Track configuration details of PTO models when shipped Partially

Business Scenario

The configuration relations are not created for PTO Configurations when a shipment occurred through partial shipments When the PTO model and options (all tracked in Installbase) are delivered with partial shipments, the instances of tracked components and PTO model are reflected in Installbase; the relationship between PTO model and components is not created.

Why it behaves

When a PTO order is partially shipped, the backordered lines are identified as remnants in Order Management and the system ignores the relationship between the lines and treats each individual item as separate shipment. After the model becomes remnant, IB cannot create component relationships.

Solution /Workarounds:

WorkAround 1. It is recommended to deliver with the Ship Model Complete checkmark selected for the tracked PTO Models; execute the pick and confirm only after the last shipment is made.

This is not a good work around when most of the times your business doesnt work with ship model complete scenarios, but it avoids a lot of overhead, in terms of manually updating the configuration details in Installbase if partially shipped. You need to remember and record the shipment after last shipment is made and it puts lot of manual tracking. But this alternative can be handy when the PTO model has huge number of components.

Other issues with this workaround is that the business intelligence reflects poor delivery as you execute Pick and confirm only when the last shipment is made.

WorkAround 2. Manually maintain the relationship in the Installbase, after the last shipment of the partial deliveries is complete.

For manual updating the instance configuration, you may refine the process by defining a new transaction sub–type, which indicates that the parent configuration of these instances needs to be updated.

An example setup is as follows:

a. Create a new instance status 'Update Parent Config' with the same attributes as the instance status 'Created' and change the status description to 'Update Parent Config.' This status indicates the user that you need to update the parent configuration in Installbase.

b. Create a Service transaction Billing type similar to the seeded type Sell but rename it to 'Sell with Partial'. This indicates you are making partial delivery and need additional action.

c. Create the transaction sub-type, with the seeded service transaction type ‘Sell Partial’ included from the LOV, of name. Assign the new status created in step a, ‘Update Parent Config’ to the transaction Sub-type.

d. When you ship the components of PTO model, go to the installation details from the actions menu of the sales order line and change the transaction sub-type to the new transaction subtype (Sell with Partial.) In the external reference mention the parent PTO model name which needs to be updated with the shipped item as component.

e. After completing the last shipments, periodically qurey for instances with status as 'Sell With Partial' and identify the parent PTO to update from the external reference.

f. Update the Parent PTO model with the instances shipped later.

g. Update the component instances with status Created (which is the original status description for the shipped item for the first item)

This is a cumbersome process but can be opted when the configuration does not have too many components

Note: You may use the Open Interface to execute the configuration updating, when there are too many shipments.