Feasibility¶

Order Processing > Hide Options

There is a new flag in Blind Details > Blind Types > Option Setup called ‘Hide Option’. This is required because the customer that is going to use the feasibility functionality does not want users to be able to select the clutch option. It is still calculated as it normally is but is not visible to the operator. It also still calculates the bill of materials and does everything else the same.

Feasibility Calculation

The feasibility calculation in order detail line entry now uses the ‘Weight g/m2’ from the Characteristics tab in the stock record instead of looking at the ‘Weight Group’ in the stock record.

Order Processing > Orders > Feasibility Check

This is only applicable to order detail lines for blinds with feasibility switched on.
The feasibility test is designed to stop operators entering options for blinds that cannot be made (like ‘Link Options’) but the problem with the feasibility function is that there is no way to save a detail line if it has failed the test.
This has been changed so it allows the user to save the detail line, but flags it as ‘Failed’, which in turn puts the order on customer hold.

The following changes have been made to the feasibility functionality.

1. For feasibility test instead of exact match it will check if the option it is at least the option given by the feasibility calculation.
I.E. If the feasibility calculation determines that the tube to be used should be 1.1, than, if the radius of the tube already chosen is bigger than the radius of 1.1, the feasibility will pass.
This works for tubes and clutches.

2. The warning for Tube selection:

The text is now ‘It is highly recommended to use at least “1.1” tube’.
3. The message now has three buttons: Yes, No, and Proceed. The third button is to put into option choices the value generated by the Feasibility.
4. If an order is generated just for checking the feasibility, and feasibility pass, if the order is to be discarded (cancel) the system generate the message.

If the order has failed the feasibility, than the order can be scrapped.
5. If the user decides to proceed even when the feasibility steps fail, than the calculation of rollup diameter, parameter D, and fabric and tube go with the values of the choice made by the user.
6. For the Admissible Deflection, the display values are now at least 3 decimals. The usual value is in between 0.003 and 0.006
7. The “Weight g/m2” has been be replaced with “Specific weight” and the unit of measure specified separately accordingly with the formula where this value is used.
8. Fabric thickness is currently only held in millimetres.

9. How is the rollup diameter calculated? Which values are taken into account?
At the moment we use the following formula:

In this formula we use (Drop + 12) as a Total Length of Fabric (LT).
The ”t” (fabric thickness) is taken from fabric selected and the tube radius from the stock Item with TT identifier determined at the tube selection stage and is checked against “Max Valance Diameter”.
If so, I have to make a correction. [Max Valance Diameter > 2*RUD] is now checking for admissible roller inside a valance.
10. Width/Length ratio is in reality Length/Width ratio. The Length shouldn’t be greater than 2.5*Width, otherwise the shade become instable and tends to telescope.

The formula used to calculate the rollup diameter has the length (LT) multiplied by the thickness of fabric t.
The multiplication was not done. Fixed.

RUD=2 * (t + sqrt ((LT * t/3.1416) + r2))

Feasibility

Previously the feasibility compared the fabric roll width to the blind width and warned that railroading was required if the blind width is bigger than the roll width.
At the moment we compare the man width and man drop before deciding if the fabric should be turned or if it needs a join.
In this example, we have entered pin size, which deducts 3mm from the width.
Because 2004 has been entered in the width, the width blind size is 2001, and the roll width is 2000, so this message appears correctly.

But this is not the actual size of the piece of fabric that is cut – it is dependent on the cutting size for the width and drop.
Therefore we should be looking at the cutting sizes to determine what happens.
This applies to the feasibility calculation and to the normal calculation. There is a new parameter called ‘Use Fabric Cutting Sizes’.
If this is set to false, then the previous existing logic will work. If true, then we now look at the cutting size calculation rather than the width blind size and drop blind size.

If it is true a new tab will appear on the ‘Fabric Amend’ form called ‘Cutting Options’.
There are two columns only – one is a cutting option choice and the second one is type.
The type can be chosen from three values only (Fabric Width Cut, Fabric Drop Cut and Calculator).
If ‘Fabric Width Cut’ or ‘Fabric Drop’ cut is chosen for a cutting option, it means the cutting option will be used as the actual fabric size in different functionalities.
If ‘Calculator’ is selected, the cutting option value (dividing by 1000) will be used as the BOM quantity for this stock item.
We also need to take into account Imperial.
It will not be divided by 1000 if in inches.

We added a ‘Cutting Options’ tab to the stock record.
In actual fact, we will have to set up the identical records for all roller fabrics, so it would make more sense if this was also held against the blind type record.

Order Processing > Quotations

There is a new parameter called ‘Switch Feasibility Off For Quotations’. If this is set to true, then the feasibility check is not be applied for quotations.

Users > Advanced Permissions > Take Off Customer Hold

Even if “Take Off Customer Hold” = true for a user, if feasibility failed, the order was placed back on customer hold.
Enabling this permission now allows the user to take off customer hold if feasibility fails as well.

Blind Made / Order Made

This is extra functionality that is only relevant if ‘Blindata Accounting’ and ‘Use Stock Nominal’ is switched on, and if the ‘Processes’ form is used for recording fabric usage, and also if ‘Feasibility’ is switched on. All dimensions are documented in imperial.
At the moment there are two stock calculations for fabric.
1. When an order is entered, Blindata calculates “Theoretical” quantity for the BOM and for “On Sales Order”. (Theoretical – this is the amount calculated at the moment in the bill of materials and will not change.) Theoretical is calculated as (Length +12) x (Width - deduction as determined by feasibility)
2. On the process screen, “Actual” quantity is entered. It is the actual usage that deducts from the inventory (Stock in hand). (Actual – this is the amount that is going to be entered in ‘Processes’).This is calculated in Linear Inches
Process
1. Order is entered and Blindata calculates “Theoretical” quantity for the BOM and for “On Sales Order”.
2. On Stock item “Stock Transaction” Theoretical quantity for each line is shown.
3. Stock item > Stock transaction- Theoretical Quantity on Sales Order that is yet to be processed will be held on “On Sales Order”
4. After Fabric is cut, the actual quantity is entered on the ‘Processes’ form. If the fabric is changed, the BOM is recalculated.
5. The actual quantity is deducted from stock from the specific batch number and from ‘stock in hand. When the process is completed. The ‘On Sales Order’ quantity is also deducted for the original amount.
6. When Sales order status changed to “Order Made”, stock quantity other than fabric will be deducted from inventory.
Work Done
There is a new parameter in Parameters > Accounting Parameters called ‘Enable Scrap Nominal Code’. This flag defaults to false and is only visible if ‘Use Stock Nominal’ is switched on.
There is a new field called ‘Scrap Nominal Code’ in a stock item so that scrap nominal code can be specified. This is only visible if ‘Enable Scrap Nominal Code’ is switched on.
It is also possible to import this field in Import From Excel > Stock Update.
Accounting For Fabric
1. When the Sales Order status is changed to “Order Made”, accounting entries are posted. If ‘Enable Scrap Nominal Code’ is switched on, then the difference between the actual cost and theoretical cost is posted.
2. From BOM,
a. Theoretical cost of sales (Cost square) and inventory will be posted.
b. Difference between Actual Cost actual usage * item cost) and Cost square will be posted as Scrap and deducted from inventory cost.

3. When the status of the order changed to “Blind Made” accounting entry to record DEBIT COGS and CREDIT Inventory is created on a “Per Order” basis; instead of “per Blind”
4. COGS including scrap is reconciled with Stock usage report unless there is a change in cost prices.

Order Processing > Orders > Multi Band

We have refined the way that the multi blind order entry works.

If a ‘multi band’ blind type is selected, the number of choices now ranges from ‘2 on 1’ up to ‘8 on 1’.

Once a choice is made, the band width will be calculated by dividing the overall width by the number of bands, . The user then has to select the options as normal. However there will be one option that will only have the choices of IDL, C1, C2.. or DRV. (This option will be identified with a code in System Tables > Option Names eg Band Identifier).

This means we can identify the control side by selecting either IDL or DRV for the first blind.

If the user has selected a ‘4 on 1’ blind, and the band identifier option is IDL in the first line, then the second line will have that option set as C1, third as C2 and fourth as DRV. If the lines are generated automatically, these will be filled like this. If the first line has the option as DRV, then the last will be IDL.

This means we can use the link options to select other options (possibly dummy stock items) determined by the band identifier option. Therefore the cutting sizes for each band can be identified using the cutting option ‘Calc From BOM’.

The rules for roll up diameter and tube deflection feasibility will be applied to the individual band detail lines. The torque will be calculated for the entire shade, because now we have a defined BOM for all the bands and the torque calculation will be just an addition of all plus the % or static coefficient for the number of intermediate brackets. This torque value will be checked against the DRV clutch/motor/drive.

If the first line is edited, then all detail lines will be recalculated.

The following needs to be implemented to get this to work properly.

Add a new System Tables>Option Name record with a Code called 'Band Identifier'

A new integer field has been added to Stock Item>Defaults called 'Band Index', default null.

Three new choices have been added to Stock Item > Special called 'IDL', 'DRV', 'Main'

Operator need to add a new stock item with 'Band Identifier' link option and Special = Main
Operator need to add a new stock item with 'Band Identifier' link option and Special = DRV
Operator need to add a new stock item with 'Band Identifier' link option and Special = IDL
Operator need to add a X new stock items with 'Band Identifier' link option where 'Band Index' should be incremented for each next stock item.
Operator need to add 'Band Identifier' option to Blind Type>Option Setup (for multi blind)

When new multi blind detail will be entered (4 on 1 for example) then 5 new detail lines will be created (1 main detail line and 2-4 multi blind detail lines).
In the first (main) detail line the 'Band Identifier' choice will be selected as point 4 stock item. (Special = Main)
In the 1 multi blind detail line the 'Band Identifier' choice will be selected as point 5 stock item(DRV) or point 6 stock item(IDL) depends on from Blind Type>Option Setup>Option Selection>Default flag

In the 2-3 multi blind detail line the 'Band Identifier' choice will be selected as stock item with Multi Blind Index = detail multi blind index.
In the 4 multi blind detail line the 'Band Identifier' choice will be selected as point 5 stock item(DRV) or point 6 stock item (IDL).