Process modeling

Supply Chain Guru X provides robust functionality in support of process modeling. You can create processes for each of the various policies (production, sourcing, transportation, inventory and return). The processes can represent various stages; in the case of transportation, these are as create shipment, send shipment and receive shipment. The processes for a particular policy are run in order. For Network Optimization, processes typically occur within a single period.

For specific types of process modeling, refer to:

• BOMs and processes
• Work centers in process modeling
• Return modeling
• Modeling process linking

Costing flexibility comes through the use of one or more process steps. Each process step includes a Fixed Lot Setup Cost and a Unit Process Cost. You can define as many process steps as needed to represent detailed costing of your processes. Costs defined at the process step level are added to those incurred at the policy level. If you are also using BOMs and have defined BOM-specific costs, these costs are included as well.

You control where and when processes are used with the various process assignments tables, such as Production Process Assignments. Each of these tables lets you assign a process by period. Period assignments work as follows:

• (ALL_Periods) only assignment – The process is assigned to the entire horizon of the model. In a multi-period model, the assignment is for all periods.
• (ALL_Periods) with additional period-specific assignments – The horizon-level record (ALL_Periods) sets the basis for the assignment policy and costs. Period-specific assignments override the horizon assignment for the period specified.
• Period-specific assignments only – The process is assigned to the periods specified and unavailable in other periods. If there is no process assignment defined in a period, the model can still produce the product; it does so without using a process. For example, if you define a production process assignment for Period 1 only, the product will still be produced in the other periods, but without the specific production process.

The assignments provide the ability to assign a different process per period based on the dimensions of that process. For example, with Production Process Assignments, you can assign the process based on:

• Period
• Site
• Product

For Return Process Assignments, you control them based on:

• Period
• Customer
• Product
• Destination

Assignment policies at the process assignment level determine how the process assignments are used, especially in the case that you have multiple process assignments with the same dimension. For example, you can set up a assignment policy that split the process assignment between multiple assignments by a defined ratio. In this way, within a period, you can have one process used for 60% of the total and another process used for 40%.

One of the assignment policies, Link to Process, allows you to align processes with each other or align a BOM to a process.

Additionally, constraints are available for each the process assignments, letting you capacitate them further. For additional information about constraint definition, refer to Constraints.

The general steps for working with the various processes are:

1. Create the required policy in one of the policy tables (Site Sourcing Policies, Customer Sourcing Policies, Transportation Policies, Inventory Policies and Return Policies).
2. If applicable, define work centers in the Work Centers table. Use the Work Centers Multi-Period table to control work center costs per period.
3. If applicable, define work resources in the Work Resources table. Use the Work Resources Multi-Period table to control work resource costs and capacities per period.
4. Create required processes and assign appropriate process types in the related processes table.
5. Create and define process steps and routing in the related process steps table. For example, use the Production Process Steps table to control the process routing per period.
6. Use the various process assignments tables to assign the process to the policy you initially defined. The assignments tables include assignment policies and additional process specific costs.
7. Use the various process constraints tables to apply any required limits to process usage.