Rules-based Product Configurator
Xdata solutions ’Rules-Based Product Configurator is designed with both ease of order entry, accuracy in product selection and timeliness of manufacture. From the beginning we felt Customer Order-Entry must be an easy-to-use system. It is designed for clerical level data-entry that is inherently coupled with intricate Engineering considerations (rules).”
We listened, learned, developed and grew the Rules-based Product Configurator…we have customers that enter build and ship hundreds of Configured Items each day. If you have Assemble to Order products with various permutations of the finished goods; a catalog with bubble numbers, asterisks pointing to foot notes about requirements, limitations, exceptions and pricing considerations, the Rules-based Product configurator will save you time and money. Costly errors such as selling mutually exclusive combinations, are avoidable. Change orders, scheduling delays, and customer complaints are avoided by selecting from compatible combinations only. This system is designed for Clerical input of Engineering controlled Rules.
What is a Configurator?
A “configurator” is a tool that can help an ERP system deal effectively with certain variable aspects of manufacturing and distribution environments. A properly designed configurator can offer tremendous benefits in many different environments. Configurators are very specialized and sophisticated quotation and/or order-entry modules activated only for certain types of orders or products. A “Product Configurator” can instantaneously solve many different kinds of problems relating to special manufacturing instructions, special pricing limitations, as well as substitutions, additions, deletions, and modifications to products or components.
Rules-based Product Configurator Features
- Engineering Control of Clerical Customer Order Entry (for Configured Products)
- Multi-company
- Family/Segment/Option/Product Database links
- Established Rules govern clerical Order Entry
- Allows Cross Bounds Rules
- Dependencies/Exclusions may cross Segments/Options
- Copy Capability
- Base Price, Quantity, and Description overrides
- Control of Overrides
- Standard Items NOT REQUIRED colors/instructions may be segments or options
- Allows use of custom or standard Items
- Optional CAD Interface
- Provides view of drawing where required
- Ease and Convenience of Clerical Use
- Customer Order Entry Line Selectable
- Client overrides
- Client prompts for choices
- Displays only those rules allowed
- Automatic validation
- Multiple options selectable at once
- Item History Traceability
- Configured Item uniquely linked to Order/Line
- Costed instantly upon selection
- Dovetailed to Inventory and Invoicing
- History recall
- Creates a Standard Item/Bill of Material/Routing
- Uniquely traceable to Order/Line
- Allows inclusion of common structure/Items
- Allows “take aways”
- Allows Byproducts/Drop-Offs
- Allows substitutes
- Allows lead time offsets
- Allows Production Departments lead time Offsets
- Links to Truck Route Scheduling
- Facilitates production coordination
- MFG Receipt to “LIFO” loading
- Provides “first stop” delivery loading
- Allows receipt to truck
- Reduces floor space requirements of Finished Goods
- Customizable External Program Interface
- Custom Application Program Interface selectable by configured Item
- Client specific database interface provided
- Textile related Industries…fabric master
- Fabric Grade/Color selectable
- Description and Comment Print Control
- Fully integrated with ERP and Supply Chain Management