traditional MRP

[former_member205751]

Hi

I am seeing a very peculiar way things are conducted here ,usually a client will do MRP run in ECC followed by capacity planning  after a period of time say after 2 or 3 years after the first implementation  when the system has stabilized  they will migrate to APO for better planning .This is a general scenario .But with my current client they haven't attempted traditional MRP so far .ECC MRP MD01 stuff  has not been conducted not even once,and no APO SNP /PPDS MRP run has also  not been conducted successfully so far ,but now after a lull they are attempting to straight away embark on PPDS MRP run for the first time- what will be fall out of it of this ??

Tomorrow when i meet the management i want to prevail upon them to try traditional MRP first ,what should be the rationale i should suggest to convince them to try tradional MRP  first.

Thanks

[Former Member]

RO,

I think that implementing any formal planning process from scratch is a major task, whether the tool is APO or ECC or any other tool.  However, it has been done thousands of times, so it is not really rocket science.

Like building a house, major tasks can be broken down into subtasks and sub-subtasks.  In the end, a wooden house is built by cutting the wood one stick at a time, and hammering one nail at a time.  Each of these smaller tasks is NOT major; they are in general very do-able and the skillset required for each of the sub-subtasks is not very high.

If the client himself has never managed such an implementation, he generally requires someone to guide him through the process.  Again, using the house analogy, he needs a General Contractor.  The contractor has built hundreds of houses.  The contractor knows what resources are required, what materials are required, estimated timings, estimated costs, building codes and standards, etc etc.  In a Planning implementation, this person is the Solution Architect.  He can arrange for the resources (e.g the functional analysts and the developers) and provide advice about the solution design.  If the project is large enough, he may also arrange for a Project Manager, who manages all the scheduling and administration of the project itself.

I have never seen a single functional resource with no project experience successfully implement a formal planning system, regardless of his background and knowledge base.  If your client thinks that Rahul is going to do this by himself, he is being naive.

PP/DS implementations are complex.  PP/DS is also the best detailed scheduling tool that SAP has to offer, so if the client has the licenses for APO, PP/DS and/or SNP are definitely the path to take.  Implementing ECC PP first will delay the PP/DS solution, and in actuality the PP/DS implementation may never actually get done.

You have been reading my posts for a while now.  You have heard my advice before about major projects, such as the project that sits in front of you, so I won't repeat it.  From your posts, it sounds like you have a semi-long term relationship with a single client, where you are acting somewhat like an employee.  In the end, however, your client will expect results in a timely fashion. Tell him frankly the additional resources he will need.  Tell him how much this project will cost him, and how long it will take, so he can decide if he wants to proceed.

Don't let yourself be the fall guy when things go wrong.  The job marketplace is not all that  friendly nowadays.

Best Regards & good luck,

DB49

[former_member205751]

""If your client thinks that Rahul is going to do this by himself, he is being naive.""

DB it is like poking fun on me however I have taken it  only in a lighter vein your premonitions are rite.your perceptions on my status here is also rite.OK I will take your word come what may I will be point blank with my employer even if it means losing my job, I come from a agricultural background worse come worse,i can make a living doing farming,and cattle growing.So let me go to my employer with a print out of your inputs.Thanks DB for your reasoning

[former_member205751]

DB i conveyed the substance of the messages transpired between us so far to my client.about the APO project.They felt i was sounding negative.So I lost my job,but still i am happy that i lost my job for being honest and transparent.Hunting for my next job.

[Former Member]

RO,

Sorry to hear the bad news.

Assuming your continued employment in this engagement was reliant on the client's expectation that you would be able to create such a solution on your own, then the employment relationship was doomed anyway.

You can look at this change as an opportunity.  You can begin searching for employment where your skills actually match with the employer's requirements.  You might want to begin searching for a position where you can be a junior member of an experienced team that is led by a consultant that has already done similar implementations.  Experience is the first stepping stone to becoming an independent consultant.

Best Regards,

DB49

[Former Member]

Hi Rahul,

As per my understanding -- There is no set rule that one should go for MRP(ECC) first and then only APO -PPDS. Many companies might use APO PPDS straight as this comes with many enhanced features of planning as compared to PP.

This alll depends upon what is the Business case and what are the desired functionalities. It is for the SAP Implementation  partner to suggest which solution will suit your needs better depending upon the functionalities required by Business.

Here is a useful thread. Please ask if you have more specific questions.