ASCP 12.2.5.X Release Key Features

ASCP 12.2.5 Release Features

Oracle has provided handful of enhancements in ASCP module with the latest release. Here is a summary of some key features which are now available.

• Collection filtered by Category Sets
• Ability to setup category sets and then use as filter to collect/refresh only subset of product data into ASCP
• Improves performance of collection process
• Demand Schedule Specific Forecast processing:
• Forecast processing options/consumption criteria definition can be done at demand schedule level with this enhancement. This allows one to submit for different region/Product LOBs separate schedules. 
• Following options can be enabled at demand schedule level now
• Backward days
• Forwards days
• Spread forecast
• Consume by Forecast bucket
• Explode Forecast
• Plan level options are used if no demand schedule level values are set
• Improved plan accuracy and allows more flexibility 
• Plan Options> organization tab has these additional options.

• Maximize Resource Utilization
• Works with Constrained plan without detailed scheduling plan type only 
• Allows better use by front loading production and minimize resource downtime
• ASCP will also use alternate sources of supplies (e.g. alternate resources, substitute components etc.) too if needed for maximizing resource utilization 
• There though are some fine prints on what all ASCP can do with this feature enabled, e.g. plan can violate the sourcing split % if needed for maximizing resources. 
• Use only if key need is to front load and maximize resource utilization 
• Extended Support for Reservation (for plan type : Constrained without detailed scheduling)
• Support so far:
• Reservation b/w on hand supplies & sales order demands
• Reservation b/w on hand, internal requisitions and maintenance work order supply types to maintenance work order demands 
• Extended support for:
• Reservation b/w discrete jobs, process batches, purchase orders & requisitions with sales orders/process batch demands
• Allows companies with Make To Order environment to reserve certain work order supplies to sales order demand
• Supply - Demand reservation could be 1-1, 1-Many, Many-1 or Many-Many 
• Enhanced Project Netting for Project Mfg environment 
• Enhanced User experience with Alta GUI



• Improved user interface provides ADF based Alta GUI, which is where future GUI is going towards for Oracle.
• New supply planning work area:
• Allows personalizing content and page layouts 
• User can define how he wishes to review and analyze the plan output
• Plan definition can be done with new GUI
• Enhanced Supply/Demand workbench using new GUI
• Favorites option
• Taxonomy of  most used/critical elements (E.g. items, resources, suppliers, orders etc.) 
• Planners can define their own set and use for filtering in Supply Demand work area
• Exception Management using new GUI

APCC 12.2.5.1 Release Features

APCC's latest release 12.2.5.1 is available and comes with following enhancements to the features: 

• Org Specific Manufacturing Calendar
• Earlier only one calendar setup by MSC:APCC Calendar Code, now you can setup multiple
• All mfg calendars for all planned orgs in ASCP plan will be available in APCC now
• Single global plans can be better analyzed and reviewed using org specific calendar which respects corresponding work days and start of weeks etc

• Material plan enhancement
• Ability to drill down from horizontal plan into details using Category & Org context embedded

• New reports in SCA dashboard & Project driven Supply Chain Dashboard
• Additional OOTB reports now available in various tabs for Supply Chain Analyst dashboard
• Additional OOTB dashboard content for Project environment

ASCP - Unconstrained Plan

Few basic characterstics can be listed as below;
An unconstrained plan:
- doesn't consider manufacturing capacities (material & resources)
- assumes infinite capacity
- results are same as traditional MRP
- simply is an statement of what all resources would be needed to meet the production schedule
- can come handy in long term decision making for resource requirement planning

Oralce's ASCP module can be used for unconstrained planning as well, unconstrained ASCP plans are usually like baby steps towards more complex, holistic, constrained & optimized planning ASCP world.

Unconstrained ASCP plans thus form an integral part of ASCP implementation, as it can be used for getting familiar with application, as well as in verifying the ASCP outcomes. You can compare the unconstrained ASCP plan recommendations with your MRP plan results and thus can validate the basic ASCP setup.

Two important aspects to be focused on while running ASCP unconstrained plan should be:
1. Try to duplicate results of legacy MRP system.
2. Increase familiarity & confidence on ASCP application.

Steps to implement an unconstrained ASCP plan:

1. Create DB link between transaction source(ERP) server and APS(Advanced Planning & Scheduling) server

2. Setup collection program

3. Run collection to copy supply chain model from source instance to APS server

4. Define an ASCP plan and setup plan options.(with no constraints)

5. Launch the plan

VERIFICATION: Unconstrained plan is designed to produce identical results as that of legacy ERP system. This becomes useful in verifying implementation and in building users confidence with the ASCP application.