Global Bike configuration (?) problem in dataset

[Former Member]

My class this semester is working through some of the Global Bike case studies. We recently completed the initial case study where a new customer is created, an inquiry, quotation, sales order, etc. through to payment.

Dataset 56 appears to have what I am guessing is a configuration problem that I have not yet been able to find the source of.

In short, orders against plant 56A2 do not result in stock status changes until the post goods issue process.

This first manifests itself after creating a sales order. When one reviews the stock overview for plant 56A2 the stock overview list shows a quantity of 0 for sales orders of the items. I have both reviewed the student's work and keyed in 2 sets of the sequence myself and get this same result. In reviewing the sales order itself against a known good sales orders, all the fields are populated the same (except with changing references to sales organizations, plants, etc. based on the dataset number).

If one selects a line item on the sales order itself and selects Display Availability, there is a correct indication of the number of units in storage location 30--so unlike the above, everying on this screen everything appears to be correct. It does show the correct plant.

When one initates the delivery process, no items are shown in scheduled for delivery for the plant.

When one picks the merchandise (against sloc 30 and the correct plant), there is no change in the stock overview.

Only once one has posted goods issue is there a change in the stock overview: a scheduled for delivery quantity is shown along with a deduction in unrestricted use stock.

I'm inclined to think that for some reason dataset 56 is configured slightly differently in this regard than the other datasets. Can anyone point me to the specific source of the problem or how to correct it?

Edited to add: A student question motivated my initial investigation, and all of the above is based on my walking through the sequence 'starting over.' I just went back to the student's work to see what might be going on there. The same inventory status issues as above are there, but the student cannot begin the delivery process. When attempting to do so one is told that the order cannot be delivered. The long text in the display log indicates "Copying is not poss. because an entry is missing in Table TVCPL:AF"

Edited by: Tony Pittarese on Jan 28, 2010 8:48 AM

[SMagal · Accepted solution]

Hi Tony,

I have not used GBI 1.0. So this is a WAG based on the years of working on similar issues with our systems (Skateboard).

Are there other orders in the system that the system is allocating the inventory to? And therefore not letting you use that inventory for the current order?

Are you able to actually pick and post goods issue?

Can you provide some screenshots to illustrate the problem in more detail?

If I can get an account on the system, I could have my interns trouble shoot the problem.

Thanks,

Simha

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Simha contacted me offline and looked at this. I cannot replicate the error message at this point related to copying that is noted above, and the issue with the stock overview was discussed. It's hard for me to remember the details of the situation as it existed at the time of the original post beyond what is described in this thread.

Thanks, Simha, for jumping in and looking at this with me. That was very helpful. Glad to learn of your involvement with GBI 2. I look forward to trying that resource in the future.

[SMagal · Accepted solution]

One possibility is that the student was looking at the inventory details (in TCode MMBE) at the storage location level and not finding open sales order quantity displayed. My thinking is that the open sales orders will not show up at the SLoc level, since the system does not know which SLoc the materials will be withdrawn from. . The open quantities will show up only at the plant and higher level.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

For what its worth, here is a log of little things to watch out for that I posted on my course discussion board. The students reported that this list helped them out a lot and whenever they seemed to get stuck, this list would get them back on track. The list refers to the PP section.

1. refers to your ID number. So, if your id is 10 and you are asked for ##A1, enter 10A1.

The lab does not have 2008, 2009, and 2010 costs loaded. You can ignore all errors regarding costs.

Be extremely careful entering data. A wrong data point can impact the entire lab as everything is connected.

There is no reset button for the lab so if you make a typo you will need to navigate back through the lab to correct it. While this isn't lab friendly it is reflective of real world business which would require multiple authorizations.

Specific page comments are listed below:

Page 2

The forecast data should be entered over a 4 year time span in the TOTAL CONSUMPTION area. Be very careful not to put this in the unplanned consumption area. If it is Jan 10, start entering data in December 09 and go all the way back to December 05.

Page 4

Slight typo #A1 should be ##A1

When asked for a industry sector, just choose any one but remember it as you will need it later in the lab.

Page 5

The consumption mode selected is backwards only. Thus, if prompted make FWD consumption = 0.

Page 8

The table that SAP provides is wide and you need to scroll right / left to show it all.

Page 9

To create a finished product routing, the lab states to to navigate to u201Cu2026Master Data>Routing>Standard Routingu2026u201D however the actual path is u201Cu2026Master Data>Routing>Routing>Standard Routingu2026u201D

On this page, you need to enter the material number and the plant number and then hit the hat instead of the green check. You will then see the CompAlloc button.

To allocate SF-0010-## (et al) select teh whole row before selecting new assignment.

Page 11

when it is asking you to enter the data for forecasting it does so in a generic way. When it says enter the period interval from historic data from 1/2003 to current year - one period, you really want to enter the 4 year time interval you used in page 2. So, if it is Jan 2010, you would enter data from December 05 - December 09 as historical data.

It also asks how far to go forward as current period + one year. Again, if its Jan 2010, you would go forward to Feb 2011.

When you are working with your production order (page 21 and beyond) be sure to note how much you will be producing.

[Former Member]

Hi Tony,

I have contacted the people working on GBI 2.0 to alert them to this thread and see if they can correct any errors in the dataset. In looking at the whole thread and putting on my professor hat I think some of the issues are great ways to extend the learning for the students. When we (at Chico) first started out with UA there was no curriculum at all and no hosting services so we often created learning environments where it seemed like what we did was trouble shoot configuration issues. It turned out that this skill and having the mind set that I can't just ask someone and get an answer developed some great skills in the Chico students that were of great value in the job market. I am not suggesting for a minute that you are not doing this, but sometimes I think we lose sight of the opportunity for learning that is created when something doesn't work. We often learn more when something doesn't work than when it works perfectly. I know it happens in industry. My favorite thing to tell students when I was a professor (and if my ex-students are out there reading this I know they will smile...painfully) was -- "you think I have all the answers -- not so -- in IT you will be the expert so you need to find the answers yourself. I am just here to create the opportunity to learn, not give you answers to problems -- finding those answer is your job." That said, we will look into the GBI issues that are posted and see if we can't get some answers for you before the Congress. We do have a full day workshop on GBI at the Congress.

Gail

[Former Member]

Tony, we found lots of bugs in GB this summer in UWM training. Therefore, I decided until they get them fixed to go with another dataset..sorry for your problems, but I would suggest cutting and running to another dataset asap....!

[Former Member]

Hi Marianne,

I use GBI very little (because of issues like this I've heard voiced by others. My hope is that someone is collecting these issues to fix them.

I assume you are using Fitter Snacker if you're not using GBI? I have used it with success before. I only need this for 2 labs this semester and already had an active GBI client so I didn't want to tie up resources requesting FS.

I know that the intent/desire is to move to GBI as the base of everything eventually. Hopefully bugs are being stamped out as time goes by.

[Former Member]

Hi Tony

Detailed questions about University Alliances program curriculum and datasets are best submitted in the respective library forum in the Collaboration Workspace, not in this forum. In the specific library forums there are many more experienced professors communicating and collaborating about these courses and course materials than in this general library forum.

We have very, very many professors using the GBI dataset for Intro to ERP and a number of faculty were motivated by this succees to also adopt GBI for a number of other courses in other academic areas. So I would not agree to give up on GBI just because you appear to have uncovered some missing data element in a single storage location. I worked early in my career as the assistant controller of a global award winning computer factory and we found errors in our inventory records there, too.

The best discussion forum for Intro to ERP is in the Business Process Management Reserve Room. There are far more threads and posts by an order of magnitude there than here in the UA Library Reference Desk. Please submit anything you or your students find to the appropriate CW forum so that your question can be answered or any 'bug' you may find can be corrected.

Yes, we also have an experienced team of UA academics and SAP experts working on a new, expanded and extended release of GBI.

Thanks

Bob

Edited by: Bob LoBue on Feb 20, 2010 5:59 AM

[Former Member]

Hi Bob,

This issue was also posted in the BPM reserve room.

I appreciate your participation here, and I think your post brings up a good issue regarding GBI. My hope is that someone made note of the issue I raised for correction, but I haven't received any indication of that being the case. Others have raised issues, and one other faculty member noted client problems that came up during training. I'm assuming the reserve desk forums are to be the vehicle that should be used for reporting problems with GBI? If that is the case, is there active participation in the forum by the people that are driving GBI development? (I ask because I really don't know who it is that is developing GBI. Perhaps they are active in the forum and their presence has gone without recognition.) It does seem that there are many open questions in the BPM forum related to GBI. I think it would be motivating for faculty to post their issues if they knew that someone involved in this dataset was active in the forum and was monitoring these things.

As noted above, it could be these people are participating. If they are in the forum, it would be nice if their presence were noted so that others would know that someone is seeing their questions/issues. With other curriculum (BPI and NetWeaver, for example) the curriculum developer is active in the forum, and that seems to be very helpful.

Thanks for your interest in progressively improving UA resources.

I should note to address one element of your post, I have not given up on GBI because of a problem with a single storage location. My students experienced frustration this semester with several problems that pointed to errant configuration. I will not have occasion to use a training-level client for another year. Certainly GBI use will be revisted and evaluated at that point.

Edited by: Tony Pittarese on Feb 20, 2010 8:34 AM