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APO with Variant Configuration - Characterisitcs based SNP

Former Member
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Hi,

Been doing APO for a long time, but I am just beginning my journey into Pharma Industry and I am looking specifically

how APO in the SNP module can do Supply Planning for ...

1. Variant Configuration (Configurable Materials with Characterisitcs).

2. Engineering Change Management (ECM) for changes to

BOMs, Routings, Material Substitutions ... etc.

I am not clear on how APO in general handles SNP Planning for the Pharma (or Discrete) Industry wherein for different Countries a Main Drug (or Car for Discrete) can have many Variants for different Customers / Countries.

I hear "Demand Planning" has a Characteristics Based Planning (CDP / CBF ?) ... which I ASSUME helps in Forecasting of Configurable Products with certain Characteristics. I am not clear on how the SNP Planning for this with Capacity Planning using PPMs/PDS is done.

Can SNP do this ?

Are there any Limitations in APO Functionality for this ?

We will be using SCM-APO 5.0 or higher.

Anyone with experience in APO and Pharma / Discrete Industry if you can please help me.

Regards,

Ambrish Mathur

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

nitin_thatte
Contributor
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Dear Ambrish,

SNP as such cannot work with characteristics/configuration. You have to use PPDS for that.

Nitin Thatte

Answers (5)

Answers (5)

Former Member
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APO SNP does not support CDP.

Cheers

SCMBEE

Former Member
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Anyone with ECC/R3 PP-PI as well as APO PPDS Background who can Guide me ?

Ambrish

former_member978618
Active Participant
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Hi,

1. SNP doesn't support CDP.

2. You have to use CBF in DP for forecasting and CDP in PPDS for planning purposes.

You can use characteristics-dependent planning (CDP) to plan in-house production for products using characteristics. The products are configurable in the R/3 system. You can configure planned orders and production orders for these products in SAP APO.

Go through this best practice,, it will answer your questions on CDP

http://help.sap.com/bp_primarysteel1500/Steel_China/html/index.htm

Former Member
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Thankyou for the responses so far.

Guys,

Can anyone Please GUIDE me More on ... Planning in APO for

"Variant Configuration (Configurable Materials with Characterisitcs)". Also on using ECM in APO (from R3).

If there are 100's of Variants possible, how is a decision taken on what is a Material in R3 (& APO) for the 'Base'. How are BOMs defined for these Variants. How do they reflect in APO. For what Material do we do DP and especially how do we do PPDS in APO for Configurable Variants ?

My Questions are with reference to "Variant Configuration" as in Manufacturing / PP R3 Module and not with reference to SD Variant Configuration for Sales. (that will be next step).

Can anyone give me a A STARTING Place (URL) to start reading about how to Setup APO for "Variant Configuration" ?

Regards,

Ambrish Mathur

Former Member
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Hi Ambrish,

Tyr this link.

Detailed step by step config in ERP you have to model accordingly in SCM

http://www.sap-basis-abap.com/sd/steps-for-variant-configuration-and-pricing.htm

Cheers

SCMBEE

Former Member
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Hello,

For using change nos and variant configuration in APO , you need to work with PDS that is production data structures.

For variant configuration you need to do the configuration setting in customization.

PDS has some advantages over PPM and SAP is also recommending the use of PDS for its future developements in APO.

When you use PDS, you will able to get seperate fields for change nos.

for example in one of the assembly FA , you are using some components ' x' upto 20.10.08 and you will be replacing the componet to ' Y ' from 21.10.08. For such situation you can work with change nos.

When system will do PDS explosion , at that time it will go to the right component as per the explosion date.

Please let me know if you have any specific questions.

Regards,

Ravindra

Former Member
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APO Gurus,

I am OK if PPDS is the Answer and SNP does not deliver what I need here. Could anyone Please Direct me to the Questions on Variant Configuration and ECM in relation to Planning in APO ? How do I get started on what can & cannot be done.

Nitin ... thanks.

Then how can we use APO to do "Replenishment" Supply Network Planning and Production Planning for the Process (Pharma) and Discrete (Automotive, Engineering) Industry where using Characteristics Based Configurable Materials with Variant and Super BOMs ?

Also how about use of Engineering Change Management (ECM) in APO for Changes to Material & BOM Masterdata for changes in Production process and Material substituition being driven thru Approvals of Change Requests. In R3 (ERP) I understand ECM using Change Numbers does this. How can this Change be used in APO for Planning ?

eg : A BOM Change Planned for a Component to another Enhanced Component, but only after Usage of the Current Stock of the Old Component.

Regards,

Ambrish Mathur