CTO in IFS/Part Catalog and IFS/Inventory

This about description offers a brief overview of the purpose and use of the Configure to Order (CTO) functionality within IFS/Part Catalog and IFS/Inventory

Introduction and Basic Terms

In IFS/Part Catalog you can set up some of the basic information that is used when working with CTO in IFS Applications.

In IFS/Inventory you can mostly handle a configured part as any other part. For instance, there is full functionality regarding tracking of configured parts in inventory. However, you cannot create a configured part in IFS/Inventory.

The following terms are central to the way IFS Applications handles configurations:

• Configurable part (also called configurable item) - A part that demands configurations, i.e., it is configurable.
• Configurable - Indicates whether the part is allowed to have configurations, i.e., if it is a part registered in Part Catalog and the check box Configurable has been selected. A configurable part is always attached to a configuration family.
• Configuration - A unique combination of characteristics and options that is used in conjunction with a part. The configuration of a part can be initiated in IFS/Customer Orders, IFS/Shop Order and IFS/Dynamic Order Processing. A part with a configuration connected is configured.
• Configuration Family - A set of products that share common engineering and configuration data. In IFS/Part Catalog the configuration family is used to make certain characteristics and options available to the part.
• Configuration Characteristic - An attribute or classification of a product that describes one of its functional capabilities.
• Option - An alternative attribute values that can be assigned to the characteristic.

CTO in IFS/Part Catalog

In IFS/Part Catalog, you set up some of the basic information that is used when working with CTO in IFS Applications. For instance, you can enter a configurable part and connect it to a configuration family, which makes characteristics and options available. The characteristics and options that are connected to the configuration family are defined in IFS/Configuration Characteristics.

All parts that are to be configured must be entered as parts in IFS/Part Catalog. This is done by selecting the Configurable check box for the part. However, certain combinations cannot be used. Generally speaking, once any ordering or other substantial activity has occurred for the part, an update of this setting is no longer allowed. The following is a list of checks made in IFS Supply Chain when you turn an inventory part into a configurable part:

• The part cannot be pallet handled.
• The inventory valuation methods FIFO and LIFO are not allowed.
• The quantity of parts on hand and the quantity in transit must be zero (0).
• Shortage handling is not allowed.
• Only planning methods A (Lot for Lot), K (Blow Through), and, P (Phantom Part) are allowed.
• Automatic updates of planning functionality like safety stock, order point, and order quantity are not allowed.
• It cannot be used on a material requisition.
• Part types Manufactured Recipe Part and Purchased (raw) are not allowed.
• The part cannot be used in a consignment stock.
• A demand or supply cannot exist for the part. For instance, no orders of any kind are allowed: customer orders, customer quotations, customer agreements, request for quotations, purchase requisitions, purchase orders, supplier agreements, shop orders, DOP orders, production schedules, etc.
• No inventory transactions have occurred for this part.

When you enter a configurable part, it is recommended that you start by entering a part in the Part window, and then select the Configurable check box. Afterwards, you can add any additional information for the part, e.g., turn it into an inventory part, etc. The reason for this working procedure are performance considerations.

CTO in IFS/Inventory

Configured parts are placed in stock as they arrive or are produced. If the inventory value has not been entered at an earlier stage, it will be entered upon the first delivery into stock. Also note that it is not possible to store a configurable part, only its configurations. Once a new configuration for a part is created a new record will be entered in IFS/Inventory.

In Inventory Part/Costs you can see the costs for a unique configuration. If you have chosen Cost per Configuration as the configuration cost method, the costs are specific for the unique configuration. If you have chosen Cost per Base Part, all configurations will have the same costs as the configurable part. When the latter option is used, the cost information for all configurations is updated from Inventory Part/Costs. In that case you have to use IFS/Costing to calculate the costs by copying to cost set 1 once parts are or have been in stock. If the configuration cost method is set to Cost per Configuration, the inventory value can only be updated through an interim order.

It is possible to view configurations in several windows in IFS/Inventory. If a configuration is available, the configuration ID in question is displayed. An asterisk (*) is displayed for configurable parts that do not have any configuration connected and for parts that are not configurable.