Patent Publication Number: US-2005144054-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for manual resource assignment

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for managing customer orders. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manual resource assignment.  
      Many companies use planning and/or scheduling systems to process customer orders for goods and/or services. Manufacturers may often rely on such systems to manage and integrate business processes to complete customer requests. Companies that supply metal products, forest products, textiles and building materials have to schedule and manage customer orders or other demands, product production and delivery in a timely manner. These industries are faced with peculiar supply chain management challenges as they produce complex products with various product, dimension, quality, and process attributes. Companies which provide such products and/or services are straining to improve customer relationships and services to keep competitiveness and customer loyalty.  
      Conventional ordering systems do not provide a manual resource assignment dialog if the ordering system is unable to assign product quantities to automatically fill the customer&#39;s order. Therefore, it is desirable to have an ordering system that permits manual modification of the requirement element or demand so that resources are allocated efficiently, and inventory, storage, waste and/or administration costs are minimized. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a manual resource assignment system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a manual resource assignment device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a screen snapshot of a computer display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a screen snapshot of a computer display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a screen snapshot of a computer display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a screen snapshot of a computer display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a screen snapshot of a computer display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a screen snapshot of a computer display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 9  is a screen snapshot of a computer display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 10  is a screen snapshot of a computer display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 11  is a screen snapshot of a computer display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 12  is a screen snapshot of a computer display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 13  is a flowchart illustrating a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Embodiments of the present invention relate to a manual resource assignment (MRA) system, method and apparatus.  
      In embodiments of the present invention, MRA enables efficient ordering, use, processing and/or delivery of products to customers or any other entity. For example, when processing a requirement or demand, the MRA system may perform a search for the requirement element in existing inventory, pending purchase orders, planned production orders, etc. If a receipt element to complete or cover the requirement is not found, an MRA interface may be presented to the user. In an embodiment of the present invention, MRA may permit manual intervention by the user so that modifications to the requirement element can be made. If the user makes manual modifications to the requirement element, the modified requirement element may be used to search for receipt elements. Additional searches may be performed to identify receipt elements to complete the requirement. The user may continue to make modifications to the requirement until the desired receipt element or elements are identified.  
      In embodiments of the present invention, off-cuts may be generated from the receipt elements. These off-cuts may be used for stock, planned production orders, purchase orders, etc. In embodiments of the present invention, the user can search for, identify and/or select product substitutes if the exact order cannot be fulfilled. The MRA system may permit the user to select substitute products that most efficiently utilize resources and/or effectively complete the customer&#39;s order.  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating how requirements or demands may be processed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , orders  110 - 1  to  110 -N may be received at a manual resource assignment (MRA) system  120 . The MRA system  120  may provide a sales order interface  130 . The user may use the sales order interface to input information related to the requirement elements identified by the orders  110 - 1  to  110 -N. The information may include product criteria (input elements) such as product identification, description and/or other characteristics associated with the desired product. For example, such information may identify the product as well as include the quantity, quality and/or other information associated with the desired product or requirement. Other information associated with the requirement elements may include delivery dates and/or delivery times that indicate when the product and/or services may be required by the customer. As one or more orders  110 - 1  to  110 -N are received, they may be input and processed by the MRA system  120  and/or the sales order interface  130 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.  
      In embodiments of the present invention, the MRA system  120  may identify one or more receipt elements that may be used to cover the requirements of the orders (requirement order). A “receipt element” may be defined as an element of an order that represents the availability date and the quantity of a product that is provided by the order. Receipt elements may be items in stock, items planned for production, items purchased from a third party and/or any other item that may be used to complete the sales order or the customer&#39;s order.  
      In embodiments of the present invention, a MRA interface  140  may be presented to the user. The MRA interface  140  may present the identified receipt elements that match the requirement element. If an exact match can not be identified and/or if the user is unsatisfied with the identified receipt elements for any reason, the user may use the MRA interface  140  to manually modify the requirement element, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The MRA interface  140  may permit manual modification to the customer&#39;s order in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The MRA system  120  may perform another search based on the modified requirement element and results may again be presented to the user via the MRA interface  140 . If desired, the user may select one or more identified receipt elements and/or may continue to modify the requirement element so that additional receipt elements may be identified. After the user has identified one or more receipt elements to cover or complete the order, the identified receipt element order  150  and/or the off-cut order  160  may be generated.  
      The system shown in  FIG. 1  may be used for order processing, production planning, detailed scheduling and manual resource assignment in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. It is recognized that the system and/or process shown in  FIG. 1  and described above in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, may be implemented using appropriate computer systems which may include processor(s) storage device(s), I/O device(s), and/or other hardware and/or software in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an MRA system component  200  that may be used to process customer orders in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. MRA component  200  may be used to implement the MRA process described with respect to  FIG. 1  and/or any other any other type order processing system or device. The MRA component  200  may include, for example, an input interface  215 , processor  220  and/or output interface  225 . In embodiments of the present invention, the output interface  225  may include a display, a speaker and/or any other type of output interface known. The output interface  225  and/or input interface  215  may provide an graphical user interface for transmitting and/or receiving information related to the manual resource assignment system, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The input interface  215  may include any type of input device such as keyboard, mouse, and/or any other type of input interface. It is recognized that the MRA component  200  may include additional components that have been omitted for simplicity. The MRA component  200  may be coupled with one or more databases such as inventory database  270 , receipt element database  211 , scheduling database  240 , requirement element database  250  and/or any other database.  
      It is recognized that embodiments of the present invention may be processed using a personal digital assistant (PDA), a PC, a computer network, mainframe, and/or another type of electronic device or the like.  
      One or more requirement elements may be received at the MRA system component  200  via interface  215 . The order analyzer  221  may analyze the characteristics of the requirement element and/or other criteria associated with the order to determine which products and/or services are desired. For example, the characteristics of the requirement elements may include the name or identity of the product, the desired quantity, quality, delivery dates, and/or any other information related to the order and/or the requested product. The analyzer may retrieve such information and this information may be used by the search engine  223  to find receipt elements that may be used to complete or fulfill the pending order or orders. As indicated above, a receipt element may be defined as an element of an order that represents the availability date, the quantity of a product that is provided by the order. Receipt elements may be items in stock, items planned for production, items purchased from a third party and/or any other item that may be used to complete the sales order or the customer&#39;s order.  
      In embodiments of the present invention, the search engine  223  may search receipt element database  211 , scheduling database, and/or any other database for one or more receipt elements that can be used to complete the received order represented by the requirement element. For example, the search engine  223  may search the receipt element database  211 , and/or any other database for products or receipt elements that have characteristic value assignments that match the characteristic value assignments associated with the one or more requirement elements. The receipt element database  211  may include inventory items, planned production items, purchased or planned purchased items, etc. The purchased or planned purchased items may include products purchased or planned to be purchased from another party. The various databases such as databases  211 ,  240 ,  250 , etc. may be incorporated into a single database and/or may exist as separate databases. These databases may be incorporated internal to the MRA system  120  and/or MRA component  200  and/or may be located external to these systems/components.  
      In embodiments of the present invention, other characteristics that may be considered when searching for receipt elements may include, for example, location of the product, account assignment, planning version, etc. By comparing the value assignments of the receipt elements with requirement criteria of the product required, the MRA component  200  may identify the receipt elements that can be used to complete the order.  
      In embodiments of the present invention, the MRA component  200  may include other factors such availability of resources to complete the order, quantity of off-cuts (e.g., leftover material) and or other information.  
      If the MRA component  200  is unable to find a receipt element match for the requirement element or if the user is otherwise unsatisfied with the identified receipt elements, the MRA component may present a MRA dialog via, for, example interface  225 . The MRA dialog may permit the user to modify the requirement element or the demand so that another search can be conducted to complete the modified demand. The modification to the requirement element may be based on the existing receipt elements, personal insight of the user, characteristics of the material required, available substitutes and/or any other information. The modified search may provide another list of one or more receipt elements that may be used to complete the customer&#39;s order. The user may select one or more entries in the list to complete at least a portion of the demand. The user may engage in a further MRA dialog to identify additional receipt element(s) that may be used to fulfill the demand.  
      In embodiments of the present invention, as the user selects one or more receipt elements to complete the demand, one or more off-cuts may be generated from the selected receipt elements, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. An off-cut may be leftover or surplus material or products that may result from the receipt elements that are used to complete the demand. In embodiments of the present invention, the off-cuts may be returned to stock, to planned production, sold to third party and/or otherwise be used to complete orders. In accordance embodiments of the present invention, orders for the one or more receipt elements and/or orders for the identified of-cuts may be generated by the MRA component  200 .  
       FIG. 3  is a screen snapshot  300  of an interface that may be provided by an MRA system, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The screen snapshot  300  may be a sales order interface that a user may utilize to input sales order for processing in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. As shown by entry  310 , the characteristic values of the requirement elements may be input via the sales order input screen  300 . As shown, the characteristics may include, for example, material name, order quantity, and other characteristics such length, diameter, color, etc. It is recognized that each requirement will have its own values and that the values shown in entry  310  are given by example only. The data input via interface  300  may be used to do an ATP (available-to-promise) check in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The MRA system search appropriate databases for one or more receipt elements that be used to complete the order for the requirement element or demand. The system may create a planned production order including one or more of the identified receipt elements.  
      In embodiments of the present invention, if one or more receipt elements to meet the demand are not identified and/or if the user is unsatisfied with the identified one or more receipt elements, an MRA dialog interface  400  may be presented to the user, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Section  410  may include several entries related to the sales order and/or the results of the ATP check. For example, section  410  may include entry  411  that identifies the production order or the output receipt. Section  410  may also include entry  412  that identifies the requirement element or demand that is needed. It is recognized that section  410  may include additional entries. Icon or symbol  413  associated with entry  412  may indicate that a suitable match for the requirement element was not found and/or that the requirement element may need to be modified so that one or more desirable receipt elements may be identified. Section  420  of interface  400  may permit the user to make manual modifications to the value characteristics associated with the requirement element. For example, section  420  may permit the user to change the parameters associated with the demand. Section  430  may include a list of all receipt elements (e.g., search results) that may be identified as a result of the ATP check. Based on the receipt elements identified in section  430 , the system and/or the user may indicate that the value characteristics associated with the requirement elements should be modified.  
      As shown in section  520  of display  500  of  FIG. 5 , the user may modify the requirement element by changing, for example, the color value  522  associated with the requirement element, in accordance with embodiments of the preset invention. In this case the user may remove the color value and may wish to identify receipt elements of any color. It is recognized that the user can choose to change or modify any characteristic value associated with the requirement element. Another search may be conducted based on the modified requirement element identified by entry  525 . The results of the search based on the modified requirement element may be shown in section  530 . Section  530  may include a list of the all of the receipt elements identified based on the modified search. As shown, the list  530  may include identified receipt elements of assorted colors  533 . Based on the modified search, the user may select entry  535  in section  530  as a receipt element that may be used to fulfill the demand. It is recognized that the user can identify additional receipt elements from section  530  that may be used to fulfill the demand, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Moreover, it is further recognized that the user may make additional modifications to the requirement element  525  shown in section  520 . Additional searches may be performed based on the modified requirement element.  
      In accordance with embodiments of the present invention,  FIG. 6  shows a new sales order  600  that may be generated based on the requirement element identified in entry  535  selected by the user. As shown in section  610 , entry  615  may be the new demand or input based on entry  535  and entry  612  which was the original demand (e.g., entry  412  shown in  FIG. 4 ) may be manually deleted by the user. Section  630  shows the receipt element  635  that may remain after desired quantity is selected to fulfill the requirement element, as identified by entry  615 .  
      In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, interface  700  shown in  FIG. 7  may be used to generate an off-cut from the selected receipt element. As shown in section  710 , in this example, the length needed by the requirement element is 50 units (entry  712 ) and the length available with the selected receipt element (entry  715 ) is 100 units. Thus, in this example, an off-cut of approximately 50 units is generated by selection of “Off-cut” button shown in section  710 .  FIG. 8  shows an off-cut order  800  that may be generated in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 8 , section  810  may include characteristic values associated with the generated off-cut. As indicated above, the off-cut may be returned to stock, to planned production stock, sold to third party and/or otherwise be used to complete orders.  
      As shown in  FIG. 9 , interface  900  includes the newly created off-cut entry  918 . The user may generate an additional purchase order by selecting button  916 , as shown in interface  900 .  FIG. 10  shows section  1010  including new purchase order represented by entry  1019 . The new purchase order may be used to complete the demand in the event a receipt element can not be identified. Once the user is satisfied with the modified sales order, the user may return to the sales order interface  300 , for example, by selecting button  1030 . The user can update or edit the sales order using interface  1100  shown in  FIG. 11 . If the user selects button  1110 , the user may generate a new search interface  500  shown in  FIG. 5 . However, if the user wishes to change the current order, the user may select button  1120  and the user may return to interface  1000 , where the user can modify the existing order. If the user wishes to keep the current order and/or make minor modifications, the user may select button  1130 .  
       FIG. 12  shows a sales order  1200  that may be generated by an MRA system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Section  1210  may include a plurality of entries including entry  1211  which may represent the output that is needed to complete the order. Entries  1213 ,  1214 ,  1215  and  1216  may represent the input that may be generated after various iterations using an MRA technique, as described herein. It can be seen that in the “quantity” column of entries  1213 - 1216  only 7 units of the item appears to be available from planned production. The remaining 3 units may be purchased from another source as indicated by entry  1218 . Moreover, as indicated by entry  1217 , off-cuts may be generated in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.  
      It is recognized that the MRA process as described herein and as shown in the figures can have myriad applications. For example, the MRA system and/or technique can be used in providing paper, textile, steel, cables, lumber, metal sheets, metal blocks, pipes etc. Thus, the MRA process can be applied or used when processing orders for any type of products and/or material.  
       FIG. 13  is a flow chart illustrating a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A user may complete a sales order including one or more requirement elements. A search may be conducted for the one or more receipt elements based on the requirement element. If a match is not found and/or if the user desires to implement a manual resource assignment process, manual modifications to the requirement element may be received, as shown in box  1310 . A search for one or more receipt elements may be conducted based on the manually modified requirement element, as shown in box  1320 . As shown in box  1330 , a list of one or more receipt elements may be generated based on the search. A selection of the one or more receipt elements may be received, as shown in box  1340 . A dialog to manually generate an off-cut portion from the receipt element may be presented, as shown in box  1350 . An output order may be generated, as shown in box  1360 . The output order may be generated by deducting the off-cut portion from the selected one or more receipt elements. As shown in box  1370 , an off-cut order may be generated to submit the off-cut portion to production stock.  
      It is recognized that embodiments of the present invention may be processed in a standalone and/or network computer. For example, the MRA system  120  and/or MRA component  200  may be incorporated in and/or implemented using a standalone computer and/or a computer network. It is recognized that the various databases as described herein may be located in any type of data storage device or memory. These storage memories may be located internal to and/or internal to these computers. Appropriate communications networks, interfaces and/or other hardware may be included in the MRA system described herein, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.  
      It is recognized that a computer or other processing device on which embodiments of the present invention may be processed, may contain the appropriate software and/or hardware (e.g., one or more processors, I/O devices, etc) to carry out the functionality as described herein. Appropriate fields in the various databases described herein may be searched for product related information. A program or macro may be created that may specify the fields to search based on the type of information required.  
      Several embodiments of the present invention are specifically illustrated and described herein. However, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the present invention are covered by the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention.