Simulation Planning

This chapter describes activities required to generate and maintain simulation plans for family items and end items.

Introduction 114

Creating Simulation Plans 114 Maintaining Simulation Plans 116

Introduction

During the plan review process, it can be helpful to experiment with the effects of changing production due quantities. You can create simulations of both family and operations plans.

Figure 11.1 shows the simulation planning work flow.

Fig. 11.1

Simulation Planning Work Flow

Creating Simulation Plans

To create simulation plans from an active family plan, operations plan, or another simulation plan, use Copy Plan to Simulation (33.17.1). This program copies sales forecasts, target inventory levels, and production due quantities. However, it does not copy projected quantity on hand or weeks of coverage. When you change quantities in the simulation plan maintenance programs, the system recalculates these.

Note You cannot change weeks of coverage or other plan calculation factors in full-scale simulation mode. However, you can save the active plan to a simulation table, change the factors and recalculate the plan. Then, if necessary, copy the stored plan back. Obviously, if you do this, you must institute appropriate procedural controls.

You can generate an unlimited number of simulation plans.

Copy active plan to simulation plan.

Review and change simulation plan.

Copy simulation back to active plan.

Simulation Planning 115

Fig. 11.2

Copy Plan to Simulation (33.17.1)

Plan ID. Enter a code (maximum eight characters) to identify the simulation plan.

Item Number/To. Enter the item number range.

Year/To. Enter a maximum range of three calendar years, starting with the current year.

Buyer/Planner. If you specify a value, the system processes only items assigned to this person.

Product Line. If you specify a value, the system processes only items belonging to this product line.

Item Group. If you specify a value, the system processes only items belonging to this item group.

Item Type. If you specify a value, the system processes only items belonging to this item type.

Overwrite Existing Plan. Enter Yes to overwrite previously generated simulation plan records for the selected items, plan years, and so on. Enter No to preserve the previous plan records in the new simulation plan.

Maintaining Simulation Plans

Like operations plans, you can manipulate simulation plans at the site and production line levels.

Changing Site Simulation Plans

To view the plan and simulate changes to production due quantities, use Simulation Plan Maintenance (33.17.13). To help you make more informed decisions, the screen displays the global sales forecasts and global target inventory levels. As you change quantities, the system recalculates projected quantity on hand and projected weeks of coverage. You can also use Simulation Plan Maintenance to delete a simulation plan, either for an entire year, or for only specific periods within the year. For example, you may have to do this if an item becomes obsolete.

Fig. 11.3 Simulation Plan Maintenance (33.17.13) ¶See “Changing Site Operations Plans” on page 86.

The fields in Simulation Plan Maintenance are identical to those in Operations Plan Maintenance.

Simulation Planning 117

Use two programs to view simulated plan information:

• Simulation Plan Inquiry (33.17.14) shows an item’s site simulation plan much as it appears on the Simulation Plan Maintenance (33.17.13) screen.

• Simulation Summary Report (33.17.6) shows plans for ranges of items, which you can choose by starting plan week, product line, item group, item type, and buyer/planner. You can limit the report to items whose projected coverage is greater or less than the average coverage factor.

Changing Line Simulation Plans

Use Simulation Line Plan Maintenance (33.17.16) to view the plan and simulate changes to production due quantities at the production line level.

Fig. 11.4 Simulation Line Plan Maintenance (33.17.16) ¶See “Changing Line Operations Plans” on page 89.

The fields in Simulation Line Plan Maintenance are identical to those in Operations Plan Line Maintenance.

Use Simulation Line Plan Inquiry (33.17.17) to display an item’s line simulation plan.

Changing Simulation Line Schedules

Simulation Line Util Maintenance (33.17.19) simulates balancing the operations plan against available line capacity. You can view and change scheduled production in either hours or quantities. As you make changes, the screen recalculates coverage, capacity, and utilization.

Fig. 11.5 Simulation Line Utilization Maintenance (33.17.19) ¶See “Changing Line Schedules” on page 90.

The multiple screens and fields in the program are identical to those in Line Utilization Maintenance.

Simulation Line Util Report (33.17.20) shows line scheduling information for a range of sites and production lines. You can print production due in either item quantities or line production hours.

Copying Simulation Plans to Active Plans

When you are satisfied with a simulation plan, use Copy Simulation to Plan (33.17.3) to copy the plan back over the active family plan or operations plan.

Note Be careful not to copy the simulation plan prematurely or in error. The system does not keep a backup copy of the old active plan.

Simulation Planning 119

Fig. 11.6

Copy Simulation to Plan (33.17.3)