Project planning#

Project planning is presented below. It shows how a project can be structured and organized and how planned values can be stored.

Project (card)#

The structure of the project card is identical regardless of the status: Planning, Offer, Open, Completed. Depending on the status, some functions cannot be executed.

KUMAVISION factory365 extends the project(s) card of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central¹ with the fields and functions described below:

General information register#

Information register Tasks#

See project tasks.

Information register Invoice and shipping#

Information register Dates#

Functions in the ribbon#

Project task#

The project tasks that are/will be planned in the project are first defined on the "Tasks" information tab of the project card. This is where the "rough planning" for the project takes place for the first time.

KUMAVISION factory365 extends the project tasks of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central¹ with the fields and functions described below:

Functions in the ribbon#

Project plan lines#

KUMAVISION factory365 extends the project plan lines of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central¹ with the fields described below:

Functions in the ribbon#

Project Gantt Viewer#

In KUMAVISION factory365, a Gantt Viewer is available to you within a project.

The functions within the Gantt Viewer are described below:

Project Document texts#

Document texts project header#

You can describe a project in detail using a long text.

To define a document text for a project, select "Pre-text" or "Post-text" in the ribbon.

The project document text card opens.

Call up the "Format Editor" via the ribbon and enter your desired text in the editor text field. After confirming your entry with "OK", your text will be displayed in the "Preview" field.

Document texts Project tasks#

You can describe a project task in detail using a long text.

To define a document text for a task, first select the desired task line from the "Tasks" info tab.

Then select the menu item "Document text" via the "Line" menu selection on the "Tasks" info tab.

You can now decide whether you want to enter a prefix or suffix for the line.

The project document text card opens.

Call up the "Format Editor" via the ribbon and enter your desired text in the editor text field. After confirming your entry with "OK", your text will be displayed in the "Preview" field.

Document texts Project plan lines#

You can describe a project plan line in detail using a long text. This long text is printed on the documents you have defined.

Call up the project plan lines via the desired project task using the call of the same name on the "Tasks" info tab.

Select the project plan line for which you want to enter a document text. Then call up the "Document texts" menu selection via the ribbon. You can now decide whether you want to enter a pre- or post-text for the line.

The pre- and post-texts are entered in the same way as the tasks. Further information can be found in the "Task document texts" section.

The reports listed here print the project texts depending on the "Show additional text" button:

• Project plan lines
• Project analysis
• Budget comparison project
• Account proposal project
• Project offer

Cross-country items#

Long-running items can be used for long-running planning and management. Article items with a long procurement time are created as project plan lines in the project. These items can later be used as components in project-related production orders. In this way, the requirements for these long-running items are triggered directly from the project, even if a production order does not already exist or the position of the component in the production order is not known. If the production order is then created and the components are defined in the order, the requirements coverage of the component can be linked directly to the long lead time article in the project.

Setup#

Cross-country items are set up in the project via the project tasks. Separate tasks should be created in the project for cross-country items. A project task is identified as a task for a cross-country ski item by ticking the "Cross-country ski item" box.

If project plan lines are now entered for the project task, the items with the type "Article" are automatically assigned the "Long-running article" indicator.

After creating the project plan lines for the corresponding long-running items, procurement documents / procurement processes can be triggered for these project plan lines in order to achieve corresponding requirements coverage for these long running items.

Cross-country items as components in the production and E+D order#

If a long lead time article has been defined in the project, it can also be viewed in production orders belonging to the project. The "Long-running item" label is managed in the FA components in the "Long-running item" field itself.

The following criteria must be met for a component to be recognized as a long-running item in the production order and in the E+D order:

• Project number must be set as the project reference in the FA component.
• The article number, variant code and storage location code must match between the project plan line marked as a long run item and the FA component.

In addition, the quantity that has already been linked / used for this FA component by a long-running article project plan line can be viewed in the "Long-running article linked quantity (basis)" field.

The fields "Long-running item" and "Long-running item linked quantity (basis)" can also be viewed accordingly in the lines of an E+D order.

Although it is possible to directly display whether an FA component or E+D order line is a long-running item, the available quantity of the long-running item cannot be displayed directly. This is due to the fact that this is calculated on the basis of the reservations for the long-running project plan lines, taking into account the due date of the FA component and the planning date of the project plan lines. In addition, a long-running item project plan line can serve several FA components, but there can also be several long-running item project plan lines for one item. The available quantity of a long running item is therefore always calculated at runtime. This is done in the "Long-running item overview" screen. This overview can be called up from the FA components and E+D order lines.

To do this, call up the cross-country ski article overview via the "Line" > "Line" > "Cross country ski article overview" info tab.

The "Long-running item overview" screen is not only used to view the quantity available for assignments. This screen is also used to set or cancel links between FA components and long-running item project plan lines. As a result, the procurement quantity already reserved for the project plan line is transferred to the FA component or written back from the FA component to the project plan line when it is canceled.

Cross-country articles Overview#

The "Long-running item overview" shows the quantities available for links to the long running item project plan lines for FA components. This page also offers the option of setting direct links between FA components and long-running article project plan lines and thus transferring the already reserved quantity from the project plan line to the FA component. It is also possible to delete these links here.

The structure of the cross-country article overview, the individual calls and functions of the screen are described below.

Address of origin#

The "Called from" field at the top of the cross-country skiing article overview shows the location from which the cross-country skiing article overview was called up.

The long-running item overview can be called up for FA components and project plan lines. It can also be called up for FA lines, production orders, project tasks and the entire project.

The calls are described below and the structure of the overview items for each call is explained.

Overview entries#

The overview items are displayed in the line area. The overview items are created on the basis of FA components and project plan lines and are created as main items and sub items. If the long-running item overview is called up from a production order or E+D order, the main items are created on the basis of FA components. The associated sub items are created on the basis of the project plan lines, which are possible requirements coverers for these long-running items. If, on the other hand, the long-running item overview is called up from a project, the main items are created on the basis of project plan lines and the sub-items are created by the FA components as possible requirements originators.

Note text#

In this area, a short note text is displayed for the selected item. (If a note is available for this item).

Post details#

The details of the respective item are displayed in the info box area. The item origin (FA line / project plan line), the item type (main item / sub-item), item and variant information as well as the due date and the storage location where the item is required are displayed. The quantity information and whether the item is to be regarded as "available" are also displayed here. The quantity display in the overview items is explained below.

Quantity display in the cross-country article overview#

The aim of the long-running item overview is to show how FA components can be covered by the long-running item project plan lines already in the MRP. For this purpose, the quantities of the long-running items must also be displayed accordingly. The presentation of the quantities in the long-running item overview depends on whether they are main items or sub-items. In addition, there are separate fields for each reference (FA component, project plan line) that display the quantities. In principle, the sum of the sub-items is also formed for each main item.

Example:

If the main item is an FA component, the sum of the quantities of its sub-items (project plan lines) that can be used to cover the requirements of the FA component is also formed for this main item. If, in turn, the main item is a long-running item project plan line, the FA components that could be covered by this project plan line are shown as sub-items.

The quantity fields basically have the following meaning:

Quantity fields FA component

Quantity fields Project plan line

An item is marked as "not available" if there is a date conflict between the FA component and the planning line. This means that the FA component cannot be covered in time on the basis of the planning date of the project planning line. Another reason would be if the quantity of the FA component is already completely covered (the remaining quantity is completely reserved) or if there is no available quantity in the project planning line. Although these items are then no longer used to cover requirements, they are still displayed to provide an overview of the existing links between the project plan lines and FA components and to indicate date conflicts. These items are marked accordingly and provided with a note text.

Functions in the ribbon#

The "Cross-country item overview" screen has actions that can be used to control the view of the screen, but also to create or delete links between cross-country item project plan lines and FA components.

The individual actions are described below:

Setting and deleting cross-country item links

The setting and deletion of links between cross-country item project plan lines and the corresponding FA components is triggered from the cross-country item overview. The "Set link" and "Delete link" actions are used for this purpose.

The setting and deletion of links is explained below using the cross-country ski item overview for an FA component. The reason for this is that the setting and deletion of links always starts from the FA component, regardless of how the "Cross-country article overview" screen was called up. Depending on the call, only the corresponding FA components are filtered, which are then processed one after the other by setting or removing the links accordingly.

Setting links

When setting a long-running item link for an FA component line, the system checks whether this component corresponds to a long-running item in project plan lines. To do this, the system checks whether the component has a project reference and whether these project plan lines marked as long run items have the same item / variant / storage location combination. If this is the case, the corresponding project plan lines are used as possible default lines. The planning date of the project plan lines is filtered so that it is before or matches the due date of the component. The date filtering is important so that the demand-covering documents for the project plan line can also be used for the FA component line. The link can now be set until the "open quantity" of the FA component is 0 (zero) or there is no more available quantity in the filtered long-running item project plan lines.

The link is set using the "Set link" function for the FA component line.

Once the link has been set, a corresponding "Long-running item link item" is also created. This item records which FA component was linked to which project plan line with which quantity. The "Linked quantity (basis)" fields in the FA component and the project plan line are also calculated on the basis of these items.

The linking items can also be viewed in the cross-country skiing article overview.

The link transfers the reservation (proportionate to the linked quantity) from the project plan line to the FA component. This also creates a direct link between the demand covering document (e.g. a purchase order) and the FA component.

However, the link also has a direct effect on the project plan line. To reduce the requirement for the long-running item for the project accordingly and to minimize redundancy of the requirement between the FA component and the project plan line, the quantity of the project plan line itself is also reduced.

Deleting

links Deleting link items has two integrated steps. The first is to reset the existing link according to the cross-country item link item. The second is to transfer the reservation without the cross-country article link.

In the first step, the link is undone using the long run item link items by moving the reservation in the amount of the linked quantity from the FA component to the project plan line listed in the item.

In the second stage, the system checks whether there is still a reserved quantity for the FA component beyond the link. This means that after deleting the link, there is still a "reserved quantity" for the FA component, which may have been set by manual reservations. If this is the case, the reservation is also transferred to the first suitable project plan line. The aim of this transfer is to always concentrate the existing requirements coverage for the long-running items of a project on the long-running item project plan lines. If the surplus reservation quantity were only to be canceled in this way, it would then be available for other projects/consumption. However, the transfer ensures that the requirements cover remains reserved for the project.

The link for the FA component is deleted again using the "Delete link" function.

By deleting the link, the long-running item link item is deleted and the linked quantity in the FA component and the corresponding project plan line is reduced / set to 0 (zero).

Furthermore, the "Open quantity (basis)" is also set high again in the FA component, as there is no longer any requirement coverage for the remaining quantity of the FA component.

On the other hand, the quantity and the available quantity in the project plan line and the available quantity in the project plan line are increased. As a result, the reservation for the requirement cover is transferred from the FA component to the project plan line and the requirement cover is still available to the project.

Handling of long-running article links#

This section describes the handling of long-running article links for different actions in the processing of production orders / E+D orders and in the project.

As part of the production order / E+D order processing#

Outsourcing and reintegration of separate production orders

In E+D orders, individual sub-assemblies can be outsourced to separate production orders or reintegrated from a separate production order. The noted requirements coverage (reservations) is also outsourced or reintegrated. Therefore, the long-running article link items are also outsourced or reintegrated with the separate production order.

Deleting an FA component

When a FA component is deleted, the system checks whether it is a long-running item. If this is the case and there are reservation items for the FA component, the reservation is transferred to the corresponding long-running item project plan line before the component is deleted.

Further information can be found in the section "Deleting cross-country article links".

Deleting a production order/individual FA lines

When deleting the entire production order or individual FA lines, the system checks whether the entire production order or the corresponding FA line contains components that are marked as long-running items. If this is the case, the reservations are transferred to the corresponding long-running item project plan lines before these components are deleted.

Further information can be found in the section "Deleting an FA component".

Reducing the quantity in an FA component

If an FA component is marked as "long-running" and a quantity reservation exists for this component, the existing reservation is converted to a long-running item project plan line before the quantity is reduced. After reducing the quantity, the system restores the reservation for the FA component according to the following scheme:

If the new "Expected quantity (base)" is smaller than the originally reserved quantity, then the reservation is only made according to the new "Expected quantity (base)". If, on the other hand, the new "Expected quantity (base)" still exceeds the originally reserved quantity, the reservation is set back to the originally reserved quantity.

This ensures that after the quantity reduction, the portion of the reservation that is no longer required is assigned to a corresponding project long runner and the component retains its reservation up to the maximum previously reserved quantity.

Cancellation of the reservation from an FA component

If an FA component is marked as a "long-running item", it is not possible to cancel the reservation for this component manually (call up the reservation cancelation directly from the FA component). This is due to the fact that the reservations for slow-moving items in the production order are not simply canceled and made available again for all consumptions, but are moved to the corresponding slow-moving item project plan lines. As a result, the reserved requirement covers remain linked to the project.

Cancellation of the reservation for an FA component that is marked as a long-running item is therefore canceled with an error message. Instead, the "Delete link" function in the "Long-running item overview" should be used to transfer the existing reservation to a corresponding long-running item project plan line.

If the reservation has been transferred to the project plan line, it can be canceled there for the respective project plan line. This then represents a conscious decision, so that the reserved requirement cover for the long run item is to be decoupled from the project.

Cancellation of the reservation from the demand checker

If a FA component is marked as a "long-running item" and has a reservation for the requirement cover, the reservation cannot be canceled directly from the FA component.

However, it is possible to cancel the reservation from the demand-covering document. This is due to the fact that it must be possible to make changes to the demand-covering document. For example, if the planned delivery date cannot be met.

If a reservation is canceled in a demand-covering document that refers to a FA component for a long-running item, the long-running item link for this component is also adjusted accordingly.

Consumption booking of a FA component

After booking the consumption for a FA component that is marked as a "long-running item", the long-running item link is adjusted to the reserved quantity again. This is due to the fact that the reserved quantity may be consumed with the consumption booking (reservation on stock). The long lead time article link must therefore also be reduced accordingly.

Status change in the production order

When status changes are made in the production order, the long-running article links for this production order must also be taken into account accordingly. There are two options that must be taken into account:

Change from "Firmly planned" to "Released":

With this status change, the long-running article link items must also be moved from the firmly planned production order to the released production order in parallel with the reservations.

Change from "Released" to "Finished":
if a production order is finished, all existing (unused) reservations for long-running items linked to the production order are redistributed to the corresponding long-running item project plan lines and are therefore still available in the project.

As part of the processing of project plan lines#

When processing project plan lines that are marked as "long-running items", the system must carry out corresponding checks and actions in relation to long-running item links (long-running item link items). These are described below.

Creating book sheets for long-running items project plan lines

It is not possible to create project book sheets for project plan lines that are marked as "long-running items". This is prevented by a corresponding error message. The purpose of this is to prevent project plan lines for cross-country items from being posted. A project plan line for slow-moving items offers the option of generating requirements in advance for parts that are required for production and have a long procurement time. It only serves as a trigger for procurement, the actual consumption takes place as a component in the production order.

Posting long lead time items project plan lines

Posting project plan lines that are marked as "long lead time items" is not permitted. A project plan line for long lead time items offers the option of generating requirements in advance for parts that are required during production and have a long procurement time. It therefore only serves as a trigger for procurement; the actual consumption of the component takes place in the production order.

Deleting long-running article project plan lines with link items

If a project plan line that is marked as a "long running article" is deleted, the long-running article links of this project plan line to the corresponding FA components are also deleted. However, the reservation that has already been transferred to the requirement cover remains in the FA components. If it was the only long-running item project planning line for the item / variant / storage location combination, then the "long-running item" checkmark is also removed from the corresponding FA components, as there is no longer a reference to a long-running item in the project.

Project scheduling#

With the help of project scheduling, you have the option of creating a rough schedule at any point in the project. Scheduling can be defined both at project level and at project task and project plan line level. Forward, backward and midpoint scheduling is possible.

Project tasks using predecessor and successor structure#

Project tasks can be related by means of predecessors/successors. To create a predecessor/successor structure, click on the number in the "Predecessor/successor" field of the respective project task line. The "Project task dependencies" page opens on which you can assign the predecessors/successors to the project task via "New" in the "Project task dependencies" selection field.

Set project task duration#

Enter the expected duration of the respective project task in the "Duration" field. You can enter this information in the following fields:

• T = Tag(s)
• WT = Weekday(s)
• W = week(s)
• M = month(s)
• Q = Quarter(s)
• J = Year(s)
• L = the current time unit based on the date

Terminate#

Using the "Project scheduling" function in the ribbon, you can calculate the planned start date and the planned end date of the project tasks based on the predecessor and successor structure and the duration of the project task.

When the function is executed, the "Project scheduling" option window opens.

Confirm your selection to perform the calculation.

Procedure Termination direction#

Forward scheduling

Starting from the scheduling fixed point, all project tasks are scheduled as follows:

Project task planned start date + duration = planned end date Planned end date of predecessor = planned start date of successor tasks

Backward scheduling

Starting from the scheduling fixed point, all project tasks are scheduled as follows:

Project task planned end date - Duration = planned start date Planned start date successor = planned end date of predecessor

Center point scheduling

Starting from the scheduling fixed point (only possible for project tasks), all successors are scheduled forwards and all predecessors are scheduled backwards.

Project tasks of the From total type receive the earliest planned start date of the subordinate tasks of the Booking type as the planned start date and the latest planned end date of the subordinate tasks of the Booking type as the planned end date.

Only the self-contained predecessor and successor structure is calculated for a midpoint termination.

Project location#

For the correct presentation of the transfer of risk, goods are transferred from their production site to the construction site or to the customer and not delivered directly and thus consumed. The project is then debited upon acceptance through a deliberate consumption posting.

A project storage location is always created for a project. This can be a storage location for several projects or a storage location explicitly for one project.

In the latter variant, a new storage location is created based on the "Sale to customer no.".

Setup#

In the "Projects setup" you can control whether you want to create one project storage location per project or use one storage location for several projects.

Project storage location per project:

If you opt for the automated creation of project storage locations for each project, you also have the option of storing a storage location template from which the necessary facilities for the newly created project storage location are pre-assigned. The following facilities are copied from the template storage location:

• Storage locations,
• Warehouse booking facility,
• Stock transfer routes,
• Storage location map (register)

Project storage location for multiple projects:

If you decide against the automated creation of a project storage location, you have the option of storing an existing storage location that is to be used by default for the projects.

Manual system#

In addition to the automatic creation of a project warehouse, you also have the option of manually creating a project warehouse location for each project.

To create a project storage location, click on the project card in the "Related" > "Setup" > "Create project storage location" ribbon.

When the function is executed, a query opens where you can decide whether you want to use the number for the storage location from the number series from the Projects facility or whether you want to assign a manual number.

Inventory data#

When creating an article item in the project plan line, if a storage location is found, a storage data card is created directly in the background for the article and the corresponding project warehouse.

In the project plan line, the procurement method can then be defined directly on the stock data card via the "Procurement method" field.

If the "Stock transfer" procurement method is selected, a stock transfer route is created directly in the background for the standard warehouse in accordance with the settings in the "Projects setup".

Project team#

A project team can be defined for each project. The definition takes place on the project card in the ribbon under "Project team".

Create the project team members using the table below:

If you maintain a resource in the project plan lines, project team data records are also generated for this.

Please note that when creating from the project plan line, the team record is not deleted when the resource is changed or the record is deleted.

Archive project versioning and project status#

The project planning in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central¹ is always updated and corrected so that it is not possible to compare different planning statuses. In the plant engineering solution, you can version the project planning in order to have access to older planning statuses and to compare two planning statuses with each other.

Project version#

To create a project version, execute the "Release version" function in the respective project via the ribbon. The current version of the complete project status has thus been archived and can be viewed via the number of the "Archived versions" field on the "General" info tab or via the ribbon under the "Project archive" menu item.

The archived project statuses contain a complete copy of the project map with the following additional information on the "Version" information tab:

Project structure version#

The project structure version can be viewed via the "Project structure" menu item in the project version ribbon. This corresponds to the project structure at the time of archiving with the additional identifier of the version number.

Shipping preparation#

When manufacturing complex items, the situation can often arise in shipping that the manufactured item needs to be disassembled and packed for shipping. In connection with the plant engineering solution, it is also possible to use shipping units across all FAs within a project. This requires that the production orders have a project reference, e.g. by being generated by the requirements planning in the project.

Project-specific shipping units can now be assigned to these production orders by checking the "Project-specific shipping unit" box in the component lines. This is set for all component lines of the production order.

Shipping units can now be assigned. They are no longer FA-specific, but can be assigned in all FAs that have the corresponding project number.

The assignment can also be assigned from the "Material structure" in the project. All FAs linked to the project plan lines are directly visible here. If the corresponding lines are transferred to a sales order, the shipping units can be used in the goods issue. The "Insert project-specific shipping units" function is used for this in goods issue. To do this, all lines belonging to FAs that use project-specific shipping units are selected.

The goods issue can then be posted normally. Once the shipping units have been posted in full, the original lines are automatically posted in the background and the sales delivery is completed. When inserting the project-specific shipping unit, the system checks whether each production order that uses one of the shipping units is also linked to this goods issue. If this is not the case, the system terminates with an error and refers to the FA. You can find basic information about shipping units here.