Over Capacity Cost and the Optimizer

[Former Member]

Hi All

I am implementing the optimiser at a client. They do not want Production capacity as a hard constraint, but they would like the optimiser to incur a cost. I have always used Production Capacity as a hard constraint.

We are on 4.1.

I have set up some costs against the resource in the capacity profile, but the optimiser does not seem to take the cost into account, obviously I am now running the optimiser profile without the Production Cap set as hard constraint. The resource stays hugely overloaded and does not off load to other available resources.

Since that did not work, I tried to set a maximum cap level via Capacity variants, also adding the costs in Cap Profile, same thing, optimiser simply overloads.

Can antone tell me whether they have used this functionality before?

Regards

Ben

[Former Member]

Weekly buckets by the way!

[Former Member]

Hi Kishore

I am perfectly aware of the points you have made, I have worked with the optimiser for many years.

There is functionality available that when Production Planning is not set in the profile and costs are maintained against the capacity in the resource, the system incurs costs for over capacity.

A simple example of what I am after. you have three PDSs same product. Three different resources. Capacity 10pc each.

Requirement 35pc.

What I would like to see is a load of 10 on first, 10 on second and 15 on last resource. However, the 15would incur a cost as there is overcapacity.

If you did not have this the optimiser would simply put all the production on one resource.

I hope you get my point.

Regards

Ben

[Former Member]

Hi Ben,

Quite an interesting requirement...

I guess it should be possible but don;t know how.

There is a table in SAP optimiser log for Production Resources (Extended Capacity) - IT_RESFAM.

But I never used it.

If you could define a overload on the resource with a different cost, then your problem will be solved.

Maybe you could have a closer look at it. (please let us know how it goes)

The other solution I can think of is to have a 4th PDS with a dummy 4th resource (with important capacity but higher cost) but then you might have some trouble in you process later on...

Lastr advise: contact SAP optimiser expert team (see note 579373) they will be able to help you!

good luck!

Julien

[Former Member]

Hi Ben,

Have a look at 727719.

You can setup different variant capacity for the resource, that will be taken into account in the optimiser

Let me know if you manage to make it work!

Thanks and Regards

Julien

[Former Member]

Hi Julien

I have already setup two scenarios, one with Standard capacity and cost on a resource and the other using caoacity variants, as this is what SAP recommends, but none of these two methods are incurring cost and 1 resource remains overloaded.

Regards

Ben

[Former Member]

Hi Ben,

I am not sure to follow...

If you have defined an extended capacity then you need to keep the production capacity has a hard constraint.

Then it should work...

If you do not set the production capacity contraint then only one resrouce will be use indeed.

Could you tell us what you can see in the log for the following table?

ET_RESC

ET_RESFAMC

IT_RESOURC

IT_RESFAM

Thanks and Regards

Julien

[Former Member]

Hi Julien

Forgot to mention, got it working for capacity variants OK. However the client already using APO CTM and maintaining resource time by means of standard capacity profiles and this is where I cannot get the system to work, by maintaining cost on the capacity profile.

Regards

Ben

[Former Member]

Hi Julien

I managed to convince the client to use Capacity variant and now just incurring costs via a maximum capacity method. I honestly dont think using standard capacity works, even though you can maintain a cost for the Standard capacity.

Thanks

Ben

[Former Member]

Hi Ben,

You can either use production capacity as Hard constraint or you can remove the procuction capacity in to consideration.

If you do not check production capacity in Optimization profile then it will not check capacity.

Let me know whether you are running optimizer daily bucket or weekly.

Please Eloborate business requirement.

Regards,

Kishore Reddy.