
Update WBS Phase/Job Links check
boxes.

5. To generate job records for each WBS phase, select the If the Create WBS Phase Jobs check box is selected on the Import
Create WBS Phase Jobs check box. from MS Project window, the Operation used to create the job
must also be in the Resource Group field within the import map.
6. If you want to update the dates with the Microsoft Office
Project 2007 changes, select the Update Dates check
box. This activates the remaining date check boxes.

7. Use these date check boxes to update the specific dates you need from the Microsoft Office Project 2007 file.

8. When you finish, click the Import button.

The .csv file is pulled into your application. You can now open this file within Project Entry.

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Link Sales Order Line to WBS Phase

You can link a sales order line to a specific WBS phase from within Sales Order Entry.

Menu Path: Sales Management > Order Management > General Operations > Order Entry

1. In the Summary sheet,

click the Sales Order 7
button to find and select
the sales order.
3
1
2. In the Tree View, select the
specific sales order line you
want to link to the WBS 2 6
phase.
4
3. Navigate to the Releases > 5
Project sheet.

4. Click the Project button to

find and select the project
identifier.

5. Click the WBS Phase button

to find and select the specific
WBS phase to be linked to
the sales order line.

6. Review the Invoicing Method and Revenue Recognition Method fields pulled in from Project Entry. For an explanation of
each method, review the previous Define Revenue Recognition for WBS Phases section.

7. Click Save.

Project Role – Jobs

Use the Project Billing functionality to assign a role code to an operation while you enter a job. You do this to prevent an employee
who is not assigned to the role code from entering time against a job operation.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > General Operations > Job Entry

To assign a role code to an operation:

1. On the Job sheet, click the Job

button to find and select the job 5 1
you want to assign a role code.

2. Select the Job Details > Operations >

2
Role Codes sheet.

3. Highlight the roles from the Available 3

Roles column.

4. Click the Right Arrow button to add

4
them to the Selected Roles column.

5. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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Project Role – Quotes

Use the Project Billing functionality to assign a role code to an operation while you enter a quote. You do this to prevent an employee
who is not assigned to the role code from entering time against a job operation.

Main Menu Path: Sales Management > Quote Management > General Operations > Opportunity / Quote Entry

To assign a role code to an operation:

1. On the Summary sheet, click the

Opportunity/Quote button to 5
find and select the quote you want to
assign a role code.
1
2. Select the Line > Mfg Details >
Quote Details > Operations > Roles 2
sheet.
3
3. Highlight the roles from the Available
Roles column.

4. Click the Right Arrow button to add

4
them to the Selected Roles column.

5. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Project Invoice Preparation

You can prepare the project invoices for a specified fiscal period. Use this function to create and store detailed audit data of all the
elements to include in the invoice, such as Labor, Materials, Subcontract, Other Direct Costs, Detailed Burden Analysis, and Material
Burden. These detailed audit records are then summarized in the invoicing data required for the actual invoice document and kept for
historical reference.

You can launch this program from either the Main Menu or from within Project Entry using the Project Invoice Preparation option on
the Actions menu.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > General Operations > Project Invoice Preparation

To prepare the project invoices:

1. Enter the Period End Date for the

range used to prepare the invoices.
6
2. Enter the Invoice Date used when the
invoices post to the general ledger.

3. If you want to schedule a time when 5

this process should run, select an
option from the Schedule drop-down 1
list. For more information about
assigning processes to a regular 2
schedule, review the Automatic
3
Schedules section within the Automatic
Data Processing chapter of the Epicor
ERP Implementation Guide.

4. Select the type of invoice you want to

process from the Invoice Type drop-
down list. Available types include Cost
Plus, Time and Materials, Fixed Fee, 4
and All Types.

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5. Click the Filter tab to limit the invoices to a specific project or projects. If you launch the program from the Main Menu, all
projects are selected by default. If you launch the program from Project Entry, the current project is selected by default. You can
add or remove as many projects as you need.

6. When you finish, click the Submit button on the Standard toolbar.

Cost Plus Invoice Review

Use this process to review and update the Cost Plus invoices generated during the Project Invoice Preparation. You can also review the
source data for invoices posted through this process.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > General Operations > Cost Plus Invoice Review

To review the Cost Plus invoices:

1. Click the Project button to

find and select the project. 3 4 5
The invoice data displays.
1
2. The proposed Invoice Date
and Invoice Totals display.

3. Review the data. Click the

Lines tab to update the rates 2
and other items on the Cost
Plus invoice. You can also
delete lines you do not need.

4. Click the Burden Amounts

tab to make changes to the
burden amounts.

5. Click the Ceilings tab to

modify any ceiling values you require for roles, employees, and/or suppliers.

6. When you finish making your changes, click the Actions menu.

7. Select Recalculate Invoice. All your new and updated values are
included in the Cost Plus invoice. 8

8. You are now ready to complete the invoice. Select Approve 9

Invoice. To the confirmation message, click Yes. The temporary
6 7
invoice records are approved and you can no longer edit them.

9. To print a report of the Cost Plus Invoice Review, select Print

Detail.

10. The Project Billing 10

Invoice Report window
displays.

11. Click the Print button on the

Standard toolbar.

11

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Fixed Fee Invoice Review

Use this process to review and update the Fixed Fee invoices generated during the Project Invoice Preparation. You can also review the
source data for invoices posted to the general ledger.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > General Operations > Fixed Fee Invoice Review

To review the Fixed Fee invoices:

1. Click the Project button to

find and select the project.
The invoice data displays.
1 3
2. The proposed Invoice Date
and Invoice Totals display.
2
3. Review the data. Click the
Line tab to update the rates
and other items on the Fixed
Fee invoice.

4. Click the Actions menu.

5. Select Approve Invoice. To the confirmation message, click Yes. The

5
temporary invoice records are approved.

6. To print the Fixed Fee invoice, select Print Detail. 6

4

Time and Material Invoice Review

Use the Time and Material Invoice Review process to review and update the Time and Material invoices generated during Project
Invoice Preparation. You can also review the source data for invoices posted to the general ledger.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Project Management > General Operations > Time and Material Invoice Review

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To review the Time and Material invoices:

1. Click the Project button to

find and select the project. 3 4 5
The invoice data displays.

2. The proposed Invoice Date 1

and Invoice Totals display.

3. Review the data. Click the

Lines tab to update the rates
and other items on the Time 2
and Materials invoice. You
can also delete lines you do
not need.

4. Click the Burden Amounts

tab to make changes to the
burden amounts.

5. Click the Ceilings tab to

modify any ceiling values you
require for roles, employees, and/or suppliers.

6. After you finish making your changes, click the Actions menu.

7. Select Invoice Recalculation. All your new and updated values are
included in the Time and Material invoice. 6
8
8. You are now ready to complete the invoice. Select Approve Invoice.
A message displays asking if you want to approve this invoice; click 9
Yes. The temporary invoice record is approved and you can no longer 7
edit it.

9. To print the Time and Material invoice, select Print Detail.

AP Invoices – Subcontract Update

You can update project subcontract information on each AP invoice before it posts to the general ledger. You do this by running an
Actions menu option in AP Invoice Entry.

Main Menu Path: Financial Management > Accounts Payable > General Operations > Invoice Entry

To define the subcontract data:

1. Click New on the

Standard toolbar 1
and create an invoice. 2
2. From the Actions menu,
select Subcontract Project
Role Maintenance.

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3. Depending on the invoice,

information about the
8
Part which was worked
on during the subcontract
operation displays.
3 4
4. The PO Number indicates the
specific purchase order used
for the subcontract operation.
5 6 7
5. The Role Code field
defaults to the code linked to
the subcontract operation.

6. The hours the subcontract

supplier is charging for the
work display in the Hours
Charged field.

7. The Invoice Value contains

the total cost for the
subcontract operation.

8. When you finish entering your

changes, click Save.

AR Invoices – Get Project Billing Invoices

AR Invoice Entry contains functionality you can leverage to pull in any AR invoices you created for a project. Use this feature to pull in
Cost Plus, Fixed Fee, Time and Material, and Progress Payment invoices.

Main Menu Path: Financial Management > Accounts Receivable > General Operations > Invoice Entry

To pull in project billing invoices:

1. Click the Group button to

find and select an invoice
group for which you want to
pull in the project billing
invoices.
1

2. From the Actions menu,

2
select Get > Project Billing.

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3
3. The Get Project Billing Invoices
window displays.
4
4. You can limit the invoices you pull in by 7
project. Click the Project button to find
and select the project or projects you
want to include.

5. To pull in all of the projects displayed,

click the Select All button.

6. To only pull in specific invoices from the

selected projects, click the Manual
Selection button.
5 6
7. When you finish selecting the
project billing invoices you want for the
current AR invoice group, click the Close
button on the window.

Project Tracker
You can use the Project Tracker to review current information about a selected project. The Project Tracker is a display-only version of
Project Entry. You cannot add or edit records in this tracker. However, this tracker does provide supplemental sheets in addition to the
Project Entry sheets. On these supplemental sheets, you can retrieve the information for the current project.

To retrieve a summary of project costs and hours in Project Tracker:

1. On the Project > Detail sheet,

click the Project ID button to find 8 9
and select the project you want to
review.
1
2. Navigate to the More > Summary
> Project sheet.
2 5 6 7 10
3. Click the Retrieve button to view
the current project costs and hours 3
for the selected project.

4. The Summary > Project sheet

displays the total hours and total 4
costs for the current project.

5. The Order sheet displays a history

of the quantities that have been
shipped from stock against the
project.

6. The Detail Hours sheet contains a

list of the burden hours and labor
hours accumulated against the project.

7. The Detail Cost sheet displays the material and subcontract costs accumulated against the project. These costs are organized by
part class.

8. The Field Service sheet displays a list of field service contacts and calls linked to the current project.

9. The Help Desk sheet displays any customer calls entered so far on the current project.

10. If any items have been returned because of this project, these Return Material Authorization records display on the RMA sheet.

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 MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT | CHAPTER 9

Chapter 9
Maintenance Management

You use the Maintenance Management module to enter maintenance requests, track maintenance jobs, and plan
preventative maintenance tasks performed on equipment in a manufacturing or distribution facility. This includes internal
capital equipment, tools, gauges, and fixtures such as air conditioning units, forklifts, and shop floor tools. You perform
preventative maintenance according to predefined schedules, based on elapsed use time or on equipment meter readings.
You can also use functions within the module to manage manual requests for maintenance on specific pieces of capital
equipment.

Several methods are available for entering maintenance jobs. A tradesman or manager can directly enter them, jobs can be
planned in advance and scheduled based on calendar schedules or meter reading intervals, or they can be generated from
maintenance requests you enter for specific tools or pieces of equipment.

The Maintenance Management module is not intended, however, for managing maintenance services performed on
equipment sold to customers. You must use the Field Service module to manage services performed on customer-owned
items. For more details, review Chapter 10: Field Service.

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Setup
This section describes the primary records you need for the Maintenance Management module. These programs are contained within
the Setup folder; only the primary records are described here. Some areas within the next Operations section may also document setup
records if they are required for a specific workflow.

You may also need to set up some parameters within Company Configuration. Some modules have global settings you define through
this administration program. For more information, review the application help for this module; the Configuration topic details the
options you define within Company Configuration. You can also review the Company Configuration chapter in the Epicor ERP
Implementation Guide.

Equipment Type
Use Equipment Type Maintenance to define and organize (group) multiple pieces of equipment by kind, or type. Equipment types can
be high level categories or very specific categories. Examples of equipment types include Transportation Device, Motor, Pump, and so
on. Each piece of equipment you define in Equipment Maintenance can only have one attached equipment type. The defined codes
are used in various Maintenance Management search programs and reports to filter the results.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Setup > Equipment Type

To define equipment type codes:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select New Equipment Type.

2. The Equipment Type Detail

sheet displays.
6 2 5
3. Enter the Type code identifier. 3

4. Enter a Description of the 4

equipment type code.

5. Click the GL Control tab to

specify the accounts and
journal code used to post
transactions to which the
record applies. You can
associate one or more GL
controls with an equipment
type record.

6. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

Equipment Status
Use Equipment Status Maintenance to define custom codes that denote the status of a piece of equipment; for example, In Service,
Requires Maintenance, and Out of Service. Each piece of equipment you define in Equipment Maintenance can only have one
equipment status code attached to it.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Setup > Equipment Status

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To define equipment status codes:

1. Click the New button on

the Standard toolbar. 1
2. The Equipment Status
Detail sheet displays. 5
Enter the Status code
identifier.
2 3
3. Use the Default check box to
specify if this is the default 4
status code used on all new
pieces of equipment entered
in Equipment Maintenance.
You can override the default
code for specific pieces of
equipment to accommodate
the needs of your operations.

4. Enter a Description of the

equipment status code.

5. When you finish, click Save.

Equipment Location
Use Equipment Location Maintenance to define the physical location of each piece of equipment. The physical location of equipment
can be defined at a high level (Building A) or at a detailed level (Building A Pole 45). Each piece of equipment you define in Equipment
Maintenance can only have one attached equipment location code.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Setup > Equipment Location

1. Click the New button on

the Standard toolbar. 1

2. The Equipment
Location Detail sheet 4
displays. Enter the Location
code identifier.
2
3. Enter a Description of the
equipment location code. 3

4. When you finish, click Save.

Resources/Resource Groups
Use Resource Group Maintenance to define the resource groups and resources you will
assign to operations used during maintenance job entry. These resources and resource Resources can also be used in
groups define what capacity for work is available during the scheduling process. A equipment records. Use Equipment
resource is a subset of a resource group, and is defined in the Resources > Detail sheet Maintenance to create a new equipment
within Resource Group Maintenance. Each resource is an asset within your manufacturing record from a resource. You can then
center that performs a specific function. A resource can be a physical piece of equipment update this equipment record as you
like a tool or a gauge required to measure various parts, or, a resource can be an need.
employee like a tradesperson, electrician, and so on.

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Resource groups and resources carry labor and labor burden cost estimates, and define where and how to perform operations. This
section briefly describes resources and resource groups. Refer to Chapter 11: Engineering for detailed information on how to create
and define resource groups.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Setup > Resource Group

To define resources and resource groups:

1. Click the Resource Group

button to find and select a
resource group.

2. Click the Down Arrow 2

next to the New button; 5
select New Resource.

3. The Resources > Detail

sheet displays. Enter the 4
3
unique identifier for the
Resource.

4. Enter a Description that

further identifies the resource.
This text displays on various
reports and windows
throughout the application.

5. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

Equipment
You use Equipment Maintenance to define equipment records for each tool or piece of capital equipment you plan to track. For each
equipment record, you specify identifying items like Brand, Model Number, Serial Number and also maintenance plan information.
Additionally, you can establish parent/child relationships between different pieces of equipment. If you use the Enhanced Quality
Assurance module, you can designate the inspection plan and specifications to record equipment calibration information. You can also
attach and store a picture of the tool or piece of equipment.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Setup > Equipment

Detail
Use the Detail sheet to enter specific information for the equipment record. For each record, you enter information such as serial
numbers, in service data, warranty expiration date, location, and specific maintenance required.

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You can also optionally link the equipment record to a parent record. For example, you may have a capital piece of equipment (such as
a Conveyor System) that contains secondary, or child pieces of equipment (such as Motors or Controllers) you wish to separately track
based on their own individual maintenance schedules. To do this, you first create an equipment record for the parent item, then create
individual equipment records for each of the child items, and finally link them together using the Parent field.

To define equipment records:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select New Equipment.

2. The Detail sheet displays. 3

Assign an identification 2
number for the equipment
record in the Equipment ID 4
field. 5

3. Select the appropriate Status 6

for this equipment item. You 7
define the available options in
Equipment Status 8
Maintenance. 9

4. Select the Plant in which the

maintenance will be
performed.

5. If you need, select the Fixed Asset record to which the equipment item is associated.

6. Select the appropriate Resource Group and Resource associated with the equipment record.

7. Enter a brief Description for the piece of equipment.

8. Optionally, enter additional identifying information for the equipment. This includes the OEM, Serial Number, Brand, and
Model number.

9. Select the appropriate equipment Type. You define the available options in Equipment Type Maintenance.

10. Specify the Meter UOM

Class and Meter UOM for
the equipment. This specifies
the unit of measure, like
minutes, hours, units, and
feet, in which the equipment
meter reading is expressed.

11. Record the In Service Date

for the equipment.

12. Specify the Warranty

Expiration for the
equipment.
11
13. Using the Location drop- 10
down list, select the 12
appropriate equipment 13
location. You define the
available options in
Equipment Location
Maintenance.

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14. Optionally, enter or select

the Parent equipment 20
record to which this
equipment record belongs.
This value indicates this piece
of equipment is related to
another primary, or parent,
piece of equipment.

15. If you wish, select the Project

ID to which you want to
associate this piece of
equipment.

16. If you need, select the Parts

Supplier and the Service
Supplier for the equipment
item.
14
17. If you are using the Enhanced
Quality Assurance module, 15
you can record calibration
information against specific
16
pieces of equipment. Select
the Inspection Plan used for
17 19
recording calibration
information. It must be 18
defined as a Calibration type
inspection.

Refer to Chapter 16: Quality Assurance for

more details on how to set up inspection
plans and specifications.

18. Select the Specification that contains the calibration inspection parameters.

19. The Last Calibration Date field automatically populates when the item is calibrated.

20. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Maintenance Planning
Use the Maintenance Planning sheet as needed to create preventative maintenance plans for the equipment record. Each plan you
create represents a preventative maintenance procedure that needs to be completed on the item; for example, oil changes, filter
replacements, belt changes, and so on. You can designate the preventative maintenance plan as time- or meter-based. Time-based
maintenance plans are based on a designated calendar frequency, while meter-based maintenance plans are triggered based on
equipment meter readings you record in Meter Reading Entry.

The background Maintenance Plan Processor scans the preventative maintenance plans you define for the equipment record and
creates maintenance job records you can update as needed in Maintenance Job Entry. For each maintenance plan you define, you can
optionally select a template job that defines the operations, resources, and materials used in the maintenance jobs generated for each
equipment maintenance plan.

To create preventative maintenance plans:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to the New button.

1
2. Select New Equipment Plan.

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3. The Maintenance
Planning > Detail sheet
displays. Assign an
identification number for 16
the Plan.

4. Enter a Description that 13 14 15

briefly describes the plan. 3
4
5. Use the Recurring check box
to specify if the maintenance 5
should recur in the future 7
once it has been performed. 6

6. If the plan is time-based, 8

specify the Frequency and 9
10
select the unit of measure
that represents the frequency 11
at which the maintenance 12
occurs. For example, if the
maintenance occurs every
three months, enter 3 in the
Frequency field, and select
Months in the field to its
right. Valid selections include
Days, Weeks, Months, or
Years.

7. If the plan is time-based, specify the Next Execute Date on which the Preventative Maintenance Process will create a
maintenance job order for this plan.

8. If the plan is meter-based, use the Meter field to specify the number that is added to the last executed meter value in order to
determine the next time this plan should run.

9. If the plan is meter-based, specify the Next Execute Meter value at which the Preventative Maintenance Processor should create
a maintenance job order for this plan.

10. Specify the number of Buffer Days for the maintenance plan. This value is the number of days ahead of the actual due date the
process should generate the maintenance job for the plan.

11. Optionally, select the Template Job you want to associate with the maintenance plan.

12. Use the Topics section to associate topics with the maintenance plan. Refer to the next Topics section for more information.

13. Click the Specifications tab as needed to add free-form specification text for the equipment record.

14. Click the Comment tab as needed to add free-form comment text for the equipment record.

15. Click the Children tab as needed to view the secondary, or child, equipment items associated with this equipment record.

16. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Topics
Use Topic Maintenance to define maintenance issue and resolution topic codes. You assign maintenance issue topic codes in
Maintenance Request Entry or Maintenance Job Entry to identify the maintenance issues that need to be resolved on a piece of
equipment. Likewise, you assign topic resolution codes in these programs after the maintenance is performed to analyze equipment
failures and required maintenance tasks.

Topic Maintenance supports ten levels of sub-topics for each topic. As a result, you can further subdivide the scope of maintenance
issues. For example, Engine could have the sub-topics Dirty Filter and Fouled Spark Plugs, and each of these topics can have subtopics.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Setup > Topic

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To add a maintenance issue or maintenance resolution topic:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select New Case Topic.

2. Enter a Description of the

maintenance issue, or
maintenance resolution.

3. Select the Top Level check

2
box if this is a top level issue
or resolution topic that will
contain subordinate issue or 4
resolution topics. Clear this
check box if this is an issue or 3 5
resolution that is subordinate
to a parent topic.

4. Select the Maintenance Issue check box if this topic is used to describe a maintenance issue that needs to be resolved.

5. Select the Maintenance Resolution check box if this topic is used to indicate how a maintenance issue will be solved.

6. If you are defining a 6

subordinate maintenance
issue or resolution topic, click
the Down Arrow next to
the New button; select 9
New Case Topic Parent.

7. The Parent Topics > Detail 7

sheet displays. Select the
Parent Topic. 8

8. Specify the Parent Sequence

number.

9. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

Maintenance Operations
Use Maintenance Operation Maintenance to define specific operations required to complete a maintenance job. You add the
operations you define in this program to a maintenance job or a maintenance job template in Maintenance Job Entry. Examples of
maintenance operations include: Remove Panel A, Switch off Electrical Power, or Open Valve C. Maintenance operations can also be
much more complex, and can include paragraphs of detailed instructions and guidance.

You define maintenance operations as internal or subcontract operations. Internal operations track the hours and costs for all planned
and actual labor performed. Subcontract operations track the movement of parts and costs associated with outside services.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Setup > Maintenance Operation

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To create maintenance operations:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select New Operation.

2. In the Operation field, enter

a concise identifier for the 2
maintenance operation.
3
3. Now in the Description field,
4
enter a brief explanation for
the operation. 5

4. The Text field displays

standard comments you want 6
to print on the Maintenance
Request and Maintenance Job 7
Reports.

5. If this is a subcontract
operation performed by an external resource, select the Subcontract Operation check box. Clear the check box if it is an
internal operation.

6. For internal operations, select the Primary Operation Detail number.

7. For subcontract operations, select the Primary Supplier performing the subcontract operation. You can also select the Buyer
code for the subcontract operation.

To select the resource groups or the resources used to run this operation:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select either New Resource
Group Requirement or New
Resource Requirement. 2

2. For this example, you are

linking this maintenance
operation to a resource
group. The Scheduling
Requirements > Resource
Groups sheet displays. 3

3. In the Resource Group ID

field, find and select the
resource group you wish to
add to the maintenance
operation. To do this, right-
click this field. From the context menu, select Open With > Resource Group
Search.

4. Use the Resource Group Search program to find the resource group that you
need to run this operation. Click OK.

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5. The resource group you

selected displays within 7
the grid. Continue adding
resources and resource groups
that run this operation.

6. Optionally, you can use the

6
Resources sheet to add
resources for the maintenance
operation, or use the 5
Capabilities sheet to add
capabilities for the
maintenance operation.

7. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

Operation Text
Use Operation Text Maintenance to set up standard operation text that displays on maintenance job travelers printed on the
Maintenance Job Report. Operation text records are standard comments you associate with an operation in Operation Maintenance.
For example, you can set up standard instructions or warnings as Operation text records and then associate them with specific
operations. If you associate a specific operation text record with an operation, that text automatically prints on the job traveler below
job operation comments.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Setup > Operation Text

To add operation text:

1. Assign a unique Code

identifier for the 4
operation text.

2. Enter a Description for the

operation text.
1 2
3. Enter the additional
Operation Text that you
want to print on the 3
maintenance job traveler.

4. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

Operations
This section details the operations you can use within the Maintenance Management module. Each operation is described as
a workflow to help guide you through the process from start to finish. These programs are primarily found within the General
Operations folder for this module. If a unique setup record is required to run the operation, this record is also described in this section.

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Request Entry
Use Maintenance Request Entry to request that maintenance be performed on a piece of equipment. Employees with the appropriate
permissions can search for a particular piece of equipment based on some of the fields defined in Equipment Maintenance. When the
equipment is identified, you use predefined codes and enter free form description to identify the issues or maintenance that is
requested.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > General Operations > Request Entry

To enter a pending maintenance request:

1. Click the New button 1

on the Standard
toolbar.
7
2. A system-assigned
identifier displays in the
Request field. This value only 2
displays for your information;
you cannot change it. 3

3. Select the Equipment ID for 4

the piece of equipment that 5
requires maintenance.

4. Enter the Required Date.

This value defines the due
date for when the
maintenance work must be
finished.

5. Select the Priority for the

6
required maintenance.

6. Enter a Description of the

maintenance issues, and then
select the Topics that
categorize the nature of the
required maintenance.

7. When you finish, click Save.

Your request is now waiting for disposition in the Maintenance Request Queue.

Request Queue
After you enter a request for maintenance into Maintenance Request Entry and submit it for approval, it displays in the Maintenance
Request Queue. A tradesperson or manager can then disposition the result. After the request is approved, a maintenance job is
created and is linked to the submitted request. No further updates are made to the maintenance request until the maintenance job
order is complete. Once the maintenance job order is finished, the status of the request automatically updates to Complete.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > General Operations > Request Queue

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To disposition the pending maintenance request:

1. Click the Request button to

find and select the
maintenance request
identifier. 5

2. To approve the maintenance

request and create a 1
maintenance job order, click
the Approve Job button.

3. To approve the maintenance

request and create a
maintenance job order that is
immediately placed on hold,
click the Approve Job on
Hold button.

4. To reject the maintenance

request, click the Reject
JobRequest button. You must
enter text that indicates the
reason for the rejection. 2 3 4

5. Click Save on the Standard

toolbar.

Maintenance Job Entry

Use Maintenance Job Entry for direct entry of maintenance jobs for a particular piece of equipment. When entered by a tradesman or
manager, the maintenance job record is used to initiate and track the progress of maintenance.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > General Operations > Maintenance Job Entry

To use Maintenance Job Entry:

1. Click the New button on the

Standard toolbar.

2. The New Job Number window displays. Enter the job number or
click Next Job to assign the next sequential identifier.

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3. Select the Equipment ID for

the piece of equipment being
maintained.
6
4. Optionally, select the Mass
Print check box to include 4
the maintenance job on the
Maintenance Job Report.
3
5. Optionally, select the Project
ID to define which project the
maintenance job is assigned.

6. Click Save.
5

Add a Job Operation

Use this sheet to manually enter or edit operation information for the current maintenance job. You can retrieve operation information
using the Get Details command found under the Actions menu, or drag and drop the operation from the Operation Master sheet onto
the Job Tree View.

To add a maintenance job operation:

1. From the Tree View, right-click Operations and select Add Operation.

2. Select the Operation that

needs to be performed on
this maintenance job. In
4
this example, you add the
Safety Check operation.

3. Enter the estimated number

of Hours it will take to
perform this operation. In this
2
example, you enter 2.00.
3
4. When you finish, click Save
on the Standard toolbar.

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Engineer and Release the Maintenance Job

After entering all required operation and material detail, return to the Detail sheet to engineer and release the job.

1. Click the Job tab. 3

2. In the Status section, select
the Engineered and
Released check boxes.
1
3. When you finish, click Save
on the Standard toolbar.
2

Schedule the Maintenance Job

Once you have engineered and released the job, use the Job Scheduling command on the Actions menu to schedule the
maintenance job.

1. Click the Actions menu, highlight the

Schedule sub-menu, and then select Job
Scheduling.

4 1

2. Enter the Due Date for the

maintenance.

3. When you finish, click OK.

4. Click Save on the Standard

2
toolbar.

Issue Material from Inventory

Use the Issue Material from Inventory program as needed to issue replacement parts to the maintenance job.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > General Operations > Issue Material

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To issue replacement material to the maintenance job:

1. Enter the maintenance job

number in the Job field.

2. Select the correct assembly

level in the Assembly field.

3. Select the correct material in 1

the Mtl field.
2
4. Enter the Quantity to issue.
3
5. If the item to issue is lot
controlled, enter a lot number
in the Lot field.

6. If the part is serial tracked,

you can click the Serial
Numbers button to define 4 5
the serial numbers used with
the issued quantity.

7. Click OK to complete the

transaction.

7 6

Time Entry
Use Time and Expense Entry to enter employee hours for indirect labor, production labor, or project labor and submit those hours for
approval. You can enter time on a daily or weekly basis. After you enter time transactions, you can view, modify, recall, and copy them
at a later time. You can also monitor the status of transactions and enter comments for approvers. Refer to Chapter 7: Time
Management for more information.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > General Operations > Time and Expense Entry

To enter labor hours for a maintenance job:

1. Click the Employee ID

button to find and select the
identification number for the
employee who performed the
maintenance work.
1

2. Click the Down Arrow next to the New button.

3. Select New Time.

2

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4. The Time > Daily Time >

Summary > Detail sheet
displays. Accept all defaults.

5. Click the Down Arrow 5

next to the New button;
select New Time Detail.

6. Select the maintenance

Job for which you are 12
entering labor hours.

7. Select the maintenance job

Operation for which you are
entering labor hours.

8. Enter the Clock In time at

which labor started on this 6
operation. 7

9. Enter the Clock Out time at

which labor ended on this
operation.

10. Select the Complete check 8

box to indicate the 9
maintenance operation is
finished. 10

11. Enter any additional Labor 11

Notes you need.

12. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

Maintenance Job Completion

Once you have recorded labor time against the maintenance job, you must close it within Maintenance Job Entry. You can then add
text that describes the specific resolution for the maintenance issue.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > General Operations > Maintenance Job Entry

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To close the maintenance job and add resolution text:

1. Select the maintenance

Job to close. 7
2. Click the Resolution tab.
1
3. Enter the Description text 6
that indicates the
maintenance problem is
resolved.

4. Select the Topics that define

how the maintenance
problem was resolved.

5. To close the maintenance job,

select the Job Closed check
box. 2 4

6. The status indicator for the 3

maintenance job now displays
as Closed.

7. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.
5

Meter Reading
Use Meter Reading Entry to record the meter data for a specific piece of equipment. You can enter meter data for a piece of
equipment regardless of whether it is attached to a preventative maintenance plan with configured meter data. You can view meter
reading information as needed in the Equipment Tracker. The Maintenance Plan Processor uses the meter data to create and schedule
required maintenance jobs.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > General Operations > Meter Reading

To use Meter Reading Entry:

1. Click the Equipment ID

button to find and 5
select the piece of
equipment whose meter you
are reading.

2. The previously recorded meter

1
reading displays in the
Current Reading field.
2
3. Enter the New Reading
quantity that displays in the
usage meter for this piece of
3
equipment.

4. Optionally, enter any 4

Comment text you need for
the new meter recording.

5. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

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Maintenance Plan Processor

The Maintenance Plan Processor is a background process that scans maintenance plans defined for equipment records on the
Equipment Maintenance > Maintenance Plan sheet. Once scanned, it analyzes the data to create maintenance jobs based both on the
maintenance plan and on meter readings recorded for equipment in Equipment Meter Reading. You can then edit the resulting
maintenance jobs in Maintenance Job Entry.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > General Operations > Maintenance Plan Processor

To use the Maintenance Plan Processor:

1. Use the Continuous

Processing check box to
designate if this process 4
should constantly run in the
background, or if you should
call it manually from the
menu. 1
2. Specify the Continuous 2
Processing Delay, stated in
minutes. 3

3. Designate how to Schedule

the process and if it should
run as a Recurring process.
If you indicate this process is
recurring, it will then run
through a regular, automatic
schedule you define. For more information about assigning processes to recurring schedules, review the Automatic Data
Processing chapter in the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.

4. When you finish, click Submit on the Standard toolbar.

Reports
This section describes some key maintenance management reports you use to review maintenance entries. You can run these reports
whenever you need. You can also set up each report to generate and print through a recurring, automatic schedule. Review the
Automatic Data Processing chapter in the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide for information on how you link a report to a recurring
schedule.

Equipment List Report

Use the Equipment List Report to print a full or selected list of equipment records. You create these records within Equipment
Maintenance Entry.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Reports > Equipment List

To print this report:

1. Use the Status drop-down list to select the status level of the equipment to include on the report. You define status levels on
equipment records.

2. Use the Equipment Type drop-down list to select the kind of equipment you want to display on the report. You create these
types on equipment records as well.

3. Select the Print Details check box to print all the information for the listed equipment records.

4. Select the Print Maintenance Plan check box to print the maintenance plan linked to each selected equipment record.

5. Use the New Page per Equipment check box to designate each piece of equipment will print on an individual page.

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6. Use the Include Child Equipment

check box to print secondary, or
child, equipment records linked to
the equipment records listed on
the report.

7. Select the Print Maintenance

9 10
Log check box to print associated
maintenance logs for the
equipment listed on the report.
1
8. Using the Jobs Closed After field, 2
specify the job closure date.
Maintenance log information 3
prints for all maintenance jobs
closed on or after this date. 4

9. Use the Filter sheet to specify the 5

equipment IDs, locations, and 6
plants for which the equipment
records should print. 7

10. When you finish, click Print on the 8

Standard toolbar.

Maintenance Request Report

Use the Maintenance Request Report to print a hard copy of maintenance requests you enter in Maintenance Request Entry.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Reports > Maintenance Request Report

To print this report:

1. Use the Priority drop-down list to

select the maintenance priority
status for which the report will
print.

2. Use the Request Status drop-

7 8
down list to select the request
status for which The report will
print.
1
3. Specify the Plant for which the 2
report will print.
3
4. Use the Requested On or After
field to specify the beginning 4
request date. Maintenance request 5
information entered on or after
this date prints on the report. 6

5. Use the Required On or Before

field to specify the ending request
date. Maintenance request
information entered on or before
this date prints on the report.

6. Select the Bar Codes check box to

print bar codes on the report.

7. Use the Filter sheet to further limit what equipment records display on this report.

8. When you finish, click Print on the Standard toolbar.

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Maintenance Job Report

Use the Maintenance Job Report to print a hard copy of maintenance job information. You can call this report from the Main Menu as
well as from Maintenance Job Entry.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Maintenance Management > Reports > Maintenance Job Report

To print this report:

1. Use the Print all jobs

flagged for mass print
check box to indicate
maintenance jobs selected for
mass printing in Maintenance
Job Entry should print on the 7 8
report.

2. Select the Print Scheduled 1

Resources check box to print
information on each resource 2
selected for each 3
maintenance job.
4
3. Select the Print Scheduled
5
Resource Descriptions check
box to print descriptions of 6
the resources used on each
maintenance job.

4. Use the Operation Dates

check box to specify if
operation dates should print
for each maintenance job
operation.

5. Use the Operation

Standards check box to
specify if time standards
information should print for
each maintenance job
operation.

6. Select the Bar Codes check box to print bar codes on the report.

7. Use the Filter sheet to specify the maintenance jobs that should print on the report.

8. When you finish, click Print on the Standard toolbar.

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Chapter 10
Field Service

Field Service is designed to manage the installation, repair, and on-going service of equipment for your customers at their
facilities or out in the field. You can use Field Service to schedule service calls on a timetable you define. For those customer
calls that require immediate repair, you can quickly determine if the problem is still covered under a warranty, or if it requires
a billable service call.

The Service Call Center centralizes all processes related to dispatching technicians and cost reporting of service calls in the
field. This workbench pulls information from existing service contracts and warranties, and then a dispatcher schedules
service orders, assigns technicians, and creates service jobs.

As a service job’s operations are worked on by technicians, labor is recorded against these operations, so you can precisely
track labor costs. Depending on the setup of the service call, those charges may be absorbed into the service contract or
automatically invoiced to the customer.

Field service also includes valuable reports that provide detailed information on individual contracts and warranties to know
whether you are making or losing money.

Epicor Mobile Field Service provides your mobile workforce access to the relevant functions and data from the application.
Technicians away from the office have instant access to data, including pricing and inventory levels. Use Epicor Mobile Field
Service to process service call jobs, to track labor, inventory, materials, and equipment in a configurable workflow, and to
update work orders in real-time. For more information on Epicor Mobile Field Service, contact your Epicor Account Manager.

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CHAPTER 10 | FIELD SERVICE

Setup
This section describes the primary records you need to create for the Field Service module. These programs are contained within the
Setup folder for this module. Only the primary records are described here. Some areas within the next Operations section may also
document setup records if they are required for a specific workflow.

You may also need to set up some parameters within Company Configuration. Some modules have global settings you define through
this administration program. For more information, review the application help for this module; the Configuration topic details the
options you define within Company Configuration. You can also review the Company Configuration chapter in the Epicor ERP
Implementation Guide.

Service Contract Code

You use Service Contract Code Maintenance to define the various service contracts your company offers. Service contract codes are
used in Service Contract Entry, and also display in Service Call Center.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > Setup > Service Contract Code

To add a service contract code:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select New Contract
Code. 19
2. In the Contract Code field,
enter the identifier for this 2
code. 3
3. Now enter a brief explanation 4
for the service contract code
5
in the Description field. This
description is used during 6 14
entry of a service contract for
7 15
a customer.
8 16
4. Select the Ship Contract
check box to indicate the 9 17
contract needs to be shipped 10 18
to a customer. The contract
created using this contract 11
code needs to be invoiced by
12
creating and shipping a sales
order. If this check box is 13
clear, you can use AR Invoice
Entry to invoice the contract
directly.

5. Select the charges - Material, Labor, or Misc. – this service contract code covers. Miscellaneous charges include items such as
travel, meals, and parking. A service contract code must have at least one coverage charge.

6. The Duration field displays the length of time the service contract lasts. This value, along with the Modifier setting, determines
how long the service contract is active.

7. Enter the Unit Price for service contracts that have this code assigned to To learn about generating recurring invoices, review
them. This value, and the Price Per setting, determines the amount the application help.
customer is charged for the service contract.

8. Select the Recurring Inv check box to indicate this contract is invoiced on a recurring basis. The values in the Unit Price and Price
Per fields determine the recurring invoice amount.

9. Select the Deferred Revenue check box to indicate whether the contract is configured to defer revenue.

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10. Select the Quoted check box to indicate whether a quote must be created and approved by the customer before the contract
can be invoiced.

11. If this service contract code covers on-site service calls, select the On Site check box.

12. Select the Renewable check box to indicate whether the contract that uses this contract code is valid for renewal.

13. In the Renewal Code field, select the renewal code to use for the service contract renewal. This code defines the contract price
increase.

14. Use the Modifier field to select the unit of time the service contract lasts. This value, along with the Duration setting,
determines how long the contract is active. Valid selections include Days, Months, or Years.

15. In the Price Per field, select the unit by which the Unit Price value is applied. The default is Contract; however, you can set the
unit identifier to per day or per month.

16. The Frequency Period field is only available if you select the Recurring Invoice check box. Use this field to indicate how often
you want to generate an invoice for this contract.

17. The RA Code field is only available if you select the Deferred Revenue check box. Use this field to indicate the revenue
amortization schedule for the contract.

18. The Task Set field is only available if you select the Quoted check box. Use this field to indicate the task set to use when creating
a quote for a contract renewal.

19. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Renewal Code
Use Renewal Code Maintenance to create an entry that controls the price increase when renewing a service contract. The renewal
codes are associated to the service contract codes in order to use the renewal entry settings when renewing a service contract.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > Setup > Renewal Code

To add a renewal code:

1. Click the New button on the

Standard toolbar.
1
2. In the Renewal Code field,
enter a unique code identifier.

3. Enter a description of the

renewal code in the
Description field. 2
3
4. Use the Quoted check box to
indicate whether a quote
must be created and sent to
the customer for approval 4
before renewal can be
invoiced. If selected, a task set
must be selected.

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5. Use the Increase Method

field to classify the 7
increase cost of the
renewal contract; select an
option from the increase
method list. The options are:

• Amount – A flat renewal

amount is added to the
original amount of the
contract. The Amount field
is required and enabled
when the Amount option is
selected in the Increase
Method field.

• Percentage – The
percentage of each 5
contract line is increased by
the value entered in the
Percentage field. The
Percentage field is required 6
and enabled when the
Percentage option is
selected in the Increase
Method field.

• Price List – This value

recalculates the renewal contract price based on the price list defined on the Price List field. The Price List field is required and
enabled when the Price List option is selected in the Increase Method field.

6. After selecting the increase method, enter the value by which the renewal contract price will increase. The field will be enabled,
according to the selection in the Increase Method field.

7. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Service Call Type

Use Service Call Type Maintenance to define the types of service calls placed by your customers such as billable from non-billable calls,
warranty from service contract calls, preventative maintenance from standard, or corrective, maintenance calls, and so on. You can
then associate a tax category and general ledger (GL) controls.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > Setup > Service Call Type

To add a service call type:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to the

New button; select New Call 1
Type.

2. In the Call Type field, enter the 5

identifier for this call.

3. Now enter a concise explanation for 2

the service call type in the Call 3
Description field. This description is
used during entry of a customer service 4
call.

4. If you use tax categories to classify your service calls for sales tax reporting, select an option from the Tax Category list.

5. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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Employee
You use Employee Maintenance to indicate the specific employees that can be dispatched for field service calls. Then during service call
entry, you can display only those employees you designate as service technicians. This section discusses the Employee Maintenance
functionality that applies to the field service functionality. To learn about adding
an employee, refer to Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > Setup > Employee

To add a service technician employee:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select New ID.

2. In the ID field, enter the

identifier for this employee.
2
3. Optionally, select the 3
Person/Contact identifier for
this employee record if one
exists. If one does not exist, 4
the application uses the
values in the employee
information fields to 5
automatically create a
person/contact record. 6

4. Enter employee information

such as Name, Address,
Phone, and Email.

5. Specify the current 7

employment status in the
Status field. The available
options are Active, Inactive, or
Terminated.
If you have an individual who needs to be defined on
6. Select the Service Technician check box to specify this employee can multiple records, like a shop employee who is also a
be dispatched for field service calls. buyer, you can define this person in Person/Contact
Maintenance first and then link this person record to
7. If you want name, address, phone, and email changes made to this
other records throughout the application. To learn
employee record to automatically update the linked person record
about this functionality, review the Personnel chapter
within Person/Contact Maintenance, select the Sync Name, Sync
within Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.
Address, Sync Phone, and/or Sync Email check boxes.

8. On the Production Info

sheet, select the labor 10
shift this employee
ordinarily works from the
Shift drop-down list.
8
9. Optionally, enter a Resource
Group and Resource to
which this employee belongs.
A resource can be a piece of
equipment like a calibration
tool or a drilling machine, or 11
an employee like a service
technician. A resource group
pulls similar equipment and employee skills together, defining a specific aspect of your field service organization. To learn more
about resources and resource groups, review Chapter 11: Engineering.

10. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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Operations
This section describes the operations available in the Field Service module. Each operation is described as a workflow to help guide you
through the process from start to finish. These programs are primarily found within the General Operations folder for this module. If a
unique setup record is required to run the operation, this record is also described in this section.

Service Contract Entry

A service contract is an order for services that a technician performs while on a
customer service call. Use Service Contract Entry to set up service contracts for Once a service contract is established for a
customers. The service contract contains information such as the type of coverage customer, it is then entered as a line on a sales
and the parts the contract covers. Material, labor, and miscellaneous charges are order and later invoiced. This process is
defined as either covered or not covered on the contract. As technicians are described in the next section, Invoice a Service
dispatched, the costs are tracked against the service contract. Contract.

After a service contract is invoiced, you can add and remove lines on the contract. Each line must have its own billing dates. If a line is
added to the contract, you must invoice the particular line using the Get > Contract Billing command in AR Invoice Entry.

Use a renewal to extend the contract duration beyond the original expiration date.
The renewal duration an be different than
You can use Service Contract Entry to individually renew a contract about to expire
the original contract.
or use the Renew Contracts process to select and renew several contracts at once.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > General Operations > Service Contract Entry

To enter a service contract:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select New Contract.

2. On the Header sheet, click

20 22
the ID button in the Sold To
section to find and select the 23 4
customer you are selling the 21
2
service contract.
3
3. From the Attn drop-down
list, select the person at the
customer sold-to site who is
considered the contact for 5
this service contract.
6 7
4. If the service contract covers 8
parts located at a different
9 10
address than the sold to
customer, click the ID button 14 17
11
in the Ship To section to find
and select the customer 12 15
where the parts are located.
13 19
5. If the customer billed for the 16
18
service contract is different
from the customer to whom
you are selling the service contract, select that customer from the Bill To Customer drop-down list.

6. Select the service contract code to assign to the contract from the Type drop-down list. This code determines the type of
coverage for the contract – such as contract duration, services covered, billing frequency, and renewal setting, and if the
contract is configured to defer revenue. For information on how to add a service contract code, review the Service Contract
Code section earlier in this chapter.

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7. The Contract Total field displays the total amount of the service contract. This field updates once you add line detail information
to the service contract.

8. When a contract is renewed, the Renewals Total field displays the total contract amount including the renewal price increase.

9. Use the Quoted Contract pane to create and approve a quote before the original or renewal contract can be invoiced. The
Quoted check box displays as selected and the task set used for the quote displays in the Task Set field.

10. In the Quote field, when saved, the Epicor quoting system automatically generates a quote number for the original or renewal
contract, allowing a copy of the quote to be sent to the customer for approval. Once the quote in Opportunity/Quote Entry is
marked as won, approved, and accepted by the customer, the Accepted check box is enabled.

11. The Order/Line fields display the sales order and sales order line on which this service contract was sold. These fields are for
display only. For more information on invoicing a service contract, see the Invoice a Service Contract section later in this chapter.

12. The Duration field specifies the length of time the service contract lasts. This value, along with the Modifier setting, determines
how long the service contract is active. The value defaults from the Type code you specify, but if you need, you can change this
option.

13. The Expire Date field specifies the date on which the service contract expires. This date is calculated as the Effective Date plus
the Duration. Once a contract has expired, an Expired status indicator displays at the top of this sheet.

14. Once the service contract is invoiced, the Invoiced check box displays as selected, and an Invoiced status indicator displays at the
top of this sheet.

15. The Effective Date field specifies the date on which the contract goes into effect. The default is today’s date; if you need,
change this date.

16. The Renewed Until field displays the expire date of the last effective renewed contract. This field is automatically calculated
based on the renewal effective date plus the duration of the renewal.

17. In the Coverage section, select the Material, Labor, Misc, and Onsite check boxes to indicate the service contract covers
material, labor, miscellaneous, or onsite service call charges. The default setting for this check box comes from the Type code you
selected for the contract, but you can change these options.

18. Use both the Recurring check box and the Frequency field to indicate the contract is invoiced on a recurring basis and how
often to generate the invoice. The amount on the invoice is determined by the Frequency Period in addition to the contract
price and the extended price on the Line > Detail sheet.

19. The Price Per field specifies the unit by which the Contract Price value on the Line > Detail sheet is applied. The default setting
for this check box comes from the Type code you chose for the contract, but it can be changed. Valid selections include
Contract, Daily, and Monthly.

20. The Renewable check box indicates whether the contract is available for renewal.

21. Once the original or renewal contract is ready to be quoted, select the Ready to Quote check box.

22. Select the Suspended check box to indicate the contract has been suspended and all A suspended contract cannot have
open deferred revenue amortization (DRA) periods are put on hold. service calls linked to it.

23. Select the Ready to Invoice check box to indicate the contract is to be invoiced directly in AR Invoice Entry and a sales order
and shipment are not necessary. If the Ship Contract check box is selected in Service Contract Code Maintenance, the Ready to
Invoice check box is disabled.

Once a contract is suspended, you must define the hold reason code and enter a comment on the action.

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Line - Detail

Here’s how to enter line information:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select New Line.
11
2. On the Line > Detail
sheet, click the Part/Rev
button to find and select the 5
part that is covered by this
service contract. 2 3 6

3. elect the appropriate revision

7
for the part from the
Revision drop-down list. 8

4. If you need, enter the 9

4
Customer Part number and
the Customer Revision level 10
by which the customer refers
to the part.

5. The Serial Numbers button becomes active if the part is assigned a serial number.

6. Optionally, enter the sales order and line numbers on which the part was originally sold, or click the Ref. Order/Line button to
find and select it. When you enter this information, the part number, revision, and quantity are pulled into the contract line.

7. Enter the part quantity this service contract covers in the Contract Qty field.

8. The Contract Price value defaults from the Type code you chose for the contract on the Header sheet; if you need, enter a
different amount.

9. The Ext Price displays the contract quantity multiplied by the contract price.

10. Verify the Billing Dates for each line are accurate. The dates in the Start Date and End Date fields populate automatically
based on the duration specified in the service contract code. These dates can be overridden if necessary.

11. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Renew Contracts
Use the Renew Contracts process to renew several contracts at once. Select the Get Contracts/Renewals option from the Actions
menu to retrieve all contracts that expire prior to the Expire Date.

You can use Service Contract Entry to view and modify renewal details after
The Renewable check box must be selected in
contracts are renewed.
Service Contract Entry in order for a contract
record to display in the Contract Renewals pane.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > General Operations > Renew Contracts

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To renew several contracts at once:

1. In the Expire Date field,

select the expire date to 2
4 5
use as a filter to display
the service contract records.

2. From the Actions menu,

select the Get 1
Contracts/Renewals option
to bring up all contract
records that expire prior to
the expire date.

3. In the 3
Contracts/Renewals
pane, select the Selected
check box for each service
contract to renew.

4. Once all the contracts to renew are selected, click the Submit icon on the Standard toolbar.

5. Exit Renew Contracts.

Invoice a Service Contract

Once a service contract is set up for a customer, there are two ways to process the financial transaction. One way is to create a sales
order that has the service contract line attached. Then, after you ship the sales order, use AR Invoice Entry to create an invoice.

Another way to process the financial transaction is to invoice a service contract directly in AR Invoice Entry without creating a sales
order or shipment. Define whether a contract needs to be shipped in Service Contract Code Maintenance.

Sales Order Entry

You use the New Contract Line option within Sales Order Entry to add a service contract as a line item to a sales order. You specify the
parts, quantity, and price for each service contract line item. You follow the same procedure that you use to create a sales order.
However, on the Line > Detail sheet, you enter information specific to a service contract.

Once you attach a service contract to an order, you cannot add any more lines to the service contract within Service Contract Entry.
You can, however, continue to add as many order lines and service contract lines as you need to the sales order.

Main Menu Path: Sales Management > Order Management > General Operations > Order Entry

To enter a sales order for a service contract line item:

1. Click the New button on the

Standard toolbar.
1
2. On the Summary sheet, click
the Customer button to find
and select the customer you
are selling the service contract. 2

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3. Click the Down Arrow 3

next to the New button;
select New Contract Line.
10
4. The Lines > Detail sheet 4
displays. Notice many fields
are not open for data entry. 6
For example, you cannot
5
enter parts that are covered
by the service contract in 7
Sales Order Entry. Parts
covered by a service contract 8
are added to the service
9
contract record within Service
Contract Entry. For more
information, refer to the
previous Service Contract
Entry section.

5. Enter the service contract

number in the Contract field,
or, click the Contract button
to find and select the service
contract you created for this
customer.

6. If you are creating a sales

order for a renewed contract,
enter the renewal number in
the Renewal field, or, click the Renewal button to search for and The Renewal button is enabled once the contract has
select the renewal record. renewals to invoice. Once you select a renewal
contract, the amounts that relate to the renewal
If the renewal number is zero, the sales order is processing the original display in the Unit Price field. If it is a quoted
contract which has not yet been renewed. If the renewal number is renewal, it must be accepted in order for the renewal
greater than zero, the number indicates the renewal contract record values to display.
being processed.

7. The Description of the service contract displays.

8. The Order Quantity defaults from the service contract and cannot be changed.

9. If you need, change the Unit Price amount. The value in this field defaults from the service contract.

10. Continue to add other line items to this sales order. When you finish, For more information on how to enter a sales order,
click Save on the Standard toolbar. review Chapter 5: Sales Order Processing.

AR Invoice Entry
To invoice a customer for a service contract, you can use two commands in AR Invoice Entry – Get For more information on how
Shipments and Get Contract Billing. Use the Get Shipments command to generate an invoice when to generate invoices, review
the service contract has a packing slip with a Shipped status. Use the Get Contract Billing command Chapter 21: Customers and
to create an invoice for a contract with recurring billings, if the contract is to be invoiced directly, or Accounts Receivable.
to invoice a particular line added to a contract.

Main Menu Path: Financial Management > Accounts Receivable > General Operations > Invoice Entry

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To generate an invoice for a service contract:

1. Click the New button on the Standard

toolbar.
1
2. In the Group field, enter the identifier
3
for the entry group.

3. Define the Invoice Date and the 2

Apply Date for the group.

4. You are now ready to add the packing 4

slip on which the service contract is 6
found. Click the Actions menu.
5
5. If the service contract is set up for
recurring invoices or invoiced directly,
select Get - Contract Billing.

6. In this example, the service contract is

not set up for recurring invoices, so you
select Get - Shipments.

7
7. The Get Shipments window
displays.

8. Click the Customers button to find

and select the customer you are
selling the service contract. 8

9. To review only those packing slips not

invoiced, click the View Not Invoiced
Packing Slips button.

10. The Packing Slip Browse 10

window displays. Select the
packing slip on which the service
contract is found.

11. Click OK. Select Yes to the

confirmation message that displays.

You can now print the invoice for this

service contract.
11

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Service Call Center

You use Service Call Center to enter and track field service calls for a customer. A service call details the parts that need service, why
they need service, and the service contract coverage for the parts. You also use Service Call Center to assign and schedule technicians
to service calls.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > General Operations > Service Call Center

To enter a service call record:

1. Click the New button on the

Standard toolbar.
1
2. A unique call number is
automatically assigned to the service
2
call and displays in the Call Number
field. 3
3. Click the Customers button to find 4
and select the customer you are
entering a field service call.

4. In the Attn field, select someone at the

customer site who is considered the
contact for this service call. 10
5
5. Enter the Request Date and Request 6
Time the customer is asking for 8
service. The current date and time 7
default, but you can change these 9 11
values.

6. Use the Scheduled Date and

Scheduled Time fields to define the
date and time the technician will be on
the service call.

7. The Duration field indicates the

estimated duration of the service call in days. For more information on Time Entry, review
Chapter 7: Time Management.
8. The date and time the technician logs against this service call within Time Entry
displays in the Actual field.

9. In the Priority field, enter the priority status for the service call. Options include High, Normal, and Low.

10. Specify the type of call assigned to this service call from the Call Type drop-down list. Call types identify tax and G/L account
information. For more information on service call types, review the Service Call Type section earlier in this chapter.

11. The Case Number field indicates the case identifier, if any, which created this service call.

Line - Detail

Here’s how to enter line information:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to the New button.

2. Select New Line. 1

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3. On the Line > Detail sheet,

click the Part/Rev button to
find and select the part that
requires service. 11

4. Select the Reason for the

requested service for the
parts. 3 6

Reason codes are defined 4

in Reason Code 7
Maintenance. Codes that 5
display in Service Call
8
Center are grouped under
the reason type Service
Call. For more information
on service call reason
9
codes, review
application help. 10

5. Enter the Quantity and the

unit of measure of the part
that will be serviced.

6. If you sold a service contract

to this customer for this part,
click the Contract button to
find and select the service
contract you need.

7. If a part is still under warranty, click the Packing Slip/Line button to You cannot reference both a contract and a warranty
access a modified version of the Customer Shipment Search window; on the same service call line.
browse for the correct packing slip and line on which the part originally
shipped.

8. If a part is still under warranty, click the Drop Shipment/Line button to access a modified version of Drop Shipment Search
window; browse for the correct drop shipment and line on which the part originally shipped.

9. Use the Coverage section to see if the contract or warranty covers material, labor, or miscellaneous charges.

10. The Job that is created from the service call displays. You can right-click in this field to access the Job Entry, Job Scheduling
Board, Job Tracker, or Job Search programs.

11. Use the Line Pricing sheet to review the pricing for the selected service call line. The pricing you can review includes:

• Estimate - The estimated amounts for the pricing elements Service (labor), Material, Subcontract, and Miscellaneous charges
entered at the job level on either operation sequences or material sequences.

• Actual - The actual amounts for the pricing elements Service (labor), Material, Subcontract, and Miscellaneous charges
captured typically during time entry, material issues, and purchase receipts.

• Billable - The amounts billable to the customer for this service call line. These amounts depend on the settings for Labor,
Material, and Miscellaneous found on the Line > Detail sheet.

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Technicians

Use the Technicians sheet to assign a shop employee to the field service call. Here’s how:

1. Select the Technicians > List

sheet.

2. Select the Technicians Only

check box to only view 1
employees with the Service 2 5
Technician check box selected 6
in the Employees program. To
3
view all employees, clear the
Technicians Only check box.

3. Select a technician in the

Technicians list to review 4
their schedule in the Open
Service Calls list.

4. Select a service call record in

the Open Service Calls list to
review a call – requested date
and estimated duration in
days. This information also
displays in the Call section of
this sheet.

5. To assign a technician to the

service call that is open in the
Service Call Center, select a
technician in the Technicians
list, and then click the Assign
button.

6. The technician is added to the Technicians > Assigned Tech List sheet.

Actions – Create Service Call Job

Use the Create Service Call Job command on the Actions menu to automatically create a service job in Job Entry with the information
entered in Service Call Center. Here’s how:

1. Click the Actions menu.

2. Select Print Service Call Ticket to produce a ticket for the service 1
call open in the Service Call Center. The service call ticket is printed
after you add the new line.
2
3. A service call automatically closes when the Service Call Labor
Complete check box is set from Time Entry, and the Issued 3
Complete check box is set in Issue Material. You can also manually 4
close the service call. To do this, select Close Service Call. When
you select Close Service Call from the Actions menu, a yellow 5
Closed status indicator displays in the header of the service call.

4. Select Reopen Service Call to access the call again. Note

however, that once a call has been invoiced, you cannot reopen it.
6
5. Use the Void Service Call and Activate Service Call commands
to cancel and launch a service call respectively. When you select
Void Service Call from the Actions menu, a yellow Voided status
indicator displays in the header of the service call. You cannot void an invoiced service call.

6. To create a service job, select Create Service Call Job. The Job Entry program launches with all pertinent information populated.
In addition, the service job number populates on the Line > Detail sheet in Service Call Center for the line.

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Service Job Entry

Service Job Entry is the Job Entry program; you can, however,
You add components such as assemblies, operations, material,
customize Job Entry specifically to match your field service needs.
and resources to a service job in the same way you add these
Then you launch the customized version of Job Entry from the Field
components to a production job. For information on how to
Service – General Operations folder or from Service Call Center –
create resource groups, resources, operations, and parts, review
Actions menu. For information on customization, review the Basic
Chapter 11: Engineering. For more information on how to add
Customization and the Advanced Customization chapters in the
components to a job, review Chapter 12: Job Management.
Epicor ICE User Experience and Customization Guide.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > General Operations > Service Job Entry

Add a Service Operation

In this example, you will add a Repair service operation to this service job. Here’s how:

1. Click the Job button to find

and select the service job
created from Service Call
Center.

2. The Job Search window 1

displays. From the Job Type
drop-down list, select Service.

3. Click Search.

4. Notice only service job type’s 3

display in the search results.
Select the service job you 2
want and click OK.

5. The service job number

displays in the Job field. The
service job number begins
with the prefix SRV, and then
contains the service call
number along with a
5
sequential number, starting at
1. This sequential number 6 7
refers to the number of jobs
created for this service call.

6. The Part field displays the

part defined in the service
call.

7. Notice the Required Date is

the same date defined in
Service Call Center; if you
need, you can change this
date.

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8. You can add operations to a

job in different ways within
Service Job Entry. In this
example, you will add an
operation using the 10
Engineering > Operation
Master sheet. Click the
Operation button to find 8
and select an operation to
add to this service job; you
want to add a Repair
operation to this service job.
9
9. Your selected operation
displays within the
Operations grid.

10. Click and drag the operation

onto the Job Tree View.
Notice the Repair operation
now displays underneath the
Operations node.

You may want to set up standard operations for those

service call operations you use frequently. Within Operation
Maintenance, you can define the labor rate and the
estimated number of hours to complete a Service Call
operation. For more information on Service Call operations,
review the Operations section within
Chapter 11: Engineering.

11. Now you want to enter the

estimated number of 17
hours the service
technician needs to complete
this operation. You do this on 11
the Job Details >
Operations > Service sheet.

12. Because the service contract 12

associated with the service
call from which this service
job was created covers labor, 13
the Billable check box is 14
clear; however, you can
change this option. 15
16
13. The Service Rate is the
hourly rate charged for this service. If the operation is maintained within Operation Maintenance, this field displays for your
information and you cannot change this value.

14. Enter the estimated number of hours this service call operation requires in the Estimated Hours field.

15. The total estimated cost of the service call operation displays in the Amount field.

16. If this operation is a subcontract operation, you can use the Subcontract section to enter the estimated cost per unit for a
material quantity worked on during this service.

17. When finished, click Save on the Standard toolbar. The estimated service cost for this line is now updated within Service Call
Center – Line - Line Pricing.

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Add Material

You also add material to this service job. Here’s how:

1. You can add material in different ways

within Service Job Entry. In this
example, you add material using the
Engineering > Parts sheet. On the
Engineering > Parts sheet, click the
Part button to find and select the
material needed for this service
job. In this example, you want to 3 1
add material DSS-1020.

2. Your selected part displays within the

Parts grid.
2
3. Click and drag the part onto the Job
Tree View. Notice the DSS-1020
material now displays underneath the
Materials node.

4. Now you need to define the

reason this new part is needed 10
and make any adjustments to the
unit price of the material. You do this
on the Job Details > Materials > 4
Material Service sheet.

5. Select the reason this material is

needed on this service job from the 5
Reason drop-down list. 6
6. If this added material is for a 7
miscellaneous charge, such as travel 8
expenses, select the service call billing
charge code from the Misc Charge 9
drop-down list.

7. Because the service contract associated

with the call on the service job covers
material, the Billable check box is
clear; however, you can change this
value. In this example, you bill the
customer for this material.

8. The Unit Price is the sales price

defined for this material within Part Maintenance; if you need, you can change the unit price. If this material is for a
miscellaneous charge, you enter the charge here.

9. The Ext Price displays the gross extended line total for this material. It is calculated by multiplying the Qty/Parent value, defined
on the Job Details > Materials > Detail sheet, by the Unit Price.

10. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar. The estimated material cost for this line is now updated within Service Call
Center > Line > Line Pricing.

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Engineer and Release the Service Job

You are ready to schedule and release this service job. Here’s how:

1. On the Job sheet, select the

Engineered and Released check 2
boxes.

In this example, the service technician

will repair the part on-site. However, if
needed, you could have the part
returned to your facility for repairs. In 1
this case, you may need to schedule
the service job in a similar way as
scheduling manufactured jobs.

2. When finished, click Save on the

Standard toolbar.

Once a job is released, you can report labor

against the job within Time Entry. For more
information on how to add time entries,
review Chapter 7: Time Management.

Time Entry
Time and Expense Entry is the tool you use to enter time records against specific operations on selected service jobs.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > General Operations > Time and Expense Entry

To enter a new time record:

1. Enter the Employee ID.

2
2. Click the Down Arrow next to the 3
New button.

3. Select New Time.

1

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4. The fields on the Time >

Daily Time > Summary 8
> Detail sheet open for
data entry. In the Payroll
Date field, enter the date on
which the labor occurred.

5. From the Shift drop-down

list, select the shift during 4 5
which you performed the
labor.
6
6. Default time values populate
the Clock In, Clock Out, and
Lunch panes. If you need, 7
you can edit these times.

7. The total hours display in the

Pay Hours field.

8. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.

You are now ready to enter the

labor details.

Time and Expense Entry - Details

You use the Time > Daily Time > Detail > Detail sheet to define on which job and operation the labor occurred. You can enter as many
details as you need to account for the total labor time that displays on the Time > Daily Time > Summary > Detail sheet.

To enter a time detail:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select New Time Detail.

2. The Time > Daily Time >

Detail > Detail sheet
2
displays. From the Labor
Type list, select the labor that
was performed. The available
options are Indirect, Project,
Production, Service, and
Setup.

3. Enter the Job, Assembly, 3

and Operation for the labor 4
transaction.
5
4. If the labor for this service
call is complete, select the
Service Call Labor
Complete check box.

5. In the Labor Qty field, enter

the quantity that resulted
from this labor detail.

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6. In the Labor section, use the

Clock In and Clock Out
values to define how long
you worked on the
operation. 9

7. If this labor transaction

completes the operation,
select the Opr Complete
check box.

8. The Location section defines

the default resource group,
department information, and
resource for this transaction.
You can change these
8
options as needed.
6
9. Click Save on the Standard
toolbar.
7
10. To complete your time record,
click Submit to send through
the appropriate approval
process. 10
You have now completed a time
detail record. Each record posts
actual hours, labor costs, and burden costs against jobs.

Invoice a Service Contract Call

In this example, the technician reported labor against the service job within Time Entry, indicating the service call labor is complete.
The technician also reported the material as consumed within Mass Issues to Manufacturing. As labor is reported, material consumed,
and miscellaneous charges added, the actual and billable costs update within Service Call Center – Line - Line Pricing.

When you issue all material to the service job and report all labor against the service job, the status of the service job changes to
Complete within Service Job Entry, and the status of the service call within Service Call Center changes to Closed. Once the status of
the service call is closed, you can invoice the service call.

AR Invoice Entry
Use AR Invoice Entry to generate an invoice for a service call. For more information on how to generate invoices, review Chapter 22:
Customers and Accounts Receivable.

Main Menu Path: Financial Management > Accounts Receivable > General Operations > Invoice Entry

To generate an invoice for a service call:

1. Click the New button on the

1
Standard toolbar.

2. In the Group field, enter the identifier

for the entry group. 2 3

3. Define the Invoice Date and the

Apply Date for the group.

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4. You are now ready to add the field

service call. Click the Actions menu.

5. Highlight the Get sub-menu and select

5
Field Service Calls.
4

6
6. The Generate Field Service Invoices window
displays.
7
7. Click the Sold To Customers button to find
and select the customer that you are invoicing for the
service call.

8. Click OK. Select Yes on the message window that

displays.

You can now print the invoice for this service call. Another
status, Invoiced, is added to the service call within Service
Call Center.

Reports
This section describes some key field service reports you use to monitor service contracts and service calls. You can run these reports
whenever you need. You can also set up each report to generate and print through a recurring, automatic schedule. Review the
Automatic Data Processing chapter in Epicor ERP Implementation Guide for information on how you link a report to a recurring
schedule.

Service Contract Status

The Service Contract Status Report summarizes your existing service contracts by customer, parts, and contract codes for the specified
time period.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > Reports > Service Contract Status

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To generate this report:

1. Use the From and To fields to specify

the date range of service contracts on
the report.

2. Select the Contract Status of the

4
service contracts you would like to see
on the report. Valid selections include 3
Active, Expired, or Both.

3. Use the Filter sheet to filter the report

by Contracts, Customers, and Parts. 1

4. Click Print on the Standard toolbar to 2

run the report.

Service Contract Analysis

The Service Contract Analysis Report summarizes your current service contracts by customers, parts, and contract codes for a time
period you specify. This report compares the invoiced price of contracts with non-billable costs incurred on service calls issued against
the contract.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > Reports > Service Contract Analysis

To generate this report:

1. Use the From and To fields to specify

the date range of service contracts
currently in effect to analyze on the
report.

2. Select the Contract Status of the

service contracts you would like to see 4
on the report. Valid selections include
Active, Expired, or Both. 3 2

3. Use the Filter sheet to filter the report

by Customers, Parts, and Contract
Codes. 1

4. Click Print on the Standard toolbar to

run the report.

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Service Call Status Report

The Service Call Status Report summarizes service call status by customers, parts, and call types for a time period you specify. You can
also include the technicians, services, materials, and miscellaneous service charges assigned to the service call.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > Reports > Service Call Status

To generate this report:

1. Use the From and To fields to specify

the date range of service calls entered
on the report.

2. Select the Call Status of the service

5
calls you would like to see on the
report. Valid selections include Open,
4
Closed, or Both.

3. Use the Details section to choose the

information assigned to the service call 1
such as the technicians, services,
2
materials, and miscellaneous service
charges.

4. Use the Filter sheet to filter the report 3

by Customers, Parts, and Call Types.

5. Click Print on the Standard toolbar to

run the report.

CHAPTER 12 | INVENTORY
MANAGEMENT

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Service Technician Dispatch

The Service Technician Dispatch report summarizes your technician dispatches for the specified time period.

Main Menu Path: Service Management > Field Service > Reports > Service Technician Dispatch

To generate this report:

1. Use the Begin and End fields to

specify the date range of scheduled
service calls you want to review.

2. Optionally, select the Page Break per

Technician check box to indicate a
new page should start each time the
report encounters a new technician 4
(employee).
3
3. Use the Filter sheet to limit the report
data to only display dispatches for
specific Employees. 1
4. Click Print on the Standard toolbar to
2
run the report.

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Chapter 11
Engineering

Use the Engineering module to accurately define the components, subassemblies, and operations your company uses to
manufacture parts. The components and subassemblies define the bill of material for a part; the operations define the
routing for a part. Together, the bill of material and the routing are the method of manufacturing. As your manufacturing
practices evolve, the application will continuously update the method of manufacturing to reflect these changes. By
effectively leveraging these engineering features, your company can precisely follow the manufacturing steps required for
your product line.

The part revision drives the engineering functionality. Before you can enter any bill of materials or routing information on the
part, you must create at least one revision for it. After the revision is created on the part record, you check out this initial
revision to an Engineering Change Order (ECO) Group; this record tracks the description, reason, and approvals for the
revision. You can then create the bill of materials and routing information for this revision.

You can also engineer alternate methods for each part revision. Use this feature when the revision must be manufactured
differently – for example, when it is assembled through a slightly different method at another plant. These alternate methods
then reflect the specific process used at each plant within your company.

Before you begin engineering your parts, you need to set up some key records using the Resource Group Maintenance,
Operation Maintenance, and Part Maintenance programs. After you finish defining these records, you engineer your parts
through the Engineering Workbench. Run this program to design and update the processes used for each part manufactured
by your company.

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Setup
This section describes the primary records you need to create for the Engineering module. These programs are contained within the
Setup folder for this module. Only the primary records are described here. Some areas within the next Operations section may also
document setup records if they are required for a specific workflow.

You also need to set up some parameters within Company Configuration. The Engineering module has global settings you need to
define through this administration program. For more information, review the application help for the Engineering module; the
Configuration topic details the options you define in Company Configuration. You can also review the Company Configuration
chapter in the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.

Resource Groups
A part is manufactured through the combined effort of equipment, tools, and people. You can define each of these items within your
manufacturing process using Resource Group Maintenance.

A resource is a specific manufacturing asset. A resource can be a piece of equipment like a punch press or a laser wire marking
machine, a tool required to produce components, or an employee like a setter, or operator. A resource group pulls similar equipment
and employee skills together, defining a specific aspect of your manufacturing center. Resource groups can also define equipment and
skills that are placed together within a physical location.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > Setup > Resource Group

1. Click New on the

Standard toolbar. 14

2. In the Resource Group 1

field, enter an identifier for 2 5
the new group.
3
3. Enter a Description for the
4
resource group.
6
4. Click the Department drop-
down list to select the
department that will collect 7
information on multiple
resource groups for various 8 11
reports. 12
9
5. Click the Calendar button to 13
find and select the calendar 10
for this group. You can also
enter the calendar ID directly.
This value is the default
calendar used for resources
created within the group. For
more information about
Production Calendars, review
the Plants chapter in the
Epicor ERP Implementation
Guide.

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6. If this resource group is a physical place within the manufacturing center, select the Location check box. Selecting this check box
causes the resource group to be defined as the destination on the shop floor where both raw materials and partially completed
product quantities are delivered. It also indicates where completed product quantities are picked up from this resource group to
be sent to the next operation, shipped to the customer, or received to inventory.

Location resource groups also define the primary amount of manufacturing burden (overhead) placed against a labor transaction.
Because of this functionality, a resource group defined as a location controls the amount of actual burden placed against an
operation. The burden rate defined on a location resource group overrides any burden rates used on the primary resource group
selected for the job operation. When a shop employee enters labor against a location resource group, the burden rate from this
resource group is used on the labor transaction, instead of the burden rate from the planned resource group on the job
operation. You use this feature to allocate burden costs for tooling, product fixtures, and so on in order to include them in actual
burden amounts.

7. Define the burden rates for both Production and Setup. Burden is the overhead cost, like machine operation costs, that occur
while this resource group runs.

8. Indicate how this rate calculates by using either the Flat or Percent
method. The Flat method uses the Costing Burden Rate as a flat hourly The Setup value defines the cost that occurs while
rate; this value is multiplied by the hours posted against a job to the resource group is readied for production. The
determine the total burden cost. When you select the Percent method, Production value defines the cost that occurs while
the Costing Burden Rate is a percentage of the shop employee’s Labor the resource group is manufacturing materials.
Rate and is multiplied by the hours posted against a job to determine
the total burden cost.

9. Define the labor rates for both Production and Setup. Labor is the cost of the time employees spend working within the
resource group.

10. In the Crew Sizes fields, enter how many shop employees work within this group. You can have different crew sizes for setup
and production.

11. In the Scheduling Blocks field, enter how many resources one operation needs in order to be complete. The scheduling
program divides the production time by the number of scheduling blocks you enter here.

12. The Queue Hours field defines how long materials wait before work begins on them. During scheduling, this time is added to
the estimated production hours.

13. The Move Hours field indicates how long materials wait after the last operation is complete before they move on to the next
resource group. During scheduling, this time is added to the estimated operation hours.

14. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Now that you have entered the main information for the resource group, you are ready to enter the group’s resources.

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Resource
You also use the Resource Group Maintenance program to create the resources that make up the resource group. A resource is a
specific manufacturing asset. A resource is a piece of equipment like a punch press or a laser wire marking machine, a tool required to
produce components, or an employee like a setter, or operator.

To define resources on the Resources > Detail sheet:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select New Resource.
13
2. The Resources > Detail
sheet displays. In the
Resource field, enter the 2 3
unique identifier forthe
4
resource.
5
3. Enter a Description to
identify the resource. This text 6
displays on various reports 7 9
and windows throughout the
application. 8
10
4. Optionally, select the Finite
Capacity check box to
indicate the resource works
only during a specific number 11
of hours each day. Any
operation linked to this
resource is not scheduled over
this capacity limit. 12

5. The default Production Calendar selected for the resource group If you clear this check box, the global scheduling
displays in this field. Either enter or search for and select the functionality calculates this resource for infinite capacity.
production calendar you need. This means that multiple operations can be scheduled on
this resource at the same time. For more information,
6. If this resource is a physical place within the manufacturing
review Chapter 14: Scheduling.
center, select the Location check box. Selecting this check box
causes the resource to be defined as the physical location on the
shop floor where both raw materials and partially completed product quantities are delivered. It also indicates that complete
product quantities are picked up from this resource to be sent to the next operation, shipped to the customer, or received to
inventory.

Location resources also define the primary amount of manufacturing burden (overhead) placed against a labor transaction.
Because of this functionality, a resource defined as a location controls the amount of actual burden placed against an operation.
The burden rate defined on a location resource overrides any burden rates used on the primary resource selected for the job
operation. When a shop employee enters labor against a location resource, the burden rate from this resource is used on the
labor transaction, instead of the burden rate from the planned resource on the job operation. You use this feature to allocate
burden costs for tooling, product fixtures, and so on in order to include them in actual burden amounts.

7. Click the Input Warehouse and In Bin drop-down lists to define the warehouse and bin from which this resource pulls its
material.

8. Click the Output Warehouse and Out Bin drop-down lists to define the warehouse and bin that receives material from this
resource.

9. Click the Backflush Warehouse and Backflush Bin drop-down lists to define which warehouse and bin backflushes materials
to this resource. If the In Bin does not have enough on-hand quantity, materials are issued from this location instead.

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10. The Costing Burden Rates area defines the setup and production burden rates this resource uses. To pull in the rates from the
resource group as a default, select the Use Resource Group Values check box.

11. The Costing Labor Rates area defines the setup and production labor rates this resource uses. To pull in the rates from the
resource group as a default, select the Use Resource Group Values check box.

12. Use the Scheduling section to define how operations at this resource
For details about the scheduling functionality, review
are scheduled. If the resource uses the same options as the resource
Chapter 14: Scheduling.
group, select the Use Resource Group Values check box.

13. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

You next must indicate the days on which work will not be performed within this resource group.

Calendar Exceptions
Use the Calendar Exceptions sheet to define specific days and hours when work does not occur within the current group. This
prevents the scheduling functionality from assigning production hours during these inactive times.

To define calendar exceptions:

1. Click the Calendar Exceptions tab.

2. Select the date on which the hours

normally worked on that date will be
different. In this example, you select
April 18th. 1

3. Click the Calendar Exceptions 4

button.
5
4. The Calendar Exception window 2
displays. Note both the resource group 6
and the date display on the title bar. 7
5. Select or clear the check boxes to
indicate the hours during which work
will or will not occur on this date.

6. Click OK.

7. A Calendar Exception icon displays

on the date you modified. 3

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Operations
Operations define actions your shop employees perform during the manufacturing process. Operations interact with resource groups
and resources so you can precisely calculate the costs in time, burden, and labor each operation takes to complete.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > Setup > Operation

To create operations in Operations Maintenance:

1. Click New on the Standard

toolbar. 1

2. In the Operation field, enter an

identifier for the operation.
2
3. Enter a Description of the operation. 4
3
4. You can select two types of operations.
5
A Manufacturing operation is an
action used during production. A
Service Call operation is an action
used during field service repairs. Select
the type that applies to this operation.

5. The Text field displays standard

comments that print on various reports.
These comments are used when the
operation is used on a quote, job, or
part method.

6. To select the resource groups or 6

the resources used to run this
operation, click the Down Arrow next
to the New button; select either New
Resource Group Requirement or 7
New Resource Requirement.
10
7. For this example, you are linking this
operation to a resource group. To do
this, navigate to the Scheduling
Requirements > Resource Groups 8
sheet.

8. In the Resource Group ID field, find

and select the resource group you
want to add to the operation. To do
this, right-click this field. From the
context menu, select Open With and
then Resource Group Search.

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9. Use the Resource Group Search program to find the resource 9

group that you need to run this operation.

10. The resource group you selected displays within the Resource Group
List grid. Repeat these steps to add the resources and resource groups
that run this operation.

11. Optionally, you can add a 11

restriction on the use of certain
hazardous substances that may be
added by this operation during the 13
production process. To do this, click the
12
Down Arrow next to the New
button; select New Restriction.
14
For information on setting up
restricted substances, review
the Part Parameters chapter in
the Epicor ERP Implementation
Guide.

12. The RoHS > Restrictions > Detail sheet displays.

13. Click the Restriction Type drop-down list to select the appropriate restriction type. The default description from the selected
restriction type displays.

14. Click Save.

15. Click the RoHS > Substances >

Detail tab. 17

16. Review the substances included in the

selected Restriction Type. For each 15
substance, enter a Substance Weight,
which defines the default weight of
the substance per primary part of the
Unit of Measure.
16
17. When you finish, click Save.

When your operations are defined, you are

ready to enter your part record.

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Base Part Records

The base record used during the engineering process is the part. Each part record can contain multiple revisions, so the part record can
evolve as changes and innovations occur within your company. Part records define all aspects of the part – including its unit of
measures, plants, and lots.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > Setup > Part

To create a new part:

1. Click New on the Standard

toolbar. 13

2. In the Part field, enter a number 1

for the part. This value is the identifier
for the part throughout the 2
application. 3

3. Enter a Description for the part. This 4

description prints on sales orders and 5 8
AR invoices.
6 9
4. Click the Type drop-down list and
7
select Manufactured. This indicates
the part is assembled by your company. 10
12
5. Define the UOM Class for the part. 11
The UOM Class represents a
combination of unit of measures valid
for the part and the factors used to
perform conversions to the base UOM.

6. Select the Primary UOMs for

Inventory, Sales, and Purchasing. These
represent the units of measure in
which this item is normally sold, quoted, stocked, or purchased.

7. Now define the Sales Unit Price of the part. This price is the default price used for this part when entering a sales order. This
value is just the base price; it can be modified later by any price breaks you enter.

8. Use the drop-down list next to the Sales Unit Price field to indicate the Price Per quantity associated with this price. You can sell
at this price for every one part, every hundred parts, or every thousand parts.

9. In the Internal Price field, enter how much this part costs when this part is transferred from stock in one plant to a job in
another plant. Once again, define the Price Per value from the accompanying drop-down list.

10. The next fields are all optional items you can define for various project reporting and analysis functions. For example, if your
company classifies parts by product group, select a Group from this drop-down list. Do the same for the Class, Warranty,
Head/Asm Analysis, and Material Analysis drop-down lists. These values group together materials operations, assemblies, and
headers. You then can run a project analysis using a specific value you define here, comparing costs contained within each
analysis group.

For example, you have a project with multiple jobs that use material from multiple part classes. If you want to see how much of
the total amount came from these different part classes, run a project analysis against these class values to view the segregated
costs.

11. If you use Reference categories to group materials for assignment of reference designators, click the Reference Category drop-
down list and select the category, for example, Resistor, LED.

12. If you use tax categories to classify your items for sales tax reporting, click the Tax Category drop-down list and select an
option.

13. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

The part record is added to the database. You are now ready to add more details to the part record.

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Define the Plant

Each part is manufactured at one or more plants within your company.

Each company automatically has at least one default plant.
After you define the part’s main information, indicate which plant
If your Epicor application has a Multi-Site license, you can
handles the manufacturing for this part.
define multiple plants for each company and then select
these plants on your part records.

1. Within Part Maintenance, click 1

the Down Arrow next to the
New button; select New Plant.

2. The Part > Plants > Detail sheet

displays. Click the Plant drop-down list
to select the plant that manufactures 2
the part.
3
3. Click the Primary Warehouse drop-
down list to select the main warehouse
that stores this part’s finished 4
quantities.

4. Click the Type drop-down list to select

the Manufacture option.

You create plant records in Plant

Maintenance and warehouse
records in Warehouse
Maintenance. You launch these
setup programs from the
Inventory Management module.

5. You can also define the plant’s

planning parameters. To do this, click
the Planning tab.
10
6. On the Part > Plants > Planning
sheet, define the MRP and scheduling
parameters for this part at this plant.
For example, if you want the Get 5 6
Details process to create a pull quantity
that utilizes existing stock to reduce the
production quantity, select the Auto
Consume Stock check box. This causes
overrun quantities to be automatically
consumed that have been put into
stock.

7. Manufacturing Lead Time is the 7

elapsed time from when production
begins on a quantity to when the
quantity is considered complete on the
costing lot. This time includes how 8
long it takes to acquire any constrained
materials for the current assembly and 9
how long it takes to manufacture
subassemblies needed to create the
current part. You can use the Manufacturing Lead Time Calculation process to automatically calculate lead time values; this
process considers all the variables for manufacturing the complete part from beginning to end. However, you can override these
calculated values and enter the number of days as an exception value. For more information on this process, review the
Manufacturing Lead Time Calculation section later in this chapter.

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8. Enter a Cumulative Time value. This value is the sum of the manufacturing lead time plus the material lead time. It incorporates
the lead time of the longest constrained material requirement found on any of the sub-assemblies.

9. Enter a This Level Time value. This value is the time required to build the job cost quantity of the part; it assumes the required
materials are available.

10. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Many other fields and sheets within the Part
The part’s main plant information is now defined. Maintenance program are available for use by other
functions within the application. These fields are
beyond the scope of this chapter. To learn about all
the available functions, review the Part Maintenance
topics within application help.

Part Revision

When you finish entering the basic information on the part, you need to create at least one revision for it. You can then open the part
within the Engineering Workbench – where you define the revision’s method of manufacturing.

To create a part revision:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to the

New button; select New Part 1
Revision.
13
2. The Part > Revisions > Detail
3
sheet displays. In the Rev field, enter
the revision identifier. This value
identifies the part revision throughout 2
the application, and it is typically
4 6
labeled by a letter. For example, A is
the first revision and B is the second 5 8
revision. 9
7
3. In the Effective field, enter or click the 10 11
drop-down list to select the date on
12
which this part revision becomes the
main revision for this part. The
application uses this date to determine the default revision whenever a part with revisions is selected on a job record.

4. Enter a Description for the revision.

5. If you have an engineering drawing for this revision, enter this file’s identifier within the Draw field.

6. If you use reference designators, select the Validate Ref Designators check box to perform validations for this part revision.
Validations include determining the number of reference designators for each material record, and verifying that each identifier is
unique.

7. The Configurable check box indicates the revision has either a configuration linked to it or the revision's bill of materials (BOM),
created through the Engineering Workbench, contains a material or subassembly revision linked to a configuration.

For example, if a Revision is approved, the application launches a Configuration Sequence process (visible through the System
Monitor) that goes through all subassemblies/materials in the current part's BOM and searches for configurations linked to the
part's BOM. If a configuration is found, the part revision is marked Configurable. The process continues to branch through any
part BOM used as a subassembly. If the logic finds a configuration linked to a subassembly BOM, this subassembly part is also
marked as Configurable.

8. The ECO and ECO Group fields are blank. These fields populate after the part revision is checked out within the Engineering
Workbench. This program is explored later in this chapter.

9. Click the Plant field drop-down list to select the plant that manufactures this part revision. If you only have one plant within
your company, this default plant displays.

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10. If the Co-Parts check box is selected, the selected part has at least one co-part associated with it.

11. Click the Concurrency field drop-down list to select either Concurrent or Sequential. The selected value determines quantity
reporting and costing.

• If sequential, the quantity requirements of the co-parts are factored in the total cost of the revision and then split according
to the labor/material cost split set up in the co-part.

• If concurrent, only the quantity requirement of the main part is considered and then divided by yield to determine the total
cost of the revision. Labor and material cost factors are used to split the costs.

12. The Rough Cut Parameter section includes the Rough Cut Code field. This functionality is described in Chapter 14: Scheduling.

13. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Alternate Methods

You may have slightly different methods you use to manufacture each part, depending upon various conditions. If your company
manufactures this part in different plants, the method of manufacturing may also vary between these facilities. To account for these
different methods, you can define alternate methods for each part revision.

1. In the Tree View, select the

revision level. Click the
1
Down Arrow next to the
New button; select New
Alt Method. 8

2. The Alternate Methods >

Detail sheet displays. Notice
the Base Revision Number
(in this example, B) displays
within a read-only field.

3. In the Alternate Method ID 2

field, enter a value that 3
identifies the alternate
method. Typically, you enter a 4
number in this field. For this 5
example, a 2 displays, which
indicates this method is the 6
second alternate method for 7
part revision B. The method
identifier for this alternate
method is now B2.

4. The default plant from the Revisions > Detail sheet displays in the Plant field. If this alternate method is used in a different
plant, select this option from the drop-down list.

5. In the Effective Date field, enter or click the drop-down list to select the date on which this alternate method becomes the
alternate method for this part within the current plant. The application uses this date to determine the default alternate method
whenever a part with revisions is entered.

6. If an engineering drawing was entered for the part revision, this default drawing number is displayed within the Drawing field.
If you need, you can enter a different number.

7. If you use reference designators, select the Validate Ref Designators check box to perform validations for this alternate
method.

8. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

The part record, its revisions, and its alternate methods are now defined. You are ready to engineer and ultimately approve this part
using the Engineering Workbench.

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Alternate Parts

Use the Alternates sheet to set up substitute and complement parts for the current part record. A list of part substitutions is then
available when you enter sales orders and purchase orders for this part.

When you select a complement part, the Epicor application adds a new detail line to the sales order or purchase order. This detail line
contains the complement part. When you use a substitute part, however, the Epicor application substitutes the original part on the
detail line with the substitute part.

To define a substitute or complement part:

1. Click the Down 1

Arrow next to the
New button; select New Part
Alternative.
9
2. Click the Alternate Part
button to find and select the 2
part you want to use to either 8
substitute or complement. 3
5
4
3. The Description of the
alternate part defaults from 6
the selected part record.
7
4. Select the Alternate Type
you want from this drop-
down list. Available types:

• Substitute – This alternate

part replaces the original
part selected on the sales order or purchase order detail line.

• Complement – This alternate part is a cross-sell part you can sell to a customer considering a purchase. For example, if a
customer purchases a keyboard, a mouse is considered a complement item. A new detail line is added to the sales order or
purchase order for this complement part.

5. If you select the Substitute option, you must select a type from the Substitute Type drop-down list. Available options:

• Comparable – This part is similar in fit, form, and function to the original part. Use comparable parts when not enough
inventory is available on hand to satisfy the order quantity.

• Downgrade – This part is a lower price (down-sell) you can offer to a customer. Use this part for a bargain-minded buyer
looking for a cheaper alternative to the original item.

• Upgrade – This part is a higher price (up-sell) you can offer to a customer. Use this part to provide a better version of the
same product or service the customer is considering to purchase.

6. In the Suggested Qty field, enter the quantity of the alternate required to match each base unit of measure for the original
part. Enter a numeric value in this field and then select the unit of measure from the accompanying drop-down list. The number
of decimals you can enter depends on the Allow Decimals and Decimals values defined for the selected UOM code.

For example, the base unit of measure for the original part is Case and the selling unit of measure for the alternate part is Each.
If you enter a quantity of 12 in this field and select the default of Each, a 12 quantity of Each of the alternate part is required to
equal one Case of the original part.

7. If you need, enter any additional Comments you want for the alternate part.

8. Select the Default check box to indicate this part is the first alternate option available on the current part record. You can only
select one alternate part as the default option.

9. Continue to add the alternate parts you need. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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Restricted Substances

Use the RoHS (Restrictions on the use of certain Hazardous Substances) sheets to indicate the current part complies with the weight
limits defined for hazardous substances used in electrical equipment, electronic equipment, and other materials. Different legislative
bodies, such as the European Union or the state of California, have defined these weight limits to reduce accumulation in landfills. Use
these sheets to indicate the current material meets these restrictions for the various localities that may receive the part.

Restrictions

To begin using this functionality, you first specify a substance restriction type for a part. Each restriction contains some overall
parameters you define first before you select the substances included with this restriction.

To add a restriction to the current part:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select New Restriction.

2. The Reporting > RoHS >

10
Restrictions > Detail sheet
displays. 2

3. Select the Restriction Type

from the drop-down list. The 3 8 9
current restriction types
4
display as options on this list;
select the one you need. 5
6
To learn how to create
restriction types for use 7
throughout your Epicor
application, review the
Part Parameters chapter
within the Epicor ERP
Implementation Guide.

4. The Description for the restriction type displays.

5. Select the Override check box to indicate a weight roll-up will not be calculated for this restriction. You then enter the restriction
amount manually within the Substances sheet. Selecting this check box also causes the Compliance Date to automatically
display the current date.

6. The Compliance Date displays the date on which the roll-up process was last run. This field populates when the Override check
box is selected or when the RoHS Compliance process successfully runs.

7. The Last Roll-Up field displays the date on which the last roll-up process was run against this restriction.

8. If the current restriction can no longer be used against this part, select the Inactive check box. The roll-up process then ignores
this restriction.

9. The compliance status icon indicates the results of the RoHS Compliance process. Available statuses:

• Not Applicable (yellow) – No substances are selected.

• Non-Compliant (red) – One or more substances are selected, but the roll-up has either not run or has failed.

• Compliant (green) – One or more substances are selected and the roll-up was successful.

• Exempt (yellow) – All substances are not subject to RoHS compliance.

10. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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Substances

After you define the restriction for the part, you can then specify the substances, by weight percentage, included for the current
restriction.

You must enter an exempt date for substances exempt for a specific part. After this date, the substance can be declared as exempt or
restricted again. You can also enter an exempt certificate for the substance.

To add a restricted substance to the part record:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New 1
button; select New
Restriction Substance.
10
2. The Reporting > RoHS >
Substances > Detail sheet
displays. 2

3. Select a Substance from the 3 9

drop-down list. All the
substances available within 4
your application display; select 5
the option you need. 6
7
To learn how to create 8
restricted substance
records for use throughout
your Epicor application,
review the Part Parameters
chapter in the Epicor ERP
Implementation Guide.

4. The Description for the selected substance automatically displays.

5. Enter the Substance Weight restriction and select the Unit of Measure value you need for the current substance. This value
defines the limit for which the restricted substance can be used within the current part.

6. Select the Exempt check box to indicate the current substance is not subject to RoHS restrictions.

7. Enter the Exempt End Date on which the current substance will no longer be subject to RoHS restrictions. If this date is equal
to or before the current system date, the substance can be exempt.

8. If you need, select the Exempt Certificate to help verify this exemption. This value is the identifier of the document that
validates the exemption.

9. To cause this substance to be ignored during the weight roll-up process, select the Override check box.

10. Continue to update or add the substances you need to this restriction type. When you finish, click Save on the Standard
toolbar.

Operations
This section describes the operations available in the Engineering module. Each operation is described as a workflow to help guide you
through the process from start to finish. These programs are primarily found within the General Operations folder for this module. If a
unique setup record is required to run the operation, this record is also described in this section.

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RoHS Part Compliance

If you have defined restrictions on the use of certain hazardous substances, you can use the RoHS Part Compliance Process to run the
job compliance roll-up process for the engineered parts. The process generates a log file with the compliance status of each assembly,
material, operation, and substance

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > General Operations > RoHS Part Compliance Process

The RoHS Part Compliance Process window displays. You can now run the compliance for a specific restriction type or part.

To run the job compliance:

1. Select the Processing Options method

you need. The Net Change process is
the default method.
4
You can run a Net Change, which only
updates records either updated or
added since the last time you ran this 2
process. You can also select
Regenerative, which completely
verifies all the current restricted 1
substances within your application.

2. You can also click the Filters tab to

limit the information that displays.
3
3. Enter filters for the Restriction Type
and Parts you want to use for the
compliance process.

4. Click Submit on the Standard toolbar

to run the compliance process.

Engineering Workbench
The Engineering Workbench is the main program you use to build and maintain a method of manufacturing for a part. A method
consists of two key components – a bill of materials (BOM) and its routing. The BOM is a list of all the component and subassembly
parts needed to produce the final part. The routing defines all the operations and shop resources needed to produce the final part
quantity.

The Engineering Workbench contains all the functionality required to engineer your parts. The next sections of this chapter give you an
overview of this program’s many functions.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > General Operations > Engineering Workbench

Create a New ECO Group

The Engineering Workbench organizes its data through Engineering Change Order (ECO) Groups. Before you can create or edit a part
revision, you must create an ECO group that maintains and tracks the part revision changes.

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To create an ECO group:

1. Click New on the Standard

toolbar. 7

2. In the Group field, enter the new 1

group's identifier.
2 6
3. Now, in the Description field, enter a
3
reason for the ECO group. Use this
field to indicate which part or parts are 4
engineered through this ECO group.
5
4. In the Due Date field, enter or click
the drop-down to select the date by which this group’s part revisions need to be complete.

5. Now indicate when these part revisions are available for manufacturing within the Effective Date field. The application uses this
date to determine the default revision whenever a part with revisions is entered on a job or quote.

6. By default, the Single User check box is selected. This indicates that only
Although multiple users can be in the same ECO
one user can have this ECO group active at a time. If this check box is clear,
group, only one user can access a part revision at
multiple users can access this group simultaneously.
a time.
7. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

The ECO group is added to your database. You are now ready to check out part revisions to this group and develop part methods for
each revision.

Check Out Parts

Before you can engineer a part revision, it must be checked out to the ECO group. To do this, you launch a command from the
Actions menu.

1. From the Actions menu, click Check Out Part.

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2. The Part Revision Checkout program

displays. Either directly enter the part
number you want to engineer, or
click the Part button to find and 2
select it.

3. All the part record’s revisions and

alternate methods display within this
program’s grid. Select the revisions and
alternate methods you want to check
out to this group. For this example,
part revision B and its alternate 3
method, B2, are selected.

4. Click OK.

A warning message displays indicating

this revision and its alternate methods
are checked out to this ECO group.
Click OK again. 4

5. The part revision you previously created

in the Part Maintenance program
displays within the Engineering
Workbench. You may begin modifying
this part’s method of manufacturing.

Copy Existing Methods

When you first check out a new revision, it does not have any operations and materials. A quick way to begin a new part revision is to
pull in an existing method of manufacturing from a previous revision. You can then use this method as a base for your changes to this
new revision.

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To pull in an existing method of manufacturing from a previous revision:

1. From the Actions menu, select

1
Revision > Get Details > Get from
Methods/Jobs/Quotes.

2. The Get Details window displays.

Notice the revisions for the current part
display in the grid.

3. Select the revision that has the method

you want to use. For this example,
select revision A.

4. Click OK.

5. The method from revision A is now pulled into revision B. Its operations and
materials display within the Tree View. You are ready to make the changes you
need to the existing method. 5

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Modify a Routing

When the operations from the previous revision are loaded into the Engineering Workbench, you can modify them as you need.

1. In the Tree View, select the

operation you need to change. The 14
Method of Manufacturing >
Operations > Detail sheet displays,
and the selected operation 1
automatically populates the fields on
this sheet.

2. The key field is the Operation drop- 3

down list. Use this list to select the 4 10
operation that runs at this point in the
routing. 2
5 11
3. The Opr field displays the sequence
number that uniquely identifies each
operation on an assembly. This number
6
is assigned in increments of 10. You
can insert new operations (for example, 12 13
15) between other operations.

4. The Description field displays the 7

default description for the selected
operation. You can edit this field. 8
9

5. The Labor Reporting Resource area contains the scheduling

All the operations you define through the Operation
resources used for this operation’s setup and production. The default
Maintenance program display on the Operation list.
values are the Production and Setup selected on the operation
Before you use the Engineering Workbench, you
record. If you need, you can change these values.
must first create the operations you want to use
6. The Setup Per Scheduling Block area contains fields that define this through this maintenance program.
operation’s setup. Enter the amount of Hours to prepare this
operation. If an additional part quantity and setup time is needed, enter these values in the other fields.

7. In the Scheduling Factors area, you indicate what relationship this operation has with the preceding operation. The three
options are Start-To-Start, Finish-To-Start, and Finish-To-Finish. They indicate whether this operation starts at the same time
as the preceding operation, begins when the previous operation ends, or finishes at the same time as the previous operation.

8. If you can advance a complete part quantity on the current operation to the next operation before the operation is complete,
select a Send Ahead Type from the drop-down list. You can use this functionality when the current and previous operations
have a Start-To-Start relationship. Available options:

• Hours – Any quantity manufactured after an elapsed time can be moved to the next operation.

• Pieces – A specific complete quantity can be moved ahead to the next operation.

• Percentage – When a percentage of the total quantity is complete, this quantity percentage can be moved ahead to the next
operation.

9. You then indicate the quantity that can be moved to the next
You define within Plant Maintenance whether the
operation through the Send Ahead Offset field. Enter a number
Send Ahead modifier is based on either the Setup
that reflects the Send Ahead Type – hours, pieces (a quantity value),
Start Time or the Production Start Time. Depending
or a percentage.
on what you select, the Send Ahead calculation
estimates what production quantity can be advanced
by including or ignoring the setup time.

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10. Click the Labor Entry drop-down list to define how labor is entered for this operation. The valid options are Backflush, Quantity
Only, and Time and Quantity.

11. The Qty/Parent field indicates how many times this operation must be run on one part. This value is multiplied against the
operation quantity to figure out how many times this operation runs at this point in the routing.

12. The Prod Std (Production Standard) field defines the rate of production for this operation. The default value from the operation
record displays in this field, but you can change it if you need.

13. The Production Standard value you enter depends upon the Standard Format. You can define the Production Standard by
number of pieces, hours, minutes, or operations. These two values calculate the total estimated production hours for this
operation.

14. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Continue to make any changes you need to each operation within this method. This part revision’s routing is then correctly
engineered.

New Operations

You can also use the Engineering Workbench to add new operations to the part revision’s method. To do this:

1. From the Actions menu, select

Operation. Valid selections for the
Operations submenu display.

2. You can add an operation step run 1 2

internally by your manufacturing
center, a subcontract operation step
completed by a supplier, and a
scheduling resource.

You can only add multiple scheduling resources to

an operation if the Advanced Planning and
Scheduling (APS) module is installed.

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Modify Bill of Materials (BOM)

You can change the materials required to manufacture the part revision in the same way you modify a routing. Here’s how:

1. Select the material you need to change

on the Tree View. The Method of
Manufacturing > Materials > Detail
sheet displays, and the selected
material automatically populates the 1
fields on this sheet.
3
2. The main field on this sheet is the Part 4
field. This value is the identifier for the
material required in this part of the 2
6
BOM. If you need to change this part, 5
you can enter it directly or click the
Part button to find and select it. 7
3. The Description field displays the
default explanation for the selected
part. If you need, click the Description
button to review the Extended
Description for this part.

4. The Mtl Seq (Material Sequence) field

indicates at which point in the method
this material is needed. You can change this value.

5. If this material is required at a specific point within the routing, enter

The operation you select here is used to calculate a
the specific Operation in this field. You can enter this operation
Material Required Date when you use this method
directly or click the Operation button to find and select it.
on a job. For more information, review Chapter 14:
6. Specify the Assembly Options for this part material. You can select Scheduling.
the following options:

• Pull as Assembly – Select this check box to indicate this material requirement should be manufactured as it is needed. Clear
the check box to indicate this material requirement should be pulled from stock. If the check box is clear, the material is pulled
into the job or quote as a material with no related manufacturing details. If the check box is selected, the material creates an
assembly record on the job or quote, and all material and operation manufacturing details are pulled over.

• Plan as Assembly – Select this check box to indicate this material requirement is fulfilled from stock, but if not enough stock
is available during the manufacturing lead time, it will be planned as a subassembly by the MRP process.

• View as Assembly – This setting indicates whether all the material required to make a subcomponent part should display in
the bill of materials. If you select this check box, the material required to make this component displays in the parent part’s bill
of materials. If you clear this check box, the item’s material will not display in this bill of materials.

• Reassign Serial Number to Assembly - Select this check box to assign serial numbers to the parent assembly (top assembly)
for issuing material or assembly. You can report time against this type of operation, if required, and receive the same serial
part back to stock, to another job, or ship directly from a job.

7. The Qty/Parent field defines the quantity of material needed to produce one part. This value is used to calculate the quantity of
material that is needed to manufacture the final part quantity on the job.

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8. If you use reference designators, for

example to match a schematic to a
board layout, click the Reference
Designators tab. 8

9. To create and link reference designators

to the specific material, first you enter 9
the number of identifiers needed in the
Required Ref Designators field.

10. You can create the reference 10

designators individually, or you can
create a range of reference designators
for the number of identifiers required. 11
To create a range, enter a Prefix and
Suffix, if desired, and click Add
Range.

11. A series of individual reference designators are automatically created for In order to use reference designators, you need to
that range. For each line, enter the XYZ coordinate and Rotation create reference designator categories. For more
information, and the Description. information, review the Part Parameters chapter in
the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.

12. If you use restrictions on certain

hazardous substances, you can 15
assign or change the specific
compliance weight of each material. To
assign or change a weight, click the 12
RoHS tab.

13. Enter the Material Weight. This value

defaults from the Part master for the
specific material. Any material within 13
the weight limit is considered in
14
compliance with your RoHS restriction
policy.

14. You can also change the restriction

type and substance information
associated with this material. To do this, use the fields on the Restrictions and Substances sheets.

15. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Continue to make any changes you need to each material within this bill of materials.

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New Materials

You can also use the Engineering Workbench to add materials to the part revision’s method.

1. From the Actions menu, select

Material > Add Material.

Co-Parts

Use the co-parts functionality to define a method of manufacturing that can produce multiple parts (co-parts) on a single job.

During some part manufacturing processes, you can produce additional parts as by-products from a primary part. You can also
produce two nearly identical parts at the same time using similar routing. An example of this is a left and right bracket (with different
part numbers) where the only functional difference in the two parts is the
bend operation or the placement of the drilled holes. Four examples are To use the Co-Parts functionality, you must have an
shown below. Advanced Production license.

Example 1

Part A has co-parts B and C. B and C are only built when part A is built.

Part A B C
Co-Part B, C None None
Method Yes - ABC No No
Result ABC Nothing Nothing

Example 2

Part A has co-parts B and C, but B and C could have independent demand.

Part A B C
Co-Part B, C None None
Method Yes - ABC Yes - B Yes - C
Result ABC B C

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Example 3

Parts A, B and C are always produced together and could have independent demand.

Part A B C
Co-Part B, C A, C A, B
Method Yes - ABC Yes - ABC Yes - C
Result ABC B C

Example 4

Part A has B and C as co-parts but B and C have co-parts D and E, respectively.

Part A B C D E
Co-Part B, C D E B C
Method Yes - ABC Yes - BD Yes - EC Yes - DB Yes - EC
Result ABC BC EC ED EC

Co-Part Methods
In Engineering Workbench, you can establish the yield per quantity of the co-parts, their costing ratios, and whether this revision
will be used to cost the co-part. Once this data is entered in the Engineering Workbench (on the Revision > Co-Parts sheet), it is
automatically pulled into the job or quote when you select Get Details.

1. To select a new co-part for

the identified primary 1
part, click the Down
Arrow next to the New
button; select New > New
Co Part.

2. Click the Part/Rev button to

find and select the part 2
number and revision for the
co-part. 3

3. Use the Yield Per field, enter 4

how many of the specified 5
co-part will be made when
one quantity of the primary 6
part is manufactured.

4. If you need, you can further define the costs by entering values in the Material Cost Factor and Labor Cost Factor fields. For
example, increase a part’s Material Cost Factor if the part uses more material than the primary part.

5. You can select the Primary Suggestions check box to prevent Material Requirements Planning (MRP) from creating job
suggestions for the co-part. Refer the the Material Requirements Planning (MRP) Technical Reference Guide for more information
on the Primary Suggestions modifier.

6. Select the Primary Costing check box to indicate this revision is used to cost the co-part. The roll-up calculation then uses the
co-part method and applies the costing factors to the total cost of the method and divides by the Yield Per value. If this check
box is clear, the part method is used to determine the job costs.

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7. You can also review the

co-parts on the List
sheet. Navigate to the
Co-Parts > List sheet to
review the co-parts.

Display Other Revisions/Alternate Methods

To modify other part revisions and alternate methods within this ECO group, you must navigate to them using the Revision > List
sheet. As described previously in the Base Part Records section, alternate parts are substitute and complement parts for the current
part record.

To display this sheet:

1. Select the Revision >

List sheet.

2. Double-click the revision

or the alternate method
you want to edit. 1

The Engineering Workbench

now displays this revision or 2
alternate method within all of
its sheets. Edit the method of
manufacturing as you need.

Create New Revisions/Alternate Methods

Just like Part Maintenance, you can also create new revisions and/or alternate methods through the Engineering Workbench.

1. From the Actions menu, select

Revision. Select either New Revision 1
or New Alternate Method.

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Approval

When you have completed creating or editing a part revision’s method of

A revision cannot be approved if any of its
manufacturing, you need to approve it. Only revisions approved for use are
operations are not assigned to a scheduling resource.
available on jobs and quotes.

To approve a part revision:

1. Click the Revision > Detail sheet.

2. Select the Not Approved check box.

1 2

3. The Approved icon displays.

The part revision is now approved. After the

system clock passes this revision’s Effective
Date, this revision becomes the default
version used to manufacture this part.

Part Revision Check In

To complete the engineering process, you must check in the revision. After the revision is checked in, it is available for use on jobs and
quotes. You can only check in approved part revisions. Before continuing, verify the approved part displays on the Revision > Detail
sheet.

1. From the Actions menu, select

Revision > Check In.

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2. The Description of Change window

2
displays. Make sure this description explains
the reason for the change.

3. Click OK.

You can also check in all the part revisions and their alternate methods at the same time. To do this:

1. From the Actions menu, select Group

> Check In All. Click Yes at the 1
verification prompt.

2. The Description of Change window displays; make

sure this description explains the reason for the
change and click OK. Another window displays with
a list of part revisions checked in through this group;
click OK.

The ECO group is cleared from the Engineering

Workbench. All approved part revisions within this group
activate throughout the application.

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Express Check Out

You can streamline the engineering process by using the Express Part Checkout program. When you run this program, you can
simultaneously check out a part revision, create a new ECO Group, and launch the Engineering Workbench.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > General Operations > Express Part Checkout

To check out a specific part revision:

1. Click the Part/Revision

button to find and select the
part revision you want to
check out. You can also enter
the Part/Revision directly.
1 2
2. Click the Revision drop-
down list to select the revision 3
you want to work on.

3. If you want, you can also 4

check out a specific alternate
method. To do this, click the
Alternate Method drop- 5
down list. All the alternate
methods created for this part 6
revision display. Select the
method you want.

4. Notice several display only fields – Part Description, Effective Date, ECO Group, and Drawing – populate with information
about this part revision. Review this information to make sure you have selected the correct revision or alternate method.

5. To immediately display the Engineering Workbench after checkout, select the Launch Engineering Workbench check box.

6. Click the Checkout button.

7. If you selected the 7

Launch Engineering
Workbench check box, this
program displays.

8. Notice a new ECO Group is

8
created. By default, the
Group ID displays your User 9
ID as the identifier.
10
9. The Description field displays
Express Checkout as a prefix,
followed by your User ID.

10. The Tree View displays the

part revision or alternate
method you checked out.

You are now ready to engineer the

selected part revision or alternate
method.

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ECO Workflow
A workflow is a series of tasks automatically assigned and routed to ensure processes, like engineering changes and designing new
products, are acted on and completed on time. Tasks are tightly embedded into the application, so that transactions are updated only
if the task is at the right status. For example, when you assign a workflow to an ECO group, you can track if tasks are complete before
an updated part revision is available for production.

This section starts with the setup needed to create the workflow. Then you assign the workflow to an ECO group and act on the
tasks.

Workflow Stage

Workflow stages define the status of an ECO at any time within its workflow; the current stage displays on the Detail sheet in the
Engineering Workbench. You establish these stages in Workflow Stage Maintenance for a particular workflow type. When you create
the ECO task set for your workflow, you assign each milestone task a workflow stage.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > Setup > Workflow Stage

To create a workflow stage:

1. Click the Workflow Type drop-down

list and select ECO. 5
2. Click New on the Standard 2
toolbar.

3. In the Stage field, enter a unique code 1

that identifies the workflow stage.
3
4. Enter a Description that further
describes this stage. 4

5. Click Save.

Now you can define tasks and tasks sets for

your ECO workflow. The next section
discusses this feature.

Tasks

Tasks are the action items, or milestones, created and assigned to each step in the ECO process, from documenting a proposed change
to approving the ECO design. Tasks are also used to track other activities, such as credit or time and expense approvals.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > Setup > Task

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To create tasks:

1. Click New on the

Standard toolbar. 10
2. In the Task ID field, enter 1
the task identifier.

3. The Description displays in

the Engineering Workbench 2
as well as in Task Set
Maintenance. This program is 3
described in the next section. 4
4. The Priority code is not 5
required but can be used to 6
weight the importance of a
task. The default is 50; you 7
can enter a range of 1-99. 9
8
Priority number 99 is
considered least important
and will be done later; priority
number 1 is considered most
important and will be done
earlier.

5. Select the Task Type that

corresponds to this specific
task.

6. Select the Role Code

associated with this task. Only
members assigned this role have access to this task.

7. If users are required to complete this task, select the Mandatory check box.

8. You can assign multiple persons within a role to a task. If you want the application to indicate this task (or milestone) is complete
when any person assigned to the task marks it complete, select the Any Approver check box.

9. The application can automatically send a message, or alert, to specific users when this task is created or finished. To active this
feature, select the Send Alert Complete and the Send Alert Create check boxes.

10. When you finish, click Save.

Continue to add all tasks you need.

Task Sets

Defining the ECO process workflow you want your team to follow is a key part in making sure new or updated part revisions are not
available to your manufacturing center until complete. You can set up multiple workflow task sets to either guide or control the
process within your engineering environment. They can be as simple as a “to do” list of guidelines or as complex as a rigid series of
mandatory tasks that require electronic signatures at key milestones. You decide how to best leverage this powerful workflow tool.

Once individual tasks are identified, they are organized into a task set. Within the task set, you organize the milestones (tasks) into the
sequence you want as viewed in the Engineering Workbench, assign responsibility, define the number of days to complete the
milestone, and add any related tasks. You can create complex, branching workflows that can handle the requirements you need.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > Setup > Task Set

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To create a task set:

1. Click New on the Standard

toolbar.
1
2. Enter a Set ID.

3. Enter a Description of the

Set ID.
2
4. Click the Workflow Type 3
drop-down list and select
ECO. Other types include 4
CRM (Customer Relationship
Management), Case
Management, and Time &
Expense.

Add Milestones

Now you are ready to add milestones to this task set. A Milestone is a task completed in a specific order (determined by the task set)
and is typically assigned to a specific person. A Related Task is used to describe details about tasks within tasks. These can be used if
one task has several distinct steps within it, each of which merits its own details.

To add milestones:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select New Milestone.
10
2. The Milestones > Detail
sheet displays. Accept the
default of 10 in the Seq field.
Sequence numbers establish
the order in which tasks are 2 7
done.
3 5
3. Click the Task drop-down list 4
to select the first task in this
8
task set. 6

4. The role assigned to this task 9

displays as read-only in the
Required Role field.

5. Click the Current Stage

drop-down list to select the
stage in which this task is
found within the ECI process.
Stages are defined in the
Workflow Stage program.
Review the previous
Workflow Stage section in
this chapter for more
information.

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6. Optionally, enter the number of days to complete this task in the Days to Complete field.

7. Select the First Milestone check box to indicate this milestone is the first one in this task set.

8. Select the Check Out Allowed and the Check In Allowed check boxes to define if revisions to this ECO group, at this
milestone, can be checked out or in.

9. Select the Workflow Complete Allowed check box if you want the workflow to be marked complete when this milestone is
finished.

10. Continue adding milestones, and related tasks, to the task set until all the tasks are identified. Click Save on the Standard
toolbar.

Define Next Milestones

Once all milestones are identified, you are ready to establish the order in which these milestones are completed.

1. In the Tree View, select a

milestone. 2

2. Click the Down Arrow next to the 5

New button; select New Next
Milestone. 3

3. The Milestones > Next

Milestones > Detail sheet 1
displays.

4. Select the next milestone that makes

up this task set from the Next 4
Milestone list. When a user completes
the current task, this next task starts.
You can select another milestone
available in this task set.

5. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Continue connecting the remaining
milestones to each next milestone.

Workflow Group

You use workflow groups and assign them in the Engineering Workbench to establish a series of tasks to perform on a specific ECO
group, and if you want, by specific team members. You set up workflow groups, and assign team members to them, in Workflow
Group Maintenance.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > Setup > Workflow Group

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To create a new workflow group:

1. Click the Workflow Type

drop-down list and select 6
ECO.
2
2. Click New on the Standard
toolbar. 1

3. In the Workflow Group

3
field, enter a code identifier
for the workflow group. 4

4. Enter a Description that 5

further describes this
workflow group.

5. In the Workflow Group field, enter a code identifier for the workflow group.

6. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Add Members

Use the Group Member sheet to add the team members you need to the workflow group.

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select New Group Member.
6
2. Click the Member drop-
down list to select the work
force member to add to the
group. For information on
how to add a work force
member, review the Work 2 4
Force (Sales Team) section in 3
Chapter 2: Customer
Relationship Management. 5

3. The Role assigned to the

work force member defaults; if you need, change the role.

4. If this work force member is the primary person in this group, select the Primary check box.

5. To reassign a workflow from one workflow group member to another, click the Reassign button. You are asked to select the
member to reassign.

6. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar. Continue to add members to this group.

Assign and Update ECO Workflow

You assign ECO workflows to ECO groups in the Engineering Workbench. Once defined, the task set milestones and related tasks are
automatically pulled into the ECO group.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > General Operations > Engineering Workbench

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To assign ECO workflows to ECO groups:

1. Click the Group ID button to find

4
and select the ECO group you want
to assign a workflow.

2. Click the Workflow Group drop- 1

down list to select the workflow group
assigned to this ECO group.

3. The Task Set assigned to this workflow

group displays; if you need, change the
task set. 2 3
4. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Update and Complete Tasks

The workflow group and task set are now assigned to the current ECO group. The task set, including the milestones and related tasks,
display on the Tasks > Tree sheet. The members of the workflow group can now update and complete tasks. Here’s how:

1. Navigate to the Tasks > Tree sheet.

Tasks that have a yellow icon are

available for update. Tasks with a gray
icon are not available because these 1
tasks require another task to be either
in process or complete before available.
This depends on how the task is 2
defined.

2. In the Tree View, select a task that is

available for update.

3. On the Tasks > Maintenance sheet,

select the Complete check box.

4. Optionally, update additional details

regarding this task. For example, the 5
reason the task is now marked as
complete, the person to whom the
task was assigned, the status of the
task, and the percent complete.

Only ECO reason type codes are 3

available in the Reason list. You set
up reason codes in Reason Code
Maintenance. Review application
help for more information on
reason codes and reason types.
4
5. Click the Update button.

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6. Notice the task icon on the Tasks >

Tree sheet now displays a green check
mark; this indicates the task is
complete.

Continue to update tasks until all tasks in

this task set are complete.
6

Costing Workbench
Use the Costing Workbench to pull in current costs from parts, operations, and resource groups into a unique cost group you can
review and modify. These values become the standard cost values for the parts included in the cost group. If you modify labor and
burden rates through this workbench, these modified rates are also saved to the resource groups defined on the part methods.
Leverage this functionality when you want to generate the costs of a part at a specific point in time. You can then use these values as
a reference point for future transactions for the part.

You run this program by first creating a cost group. You then define the manufactured and purchased parts you want included in the
group. You also define other global options for the cost group. When you finish defining the parts you want to include and the overall
cost group options, you can then total, or roll up, the costs to generate the standard values for the parts. However if you do not use
the standard costing method, you can still run the cost rollup process to generate a mass update of burden and labor rates.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > General Operations > Costing Workbench

New Cost Group

To create a new cost group:

1. Click New on the Standard

toolbar. 1

2. In the Group field, enter the name of

the new costing group. 13

3. Click the Plant drop-down list to select 2

3
the plant from which the initial costs 4
are loaded into the new cost group. 5
6
4. Either enter or click the drop-down list 8
to select the Proposed Posting Date 7
for the cost group. This value defines 9
the date on which you expect to post
the updated standard costs and 10
labor/burden rates. Use this field to
plan when you will update these costs.
11
5. The Proposed Posting Date value is
only an estimated date. After you post 12
this cost group, the actual date will
display in the Posted Date field.

6. Select the Load Alternate Methods

check box to indicate that alternate
methods defined for manufactured parts must be included in the cost group.

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7. Select the Load Costing Lot Sizes check box to indicate all costing lot sizes defined on each part plant combination are
included in the costing group. You define the plant modifications for each part within Part Maintenance.

8. Plant cost IDs, or cost sets, define unit cost calculations across multiple plants. For example, if three plants share the same cost
set, they then use the same costing method for the parts they manufacture. If you wish to use a cost set, select an option from
the Copy from Plant Cost ID drop-down list. You create cost sets in Plant Cost ID Maintenance.

9. If you want to copy cost values from an existing cost group, select an option from the Copy from Cost Group drop-down list.
These values become the starting point for values in your new cost group.

10. Use the Costing Method radio button options to define the method used to calculate costs for all the parts within the group.
Available options:

• Average – Calculates a weighted average of all receipt costs for all parts in the cost group.

• FIFO – The First In First Out method assumes the next quantity to be issued or shipped from stock is the oldest quantity stored
in the warehouse. The application uses this cost value until the entire quantity from the original receipt is used up.

• Last – Calculates the most recent receipt cost for parts within this group.

• Standard – Calculates a cost baseline for the parts within this cost group.

• Costing Method – The default method, selecting this radio button option indicates the costing method defined on each part
record will be used to calculate cost values. Besides the methods available within the Costing Workbench, this option can also
pull in values calculated using the Lot Average and Lot FIFO costing methods.

11. Use the Burden Rates radio button options to determine which burden rates are used to calculate burden costs for resource
groups included in this cost group. You can select either the Costing or Quoting burden rates.

12. Use the Labor Rates radio button options to determine which labor rates are used to calculate labor costs for selected resource
groups. You can select either the Costing or Quoting labor rates.

13. When you finish defining the primary values for the new cost group, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Load Cost Details

When you finish setting up the default values for a cost group, you next select the manufactured and purchased parts you want to
include within the group. You do this by running the Load Cost Details process.

To select parts for the cost group:

1. From the Actions menu,

1
select Load Cost Details.

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2. The Load Cost Details window

displays.
2 13
3. Select the Effectivity Date for the cost
details. This date determines what
active part revisions will be used when 11
costs are loaded into the Costing
Workbench.
3
4. Select what part types you want to
4
include in the cost group by selecting
or clearing the Manufactured Parts,
Purchased Parts, and Kit Parts check 5
boxes.
6
5. You can also indicate the Costing
Method you will use with the part you 7
are pulling into the cost group. Notice 8
these options are the same ones
available on the Detail sheet. 9

6. Select the Burden Rates check box to 10

select you want to pull burden
costs from resource groups into 12
the cost group. You can pull in either
Costing or Quoting burden rates.

7. Select the Labor Rates check box to

indicate you want to pull labor costs
from resource groups into the cost
group. You can pull in either Costing or
Quoting labor rates.

8. Optionally, select the Retrieve unlinked Purchase Parts check box to indicate any purchase parts defined for the current plant
but not linked to any of the selected manufactured parts will be included in the cost details.

9. Likewise, select the Retrieve unlinked Labor/Burden Rates check box to include any labor or burden rates defined for the
current plant not linked to any of the selected manufactured part methods.

10. Use the Log Filename field to indicate the directory path and file name for the log generated through this process. If an issue
occurs, you can use this log to troubleshoot the cause of the problem.

11. Use the Filter sheets to limit the cost details to specific parts, product groups, and/or part classes.

12. The filter options you select display within the Manufactured Part Selection Filter Summary fields.

13. When you are ready to pull in the cost details, click the Process button.

Modify Costs and Rates

Once the cost details are pulled into the cost group, you can then display these details and modify them as you need. These details
display in a grid so you can move through them and make the modifications.

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To modify part costs and labor rates:

1. Navigate to the sheet that

contains the costs you want
to modify. In this example,
you want to modify costs for 1 5
manufactured parts, so you 6
navigate to the Cost > 3 4
Manufactured Parts sheet. 2
2. Click the Search button to
find and select the
manufactured parts you want.

3. The selected parts display

within the Manufactured
Parts grid.

4. Modify the cost values you

need. For example, you could
modify the Costing Lot Size
values for all of the selected
manufactured parts.

5. You can repeat this process

on the Purchased Parts,
Burden Rates, and Labor
Rates sheets.

6. When you finish modifying

the costs and rates, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Rollup Cost and Rate Values

When you are ready to calculate these revised values as the standard cost for
the selected parts, you next generate, or roll up, these values. The new values The Cost Rollup calculation is a complex routine
display on the Costing Workbench report for your review. that uses each level of assembly in the part
method to generate the final cost of each part.
For more information about how the Cost Rollup
calculation generates its values, review the Job
Costing Technical Reference Guide. This guide is
available within the application help.

To run the cost rollup:

1. From the Actions menu,

select Rollup.
1

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2. The Cost Rollup window

displays. 2
7
3. Select the Effectivity Date
from which this rollup process
will be active. The part costs 5
you generate are then used to
determine cost estimates
forward from this selected
date.
3
4. Select the Consider Pull As
Assembly Settings check 4
box if you want the
subassembly costs to be
included as material costs on
the higher assemblies on the
part methods.
6
5. Use the Filter sheets to limit
the cost rollup to specific
parts, product groups, and
part classes.

6. Use the Log Filename field

to indicate the directory path
and file name for the log
generated through this
process. If an issue occurs,
you can use this log to
troubleshoot the cause of the problem.

7. When you are ready, click the Process button to generate the new part costs.

Costing Workbench Report

You can view the results from the cost rollup process on the Costing Workbench report. Run this report to review the proposed cost
changes you want to make before you save, or post, these changes to the part and resource group records included in the current
cost group.

To run the Costing Workbench report:

1. From the Actions menu,

select Print Cost Set Group.
1

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2. The Costing WorkBench

Report window
displays. 2 7

3. Use the Report Type radio

button options to indicate
whether this report will 6 8
display costs for parts,
resource groups, or
operations. 3

4. Select a Part Type radio 4 5

button option to define
whether the report displays
manufactured parts,
purchased parts, or both
manufactured and purchased
parts.

5. To limit the report to only

display records modified since
the last time the part costs
were generated, select the
Changed Items Only check
box.

6. Use the Filter sheets to limit

the report to display selected
parts, product groups, and
part classes.

7. Click the Print Preview button to display the generated report in a separate window.

8. Click the Print button to print out a hard copy of the report.

Post New Costs to Records

When you are satisfied with the changes you have made to the part cost values, burden rates, and labor rates, you then record, or
post, these changes to part and resource group records. The revised costs become the standard cost values for the selected
manufactured and purchased parts, while the labor and burden rates update on the selected resource groups.

To post the new costs to the selected records:

1. From the Actions menu,

select Post.
1

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2. The Cost Post Set window displays.

2
3. Click the Post to Plant Cost ID 9
drop-down list to define the plant cost
ID, or cost set, to which you want to
post the results of the cost group. The
4
posting process then updates all plants
that share the selected plant cost ID
with your new cost values. 3

4. Use the Filter sheet to only update

records for specific plants, product
groups, and/or part classes.
5
5. If you want to update the labor rates
for resource groups included in the
6
part methods, select the Labor Rates
check box. 7
6. If you want to update the burden rates
for resource groups included in the 8
part methods, select the Burden
Rates check box.

7. Click the Reason drop-down list to

select the reason why you are
updating the cost values. A required
field, this value displays on various
reports and dashboards.

8. Use the Log Filename field to indicate the directory path and file name for the log generated through this process. If an issue
occurs, you can use this log to troubleshoot the cause of the problem.

9. When you are ready to post the cost values to the selected parts and resource groups, click the Process button.

Manufacturing Lead Time Calculation

You can use the Manufacturing Lead Time Calculation process to calculate the manufacturing lead time for a single part, all parts,
product group, or plant. Manufacturing lead time is the elapsed time from when production begins on a quantity to when the
quantity is considered complete on the costing lot. This time includes how long it takes to acquire any constrained materials for the
current assembly and how long it takes to manufacture subassemblies needed to create the part.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > General Operations > Mfg Lead Time Calculation

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To set up this process:

1. Review the processing options. The As

of Date defaults to today’s date. It
defines the effective date of the 4
revision.

2. Click the Product Code drop-down list

to select a product group. 3
3. Click the Filter tab to specify parts and
1
plants for processing. Individual parts
can be selected. The plant defaults to
2
the current plant but can also be
changed to include multiple plants.

4. To run the calculation, click Process on

the Standard toolbar.

When the process starts, rough cut

scheduling is used to calculate the lead
time (in days) for the Costing Lot Size
specified by the part planning
parameters. Rough cut scheduling uses
the Need By Dates and Lead Time
Values on each material and operation
to calculate how much time is required
for each job to finish its operations and
gather its materials. You can view the
calculation values within Part
Maintenance on the Parts > Plants >
Planning sheet. For more information
on rough cut scheduling, review Chapter 14: Scheduling.

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Chapter 12
Job Management

The Job Management module contains the central application functions for manufacturing processes. Job Entry pulls
information from sales orders, purchase orders, inventory, and other sources into its core component – the job record. You
then assign each job record a method of manufacturing. This method in turn defines the job’s schedule for its production
within your company’s manufacturing center.

To help you create jobs, two key tools are available – the Job Manager and the Planning Workbench. Use the Job Manager to
review the demand for a part and then answer this demand by creating jobs. Use the Planning Workbench to evaluate
suggestions made to the manufacturing center through sales orders, other jobs, and inventory requests. You can then create
the jobs you need.

As a job’s operations are worked on by shop employees, labor is recorded against these operations, so you can precisely track
labor costs. Use the Job Tracker to accurately review the current real time status of any job. At any point in the process, you
can review a job through three key reports – the Job Traveler, the Production Detail Report, and the Time Phased Material
Requirements Report. Each report helps your supervisors manage job production from operation to operation.

You then finish the production cycle by indicating when production is complete and when the job is finally finished, or
closed. The part quantity can then be shipped to your customers, completing the job management process.

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Setup
Most of the records required for the Job Management module are set up in other modules. However, you have additional parameters
you can define within Company Configuration. For more information on these parameters, review application help for this module;
the Configuration topic details the options you define within Company Configuration. You can also review the Company
Configuration chapter in the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.

Operations
This section details the operations available in the Job Management module. Each operation is described as a workflow to help guide
you through the process from start to finish. These programs are primarily found within the General Operations folder for this module.
If a unique setup record is required to run the operation, this record is also described in this section.

Job Types
To help you organize jobs, four categories or types of jobs are available. Each category automatically defines the specific need or
purpose for the job, and indicates how the job is expensed. The type is assigned immediately when you create a new job, and
depends on the module from which you launched Job Entry. For example, a Maintenance job is created when you launch Maintenance
Job Entry within the Maintenance Management module.

You can use job types as a filter for searches to pull in the specific job you want to review. Available job types include:

• Service – Use this job type for jobs created for field service orders.

• Maintenance – Use this job type for jobs created to record maintenance tasks on equipment.

• Project - Use this job type for jobs created to complete Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) phases within a project.

• Manufacturing – Use this job type for jobs created to assemble a part quantity required to satisfy one or more demand links.

You can review all job types in Job Entry; however, you cannot create all job types through this program. For example, maintenance
jobs must be created through Maintenance Job Entry. For more information regarding a particular job type, refer to Chapter 8: Project
Management, Chapter 9: Maintenance Management, and Chapter 10: Field Service.

Job Entry
Job Entry is the base production program that you use to create job records. A job can manufacture one or more quantities for a
specific part. You define these quantities by creating demand links within the job record.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Job Entry

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To create a new job:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to the New button; select New Job.

2. The New Job Number window displays. Click the

Next Job button.

3. The next available job number within the database

is assigned. Click OK.
3

Primary Job Details

Now that the Job sheet is active, you use this sheet to define the part to be manufactured and other aspects of the job.

1. Click the Part button to 13

find and select the part
number to be manufactures. 12
You can also enter the part
number directly.
1
2. When you enter the part, 3
default values from the part 2
record displays. The Rev list 4 9
displays the most current part
5
revision. Optionally select a
different revision from the list. 6 10 11

7
You create part revisions 8
in the Engineering
Workbench. To learn
more about part revisions,
review Chapter 11:
Engineering.

3. If an engineering drawing exists for the part, its identifier displays in the Draw field. When a drawing is defined on a part
revision, it displays automatically.

4. The Desc (Description) field displays the default explanation entered within the part record. If you need to edit this text, click the
Desc button.

5. The Group field displays the Product Group used to track this part. Product groups classify the different types of parts you sell
within your General Ledger. You can also review part transactions for sales analysis purposes.

6. The Exp Code (Expense Code) field defines the GL expense account numbers used for payroll transactions from labor entries.
This field is required for labor entry.

7. The Prod Team (Production Team) field is used to assign a specific Production Team. Production Teams are groups of people
assigned to manufacture specific jobs. The people included on these teams automatically receive email alerts when a change has
occurred on a job.

8. The Planner field displays the person mainly responsible for manufacturing this job. This field is optional. If a planner was
selected on the part record, this person displays in this field automatically.

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9. In the Mode field, select either Concurrent or Sequential. The selected value determines quantity reporting and costing.

• If sequential, the quantity requirements of the co-parts are factored in the total cost of the revision and then split according
to the labor/material cost split set up in the co-part. Co-parts is a method of manufacturing that can produce multiple parts
(co-parts) on a single job. Co-parts are reviewed in more detail later in this chapter.

• If concurrent, only the quantity requirement of the main part is considered and then divided by the yield to determine the
total cost of the revision. Then, labor and material cost factors are used to split the costs.

10. In the Req By (Required By) field, indicate the date by which this job needs to be complete.

11. The Scheduling Priority section indicates if this job has precedence over other jobs. If a job has a High priority, the Global
Scheduling functionality schedules this job ahead of other jobs. If selected, the Locked check box indicates that the job cannot
be rescheduled through Material Requirements Planning (MRP) or through scheduling boards.

12. The Status section indicates the state of the job. In this example, the job is
The Status options are reviewed in more
currently Open, which indicates that work on this job’s quantities is not complete.
detail at the end of this chapter.
13. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Demand Links

A demand link is a specific part quantity manufactured on the current job. You can create demand links for a specific order, a stock
quantity, or another job. Each job can have multiple demand links. You create demand links on a job as follows:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to the New button.

2. Highlight the New Demand Link sub-menu. 1

3. Select one of the demand options. Available options:

• Make To Stock 3
2
• Make To Job

• Make To Order

Depending on the demand option you select, the corresponding Make

tab on the Job sheet becomes active. The next sections describe the
information you must enter to create each demand link type.

Make to Stock

When you select the Make to Stock option, the Make to Stock tab becomes active. This link is a demand for a part quantity placed
within inventory. Enter the following information:

1. The Part field displays the part to manufacture.

2. The Warehouse list displays the warehouse that

receives this stock quantity. If you need, select a
different warehouse from the drop-down list.
1
3. In the Quantity field, enter the part quantity to
manufacture. 2
4. The WIP Quantity displays the part quantity that 3
remains to be manufactured to satisfy this stock
demand link. As parts are manufactured, this quantity 4
decreases.
5
5. The Received Quantity indicates the quantity placed
so far in the selected warehouse.

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Make to Order

When you select the Make to Order option, the Make to Order tab becomes active. This demand link satisfies a release on a sales
order. Use this sheet to find and select the order release filled by this demand link. Enter the following information:

1. Click the Order/Line/Rel

button to find and select the
Sales Order, the Detail Line, 2
and the Release completed
1
through this demand link. You
can also enter the order, the
line, and the release numbers 4
directly.
3 5
2. The details from this release
populate the remaining fields 7
6
on this sheet. Notice the
Customer ID and Ship By
date from the release displays.

3. Notice the Production Quantity from the order release also displays. If you need, you can change this value.

4. The Shipped field displays the quantity sent to the customer so far. Because this is a new job, no quantities are currently
released to the customer.

5. The WIP Quantity displays the quantity of this part that needs to be manufactured.

6. If a quantity for this demand link can be satisfied through your inventory, use the Pull From Stock fields. First, select the
Warehouse that contains the part quantity.

7. Enter the Our Pull Quantity you want from this warehouse. This
If you enter an Our Pull Quantity but do not reduce
indicates the quantity you are using from the selected warehouse to
the release Production Quantity and click Save, a
satisfy the Make to Order demand link.
message displays explaining you are producing more
quantity than needed to satisfy the link. To prevent
this message, subtract the Our Pull Quantity from
the Production Quantity.

Make to Job

When you select the Make to Job option, the Make to Job tab becomes active. This demand link satisfies a part quantity needed on
another job. Use this sheet to find and select the job and the material filled by this demand link.

1. Click the Job Number button

to find and select the job
number. You can also 5
enter the job number 1
directly.
2
2. Click the Assembly
button to find and select 3
the assembly that requires
4
this part as materials. You
can also enter the assembly
number directly. If there is only one assembly on the selected job, a zero displays in this field.

3. Click the Material button to find and select the material sequence number from the selected job's bill of materials. You can also
enter the sequence number directly.

4. The Quantity field displays the part quantity manufactures with this demand link. If you need, you can edit this value.

5. Notice that part information also displays. Review this information to verify the Make to Job demand link is correct.

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Demand Summary

All the demand links on a job can be reviewed on the Demand Summary sheet. In this example, three demand links display. Following
are details on this information:

1. The Source column displays

the reasons for the demand
links. Notice, in this example, 1 2 3 4 5 6
a warehouse, sales order
release, and job material
display in this column.

2. The Order column displays

any sales orders used for Make to Order demand links.

3. The Warehouse column displays any warehouses used to satisfy a demand link.

4. The Job column displays any jobs used for Make to Job demand links.

5. The Transfer Order column displays any transfer orders (internal requests) used for Make to Order demand links.

6. The Ship By column indicates when the demand link quantity needs to be shipped to a customer or other location.

Co-Parts

Use co-parts to define a method of manufacturing that can produce multiple parts (co-parts) on a single job.

Often when you produce one part, another part is produced as a by-product, or two Co-parts is available only if you have the
parts are produced similarly except for one minor operation. An example of this is Advanced Production module installed. Refer
when you produce a left and right bracket with different part numbers where the only to Chapter 11: Engineering for more
functional difference in the two parts is the bend operation or the placement of the examples of co-parts.
drilled holes.

To add co-parts manufactured with the primary part on the current job:

1. Click the Down Arrow next

to the New button; select 1
New Co-Part.

2. Click the Part/Rev button to find

and select the part number and
the revision number for the co-
part you want to add.

3. In the Yield Per field, enter how

many of the specified co-part will
be made when one quantity of the
primary part is manufactured.

4. If you need, you can further define

the costs by entering values in the
Material Cost Factor and the
Labor Cost Factor fields. For
example, increase a part’s Material 2
Cost Factor if the part uses more
material than the primary part. 3

5
4

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5. You can select the Primary Suggestions check box to prevent Material Requirements Planning (MRP) from creating job
suggestions for the co-part. Refer to the Material Requirements Planning Technical Reference Guide within application help for
more information on the Primary Suggestions modifier.

6. Navigate to the Co-Parts >

List sheet to review the co-
parts manufactured with the
primary part on this job.

7. The UOM column displays

the unit of measure used for
the part quantity on the Make
Part List. You define the unit
of measure values used for
each part within Part
Maintenance.

6 7

Job Production Quantity Total

When you finish creating the

demand links for the job, all the
quantities on each link are totaled
and displayed in the Prod field in
the Quantities section. This field is
found near the top of the Job
sheet.

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Engineer the Job

You are now ready to define the engineering process used to manufacture this job. To do this, you can pull in the part’s existing
method of manufacturing. This includes the part’s routing (bill, or sequence, of operations) and bill of materials (materials required to
manufacture the part).

To pull in the part’s method of manufacturing:

1. Click the Actions menu and

highlight the Job sub-menu.
1 2
2. Select Get Details.

3. The Get Details window

displays. The Part
manufactured by the job
automatically displays within
this window. 3
4. All part revisions available on
this part record display on the 4
Revisions grid. Select the
revision you want.

5. Click OK.

For complete information on

engineering a part, review
Chapter 11: Engineering.
This chapter describes how
you create and approve part
revisions. These revisions are
then pulled into job and
quote records.

This part’s method of manufacturing

now populates the Job Tree View.
Use this view to navigate within this
method as you need.
5

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Edit the Part Method

Use Job Entry to change all aspects of the part’s method of manufacturing. You can then fine-tune how the part quantity is
manufactured for this specific job. You can also make this revised method available on other quotes, jobs, and part records.

To edit specific material:

1. In the Job Tree View,

11
select the material.

2. The Job Details > Materials 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

> Detail sheet displays. Edit
the primary information on
this material as you need.
1
To learn about the fields
on the Material Details
sheet, review the Modify
Bill of Materials section
within Chapter 11:
Engineering.

3. To review all the materials

used on this method of
manufacturing, click the List
tab.

4. Use the Material Salvage

sheet to enter scrap quantity
information on the current
material. The value you enter
here credits material costs
back to the job, as it defines
how much quantity of the material can be recovered as scrap and reused on a different job.

5. Use the Material RFQ sheet to review the current status about a request for quote linked to the current material. A request for
quote is a document you send to a potential supplier to receive a quote for raw materials. You cannot edit this information.

6. Click the Comments tab to review, edit, or add additional text about the current material. Use this sheet to further refine how
the material is used during the manufacturing process.

7. The Material Service sheet is active if the current record is for a service job. Use this sheet to add and edit the estimated
materials needed to complete a service call. After the actual material costs are posted against the job, you can then compare
these costs against the estimated material costs you entered on this sheet.

8. Use the RoHS (Restrictions on the use of certain Hazardous Substances) sheets to indicate the current material complies with the
weight limits defined for hazardous substances used in electronic equipment. Different legislative bodies, such as the European
Union or the state of California, have defined these weight limits to reduce accumulation in landfills. Use these sheets to indicate
the current material meets these restrictions for the various localities that may receive the part.

9. Use the Reference Designators sheet to define the reference To learn more about creating and updating hazardous
designators related to the current material. Typically these designators material restrictions and reference designators, review
are used by the electronics industry to match a schematic to a board these topics within Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.
layout. Each reference designator can be added as a series using the
Add Range button or entered manually. You can also add XYZ board coordinates, rotation, and comment text for each
reference designator.

10. Use the Inspection sheet to review, edit, or add an inspection plan. An inspection plan ensures the quality of the material used
during the job process. For more information on inspection plans, review Chapter 16: Quality Assurance.

11. When you finish editing the material, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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To edit a specific operation:

1. In the Job Tree View, 11

select the operation.

2. The Job Details >

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Operations > Detail sheet
displays. Edit the primary 2
information on this operation
as you need.
1
To learn about the fields
on the Operation Details
sheet, review the Modify
a Routing section within
Chapter 11: Engineering.

3. To review all the operations

used on this method of
manufacturing, click the List
tab.

4. Use the sheets under the

Scheduling Resources tab to
enter and update the
resources required to
manufacture the part quantity
on the current job. For more
information on this
functionality, review the following Scheduling Resources section in this chapter.

5. The Service sheet is active if the current record is for a service job. Use this sheet to add and edit the estimated labor needed to
complete a service call. After the actual labor costs are posted against the job, you can then compare these costs against the
estimated labor costs you entered on this sheet.

6. Click the Comments tab to review, edit, or add additional text about the current operation. Use this sheet to further refine how
the operation is run during the manufacturing process.

7. A subcontract operation is a job step completed outside your company by another supplier. By entering subcontract requirements
as operations, you can include the time that the parts are off-site within the job’s schedule. When you enter these operations,
you can exactly track where the parts are throughout the manufacturing process. Use the Subcontract sheet to manually enter
or edit subcontract operation information on the current job.

8. Use the RoHS (Restrictions on the use of certain Hazardous Substances) sheets to indicate the current materials used on the
operation comply with the weight limits defined for hazardous substances for electronic equipment. Different legislative bodies,
such as the European Union or the state of California, have defined these weight limits to reduce accumulation in landfills. Use
these sheets to indicate the current operation meets these restrictions for the various localities that may receive the part.

9. Use the Role Codes sheet to define specific employee roles that can perform or participate in the selected job operation. Only
roles selected on this sheet can post time against this job operation. If the role codes are not defined, any employee can post
time to the job operation.

10. Use the Inspection sheet to review, edit, or add an inspection plan. An inspection plan ensures the quality of the items that
result from the operation. For more information on inspection plans, review Chapter 16: Quality Assurance.

11. When you finish editing the operation, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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Scheduling Resources

While a job is manufactured, it uses resources. A resource is a specific

manufacturing asset. A resource can be a piece of equipment like a punch You create resources through Resource Group
press or a drilling machine, a tool required to produce components, or an Maintenance. This maintenance program is explored
employee like a setter, operator, and so on. The resource selections you make in Chapter 11: Engineering.
are used by the Scheduling module to calculate how long it takes each operation to run.

To review and edit an operation’s resources:

1. Expand the operation’s

node on the Job Tree 10
View to display its assigned
resources and select the
resource you want to review.
2
2. The Scheduling Resources >
Detail sheet displays.

3. The Opr Dtl Seq field is the 3

4
point within the operation 1
this resource is used. In this
example, the Drill Press 5
resource displays. This
resource is required to carry 6
out Operation 20, the DRILL
operation.
8
4. The Description of this 7
resource displays.

5. Click the Resource drop-down list to select a different resource. You can
The scheduling process can automatically change a
also enter the resource directly.
resource based on its availability; this availability is
6. The Required For field defines if this resource is used for Setup, defined within a Capability or a Resource Group. If
Production, or Both. you select a specific resource on this window,
however, the scheduling process only uses this
7. The Setup Rates indicate the estimated labor and burden this resource resource to schedule the operation.
may use while the operation is set up.

8. The Production Rates indicate the labor and burden this resource may use while the operation is producing its part quantity.

9. The Crew Size fields indicate how many workers are required for both setup and production.

10. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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Job Assemblies

Assemblies determine the correct operation hierarchy needed for scheduling a job. Each part has one or multiple assemblies. A parent
assembly is any assembly made up of child subassemblies. If a part has no subassemblies, only one parent assembly is needed for the
produced end part quantity. In contrast, a part with a complex method can have several parent assemblies.

By default, each method has one parent assembly. To review this assembly:

1. Double-click this 12
assembly on the Job Tree
View. The Assembly sheet
displays. 8 9 10 11
2. The Parent field displays the
1
level, or tier, of the assembly.
In this example, this assembly
is the main parent assembly, 2
so a 0 displays.
3
3. The Description of the
assembly displays. 4
4. The Part Information section
displays the main details of 5
the part revision.
6
5. The Qty/Parent field 7
indicates how many parts
from this assembly are
required to make one part
quantity within the parent
assembly. In this example, one
assembly quantity makes one
finished part quantity. Notice the unit of measure used for this quantity displays next to this field.

6. The Overrun Qty specifies any excess assembly quantity you want to make on this job. This quantity will be saved within your
inventory. Notice the unit of measure used for this quantity displays next to this field.

7. The Required Quantity field displays the total demand for the part on the current job. Notice the unit of measure used for this
quantity displays next to this field.

8. Click the Comments tab to review, edit, or add additional text about the current assembly. Use this sheet to further refine how
the assembly is run during the manufacturing process.

9. A subassembly is a child of a parent assembly. Each subassembly defines a manufacturing component required to make each
part; you can have as many subassemblies as you need to complete all the steps required to manufacture a part quantity. Use the
Subassemblies sheets to manually enter or edit subassembly information on the current job.

10. Use the RoHS (Restrictions on the use of certain Hazardous Substances) sheets to indicate the current materials used on the
operation comply with the weight limits defined for hazardous substances for electronic equipment. Different legislative bodies,
such as the European Union or the state of California, have defined these weight limits to reduce accumulation in landfills. Use
these sheets to indicate the current assembly meets these restrictions for the various localities that may receive the part.

11. Use the Inspection sheet to review, edit, or add an inspection plan. An inspection plan ensures the quality of the items resulting
from the assembly. For more information on inspection plans, review Chapter 16: Quality Assurance.

12. When you finish editing the assembly, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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New Job Method Component

You can further refine the process through which this part quantity is manufactured by adding components to an existing job method.
You can add Assembly, Operation, and Material components. To add a material component:

1. Click the Actions menu.

2. Highlight the Job Details and

Material sub-menus.
1 2
3. Method component options
display. Select the component 4
you want to add to the
current job method. 3

4. The corresponding detail

sheet displays. Enter the
information you need for the
method component. When
you finish, click Save on the
Standard toolbar.

Engineering Components

You can also pull an existing part, operation, material, resource group, and so on into the job method. Run this feature to reuse
common components you frequently use during the production process.

1. Click the Engineering 5

tab.

2. Notice several components 1 2

are available for you to pull
into the job method. You can
pull in parts, operations,
capabilities, resource
groups, resources, part 3
revision methods, quote
methods, and other job
methods. In this example,
you pull in a resource group.

3. Select the Resource Groups

sheet. Each component sheet
has a search button to find 4
and select a range of items
you want. In this example,
you click the Resource
Group button to find and
select a range of resource
groups.

4. Your selections display within

the sheet list. Click and drag
the item you want onto the Job Tree View. In this example, you add the HM3 Horizontal Mill to the Mill operation.

5. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

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Schedule the Job

Selecting the Engineered check box activates the scheduling functions on the Actions menu. You are now ready to schedule a job.

1. Click the Actions menu and highlight the Schedule sub-

menu.

2. Select Job Scheduling.

1
2

3. The Schedule Job window

displays. First, you must
decide how you Schedule
the job. Available options: 3
5
• Forward – This method
4
schedules the job 6
forward from a Start Date.

• Backward – This 7
method schedules the job
back from a Due Date.

1. Depending on the option you select, either the Start Date/Time or the Due Date/Time fields become active. Select the dates
you need.

2. If you want this job to be scheduled through a Finite Capacity, select

To learn more about resource groups and other
this check box. This means the finite resources or resource groups on
scheduling features, review Chapter 14: Scheduling.
this job run for a specific number of hours each day, and the job
operations cannot be scheduled for time each work day greater than
this constrained capacity.

3. To see what impact this job has on the schedule, select the What-If Schedule check box. Use this option when you are planning
upcoming work for your manufacturing center; it gives you a preview of where this job may possibly fit into your schedule.

4. When you finish, click OK.

This job is now added to the schedule for your manufacturing center.

Release the Job

When you are ready to begin production on this job, you need to update its status.

1. Click the Job tab. 1 2

3
4
5
6

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2. A number of options are within the Status area. The Open icon indicates this job can receive labor, material, and accounting
transactions against it. If the job is complete but still open, it can no longer receive labor transactions, but it can still receive
material and accounting transactions.

3. If you want this job method to be available for use on other quotes, jobs, and part records, select the Template check box.
Users can then select this job through the Get Details program.

4. If this job was generated by Material Requirements Planning (MRP), the For more information on the Get Details program,
Firm check box is available. Select this check box if you want to produce review Chapter 11: Engineering.
this job. If this job was created manually, the Firm check box is For more information on MRP, review Chapter 13:
automatically selected. Material Requirement Planning.
5. When selected, the Engineered check box indicates this job’s method of manufacturing is completely planned. Select this option
to add this job to the schedule.

6. Before work can begin, select the Released check box. This indicates labor can be placed against the job.

RoHS Job Compliance Process

To complete adding restricted substances for the part, you run the RoHS Part Compliance Process. This process totals the weight values
for all the restricted substances and verifies the weight values match the RoHS requirements. You can run this process to verify either
engineered parts or parts on job records.

Issued materials and subcontract operations are included during this verification process. Issued materials are verified if the part is
compliant or if the supplier or supplier part is compliant (even if the part is not). Subcontract operations are verified if the supplier,
operation master, or supplier subcontract operation is compliant.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > RoHS Job Compliance Process

To run this process:

1. Indicate the Compliance Verification you

want to run. You can run this process
against jobs which contain parts either
engineered (Engineering option) or
manufactured (Built option). 8

2. Select how you want this process to run

1
from the Processing Options. You can run
a Net Change, which only updates records
2
either updated or added since the last time
you ran this process. You can also select
Regenerative, which completely verifies all 3
the current restricted substances within your
application.
4
3. Enter the name and directory path you need
for the Log file. If you receive an error 5
during the process run, review this log file 6
to help discover and resolve the error.
7
4. Use the Filter sheet to restrict the process
to specific Restriction Types or Jobs.

5. Select the Include Released check box to

add released jobs to this verification process.

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6. Select the Include Completed check box to add any jobs defined as complete to this verification process. A complete job is one
that has finished production quantity and labor transactions, but material and other costs can still be placed against it.

7. Select the Include Closed check box to add any jobs defined as closed to this verification process. A closed job is totally finished
and has received all of its costs.

8. To run the process, click the Submit button.

The process runs, totaling the weight compliance totals for the restriction. If the RoHS compliance process fails, a red icon displays on
the Restrictions > Detail sheet within both Part Maintenance and Job Entry. If the compliance succeeds, a green icon displays on this
sheet instead.

Planning Workbench
Use the Planning Workbench to create new jobs or make changes to the
If your company uses the Material Requirements
supply/demand links on existing jobs. You first find and select suggestions based
Planning (MRP) module, the application can also
on current sales orders. Then, you create jobs and define the demand links by
create suggestions not linked to sales orders. For
launching programs from the Planning Workbench.
more information on this functionality, review
Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Chapter 13: Material Requirements Planning.
Operations > Planning Workbench

1. Click the Select button to

find and select the sales order
selections that you want.

2. Your selections display within

the Suggestions grid. 3
Highlight a selection on
the grid.

3. In the Suggestion Detail 1 4 5 6

section, a Suggestion field
indicates what action should
be taken with the selected
entry.

4. Click the Job Manager

button to launch this
suggestion within the Job
Manager. You use this
program to define the supply
and demand links for the
suggestion. To learn more
about this program, review
the next Job Manager section
in this chapter. 2

5. Click the Order Job Wizard button to launch Order Job Wizard. Use To review how to use the Order Job Wizard, review
this program to generate a job based on the selected order. this program in Chapter 5: Sales Order Processing.
6. Instead of using the Order Job Wizard, you can click the Create Job button to generate the job. Clicking this button displays a
window that creates the job record. The next section describes how to use this window.

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Planning Workbench – Create Job

Use the Create Job window to define the main parameters for a new job you are creating through the Planning Workbench. Available
options:

1. To create a new job number

for the record, click the Next
Job button. A unique job
identifier displays in this field.
4
2. If this suggestion is from a 1 2 3
sales order, the Order 5
Release button is active. 6
Click this button to use the 9 8
sales order number, line 7
number, and release number
for the new job number. The
order suggestion now turns
into a job which you can then
modify as you need in Job Entry.

3. If this suggestion is from another job, click the Related Job button. The job number is assembled using the job to job prefix
followed by the original job number.

4. To pull the current method of manufacturing for the part, select the Get Details check box.

5. Selecting the Get Details check box activates the Schedule check box. If you want the new job placed in the production
schedule, select this check box.

6. Selecting the Schedule check box activates the Release check box. If you want to indicate that production can begin on this job,
select this check box.

7. Select the Mass Print check box to indicate this job can be included in batch printing. Some reports, like the Job Traveler, can
be set to print all the jobs that currently have this check box selected; these jobs then all print at the same time.

8. Click the Submit Process button to generate jobs through background processing. While this job process runs, you can continue
to work in the Epicor application. You can then review these jobs in Job Entry, Job Tracker, or other tracker and job management
programs.

9. Click the Create Job button to create a new job from the selected suggestion.

The new job is created. You can now open this record within Job Entry and make any changes you need.

Job Manager
Run the Job Manager to easily control the manufacturing of a specific part. You use this program to review a part’s current demand.
You can then create new jobs or link existing jobs to satisfy this demand. You can also remove supply and demand links you no longer
need.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Job Manager

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To select and review a part:

1. In the Part field, either enter

the part directly or click the
Part button to find and select
it. 2 3
1
2. The Job Manager grids
4
now populate with supply
and demand suggestions. The 5
main information for the part 6
displays within the Detail
panel.

3. The Description field displays

the current explanation for
the selected part.

4. The On Hand (Entire

Company) field indicates the
part quantity that is currently
stocked within the entire
company.

5. The Demand (Entire

Company) field indicates the
part quantity needed on jobs
and sales orders.

6. The Available (Entire Company) field displays the total part quantity available to satisfy demand for this part.

You can now use this program to both review the current demand for the part and create jobs that satisfy this demand.

Job Manager - Inventory

You first should review the part quantity that is available within stock. This information is displayed in the Inventory section. You
cannot edit these fields.

1. The Plant field displays the

plant that contains the
1 2 3 4 5
warehouse storing the part
quantity.

2. The Warehouse field

indicates the specific
warehouse that stocks the
part quantity.

3. The Quantity On Hand field displays the total part quantity currently stocked within this warehouse.

4. The Available field indicates how many parts are not currently used to satisfy demand.

5. The Total Demand Quantity field displays the quantity allocated to fill the demand on current order releases.

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Job Manager – Demand

The Demand section lists all the upcoming quantities that need to be filled for the current part. Demand entries come from three
sources – sales order releases, job materials, and job assemblies.

To process these demand suggestions, first highlight its row within the grid and then click one of the following buttons:

1. Link – Click this button to add the

demand quantity to the current job
selected on the Supply section.
1 2 3 4
2. Create Job – Click this button to
generate a new job for the demand 5 6
quantity. When you do this, the New Job
Number window displays. You can use
the next job number in the database, the
order release for the job number, or the
source job for the new number’s prefix.

3. Pull from Stock – Click this button to

satisfy this demand suggestion with a
stock quantity. When you click this
button, you are asked if you want to pull
this entire quantity from stock.

4. Delete Suggestion – To remove a demand suggestion, click this button. Depending on the source of the demand, you can
You are asked if you want to remove this suggestion. Click Yes. quickly launch either the Sales Order Tracker or the
Job Tracker. If you double-click a row in the Demand
5. To limit what displays on the Demand grid, select the Only Firm Releases
grid, one of these trackers displays, showing you
check box. Only sales order releases defined as Firm releases display.
the selected sales order or job record.
6. Use the Suggestions drop-down list to filter the suggestions displayed on
the Demand grid. Available options are All, Change, New, and None.

When you have satisfied the demand suggestion in some way, these buttons become inactive. You can then use the other sections
within the Job Manager to refine how the jobs and stock quantities satisfy the demand.

Job Manager - Supply

The Supply section lists all the upcoming jobs that manufacture the current part. Use the buttons in this section to manage these jobs.

To process each job, highlight its row within the grid and then click one of these buttons:

1. Delete Job – Click this

1 2 3
button to remove the selected
job from the database.

2. Split – Click this button to

divide the job into two 4 5 6
separate jobs. You would use
this function when you need
to finish part of the quantity
on this job earlier than the
rest, for example, on a rush
order.

3. Job Entry – Click this button to launch Job Entry. The selected job displays within this program, so you make the changes you
need to the job. For more information about the Get Details program, review the Engineer the Job section found earlier in this
chapter.

4. Get Details – If the selected job does not have a method of manufacturing, this button is active. Click this button to launch the
Get Details program where you can pull a part, job, or quote method into the selected job.

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5. Schedule – If the selected job has a method of manufacturing, the Schedule button is active. Click this button to launch the
Schedule Job program, where you can define how this job is scheduled for work within your manufacturing center. For more
information about the Schedule Job program, review the Schedule the Job section found earlier in this chapter.

6. Delete Suggestion – This button is active when a suggestion is generated

If you double-click a row in the Supply grid, the
through Material Requirements Planning (MRP). If you do not want this
Job Tracker launches, displaying the selected job
suggestion, click this button to remove it from the database. The MRP
record.
functionality is explored in Chapter 13: Material Requirements Planning.

Job Manager - Supply Links

The Supply Links section displays all the jobs and warehouses currently linked to the order release or job highlighted on the Demand
grid.

To make a change to a supply link, highlight it, and click one of the following buttons:

1. Job Entry – Click this button to display

the selected job supply link within Job
Entry. Edit this job as you need.

2. Unlink – Click this button to remove the 1 2 3

supply link.

3. Transfer – Click this button to move the

supply link from one job to another. You
first highlight the job on the Demand
grid and then click this button on the
grid. The supply link is moved to the
highlighted job on the Demand grid.

Job Manager - Demand Links

The Demand Links section lists all the sources currently linked to the job highlighted on the Supply grid. These sources are order
releases, jobs, or warehouses. Use the controls in this section to add, update, or remove the demand from the selected job.

1. Transfer – Click this button

to move the demand link
from one job to another job.
You first highlight the job on
1 2 3 4
the Supply grid and then click
this button on the grid. The
demand link is moved to the
highlighted job on the Supply
grid.

2. Unlink – Click this button to remove the demand link from the selected job.

3. Add – Click this button to add a source link to the current job selected on the Supply grid.

4. Update – Click this button to update the source link on the current job selected on the Supply grid.

Job Tracker
You can review a job record at any point during its production and planning. The Job Tracker is a display-only program that shows you
real time information on a selected job. This includes information such as operations, materials, shipments, and part locations.

Since users cannot add or edit records within this program, the entire company can use this key communication tool.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Job Tracker

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To select a job and update the display:

1. In the Job field, enter the job

number directly or click the 2
Job button to find and select
it.

2. Click the Retrieve 3

Transactions button to pull
in all the current transactions
1
for the job.

3. If you need, click the Refresh

button to display the job’s
current information.

Auto Job Firm Process

You run the Auto Job Firm process to automatically change unfirm jobs generated through Material Requirements Planning (MRP) to
firm jobs. These firm jobs are available for review by your production planners.

The Auto Job Firm process defines the criteria required for jobs to be automatically set to firm. This process performs two main tasks:

• The process enables jobs to be firmed on a schedule that runs during off peak times.

• The process saves you from manually having to firm jobs and wait for the system to complete the request.

You can set up the Auto Job Firm Process to run on an automatic recurring
For more information on the Auto Job Firm process,
schedule. This ensures your jobs are firmed regularly for review by your job
refer to Chapter 13: Material Requirements Planning.
planners.
For more information on recurring schedules, review
the Automatic Data Processing chapter in the Epicor
ERP Implementation Guide.

Auto Job Release Process

You run the Auto Job Release process to automatically indicate which firm jobs are within the process parameters to be released.
These jobs are then available for your manufacturing center and production can begin.

You can set up the Auto Job Release Process to run on an automatic
recurring schedule. This ensures your jobs are regularly released for work For more information on the Auto Job Release
within your manufacturing center(s). process, refer to Chapter 13: Material Requirements
Planning. For more information on recurring
schedules, review the Automatic Data Processing
chapter in the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.

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Lean Metrics
Lean Manufacturing is a process that eliminates waste and cost through a continuous production flow measured by customer demand.
Use the Production Activity process both to establish lean performance metrics and to automatically capture production data through
shop floor transactions. The data you capture through this process can then be analyzed as needed against any lean performance
metrics you define.

In order to plan the manufacturing process, you must set up the application so it optimizes customer demand and eliminates waste.
The metrics you define in the lean metrics setup programs contain key information for your lean manufacturing processing.
Configuring lean production activity metrics assists you in generating the Production Activity records you need and also minimizes data
entry.

Production Activity Day Maintenance

Define your lean metrics by establishing the work pattern for each day. Production Activity Day Maintenance contains the functionality
you use to define time by period or by shift.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > Setup > Production Activity Day

To establish the work pattern:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New 1
button; select Activity
Day.
5
2. Enter the activity day ID
for the pattern you want to 2
define.
3
3. Enter the Description for the
work pattern.
4
4. Select the pattern Type for
the work day. Work days are defined as Period or Shift depending on how you break up your work days.

5. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

6. Use the List sheet to review

all of the Production Activity
Day patterns established in
the application.
6

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To define specific period or shift information:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select Day Detail to enter
specific period information for
the work day you are
defining.
2
2. Use the Day Detail sheet to
define and review the period
pattern for the work day you
select.

Production Activity Week Maintenance

You also must define your overall work week pattern or patterns. Each day of the week has a designated day code. This pattern is
flexible, because you have the ability to incorporate work week variables that accommodate different production hours, such as
weekends.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > Setup > Production Activity Week

Define a work week pattern:

1. Click New on the

Standard toolbar. 1

2. Click the Code button to 5

find and select the code
for the work week pattern
you want to define.
2
3. Enter the Description of the
code to identify the week 3
pattern.

4. In each of the day fields (for

example Sunday), click the
button to find and select the 4
appropriate day pattern that
applies to the week pattern
you want to define.

5. When you finish, click Save.

6. Use the List sheet to review,

edit, and select the week
patterns you define.
6

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Production Activity Plan Maintenance

You continue the lean manufacturing setup process by defining the production plan. The production plan incorporates the
manufacturing quantity, week patterns, resource groups, and other necessary work patterns per period. Production planning is useful
to account for seasonal or production changes as they relate to your production activity.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > Setup > Production Activity Plan

To create a production activity plan:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select Plan.
8
2. Identify the ID to be
used for the production plan
you create. 7

3. Enter the Description to 2

identify the ID for the plan 3
you create.
4
4. Select the Resource Group
attached to the production 5
plan you create. Resource
group or resource
identification is essential and 6
must be defined in order to
generate accurate production
planning.

5. Identify the Week ID to pull

in the appropriate week
pattern established in
Production Activity Week
Maintenance.

6. In each of the Hours fields

(Labor, Burden, Indirect, and Rework), identify the time for each defined metric.

7. Use the List sheet to review, edit, and select production plans.

8. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Add production detail:

1. Click the Down Arrow

next to the New button; 1
select Detail.
6
2. The Day field
information defaults from the
week pattern you selected on
the Detail sheet.

3. Identify plan details for each 2

Period of the day pattern. 3
You select each period from
the Tree View.
4
4. The Crew Size field estimates
the level of staffing required 5
for each time period.

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5. Estimate the Production Quantity for the time period.

6. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Production Activity Schedule Maintenance

The final setup record for your lean manufacturing metrics is your production activity schedule. This record defines the manufacturing
schedule during the production activity plan. The planning happens at the resource or resource group level, so you can account for a
schedule change required because of production planning alterations due to seasonal or product needs.

Each plan has an effective date. This value is used by the Production Activity Generator to generate activity records for resource groups
with active production plans.

You can also use the same production plan on several resources or resource groups. Be sure to do this when you have several
resources and/or resource groups that perform the same tasks during your manufacturing workflow.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > Setup > Production Activity Schedule

Create the production activity schedule:

1. Click New on the Standard

toolbar.
1
2. Click the Plan ID button
to select the production
activity plan you want to 4
schedule. Once the ID is
selected, the plan details
populate.
2
3. Select the Effective Date for
the production activity plan.

4. When you finish, click Save

on the Standard toolbar.
3

Generate Production Activity

Once the production activity lean metrics are defined, you generate a production activity record for each resource group with an
effective plan. This generation process populates the current company’s production plan for a day, week, or preferred period. This
process can be run manually or attached to an automatic recurring schedule.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Generate Production Activity Process

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To generate production activity records:

1. Select the Start Date and the

End Date for which you want
to generate production
schedules.

2. If you only want to generate

3
production schedules for the
current plant, select the
Current Plant check box.
Leaving this check box blank
generates production 1
schedules for all plants.

3. To run the process, click the 2

Submit button.

If changes in the weekly production

activity schedule occur, such as an
employee is sick, you can
regenerate this process. However,
before the regeneration can take
place, you must either manually
delete all of the previously
generated files or regenerate for
the one day that needs the update.

Production Activity Maintenance

After you generate the production activity plans, establish the target (transactional) metrics by period using the effective plan defined
in Production Activity Plan Maintenance. You define the metrics for each resource group, each resource, and each day; this minimizes
how much data you enter for time, resources, and materials. However, you can manualy update these default Production Activity
values to handle fluctuations in your plans. Examples of these fluctuations include the number of employees who work in the cell and
the number of working hours needed outside the plan. Through Time Entry, users enter the actual labor quantity and hours they
worked on each job operation.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Production Activity Entry

To review the Production Activity Plan and the actual values:

1. If you need, click the Down Arrow next to the New button to create a new
production activity plan. Typically you will not create new records within this
program; instead, you instead will use this program to review and update the 1
generated production plans.

2. Select Activity to enter and pull in production metrics from the plan you 2
defined.

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3. Enter the ID you want to use

for the production activity.

4. Select the effective Date 3

for the production activity.

5. Select the Plan to attach 4

to the production activity 5
you are reviewing,
editing, or adding. 6

6. Identify the Resource Group

you attached to the 8
production activity. This value
is the group that will
perform labor against the 7
plan.

7. The Production Plan

information defaults into the
Hours section. All hours that
display when you first
establish the activity are the
estimated values for the plan.
Once time is entered against
the plan, actual values
populate these fields.

8. Once all details are in place, select the Approved check box.

Add production activity detail:

1. Click the Down Arrow next

to the New button;
1
select Activity Detail to
enter specific production
activity information for each
period.

2. Use the Production Activity

2
Detail > Detail sheet to
enter specific plan
information you estimate for
each time period.

The lean manufacturing process:

1. Create a new job.

2. Schedule the resource.

3. Schedule and release the job.

4. Post time against the job.

5. Review the activity details until the job is complete.

The previous Job Entry section in this chapter describes this process. Review this section for more information.

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Production Activity Tracker

You can review a production activity record at any point during the production and planning stages. The Production Activity Tracker is
a display-only program that shows you real-time information regarding production activity on the plant floor. Information provided in
this tracker includes the production activity estimates versus actuals, resource group, activity plan, approval status, period details, and
labor details. This tracker completes the lean metrics functionality; use it to compare the production plan estimates versus the actual
results achieved during the production process.

Because users cannot add or edit records within this program, the entire company can use this key communication tool.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Production Activity Tracker

To use this tracker:

1. Click the Search tab to

define the date ranges 2
and resources you wish to
review. 3
1
2. Next, click the Refresh
button to populate data
within the tracker.

3. The Production Activity

section displays the
actual and estimated 4 5
values for each detail.

4. The Production Activity

Detail tab displays the
estimated and actual
production quantity in a
graph format.

5. The Period Detail section

contains the breakdown of
the production activity by
each period (or shift). You
indicated the method by
which you measure time in
Production Activity Day Maintenance, a program described previously.

The Manufacturing Execution System (MES)

The Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is an interface your company can
use to record labor and material transactions against jobs. This special To use this functionality, your application must have
interface is designed for users within a manufacturing environment, so it the MES license. Many major functions on this
limits access to functions that only relate to tracking materials and working interface also require the Advanced Material
on jobs. Management (AMM) license; it is suggested that you
purchase this license before you run MES.
MES Employees

Before users can access the MES, they need an employee record. This record links an employee to a User ID, so you can define both
the security access and the language that this employee uses. Several employees can be linked to one User ID, like Shop – English or
Shop – Spanish. Employees that create inventory or shipping/receiving transactions, however, should have an individual ID for auditing
purposes. This employee record also defines which functions are available for each user on the MES interface.

You set up these records through Employee Maintenance.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > Setup > Employee

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To create an employee record:

1. Click New on the

Standard toolbar. 1

2. In the Employee ID, enter an

identifier for the employee.
This value uniquely identifies 2
the record on various reports.|
3
3. Optionally, select the Person
/ Contact identifier for this
employee record if one exists. 4
If one does not exist, the
application uses the values in 5
the employee information
fields to automatically create
a person/contact record. 6
4. Enter employee information
such as Name, Address,
Phone, and Email.

5. In the Status field, verify the 7

employee is an Active
employee.

6. You next define what areas of MES this employee can access. If this
employee works with material quantities, select the Material Handle If you have an individual who needs to be defined
check box. If this employee supervises the shop floor, select the Shop on multiple records, like a shop employee who is
Supervisor check box. If this employee ships out parts and receives also a buyer, you can define this person in
materials, select the Shipping/Receiving check box. Person/Contact Maintenance first and then link this
person record to other records throughout the
7. If you want name, address, phone, and email changes made to this application. To learn about this functionality, review
employee record to automatically update the linked person record the Person/Contact Maintenance section within the
within Person/Contact Maintenance, select the Sync Name, Sync Epicor ERP Implementation Guide reference:
Address, Sync Phone, and/or Sync Email check boxes. Application Setup.

Add production information:

1. Select the Production Info

sheet.
6
2. Select the Shift during
which this employee normally 1
works. You create shift 2
records within Shift
Maintenance; for more 3
information, review the Shift 4
Maintenance topics within
application help. 5

3. Click the Department drop-

down list to select the job department.

4. Optionally, select the User Name of this employee. Only the identifiers for current users within the company display on this
drop-down list. Use this identifier to link the employee to specific security and language settings. The feature can define a many
to one relationship that includes several employees.

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5. If you want, select the Resource Group for this employee. Define this option if you need to directly link this employee to a
specific resource group. If you do not select an option from this drop-down list, the resource or resource group defaults from the
work queue during Time Entry. Likewise, if you use Expense Entry, this functionality defines the tasks the employee works on,
and the resource/resource group is pulled from the task.

6. When the employee record is complete, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

The MES – Primary Functions

When users are set up as shop employees, they can enter labor and material
Your system administrator can set up your client
transactions through the MES. This tool is a special interface that each client
machines to display this interface.
machine can be set up to display.

To log in and select the activity in MES:

1. In the Employee ID field,

enter your Shop Employee ID 10 4
and press the Tab key on your
keyboard.

2. You are now logged into the

MES. A number of main
options are available. To
review the current activity for
a specific part, click the Part
1
Tracker button. 9

3. To review a specific job, click 2 3 11

the Job Tracker button.

4. To begin setup or production

tasks on an operation, click either the Start Setup Activity button or the Start Production Activity button.

5. The Start Setup Activity or

the Start Production
Activity window displays. 5
Click the Job button to find
and select the job you need
to work on. You can also
enter the job number directly.

6. Select the Assembly that

includes the operation you
want. In this example, one 6
assembly is on the current
job, so 0 is the only option. 7
7. Now select the specific
Operation that you need to
work on.

8. When you finish, click OK. 8

You are now working on this
operation. The clock is active,
so the MES is calculating
labor costs against this
operation.

9. To stop working on this activity, click the End Activity button on the MES Menu.

10. To end your MES session, click the Log Out button on the MES Menu.

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11. If you want to shut down the interface, click the Close button on the MES Menu. These items are the main functions of the
MES. Depending on whether you have an Advanced Material Management (AMM) license and the permissions defined on your
shop employee record, other functions may be available as well. These functions are found under the Production, Material,
Shipping/Receiving, and Supervisor tabs.

The MES – Production Tab

Use the Production Tab to control all aspects of production on the current job(s). Use the controls on this tab to reflect what is
happening within the current job.

1. The grid at the top of the

tab displays all the 1
activities that you are
currently working on.

2. Work Queue – Use this

program to review the 2 5 8 11 14
operations scheduled within
each resource group.
3 6 9 12 15
3. Count Entry – Use this
program to enter physical
4 7 10 13
inventory tag counts.

4. Kanban Receipts – Use this

program to enter and update
Kanban receipts. You can enter information for each receipt’s quantities, scrap, and non-conformances.

5. Report Quantity – Use this program to both report a production quantity is complete against a specific operation and then
request that the pallet/skid be moved to the next operation. If you have the Override Job Number check box selected on your
user record within Employee Maintenance, you can do this without having to clock out of the operation. However, if you do
not have these rights, you can still do this without having to end the activity.

6. Non-Conformance – Use this program to add or update non-conformant materials that occur during production. Non-
conformant materials are items that are defective or require inspection in some way.

7. Get Request – Use this program to request materials for use during an operation. Use this window to put in requests so the
materials you need arrive on time.

8. Move WIP Request – Use this program to move a Work in Process (WIP) request from one physical location to another physical
location.

9. Move Mtl Request – Use this program to enter a movement request for materials. Use it to move material requests from one
physical location to another physical location.

10. Move Inventory Request – Use this program to enter a movement request for inventory. You can move a part quantity request
to another job or warehouse.

11. Return Assembly/Material Request – Use this program to return an assembly or a material request from a WIP job to stock.

12. Return Miscellaneous Request – Use this program to return a part quantity request from one warehouse to another
warehouse.

13. Return Salvage Request – Use this program to send a salvaged part request from a job to stock.

14. UOM Split/Merge – Use this program to split an inventory quantity expressed in a specific unit of measure into one or more
alternate unit of measure quantities, or to merge inventory quantities expressed in several alternate units of measure into a single
unit of measure quantity. It can only be used for parts for which the Track Multiple UOMs check box is selected in Part
Maintenance.

15. Material Queue Manager - Use this program to manage and manipulate queued material transactions. These transactions
include pick transactions generated when order items are allocated using selections from the Fulfillment Workbench Actions
menu.

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The MES – Material Tab

You use the Material Tab to handle the materials you need. You can process requests, issue materials to jobs, adjust inventory, perform
physical counts, and so on.

1. Material Queue – Use this

program to review the current
requests for materials. You 1 5 9 13 17
can select, process, and clear
material requests.
2 6 10 14 18
2. Mfg Receipts – Use this
program to receive
3 7 11 15 19
manufactured parts into
inventory.
4 8 12 16 20
3. Serial Tracker – The Serial
Number Tracker displays
information about serial-
tracked part records.

4. UOM Split/Merge – Use this program to split an inventory quantity expressed in a specific unit of measure into one or more
alternate unit of measure quantities, or to merge inventory quantities expressed in several alternate units of measure into a single
unit of measure quantity. It can only be used for parts for which the Track Multiple UOMs check box is selected in Part
Maintenance.

5. Issue Material – Use this program to issue material from inventory to a job.

6. Issue Assembly – Use this program to issue an assembly from inventory to a specific job.

7. Issue Misc – Use this program to enter a miscellaneous issue of parts from inventory.

8. Mass Issue – Use this program to issue all planned materials to a job, instead of issuing them one by one.

9. Return Material – Use this program to record part quantities that have been returned.

10. Return Assembly – Use this program to record assemblies that have been returned.

11. Return Misc – Use this program to record miscellaneous issues that have been returned.

12. Trans Log – Use this log to review transaction activity for parts and quantities.

13. Move WIP – Use this program to move a Work In Process (WIP) part from one job operation to another. It updates the PartWIP
table, and if the job contains a serial tracked part, the Epicor application updates the serial number and serial tracing tables to
reflect the newly assigned operation.

14. Move Material – Use this program to move a raw material issued to a job to another location.

15. Adjust WIP – Use this program to adjust the physical location or quantity of a Work In Process (WIP) part. You only run this
program when a WIP part is recorded in the application in one physical location, but is actually in another physical location.

16. Adjust Material – Use this program to adjust the physical location or quantity of a material. You can only run this program
when a material is recorded in the application in one physical location, but is actually in another physical location.

17. Non-Conformance – Use this program to add or update non-conformant materials that occur during job production. Non-
conformant materials are items that are defective or require inspection in some way.

18. Move Inventory – Use this program to transfer inventory quantities within the same plant. These transactions track the
movement of parts from one warehouse/bin to another warehouse/bin.

19. Adjust Inventory – Use this program to adjust each part’s quantity on hand values within your inventory.

20. Count Entry – Use this program to enter physical inventory tag counts.

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The MES – Shipping/Receiving Tab

The Shipping/Receiving Tab gives you control over all areas of the shipping and receiving process. Use these controls to record the
materials you have received and the parts you have shipped out.

1. Receipt Entry – Use this

program to enter receipts
from all inventory materials, 1 4 7 10 13
non-inventory materials, and
subcontract parts. 2 5 8 11 14
2. Salvage Material Receipt –
Use this program to report
3 6 9 12 15
receipts of salvaged materials
from a job. Salvaged materials
are entered as inventory
receipt transactions. They also
reduce the material cost
against specific jobs.

3. Job Receipt – Use this program to enter the receipt of manufactured parts to another job.

4. Transfer Order Shipment – Use this program to record an inter-plant transfer shipment. This program satisfies inter-plant
demand.

5. Transfer Order Receipt – Use this program to enter a receipt for a transfer order.

6. Transfer Order Tracker – Run this tracker to review current information about a transfer shipment.

7. Customer Shipment – Use this program to process customer shipments. You can either relieve inventory or ship directly from a
job.

8. Bill of Lading – Use this program to enter and update bills of lading. These items are shipping documents that carriers use to
identify cargo. Create these from existing packing slips, or create them manually.

9. CustShpmnt Tracker – Run this tracker to review current information about a customer shipment – including the parts and
quantities that were shipped.

10. Misc Shipment – Use this program to enter packing slips for non-billable material. You can also use this program to enter and
print packing slips to return discrepant parts to a supplier.

11. MiscShpmnt Tracker – Run this tracker to review current information about a miscellaneous shipment – including what items
were shipped.

12. RMA Processing – Use Return Material Authorization (RMA) to control and track customer returns. Enter information about the
return and then communicate this information to the different groups that may need to take action — such as inspection,
billing, and order processing.

13. Subcontract Shipment – Use this program to process shipments to subcontract suppliers for parts with operations processed
outside your company.

14. Serial Tracker – This tracker program displays information about serial-tracked part records. You can review each part’s serial
tracker status, location, and part transactions.

15. RMA Disposition – Use this program to dispose and complete RMA receipts from inspection.

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The MES – Supervisor Tab

The Supervisor Tab gives you access to several tracker programs you use to review job progress within your manufacturing center.

1. Project Tracker – This tracker

displays current information
about projects. Use this 1 3 5 9 11
tracker to review milestone
information, related orders 2 4 6 10
and jobs, tasks, and budgets.

2. Inspection Processing – Use 7

this program to inspect the
non-conformance entries
made for defective assemblies 8
and materials. You can also
use this tool to inspect
purchase order receipts and
customer returns.

3. Shop Tracker – Run this tracker to review current shop activity. You can see information on resources, labor activity, and shop
warnings.

4. Error Log – An alert error occurs when the application cannot send a global alert (an automatic email notification) to a specific
recipient. When such an error occurs, an entry displays in this log.

5. PO Tracker – Run this tracker to review the current information about a purchase order. This includes information like purchase
order status, supplier name and address, and order lines.

6. Receipt Tracker – Run this tracker to review current information about a purchase order receipt. This includes information like
the purchase order number, the received lines, and the landed costs.

7. Lot Tracker – This tracker displays information about lot-tracked part records. Use this tool to review lot numbers, on-hand
quantities, and lot transactions.

8. Serial Tracker – This tracker displays information about serial-tracked part records. You can review each part’s serial tracker
status, location, and part transactions.

9. CustShpmnt Tracker – Use this tracker to review current information about a customer shipment – including the parts and
quantities that were shipped.

10. MiscShpmnt Tracker – Use this tracker to review current information about a miscellaneous shipment – including what specific
items were shipped.

11. Order Tracker – Use this tracker to review current information about a sales order. You can review each sales order’s lines and
commissions.

Time Entry
Time and Expense Entry is the tool you use to process time detail records. Use this program to record the time and attendance of your
employees. You can use this program to enter new time records against specific operations on selected jobs. You can also pull in time
records created through the MES interface and edit them.

These time detail records are placed against the selected operation. You can then calculate the labor costs on each job.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Time and Expense Entry

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To enter a new time record:

1. Enter the Employee ID.

2. Click the Down Arrow next to the New button; select New Time.

3. The fields on the Time >

Daily Time > Summary >
Detail sheet open for data
entry. In the Payroll Date
field, enter the date on which
the labor occurred.
3 4
4. Click the Shift drop-down list
to select the shift during
which the employee
performed the labor. 5

5. Default time values populate

the Clock In, the Clock Out,
and the Lunch sections. If
you need, you can edit these
times.
6
6. The total hours during which
this employee is paid display in the Pay Hours field.

7. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

You are now ready to enter the details about the labor that this employee performed.

Time Entry - Details

You use the Time > Daily Time > Detail > Detail sheet to define the job and
If your company uses the MES interface, the
operation the labor occurred. You can enter as many details as you need to
application pulls the time details recorded through
account for the total labor time that displays on the Time > Daily Time >
this interface during the selected day. You can then
Summary > Detail sheet.
review each detail on this sheet, updating the time
entry records as you need.

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To enter a time detail:

1. Click the Down Arrow 1

next to the New button;
select New Time Detail.
16
2. The Time > Daily Time >
Detail > Detail sheet
displays. Click the Labor 17
Type drop-down listo to
2
select the labor that was
performed. The available
options are Indirect, Project,
Production, Service, and 3
Setup.
6 4 5
3. Click the Job button to find
and select the job this 8
employee worked on. You
7 9
can also enter the job number
directly. 10
4. Click the Assembly button to 11
find and select the assembly 15
on which the labor was 12
performed. You can also enter 13 14
the assembly number directly.
If there is only one assembly on the job, a 0 displays in this field.

5. Click the Operations button to find and select the operation on which this labor was performed. You can also enter the
operation number directly.

6. In the quantity fields, enter the part quantities that resulted from this labor detail. Enter the number of complete parts in the
Labor Qty field, the number of scrapped parts in the Scrap Qty field, and the number of non-conformance parts in the Non-
Conform Qty field.

7. If this labor was rework so that a defective part can recover its value, select the Rework check box.

8. When you enter scrap and non-conformance quantities or select the Rework check box, the Reason fields become available.
Select a reason for these non-standard quantities in these fields.

9. Click the Serial Numbers button to find and select the serial numbers for the parts on which the employee performed labor.

10. In the Labor Reporting area, use the Clock In and Clock Out values to define how long this employee worked on the
operation.

11. Select an Indirect Code for the labor performed.

12. Select an Expense Code for the labor performed.

13. If this labor transaction completes the setup or production on this operation, select the Complete check box.

14. If this labor transaction completes the operation, select the Opr Complete check box.

15. The Location section defines the default resource group, department information, and resource for this transaction. You can
change these options as needed.

16. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

17. To complete your time record, click Submit to send the time entry record through the appropriate approval process.

You have now completed a time detail record. Each record posts actual hours, labor costs, and burden costs against jobs.

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Job Complete/Close
Use Job Completion/Closing Maintenance to assign the complete and closed statuses to jobs. A complete job has finished its
production quantity and labor transactions, but material and other costs can still be placed against it. Completing a job removes any
remaining shop load and material requirements.

A closed job is totally finished and has received all of its costs. The accounting department typically closes the job after auditing the
financial transactions. This prevents the job from being used in any transactions or adjustments.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Job Closing

To complete and close a job:

1. Click the Job button to find

and select the job number.
You can also enter the job
number directly.

2. Since this step is referring to 1

several fields, can you add a
red box to include them in
the screen capture? You will
need to delete the last
sentences in this step and 2
use: The Complete Qty field
displays the quantity of pieces 5
reported as complete on the
6
last operation.
3 4
3. The Operations sheet
displays all the operations
performed during this job.
Use this grid to verify the
operations on the job are
complete.

4. The Materials sheet displays

all the materials used to
manufacture the final part quantity. Use this sheet to review the materials used on the job.

5. If you are ready to end labor on the job, select the Complete check
box. You are now unable to edit operation and assembly records on the If inspections are not complete on the part quantity,
job. a warning message displays when you select the
Complete check box. You can either click Yes and
6. If all remaining costs have been assigned to this job, select the Closed continue, or click No and wait to complete this job
check box. You can no longer edit this job through Job Entry, nor can until the part quantity passes inspection. You
you post transactions against this job. cannot close a job, however, until the quantity
passes inspection.

7. When you display a closed job

within Job Entry, you can see
its status has changed. It now
displays the Closed icon, and
7
all the other status options
are no longer available.

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The application now considers the job finished. Transactions can no longer be
For more information on the Job Completion /
placed against the job, and its costs are moved to your financial records.
Closing process, refer to the Job Costing Technical
If you complete or close a job by mistake, you can launch the Job Complete / Reference Guide within application help.
Close program again and clear either the Complete or Close check boxes.
You can now open this job within Job Entry and correct the errors.

Reports
This section describes some of the key Job Management reports. You can run these reports whenever you need. You can also set up
each report to generate and print through a recurring, automatic schedule. Review the Automatic Data Processing chapter in the
Epicor ERP Implementation Guide for information on how to link a report to a recurring schedule.

Job Traveler
The Job Traveler is a report you can use to print the details of any jobs you select. When you print this report, you have a hard copy of
the job that can move, or travel, within the manufacturing center and any other locations within your company.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > Reports > Job Traveler

Within the Report Options section, select the job details you want to print:

1. Print all jobs flagged for

mass print – Select this
check box to indicate all jobs
which have their Mass Print
check boxes selected print on
the report. Within Job Entry, 9 10
this check box is found on the
Job sheet within the Print
Status section. 1

2. Print Scheduled Resources 2

– Select this check box to 3
indicate any resources used
on the job(s) print on the 4 7
report.
5 8
3. Print Scheduled Resource
6
Descriptions – Select this
check box to indicate the
descriptions of these resources print on the report.

4. New Page Per Assy – Select this check box to indicate each assembly prints on a separate page.

5. Shipping Schedule – Select this check box to indicate the shipping schedule for any orders linked to the job(s) prints on the
report.

6. Bar Codes – Select this check box to indicate bar codes print on the report. Employees use these codes to scan their labor
records directly into the application.

7. Operation Dates – Select this check box to indicate the scheduled Start Date and Due Date for each operation prints on the
report.

8. Operation Standards – Select this check box to indicate the estimated setup and production standards for each operation print
on the report.

9. Filter Tabs – Use the filters to select which jobs and assemblies to include on the report.

10. When you are ready to run this report, click Print on the Standard toolbar.

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Production Detail Report

The Production Detail Report prints all the labor, material, shipping, and invoicing activity to date for jobs you select. It can also display
you profitability information by comparing job costs with AR invoicing information.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > Reports > Production Detail

Within the Report Options section, select the items from the jobs you want to display:

1. Summary Only – Select this

check box to indicate only the
assemblies and total costs for
each job print on the report.

2. Consolidated Totals – Select 12

this check box to indicate the
total actual and estimated 11
costs for each job prints on
the report. An added section, 5
1
Report Totals, displays all 6
these totals. 2
7
3. Subtotal By Product Group 3
8
– If you select the 4
Consolidated Totals check 9
box, this check box activates.
10
Select this check box to
indicate a Product Group
section prints on the report;
this section divides the
estimated and actual costs by
product group.

4. Exclude Miscellaneous
Charges – Select this check
box to remove shipment
charges from the report.
Miscellaneous charges for
expedite fees are included in
the report by default.

5. Print Material Transactions

– Select this check box to
indicate details from material
transactions print on the report.

6. Print Material Cost Breakdown – Select this check box to indicate the cost details are separated by labor, material, burden,
subcontract, and material burden costs.

7. Print Operation Transactions – Select this check box to indicate operation transaction details print on the report. These details
include labor transactions and shipment/receipt transactions.

8. Print First Article Transactions – Select this check box to indicate all first article transactions print on the report.

9. Print Profitability Information – Select this check box to indicate profitability information prints on the report. This section
compares job costs to AR invoices.

10. Print Serial Numbers – Select this check box to indicate part serial numbers print on the report.

11. Filter Tabs – Use the filters to select which specific jobs and assemblies to include on the report.

12. When you are ready to run this report, click Print on the Standard toolbar.

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 MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS PLANNING | CHAPTER 13

Chapter 13
Material Requirements
Planning

Material Requirements Planning (MRP) is a set of planning tools you use to both estimate potential demand and propose the
supply that will answer this demand. It does this by generating job, purchase, and transfer order suggestions. MRP is
primarily designed for companies that manufacture make to stock quantities or mixed-mode manufacturers that run both
custom and stock products.

You set up Material Requirements Planning through two main maintenance programs – Part Class Maintenance and Part
Maintenance. These programs define the general quantities and time frames that you need to buy or build each MRP part.

To enter your future demand, you can use both Forecast Entry and the Master Production Schedule. Use these two programs
to predict upcoming sales order demands and production needs.

When your forecasts and master production schedules are entered, you run Process MRP. This process creates unfirm jobs you
can then make ready for production within Job Entry. It also generates purchasing and manufacturing suggestions that
display within the Planning Workbench and the Buyer Workbench. Use these suggestions to create jobs, transfer orders, and
purchase orders.

Through regular use of MRP, you can anticipate the future demand for both your company’s products and purchasing needs,
ensuring that your materials are in the right place at the right time.

Before you use this functionality, you must have accurate methods of manufacturing designed for your part records, solid

Engineering Change Order (ECO) control, accurate inventory records, Lead Time values for purchased and transferred
materials, and proven capacity estimates for resources and resource groups.

The information contained within this chapter is intended as an overview of the MRP functionality. If you wish to learn more
about how the MRP engine calculates its results, review the MRP Technical Reference Guide available within application help.
This guide is located under the Working With section within the MRP module help topics.

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Setup
This section describes the primary records you need to create for the Material Requirements Planning module. Only the primary records
are described here. Some areas within the next Operations section may also document setup records if they are required for a specific
workflow.

You may also need to set up some parameters within Company Configuration. Some modules have global settings you define through
this administration program. For more information, review application help for this module; the Configuration topic details the options
you define within Company Configuration.

Plant Maintenance
You define the MRP modifiers used for each plant within Plant Maintenance. After you enter these records, they become default
values for a selected plant and will affect the calculated results for manufacturing suggestions once you run the MRP process.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > Setup > Plant

1. Click the Plant button to find

and select the plant you need.

2. You select the Use Dynamic

Days of Supply in Lead 10
Time check box to more
accurately generate material
requirements. When this 1
calculation is active, the MRP
functionality can expand the
Days of Supply calendar range 4
to account for more supply
and demand. The quantity 5 7
available determines the 6 8
amount to increase or reduce 2
on the purchase suggestion,
job suggestion, or unfirm job. 3

3. Select the Allow

Consumption of Minimum 9
Quantity check box to cause
both the MRP and PO
Suggestion processes to use
another level of lead time
calculations. When certain
supply conditions are met
within the purchase lead time,
an alternate set of Urgent
Planning parameters activate.
These parameters use the
Minimum Quantity available
within inventory to satisfy
demand while at the same time generate purchase orders suggestions that require more immediate resolution.

4. The Finite Horizon field defines a number of days from the current system date (Today) where job operations are scheduled
finitely – any job operations scheduled on a specific day will not exceed the capacity for work (hours, quantities) on the
resources and resource groups available on that day. Any job operations scheduled outside of the Finite Horizon data range are
scheduled infinitely – which means any job operations scheduled on a specific day can exceed the capacity for work on the
available resources/resource groups.

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5. In the Overload Horizon field, enter the number of days from the current system date (Today) at which resource capacity is
calculated against the demand that falls within this date range. A tracker program, the Overload Informer, then displays the
capacity used on each resource per each day, indicating when a resource is below capacity (such as 72%), at capacity (100%),
and above capacity (such as 117%). Only resources scheduled with infinite capacity display on this tracker. If you do not use this
tool, enter a 1 value to load only one day’s records into the Shop Load Table.

6. In the Rough Cut Horizon field, enter the number of days from When a job is scheduled finitely, it means that work on the
the current system date (Today) where the Rough Cut job is constrained to run for a specific number of hours each
Scheduling calculation will be used to schedule jobs. Any jobs day and that the operations cannot be scheduled beyond this
that fall outside of the Rough Cut Horizon date range use the hour limit. Jobs that have a higher priority are assigned first
Rough Cut Scheduling calculation to generate the schedule. This to the capacity available on each resource. When a job is
formula evaluates the Need By Dates and Lead Time values on scheduled infinitely, it means no scheduling limits exist on
each material and operation to calculate how much time is resources assigned to handle the job operations. Infinite
required for each job to finish its operations and gather its scheduling gives you the optimal schedule for each job as if
materials. The rough cut scheduling formula infinitely schedules it is the highest priority job in your plant. Other job
these future jobs. This data, or load, is not recorded against your operations compete for the same resources and so the
resources, which reduces the processing time needed to available capacity on each resource can be exceeded; use this
generate the overall schedule. Rough cut scheduling also gives method to locate bottlenecks in the schedule. For more
you a general idea of the production plan you may require in the information, review Chapter 14: Scheduling.
future.

7. In the Auto Firm Horizon field, enter the number of days the MRP Process will monitor to create firm jobs. If demand is placed
within the number of days you enter, the MRP process creates firm jobs automatically from these demand records.

8. In the Unfirm Series Horizon field, enter the number of days from the current system date (Today) where the unfirm jobs
created by the MRP process generate with a job number that uses the Firm Job Prefix value; these jobs are ready to engineer
and schedule. Any jobs generated outside of this date range use the Unfirm Job Prefix value for their numbers.

9. If you select the Lead Time check box, the application includes lead times for constrained purchased materials when running the
Manufacturing Lead Time Calculation process. Lead Time defines the number of days that pass between the day purchased
parts are ordered from a supplier and the day the parts arrive at the plant. This value is included in the total manufacturing lead
time for this part, giving you a more accurate view of the time needed to complete a part quantity if raw materials are not in
stock. This value is used by the MRP process to calculate the Order By Dates on purchase order suggestions.

10. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Part Class
You can create default manufacturing and purchasing requirements through You can override default MRP values on part records.
Part Class Maintenance. Part classes are not required by the application. You The next sections, Part Maintenance - Manufacturing
need them, however, to classify inventory materials on reports. Use these MRP and Part Maintenance - Purchasing MRP, detail
records to define overall standards that you want the manufacturing center to the MRP fields you can change on part records.
use for calculating MRP.

Some examples of part classes are Bar Stock, Raw Materials, and Finished Goods.

After you set up these records, you then select part classes on specific part records. The default values defined on the part class are
automatically used during MRP processing for parts included within this class. These values are intended as default MRP values and can
be overridden on a specific part record.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Material Requirements Planning > Setup > Part Class

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To create a new part class:

1. Click New on the Standard

toolbar. 1

2. In the Part Class field, enter the

6
identifier for the part class.
2 5
3. Now enter a brief explanation for the
part class in the Description field. 3
4
4. If this part class is used for purchased
parts, select a Buyer from the drop-
down list. This person is responsible for
approving all purchase orders for parts
assigned to this part class.

5. If you want to evaluate all materials

purchased through this part class for quality, select the Inspection Required check box. Any materials purchased through this
part class are automatically received into inspection; you cannot change this value during purchase order entry or receipt entry.
However, if you do not select this check box on the part class record, you can still select it later during either purchase order
entry or receipt entry.

6. When you finish, click Save.

MRP Information

When you finish defining the part class record, you are ready to add material requirements planning (MRP) parameters to it. Within the
part class, you can also set up different MRP defaults for different plants. Here’s how:

1. Click the Down Arrow next to the

New button; select New Plant. 1
2. The Plant sheet displays. Select the
plant that uses these MRP
7
requirements from the Owner Plant
drop-down list. 2

3. In the Receive Time field, enter how 3

many days are required to receive these
4
materials. This value is used differently,
depending on whether this class is a 5
manufactured or purchased part class: 6
• Manufactured Parts – The
number of days required to move
the material quantity either to
stock or the next job. This value is
added to the Due Date on the
job.

• Purchased Parts – The number of

days required to receive and inspect the materials. This value is subtracted from the Demand Date to give suppliers the
correct Due Date.

4. The Planning Time Fence field defines the time limit for changes within this part class. This To learn more about buyers and
value is the number of days from the scheduled start date that demands requiring supply Buyer Maintenance, review
changes are not considered by the application. All demands outside of this time limit, Chapter 15: Purchasing.
however, are processed as normal.

5. The Reschedule Out Time Delta field defines the date range during which the MRP process is prevented from rescheduling
demand suggestions that occur in the future. Any demand record that is supposed to be changed, but has an End Date less
than or equal to the final date of this range, does not generate a new suggestion. This value prevents suggestions from
generating that you cannot act upon.

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6. The Reschedule In Time Delta field defines the date range during which the MRP process is prevented from rescheduling
supply suggestions occurring in the future. Any supply record identified for change with an End Date less than or equal to the
final date of this range does not generate a new suggestion. This value prevents suggestions from generating that you cannot
act upon.

7. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Part Maintenance
Although Part Class Maintenance sets up some general MRP parameters, more precise MRP definitions are defined at the part level.
You do this through the Plant sheet on Part Maintenance. If MRP parameters are entered on a part record, they override the default
values defined on the part class. Part records contain the base information that the MRP engine requires to generate suggestions.

The MRP engine can calculate the quantity requirements for both Manufactured and Purchased part types. If the MRP engine discovers
a part record has a method of manufacturing (MOM), it generates an unfirm or firm job that will display in Job Entry. Part records also
contain modifiers that define how the MRP engine calculates demand for each part record. These modifiers cause the MRP engine to
generate items like inventory quantities, which revision level to use, and the planning time required to purchase or manufacture
quantities for this part.

Manufacturing MRP

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Material Requirements Planning > Setup > Part

Depending on whether the part is manufactured or purchased, you define different parameters. To define MRP for a manufactured
part:

1. Use the Part field to either

enter or find and select the
part record you wish to
review.

2. If you are using part classes to

define some MRP default 1
values, click the Class drop-
down list to select the option
you want.

3. To indicate this material must

be available for issuing to 2 3
schedule an operation, select
the Constrained Material
check box. If the scheduling
engine discovers that the
contrained material cannot be 4
issued at a specifc time, it will
locate the next available time.

A constrained material is a
scheduling modifier used to limit when the MRP engine calculates the Start Date and End Date for suggestions. If an operation
is linked to a constrained material, both the material and the resources must be available at the same time before the scheduling
engine will place the operation in the schedule.

4. A Sub Level Code is used by MRP to determine the order through which parts are processed. If no Sub Level Codes are defined,
the parts are processed in alphabetical order.

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5. You set up a part’s MRP

information on the Part >
Plants > Planning sheet.

6. If you need, you can add 6

another plant to the part
record. To do this, click the
Down Arrow next to the 5
New button, and select 7 9
New Plant.
8 10
7. Within the MRP Planning 16
15
section, click the Planner
drop-down list to select the 11
person who is in charge of
manufacturing this part. 12
13
8. The Planning Time Fence,
Reschedule Out Delta, and 14
Reschedule In Delta values 17
default from the part class
selected on the Part > Detail 18
sheet. If necessary, you can
edit these values for this
specific part.

9. To indicate this part is

included during MRP
processing, select the Process MRP check box.

10. If you want the scheduling engine to create a pull quantity to utilize existing stock and reduce the production quantity, select the
Auto Consume Stock check box. This causes MRP to automatically use overrun stock quantities to satisfy demand.

11. Notice the Lot Sizing section. Use these fields to define how you want the application to regulate inventory for the current part.
The Multiple field defines the quantity increments placed on each job. When generating jobs, MRP always rounds up to the
nearest multiple value. For example, if a demand quantity is 379 and the Multiple value is set to 100, MRP creates a job that has
a 400 part quantity. The extra quantity is sent to inventory.

12. In the Minimum Lot Size field, enter the smallest quantity that can be manufactured for the part. If the total demand quantity
is less than this amount, MRP creates a single job that uses this value for the production quantity. The extra amount is
automatically sent to inventory.

13. The Maximum Lot Size field defines the largest part quantity that can be manufactured through one job. If the total demand
for this part is greater than this amount, two or more jobs are created by MRP.

14. The Days of Supply field defines how many days into the future MRP looks to calculate the final quantity needed on a job
suggestion, purchase suggestion, or un-firm job. This value is used against both stock quantities and job quantities. It reduces
the number of suggestions generated by MRP. All the demand records for a part occurring within this range are combined to
generate one suggestion. However, if this suggestion is larger than the Maximum Lot Size value, two or more suggestions are
generated.

15. Within the Start Min Lot Qty section, you can indicate at which point MRP should split a job. When MRP encounters a part
with both a Start Minimum Quantity which falls within the buffer days and a material constraint value, the MRP engine will
check for the minimum quantity of the material. If material is available for the minimum lot quantity, the MRP process will split
off a job by first updating the original job to contain the quantity of material currently available and then by creating a second
job for the balance of the demand.

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16. To further refine the part’s demand, use the fields within the Short Horizon Planning section. These fields change the lot sizes
produced when demand is close to the Scheduled Start Date. This value is the date from which MRP begins processing
demand.

• In the Horizon Days field, enter how many days you need for this time period. If the job’s Due Date is less than or equal to
the scheduled start date plus the Horizon Days value, the Min and Max Lot Size values within this section are used instead of
the corresponding fields within the MRP Planning section.

• In the Days of Supply field, enter the supply value that falls within the short horizon time period.

17. The Scheduling section contains fields used to define how jobs for this part are scheduled.

• The Production Prep Buffer field indicates how many days are required by Production Planning to prepare the job before it
can be released to production.

• In the Kit Time field, enter the number of days required to gather the job’s components within the warehouse before the job
can start production. When the job’s Start Date is determined, this value is used to calculate the Release Date for the job.

• The Receive Time value defaults from the part class selected on the Part > Detail sheet. If you need, you can edit this value
for this specific part.

18. Within the Manufacturing Lead Time section, review the lead time fields. These values are either calculated by a process or
entered manually. You directly enter these values by selecting the Manual check box.

• The Cumulative Lead Time field displays the lead time of the longest constrained material requirement(s) on all sub
assemblies below the main parent assembly.

• This Level Time displays the time required to build the job cost quantity of the part. This value assumes all of the materials
required for the assembly are available.

19. Select the Plants > Detail

sheet.

20. The Costing Lot Size field

indicates how many parts 21
need to be manufactured
before the job justifies its
fixed setup costs. Enter the 19
value you need in this field.
20
21. When you finish setting up
the part for MRP, click Save
on the Standard toolbar.

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Purchase MRP

The MRP purchasing functionality contains similar settings as a manufactured part; however, you have some other values you need to
define.
1. Within Part Maintenance,
either create or find and
select a purchased part. For
the part’s type, the
Purchased option is selected.

2. Select the Plants > Detail

sheet.

3. Notice the part’s warehouse

displays within the Primary 9
Warehouse field. All the
MRP settings are defined for
this warehouse. 2

4. Within the Purchasing 3

section, click the Buyer
drop-down list and select the
buyer you need. This
individual is the person
responsible for purchasing
this part for the current plant. 4 5
5. In the Minimum Order 6 7
Quantity field, enter the
smallest part quantity that
can be placed on each
purchase order release. 8
6. In the Lead Time field, enter
how many days are needed
between the day on which
the parts are ordered and the
day on which the parts arrive.

7. In the Supplier field, either enter or find and select the Supplier from whom you purchase this part.

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8. If you select the Allow Consumption of Minimum Qty check box on the plant record, you can define alternate Urgent
Planning options. If the projected On-Hand Quantity falls below the Safety Stock quantity during the lead time date range, the
Urgent Planning values are used to calculate the purchase suggestion quantities instead. Through these parameters, you can
define the specific quantities, lead times, and suppliers to use for immediate supply needs.

9. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

Operations
This section describes the operations available in the Material Requirements Planning module. Each operation is described as a
workflow to help guide you through the process from start to finish. These programs are primarily found within the General
Operations folder for this module. If a unique setup record is required to run the operation, this record is also described in this section.

Plan As Assembly
Use the Engineering Workbench to cause the MRP process to generate multiple jobs for each sub-assembly within the method of
manufacturing. When the primary job for the parent assembly is assigned the Firm status, the sub assemblies break off to separate
jobs and the material demand link is created.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Engineering > General Operations > Engineering Workbench

1. Click the Group ID button to find and

select the ECO group you need.

2. Select the Revision > Detail sheet.

3. Click the Part Number button to find

and select the part you need.

2
3

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4. Click the Actions menu,

highlight the Revision
submenu, and select Check
Out. 4

5. In the Tree View, right-click

the part and select the Tree >
Expand Tree option.

6. In the tree view, select the

required material. 9
7. The Method of
Manufacturing > Materials
> Detail sheet displays. 7
8. Select the Plan As Assembly
check box. 6
9. When you finish, click Save
on the Standard toolbar.

To learn more about the 8

Engineering program and
its functionalities, review
Chapter 11: Engineering.

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Forecast Entry
Use Forecast Entry to predict demand for part quantities needed for general manufacturing or specific customers. Run this program to
anticipate future sales for a specific part. MRP uses forecasts to generate un-firm jobs and job suggestions.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Material Requirements Planning > General Operations > Forecast Entry

To create a new forecast record:

1. Review the two display-only fields

4
at the top of this window – Days
Before and Days After. These values
indicate the range of days, before and 8
after the Forecast Date, during which 1
sales orders consume the forecast. This
date range is defined within Company 2
Configuration on the MRP
Configuration sheet. 3

2. In the Part field, either enter the Part

ID directly or click the Part button to
find and select the part you need.

3. Use the Plant field to define which 5

plant produces the part for this 6
forecast. You can select all the plants (if
you have multiple plants) through 7
either the navigation arrows or the
drop-down list.

4. Click New on the Standard toolbar.

5. The fields on the Detail sheet become

active. In the Forecast Date field,
enter the date by which you need the
part quantity.

6. In the Forecast Quantity field, enter the quantity required.

7. Optionally in the Customer field, find and select a customer that you predict may order this part quantity.

8. When you finish, click Save on the Standard toolbar. Repeat these steps to create multiple forecasts for this part. You can
create forecasts for the same or different customers.

When you run the MRP process, these forecasts are now used to generate suggestions.

Export Sales History

Use the Export Sales History program to generate and export sales history information. This function generates a file very similar to the
Sales Analysis report. The exported sales forecast file can then be used by the SmartForecasts™ and Forecast Pro™ third-party
applications to create a forecast that can later be imported into Forecast Entry.

1. Click the Actions menu,highlight the External Forecast

submenu, and select Export Sales History.

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2. The Export Sales History window displays.

2
3. In the From field, enter the beginning date for the
range of sales history you want to export. 5

4. In the To field, enter the ending date for the range

of sales history you want to export.
3
5. Use the Filters sheet to limit the information to
4
export. You can filter by customers, customer
groups, parts, product groups, and plants.

6. In the Format field, select the file format you would

like to export sales history information. Available
options include various Forecast Pro formats and the
Smart Forecast format.

7. Click the Export File button to specify the full

directory path to where you want to save the sales
history file.

8. Click the Export button to both export the sales 7 6

history information and close the Export Sales History
window.
8

Import External Forecast

Use the Import External Forecast program to pull in an external forecast file into Forecast Entry. You can specify the starting date and
the name of the SmartForecasts™ or Forecast Pro™ forecast file.

1. Click the Actions menu, highlight the External Forecast

submenu, and select Import External Forecast.

2
2. The Import External Forecast
window displays. 3

3. In the Format field, select the 4

format in which you would like to
import the external forecast.

4. In the File Name field, specify the full

directory path to the forecast file.

5. Within the Import Options section,

select the Clear and Reload option to
erase the entire forecast and
repopulate it with the imported
information.

6. Select the Add and Replace option to

add new lines to the end of the
existing forecast and replace lines
with the same part, customer, 5
and date. 6 8 9
7

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7. Select the Add If New option to add new lines to the end of the existing forecast.

8. In the Start At field, specify the date from which you want to start importing forecast data.

9. Click the Import button to both import the external forecast and close the Import External Forecast window.

8
Master Production Schedule Entry
Master Production Schedule (MPS) Entry is another MRP tool you can use to
generate demand. Use this program to schedule production quantities that you plan If you have a forecast and a master production
to produce before you receive sales orders. schedule for the same part, MRP ignores the
forecast. It only generates demand from the
You can use both Forecast Entry and MPS Entry. Forecast Entry helps you predict master production schedule. You can, however,
when you will ship a specific part quantity, while MPS Entry predicts when you will import forecasts into a master production
manufacture the part quantity. schedule.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Material Requirements Planning > General Operations > MPS Entry

To create a sales order demand for a part:

1. In the Part field, enter

the Part ID directly, or 7
click the Part button to
3
find and select the part
you need.
6 1
2. Use the Plant field to define
which plant produces the part 2
quantity. You can select all the
plants (if you have multiple
plants) through either the
navigation arrows or the
drop-down list.

3. Click New on the Standard 4

toolbar.
5
4. The fields on the Detail sheet
become active. In the Due
Date field, enter the date by
which you want to finish
manufacturing this part
quantity.

5. In the Production Quantity field, enter the minimum quantity that must be produced for this Due Date.

6. If you want to pull in a demand quantity from a forecast, from the Actions menu, select Copy From Forecast.

7. When you finish, click Save.

The demand quantities you have entered through either (or both) Forecast Entry and MPS Entry can now be processed.

Update Recycle Thresholds

Use Update Recycle Thresholds to run the Recycle Jobs calculation. This calculation improves Material Requirements Planning (MRP)
processing performance by saving unfirm jobs that use active part revisions.

Instead of deleting all unfirm jobs each time the MRP process is run, the Recycle Jobs calculation determines which unfirm jobs can be
saved. When the MRP process begins generating unfirm jobs during the current process run, it uses these recycled jobs first to satisfy
current demand.

A new job is only created when a valid recycled job cannot be found. Likewise, if any recycled jobs could not be linked to a new
demand record, the recycled unfirm job is deleted.

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Use the Update Recycle Thresholds process to calculate the date ranges currently available for each To activate the Recycle Jobs
active part revision. Always run this process before you run MRP processing; this makes sure you only calculation, select the Recycle
recycle unfirm jobs with active part revisions. Epicor recommends you add this process and the MRP Jobs check box in
Process MRP process to the same process set to make sure you generate accurate results.
Process MRP.
Main Menu Path: Production Management > Material Requirements Planning > General
Operations > Update Recycle Threshold

To use this process:

1. In the Last Run section,

review the Date, Time, and
User ID information. These
values display the last time
the Epicor application ran this
process. 1
2. In the Schedule drop-down
list, identify the schedule you
want to use for your Update
Recycle Thresholds process. If
2 3
you select a schedule other
than Now, you can indicate
this process will run on an
automatic schedule you
define, like daily, weekly,
monthly, and so on.

3. Selecting a schedule other than Now activates the Recurring check box. Select this check box to indicate you want this process
to run automatically following the regular schedule selected on the Scheduling drop-down list. For more information on running
processes through automatic schedules, review the Automatic Data Processing section in the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.

Process MRP
Process MRP is the heart of the MRP functionality. This program examines the demand from forecasts, master production schedules,
and sales orders to generate both manufacturing and purchasing suggestions. The program then compares this demand with the
current supply – which is all the jobs and purchases orders that are not yet complete that can answer this demand.

When the supply does not meet the demand, the application creates jobs, MRP generates jobs with an Un-firm status.
manufacturing suggestions, transfer orders, and purchase order suggestions using the Jobs with this status can be deleted and
MRP parameters defined within each part record. If the part has an approved method generated again through Process MRP. Once
of manufacturing, Process MRP creates new unfirm jobs and generates manufacturing the Un-firm check box is cleared on these job
suggestions for existing jobs. If it cannot find an approved method of manufacturing, records, however, MRP instead generates job
Process MRP instead creates a job suggestion for the part. It also creates purchase suggestions against these existing firm jobs.
orders and transfer orders which can then be approved or canceled.

You act on the results of the MRP process through these programs – Job Entry, Planning Workbench, Buyer Workbench, and PO
Suggestions. These programs are described later in this chapter.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Material Requirements Planning > General Operations > Process MRP

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To use this program:

1. The Last Run section displays

the Date and Time when
MRP was most recently
processed. The user who
activated the process is
displayed in the User ID field.

2. The Processing Options are:

• Net Change – Select this

option to ignore any 1
previous MRP suggestions
not changed by the current
demand. The MRP Process
2
only generates new
suggestions or updates
previous suggestions 3
affected by new demand
records. 4

• Regenerative – Select this 5

option to process all 6
outstanding sales orders, 7
forecasts, and master
production schedules for 8 9
every MRP part in the
10
application. Any jobs with
an un-firm status and any
purchase order suggestions are deleted and new job and purchase order suggestions are generated.

3. In the Cut Off Date field, enter the date on which the MRP Process stops looking for demand. Any records that have dates after
this Cut Off Date are not used to generate suggestions.

4. Next, in the Schedule Start Date field, enter the beginning date that you A forward scheduled job is scheduled using a
use to generate job suggestions, unfirm jobs, and purchase suggestions. This beginning date. The job’s operations are added
date is the first date from which MRP runs. For example, if this date is two forwards through the schedule based on this
days in the future but Process MRP is run now, then today and tomorrow are Start Date. A backwards scheduled job, however,
both considered in the past. is scheduled using a final date. The job’s
operations are added backwards through the
5. The Log field is the filename you use for recording the MRP process schedule based on this End Date. For more
information. This log file is found on your company’s AppServer in the information, read Chapter 14: Scheduling.
Mfgsysdata/Reports directory.

6. The Logging Level field defines the type of tracking you want from the MRP process. Options include a basic log, a log with
MRP details, or logs for both MRP and Scheduling details.

7. Select the Run Finite Scheduling during MRP Calculation check box to schedule jobs using the finite scheduling functionality.
This means that this job’s finite resource groups only run for a specific number of hours each day, and that the job’s operations
cannot be larger than this capacity.

8. Select the Ignore Constrained Materials option to indicate this MRP process does not observe material constraints during its
scheduling calculations. When a material is constrained, the scheduling functionality determines when a material is available for
an operation and then uses this date as the operation’s Start Date. Select this option to prevent this calculation.

9. If you select the Allow Historical Dates check box, the MRP process schedules job operations in the past, before the Schedule
Start Date. This option overrides the default MRP calculation that uses the Scheduled Start Date value for all operations.

10. Select the Use Production Preparation Buffer check box to indicate the Production Preparation Buffer day value will be used
during the MRP process. This value, defined on the part record, indicates how many days are required by Production Planning to
prepare the job before it can be released to production.

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11. Select the Sort Level 0 MRP

Jobs by Date check box to
delay starting the scheduling
engine until all zero assembly
18
level MRP jobs are created.
After all the jobs generate, 17
the scheduling engine can
begin placing these jobs
within available times on the
schedule. Selecting this option
does not affect parts that
have low level assemblies
other than zero.

12. If you select the Recycle MRP

Jobs check box, the MRP
process will reuse un-firm jobs
rather than deleting and
recreating the needed jobs.

13. If you wish, select the Run

the Multi Level Pegging
Process check box to directly
link, or peg, each supply part
quantity to the specific
demand record that created it.
You can view this information 11
on the Multi-Level Pegging 12
Display dashboard. Use this 13
feature to both find potential 14
shortages and prevent 15
overstocking.

14. You can also generate 16

purchase schedules by
selecting the Include
Purchase Contract Items
check box. Use this
functionality to purchase
inventory items on a recurring
basis. You can define delivery
schedules that ensure
inventory quantities are
always available when you
need them.

For more information about purchase contracts,

review Chapter 15: Purchasing or the Purchase
Contracts topics within the application help .

15. If you select the Rough Cut Schedule When Getting Details check box, the MRP process will schedule jobs that cross the date
threshold entered on the Plant record in the Rough Cut Horizon field. You define this value within Plant Maintenance. This
functionality is intended for jobs planned in the future that are not relevant to the current production capacity. When Rough Cut
Scheduling generates jobs, the resource time used records are not written to the Overload Informer, so these jobs are not
calculated against the capacity available on each resource.

16. Use the Number of MRP Processes and Number of Schedulers fields to improve the performance of the MRP process. These
values determine how many MRP and Scheduling processes can be run simultaneously on your server. If your server has the
capacity to handle multiple MRP and Scheduling processes, enter an appropriate number in this field.

Your Epicor consultant can help you determine whether your server has enough capacity to handle multiple processes.

17. Click the Filter tab to define whether this process is run for one or multiple plants. Use this filter when your company has
multiple plants, and you only want to generate suggestions for specific plants.

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18. When you finish, click the Submit button. Because MRP is a process, you can also set up Process MRP to
run through an automatic recurring schedule. To learn how to do
The application now processes MRP, generating both
this, review the Automatic Data Processing section within the
manufacturing and purchasing suggestions. When the process is
Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.
complete, you are able to review and act on these suggestions.

MRP Recalculation Needed

The MRP Recalculation (Recalc) Needed process eliminates the need to run a full record regeneration during the MRP process. This
process recalculates the demand to find records that typically are ignored when the MRP process runs in Net Change mode.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Material Requirements Planning > General Operations > MRP Recalc Needed

1. If you select the Check On

Hand Qty check box, the
process reviews the Safety
and Minimum On Hand
9
Quantity values defined on
the MRP part record. If the
current On Hand Quantity is 8
below the sum of these two
fields, then this MRP part’s
demand is recalculated. 1
2. If you select the Check 2
Cutoff Window check box,
3
the process reviews the Cut
Off Date from the previous 4
MRP run and compares it to
the proposed Cut Off Date 5
for this process. If demand 6
exists within the Check Cutoff
Window date range, the MRP 7
Recalculation process clears
this part during this date
range, and then demand for
this MRP part is recalculated.

3. In the Cut Off Date field,

enter the final review date for
the MRP process.

4. Select the Check Finite Horizon check box to cause the process to review resources assigned against a job. If any of these
resources are scheduled using Finite Capacity, the process next checks to see if the operation’s Schedule Date value was
previously outside the Finite Horizon date range, but now falls within the finite horizon. If the job is within this horizon, demand
for this MRP part is recalculated.

5. If you select the Check Short Horizon check box, the process evaluates the Short Horizon values defined on each MRP part
record. If the date on the demand record is past the short horizon date range used during the previous MRP run, but now falls
within the short horizon range for the current process, this MRP part’s demand is recalculated.

6. The date you enter in the Schedule Start Date field will be the first date used to reschedule the MRP jobs going forward
through the schedule.

7. In the Log File field, enter the directory path and name of the file used to record the recalculations.

8. Click the Filter tab to define whether this process is run for one or multiple plants. Use this filter when your company has
multiple plants, and you only wish to generate MRP results for specific plants.

9. When you finish, click the Submit button to launch the process.

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Process Multi Level Pegging

The Process Multi Level Pegging program identifies the sources of overall (gross) demand requirements for a specific part. Run this
process after the MRP engine has calculated the raw Multi-Level Pegging data. You can then view the results of this process within the
Multi-Level Pegging Display dashboard.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Material Requirements Planning > General Operations > Process Multi Level
Pegging

1. Click the Schedule drop-down list and

select the schedule you want to use for
your multi level pegging process. If you
select a schedule other than Now, you
can indicate this process will run on an
automatic schedule you define, like
daily, weekly, monthly, and so on.
1 2
2. Selecting a schedule other than Now
activates the Recurring check box.
Select this check box to indicate you
want this process to run automatically
following the regular schedule selected
on the Scheduling drop-down list. For
more information on running processes
through automatic schedules, review the Automatic Data Processing section in the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide.

View MRP Manufacturing Suggestions

The new and modified manufacturing suggestions display through the Planning Workbench. You act on them by creating jobs,
modifying jobs, or ignoring the suggestions.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Planning Workbench

1. Within the Planning Workbench,

click the Select button to find and
select all the new and modified MRP
suggestions.

2. You can now highlight each suggestion

and then act on it by clicking on the
Job Manager, Order Job Wizard, 1 2
and Create Job buttons.

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View MRP Purchasing Suggestions

The new and modified purchasing suggestions display through the Buyer Workbench. You act on these suggestions either by creating
purchase orders or by ignoring them.

Main Menu Path: Material Management > Supplier Relationship Management > General Operations > Buyer Workbench

1. Within the Buyer Workbench, click

the Buyer button to find and select a
specific buyer.
3
2. The number of new and modified MRP
purchasing suggestions displays in the 1
PO section on the General sheet.

3. Use the PO’s sheet to review and act

on these purchasing suggestions.
2
MRP purchasing suggestions can
also display through Purchase Order
Suggestions. These purchase order
suggestions are created through the
Process MRP program - replacing
the Purchase Management module’s
Generate Suggestions. To learn
more about this program and
Purchase Order Suggestions, review
Chapter 15: Purchasing.

Reports
This section describes a key report available in the Material Requirements Planning module. Run this report whenever you need. As
described previously with processes, you can also set up each report to generate and print through a recurring, automatic schedule.
Review the Automatic Data Processing section within the Epicor ERP Implementation Guide for information on how you link a report
to a recurring schedule.

Time Phased Material Requirements Report

The Time Phased Material Requirements report displays data from both purchasing and manufacturing suggestions so you can review
the potential future inventory balances. The report analyzes planned receipts and requirements for each selected part class and then
displays the calculated results. This report helps you see what potential jobs and purchase orders were generated by MRP. You can
then verify the correct quantities are purchased and manufactured in the coming months.

Main Menu Path: Production Management > Material Requirements Planning > Reports > Time Phased Mtl. Requirements

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Run this report to display current MRP suggestions:

1. In the Part Types area, indicate

whether this report displays
Purchased, Manufactured, or Both
part types.

2. Next, in the Stock Types area, indicate

whether this report displays Stocked, 4 5
Non- Stocked, or Both stock types.
Because you are running this report for
MRP suggestions, you typically select 1
the Stocked option.
2
3. To limit the report to only display MRP
suggestions, select the Suggestions
have impact on balance check box.

4. If you need, click the Filter tab to

select specific Part Classes to display.
You can run this report for one or
multiple part classes.

5. When you finish, click Print on the 3

Standard toolbar. This report displays
the current material requirements. Use
this report to verify the current demand
is precisely met with the potential
manufactured and purchased supply.

The Time Phased Material

Requirements report is also explored
within Chapter 12: Job Management.
Review this chapter to learn more
about this report’s functionality.

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