Flexibility as a Solution?

[NJAnalyst]

Hello All,

We have a need for an imports tracking module that can handle in-transit information while correlating to open purchase orders. We also have other customizations that we may want to pursue such as a customized Purchase order entry interface and a way to track inventory better as it moves from bulk to bin in the warehouse.

Is Flexibility the answer to some of our issues or would it create more problems? Would we need a full time VB programmer in house to handle modification demands?

I realize that the question is relatively ambiguous, so feel free to ask questions that could help clarify my question. Thank you in advance for any information or opinions you can give me.

Jonathan Nelson
Business Systems Analyst
Horizon Group, USA

 

[MacolaHelp]

I assume you own Flexibility already? If you are an importer, do you own the goods while they are in transit or does the supplier? If you own the goods, maybe you should use the receipt location/move to location. Or receive to the in transit whse when it leaves the supplier & transfer to the actual whse when the goods arrive in your building. You can correlate open POs for the target whse with the move to location with reporting tools like Crystal. Have you tried any of this in vanilla macola yet? Tracking inventory from bulk to bin is a transfer function & can be done using visual transfer if using SQL, so I wonder what better tracking you need? I'm not sure Flex is the answer to your issues. If you haven't exhausted macola functionality, then you can pursue flex, but only if you can conceptually create an event in a macola screen that would fire off your desired programmatic response.

 

[NJAnalyst]

We do not currently own Flexibility. We have discussed the receipt location/move to location before. I will revisit the concept. Thank you for your response.


Jonathan Nelson
Business Systems Analyst
Horizon Group, USA

 

[vbajock]

I have a number of Flex cleints, but I have two major Flex clients that seem to need me all the time. I currently support a small manufacturing plant and an import distributor on a contract basis. Both companies are in the typical Macola under 50mm gross sales category. I usually spend about 24 hrs a week at the manufactor and about 10 at the distributors, and I also do longer stints at each when their business needs require it. Flex has revolutionized both their satisfaction with and their use of Macola 7x. They hated it before, and now they love it.
We are currently doing major Flex projects at both. Upgrading from EDI to XML, MRP/Master Schedule/Forecast modifications and custom sales reporting are the areas that keep me the busiest. My personal opinion is that the combination of Flex and a good VB guy will extend the time between expensive upgrade projects.

 

[NJAnalyst]

VBAJock

Please tell me about the EDI to XML project. We are currently experiencing big problems with integration times and ASN creation. My company is a crafts supplies importer and distributor. High volumes of product due to small size and low cost. We are looking at some new major retail chains that will require EDI and the current process is very slow. Thank you for your response.

Jonathan Nelson

 

[vbajock]

EDI is being replaced by direct business document exchange over the Internet using XML. This eliminates the need for the middlemen like Sterling, Advantis, etc and the associated transaction costs, so the big retail chains save millions. What takes us 40 hrs to do EDI we can do in 10 hrs or less using XML.
I don't know what chains you are talking to but most are offering either EDI based or XML based linkage. The big guys are dumping EDI. Biggest users of XML is Walmart, then Target. If you are interested in our services please vist

http://www.viningcomputers.com.