Rapid Network Explorer

When building scenarios to evaluate changes to your network, long running scenarios can be a challenge to providing results to key stakeholders in a timely manner. The Rapid Network Explorer (RNE) is designed to support small changes, such as adjustments to transportation or production costs, then solving without generating the full model again. This significantly reduces the time to return results, allowing you to explore a number of changes in a short period of time.

The basic process for using Rapid Network Explorer is as follows:

1. Run a Network Optimization scenario to use as the base for exploration.

2. Create “rapid scenarios” to adjust items that are defined using RNE eligible table columns, such as demand quantity and variable transportation cost.

3. Select the base scenario, then run the RNE scenario(s) to use for analysis. The output for RNE scenarios is populated alongside the base scenario in the Network Optimization output tables.

Rapid scenarios

Each rapid solve applies a scenario to the original base scenario results. The scenario items that you include in a rapid scenario must use the columns that are defined as RNE eligible as listed in the table below. These are the only values that can be changed during a rapid solve. When you define scenarios in the Rapid Scenarios user interface, the table/column combinations available for selection will be those that are defined as RNE eligible columns.

Create rapid scenario items

You create rapid scenario items the same way you create regular scenario items. The "Show Only Rapid Eligible Tables and Fields" switch limits the selection of tables and columns to those that are RNE eligible as listed above. Additionally, tables and columns are identified with a "Rapid Eligible" label and display a different icon than the "Standard" tables and columns.

See Creating scenario items for more information.

Create rapid scenarios

You create rapid scenarios the same way you create regular scenarios. The list of scenario items for a rapid scenario will be limited to those that are defined with RNE eligible columns. The rapid scenario is flagged internally as "Rapid" and is not available for selection in features where it does not apply, such as for NO-IO Conversion.

1. Select Rapid Solve Scenarios.

2. Click New Scenario.

3. Edit the scenario name as required. Keep the following naming recommendations in mind:

   • Do not include word such as "and" and "or" in the scenario name. These words can cause issues when filtering for scenario name (no records are returned). This is because "and" and "or" are reserved words for filter definitions. If you do include these words, you can enclose the scenario name in quotes in the filter definition (such as ='East and Central').

4. Add existing rapid scenario items to the Selected Items list.

5. Optionally add Scenario Notes to describe the scenario.

6. When you close the scenario definition, click Save Changes.

If a Rapid Solve Scenario includes a scenario that is not RNE eligible, that item will be flagged when you open the scenario. This can occur if scenario items are manipulated outside the Modeler application. Move the item to the Available Items list and save the scenario. If the item is not removed from the Rapid Solve Scenario, that scenario will fail when run with the Rapid Solve problem type.

Create a standard scenario based on a rapid scenario

Once you have tested your changes using a rapid scenario, you may want to create a standard scenario that incorporates the changes introduced by the rapid items.

1. Make a copy of the standard scenario you used as the Base Scenario for your RNE study.

2. Add the scenario items that were selected in the Rapid Scenario to the new standard scenario definition. In the Selected Items list for the new scenario, the items from the Rapid Scenario should be listed after the original items. This is important to ensure the items are applied in the correct order to get the same result as in your RNE study.

Adjusting the intensity of the rapid solve

Rapid solves use an intensity measure to determine how much of the initial solution is “locked down” during the rapid solve. The RNE Intensity parameter controls how strictly the optimization model fixes certain decision variables, limiting flexibility in exchange for faster solutions. The RNE Intensity is a value between 0 and 5. Higher RNE Intensity levels lock down more variables, which reduces the complexity of the solution space and leads to quicker results by prioritizing efficiency over flexibility. For example, when set to 5 (the default), all decision variables are fixed. When set to 0, the decision variables are not fixed during the rapid solve; this can lead to increased solve times. See Rapid Solve options for detailed information.

This option is located on the Rapid Solve tab in Network Optimization options.

To define this option in a Scenario Item, select the Rapid Solve Model Options table and the RNE Intensity field. Set the value to a number between 0 and 5 as needed.

Running a rapid solve

There are three main actions involved in running rapid solves: Run Network Optimization on the "base" scenario, create one or more rapid scenarios, then run the rapid scenario against the base scenario using Rapid Solve. The following steps provide details.

1. In the Modeler Launch Pad, select the scenario(s) that you want to use as the base for additional exploration. This can be the Baseline or any other regular scenario you have created that will be the initial solution for the exploration.

2. Set the following:

   • "Network Optimization" as the Technology

   • “Network Optimization” as the Problem Type

   • Enable Next Generation Solving Engine to On

3. Set the Store Data for Rapid Solve switch to On and run the selected scenario(s). When complete, the data from this solve is saved to be used with incremental rapid solves.

   The Base Scenario data generated when Store Data for Rapid Solve is selected is currently user-specific. If a model is shared with other users, they would need to stage their own Base Scenario data in order to run Rapid Solves. If your user is a Customer Administrator, you will be able to use Base Scenario data generated by another user.

4. Create scenario items to adjust values as desired for subsequent rapid solves, then define Rapid Scenarios using these items. The items must be defined with RNE capable columns or they cannot be used in a rapid scenario. See Rapid scenarios for more information.

5. In the Launch Pad, select “Rapid Solve” as the Problem Type. For the Base Scenario, select the scenario that you ran in step 3. The scenarios available in the list are those that have been run and “staged”. In the Scenarios list, select the Rapid Scenario(s) you defined in step 4.

   If there are no scenarios available for use as a Base Scenario, the dropdown list is disabled and you see a warning: "No Rapid Solve Data Available". In this case, or the scenario you want to use is not in the list, repeat steps 1 through 3 to generate the base scenario. See Base scenario requirements for additional information.

6. Run the scenario(s). The output for RNE scenarios is populated alongside the base scenario in the Network Optimization output tables, the same as with standard scenarios.

   At run time, an RNE scenario that has one or more scenario items that are not defined with RNE capable columns will fail to run. An error is written to the ErrorLog.txt file and will be displayed in the Logs available in Queue Management:
   Rapid Network Scenario contains items that are not RNE eligible. You can make changes to the RNE Scenario in the Modeler application on the platform.
   

Base scenario requirements

In order to be selected as a base scenario for a rapid solve, the following must be true:

• The scenario has been solved using the Network Optimization Problem Type and with the Store Data for Rapid Solve switch turned on.

• The data from the Network Optimization solve has not reached the expiration period of 36 days.

• The Base Scenario must be from a Network Optimization solve that you ran; that is, it cannot be a solve completed by another user that shares the model.

If you do not see the scenarios you want to use as base scenarios, run them using the Network Optimization Problem Type with Store Data for Rapid Solve toggled on.

Rapid solve scenario requirements

For a rapid solve scenario to work correctly, the following must be true:

• The rapid solve scenario can contain only scenario items that target rapid eligible columns.

• Data in input tables should not be changed between staging the base scenario and running the rapid solve.

• Options such as the Model Horizon and Network Optimization Options should not be changed between staging the base scenario and running the rapid solve. When you select Rapid Solve as the problem type, the horizon dates are disabled to prevent update.

Rapid Solve Explorer limitations

• Rapid Scenarios cannot be displayed on Maps.

• Rapid Scenarios cannot be expanded.

• Rapid Solves cannot be triggered using LLAPI.

• The Data Guru Platform Scenario Import and Export actions do not include Rapid Scenarios. Only standard scenarios can be imported and exported.

• If you download a model to Supply Chain Guru X, only standard scenarios are available in many areas. You will not see Rapid Scenarios in the Scenario function and they cannot be selected in features such as maps and the Launch Pad. You will see Rapid Scenario output in the Supply Chain Guru X Output Tables, Views, and Graphs.

• The Base Scenario data generated when Store Data for Rapid Solve is selected is currently user-specific. If a model is shared with other users, each user would need to stage their own Base Scenario data in order to run Rapid Solves. The instance of the Base Scenario listed in the dropdown list is from the most recent run across the users who share the model. It is valid only for the user who generated that instance. If your user is a Customer Administrator, you will be able to use Base Scenario data generated by other users.

Rapid solve output

The results of rapid solves are populated in the standard Network Optimization output tables. You can filter them by the scenario name. Not all output tables will have results from the Rapid Solve Scenario. A limited set of tables are populated based on the changes made using the scenario items in the rapid solve:

• Network Summary - The Scenario Run ID column identifies the Base Scenario used when a Rapid Solve is run on a scenario.

• Network BOM Summary

• Customer Demand Summary

• Site Demand Summary

• Network Customer Summary

• Network Site Summary

• Network Inventory Summary

• Network Product Summary

• Network Work Center Summary

• Customer Flows

• InterSite Flows

• Production Flows

• Production Process Flows

The Rapid Network Explorer Summary table is currently not in use.