What Operational Data Is
Operational Data is information about the current status of stock, WIP, and on-order quantities you have for making finished goods for your customers.
How DemandLine Gathers Operational Data
DemandLine Client uses an Interpreter to connect to your ERP and records information about what you have in stock and WIP for finished goods. When looking at finished goods in your ERP, DemandLine Client follows their bills of material and records the same information about subcomponents you manufacture and records orders you have in place for materials you purchase.
How DemandLine Uses Operational Data
By default, DemandLine Client does not send any Operational Data to your customers. DemandLine Client holds the information it records secure in its database behind your firewall.
DemandLine Client uses the Operational Data for
- Powering its Lead Time Load Variance report
- Powering its At-Risk Inventory report
- Generating commit dates and quantities
You can also choose to have DemandLine Client send Operational Data to one or more customers.
What’s Included in Operational Data Sent to Customers
Operational Data vs. Commits and Promises
Operational Data is the evolution of commits and promises. Where a commit or promise is communicating your expected future delivery, Operational Data is communicating the current status of your plans. For your customers who can receive Operational Data, you do not need to provide commits or promises. For customers who cannot receive Operational Data, DemandLine Client generates commits automatically based on the Operational Data it records.
Record Types
For details on the data points included in each type of record listed below, see the Data Points section
If you enable sending Operational Data, DemandLine sends these types of records to the customers you specify.
| Stock quantities for finished goods | Work orders for finished goods |
|---|---|
| Only includes quantities that are available to the customer (i.e. they are not allocated to another customer or to be used in producing something else) | Only includes work orders and quantities that are destined for the customer (i.e. they are not allocated to another customer or to be used in producing something else) |
You can instruct DemandLine to send information on select materials to your customer. If you do, these types of records will also be included.
| PO releases for the materials you specify |
|---|
| Only includes PO releases and quantities that will be used in work orders that are destined for the customer |
| Work orders for intermediate goods | Stock quantities for intermediate goods |
|---|---|
| An intermediate good is something you make that is in your BOM between a finished good and a material. Only includes work orders and quantities that will be used in work orders that are destined for the customer. | An intermediate good is something you make that is in your BOM between a finished good and a material. Only includes quantities that will be used in work orders that are destined for the customer. |
Data Points
The data points listed below are for reference only. Depending on how you have configured DemandLine, not all of these types of records may be sent to your customer. See the Record Types section for details.
Stock Quantities
- Your item code
- Quantity in stock
Work Orders
- Your item code
- Your company name
- Quantity on work order (will only be quantity that is destined for the customer; may be less than the total quantity as a result)
- Work start date
- Scheduled completion date
- Expected completion date (usually based on MRP, but may take into account material order status or other factors)
- Work order number
- Date work order was created
- (Optional) Current operation number
Work Order Materials
- Your item code
- Quantity required (based on quantity on work order that is destined for the customer; may be less than the total quantity required as a result)
- Date required
- Date the record was created
PO Releases
- Your item code
- Supplier item code
- Supplier name
- Quantity remaining (based on quantity that goes on work orders destined for the customer; may be less than the total quantity remaining as a result)
- Date due
- Supplier promise date
- PO, line, and release number
- Date the release was created
(Optional) Item Operations
- Your item code
- Operation number
- Operation key (may be name of the operation if your ERP doesn’t support operation keys)
How to enable, disable, and specify Operational Data sent to your customers
Access Partner Relationships
- Sign in to RMOS
- Open the DemandLine menu
- Go to Administration
- Choose Partner Relationships...
Enable/Disable Operational Data
- In Partner Relationships, select the customer from the Relationships list
- Select the Task: Commits tab
- Mark the checkbox labeled Send Operational Data to the customer
- Click the Save button
Select What to Share
- In Partner Relationships, select the customer from the Relationships list
- Select the Operational Data tab
- Click the checkbox labeled Include item operations. See What’s Included in Operational Data Sent to Customers for more information
- Click the checkbox labeled Include current operation. See What’s Included in Operational Data Sent to Customers for more information
- If you would like to send Operational Data for materials, you can add those materials here. Click the ‘+’ icon to add a material. To remove a material, select it and click the ‘-’ icon to remove it from the list.
- After making all changes, click the ‘Save’ button
Common Questions About Operational Data
Is Operational Data a required part of DemandLine Client?
Yes. DemandLine Client requires Operational Data in order to power reports and other features.
Do I have to send Operational Data to customers?
No. You are in control of whether DemandLine sends Operational Data to your customers. You can enable or disable specific customers at will, and you can enable or disable certain types of data at will.
If I sell the same item to multiple customers, will DemandLine tell them that all of my stock or WIP is available to each of them?
No. DemandLine Client understands that you may sell an item to multiple customers and it allocates stock and WIP quantities on a FIFO basis from the Operational Data it gathers. If you send Operational Data to a customer, DemandLine Client will only include those stock and WIP quantities that it has allocated to that customer.
If I sell an item and also use that item as a subcomponent in other products I make, will DemandLine tell customers that all of that item’s stock and WIP is available to them?
No. DemandLine Client understands that you may both sell an item and use it to make other products and it allocates stock and WIP quantities on a FIFO basis from the Operational data it gathers. If you send Operational Data to a customer, DemandLine Client will only include those stock and WIP quantities that it has allocated to that customer; DemandLine Client will not send quantities that are allocated to other products.
