| # Use-up materials and alternative materials in Enterprise Planning This topic describes how Enterprise Planning handles use-up materials and alternative materials. For an introduction to the concept of alternative materials, refer to Alternative materials in BOMs. For a description of the planning procedure without alternative materials, refer to RRP run, basic calculation for one item. Note This functionality is available only if the Use Up and Alternative Materials check box in the Implemented Software Components (tccom0100s000) session is selected. Planning with alternative materials The order-based planning process checks whether the projected inventory stays above the safety stock if you use the standard material to fulfill the material requirement. If the projected inventory drops below the safety stock, ERP LN searches for a firm-planned order that can be rescheduled to an earlier date to fill the requirement. If ERP LN finds no such order, ERP LN checks the available-to-promise (ATP) quantity of the component's alternative materials (in priority order). If ERP LN finds an alternative material with ATP, ERP LN shifts the material requirement to that alternative material. If the ATP is insufficient, ERP LN will generate a new planned order for the standard material. If the requirement date is within the item's time fence, ERP LN postpones the new order to after the time fence. If the material requirement cannot be fulfilled in time, ERP LN generates a signal to notify the planner. Note In the Items - Ordering (tcibd2500m000) session, you can view or maintain the last allowed order date and the safety stock. Use-up materials ERP LN also checks for a use-up material that must be used up first. Alternative material horizon For material requirements in a relatively far future, ERP LN does not check for alternative materials. To determine how far into the future ERP LN checks for alternative materials, use the Alternative Materials Horizon field in the Scenarios (cprpd4100m000) session. Note The value of the ATP/CTP horizon of alternative materials must be greater than the alternative material horizon. Beyond the ATP/CTP horizon, ERP LN assumes that the material is unlimited available. Allow multiple materials If the Allow Multiple Items check box in the Bill of Material (tibom1110m000) session is selected, ERP LN can distribute the estimated quantity of the material over multiple items. For example, the estimated quantity can be divided over the use-up material and the standard material or over the standard material and one or more alternative materials. If you do not permit multiple items, ERP LN makes a choice for each material line: ERP LN issues either the standard material or the alternative material, but not a combination of two or more materials. For examples, refer to To distribute a material requirement over multiple items. Restrictions The following restrictions apply: The selection of use-up materials and alternative materials is only available in order-based planning and not in master-based planning The capable-to-promise checks do not take alternative materials into account. Phase numbers From all items that have the same phase number, ERP LN first plans the items that can be used as an alternative material, to determine the ATP of these items. The phase number of a BOM component must equal the phase number of the component's alternative materials. If these phase numbers happen to be different, ERP LN first tries to adjust the phase numbers to solve that problem. If the BOMs and alternative-material definition contains a cycle, a change of phase number cannot solve the problem and ERP LN will display an error message. If ERP LN shows the Alternatives Cycle detected. error message, use the Use Up and Alternative Materials (tibom0150m000) session to remove the alternative material that causes the problem. Example The following situation is an example of an alternative cycle: Item A has phase number 0. B is a material in the BOM of A (B has phase number 1) C is a material in the BOM of B (C has phase number 2) A is an alternative for material C. (A must have the same phase number as C, but A has phase number 0) Many other combinations can result in an alternative cycle. Checks on the execution level You can repeat the check later, after you transferred the orders to the execution level. In that case, ERP LN will recheck the inventory levels and change the selection of materials if necessary. For more information, refer to The search for alternative materials. Related topics To use up remaining stock of outdated items Alternative materials in BOMs Order planning, an overview RRP run, basic calculation for one item |