Version 9.35 January 2006
FactoryMaster Icons
The desktop icons which FactoryMaster installs on you desktop / start menu have been changed to match the standard red product logo.
System Maintenance
Opening the 'System Maintenance Menu' (by pressing 'Ctrl+M' on the 'Main Menu') now closes the 'Main Menu'. The 'Main Menu' is then regenerated when the 'System Maintenance Menu' closes. This is to ensure that the menu options immediately reflect any changes made whilst in 'System Maintenance'.
Document Layouts
The choice of which document style is required for items such as purchases orders, delivery notes and invoices is now made via a new option off the 'System Maintenance Menu'. Select 'Document Layouts' from the 'Document Layouts' sub-menu to find this option. The new screen also allows you define any related settings ('header type', 'number of copies' etc) and to 'test' each style by entering or selecting a relevant document number. A new user access key ('Document Layouts') has been defined to control access to this screen.
Scheduled Programs
The 'MRP Report', 'Schedule Works Orders' routine and the 'Capacity Planning Report' can now all be scheduled to run automatically at a specified time/day under a specified login. Scheduled Programs can be maintained via an option on the 'System Maintenance' menu.
User Access
A new type of user has been defined whose sole purpose is to wait for and run 'scheduled programs' (see above). This enables you to leave a machine logged in overnight to run these routines without allowing access to any other menu options.
The user access key 'NCR Maintenance Menu' has been removed. Items which were previously controlled by this key (FAIR's, Production Permits etc) are now solely controlled by their own access keys.
'Supplier Concessions' and 'Supplier Production Permits' are now controlled via their own access keys (they previously used the equivalent customer keys).
Quote Letter
The user will now be prompted to print a quote letter when exiting a newly created quotation. This prompt can be turned off if not required by setting the control item 'PRINT_LETTER_ON_CREATE' to 'No'.
Quote Import From Manufacturing Instructions
A new control item ('MI_IMPORT_MULTIPLICATION') has been added which, if set to 'Yes', will ask the user for the multiplication factor to be applied to both 'set' and 'op' times when importing operations from a manufacturing route into a quote.
RTF Delivery Note
A new tag has been added to allow the 'ordered by' customer's name to be included on the RTF delivery note.
Consignment Maintenance
This screen has been updated with a QuickBar.
It is also now possible to enter an employee against a delivery (instead of a carrier) to indicate that the employee is delivering the consignment. A 'status' field has also been added - this will be automatically set to 'Rejected' or 'Part Rejected' if rejects are made by the customer. The other status settings ('In Transit' and 'Confirmed') need to be set manually and purely act as an indicator.
Cancellation Of Customer Returns
If you cancel a customer return that had serial numbered parts on it the serial numbers will now be correctly updated to indicate their status as being on the original delivery note.
Sales Export To Accounting Packages
The 'Export Batch Production' screen now shows the invoice total on the left-hand table.
Approved Supplier Report
An 'export' option has been added to this report.
Purchase Order Maintenance
Raw material dimensions have been added to the selection criteria available in the 'QuickBar' of this screen. The relevant dimension fields become visible when a valid 'material form' is entered.
Purchase Nominal Accounts
Default purchase nominal accounts for stocked parts can now be defined at 'product group' level. This will override the default set against the 'BI' stock category but NOT any overrides entered against a part number.
Order By Supplier
This screen now allows to user to add the required new order lines to an existing (unprinted) purchase order. In previous versions the lines were always put onto a new purchase order.
Auto-Generate Purchase Orders
The system previously refused to add a delivery charge to a purchase order which already had one on it. The user will now be given the option to add an additional line.
Purchase Invoice Matching
An error which prevented more that two delivery lines being added to a single purchase order from this screen has been corrected.
Stocked Parts Screen
The 'summary view' of the 'stocked parts' screen can now also be obtained by pressing 'F6' on the relevant part in the 'table' view.
Raw Material Prices
When a supplier is added to the 'Price Maintenance' screen of a raw material which can be priced 'by weight', the system will now check if any 'by weight' prices already exist for any similar materials. If so, the user will be given the opportunity of copying in the similar material's price details. 'Similar' materials are defined as those which have the same 'form' and 'specification' as the new material.
The user will also be given the opportunity to update similar materials whenever the prices of a 'priced by weight' material are amended.
Resource Usage Report
This report now has an 'export' option.
Works Order Quantities
An upcoming version of FactoryMaster is to contain new procedures for the booking and recording of 'scrapped' parts. In preparation for this, the quantities shown on works orders are being re-titled. This process has been started this version with some of the places that show the works order quantity being re-named. The new fields will be as follows:
Launch Quantity - previously called 'Quantity Required', 'Quantity Planned', 'Works Order Quantity' or sometimes just 'Quantity'.
Quantity Made - not changed.
Quantity Scrapped - new in an upcoming version (not currently populated).
Quantity Re-Launched - new in an upcoming version (not currently populated).
Forecast Quantity - equal to 'Launch Quantity' - 'Quantity Scrapped' + 'Quantity Re-Launched'. This represents the total quantity that it is expected you will make on this works order (including any you have already made). In this version this will be the same as the 'Launch Quantity'.
Outstanding Quantity - equal to 'Forecast Quantity' - 'Quantity Made'. This represents the quantity that is still outstanding on the works order. In this version it will be the same as the 'Launch Quantity' - 'Quantity Made'.
Deleting Works Orders
If you try to delete a works order (from 'Sales Orders' or 'Job Costing') the system will now check if the works order has had stock made on it or costs issued to it. If not, the works order will be fully deleted (previously, the job costing record would have been left behind when the works order was deleted from the 'Sales Order' screen). If the works order cannot be deleted and is currently in-progress the user will be offered the chance to mark the works order as 'complete' instead. If they choose to do this the works order will be completed with no further quantity going into stock.
Capacity Planning Report
This has been enhanced to allow previous runs to be stored and re-printed at a later date.
Tooling & Gauging
A number of these screens have been redesigned to match current system standards.
Production Permits & Concessions
A new control item ('WARN_IF_PROD/CONCESSION') has been added which, if set to 'Yes', will warn the user if live permits or concessions exist for the part being added to a sales order or quote. The user will also be warned if any permits or concessions exist for any ''Bought In' or 'Manufactured' components added under the quoted part.
A report has also been added showing pending permits and concessions for parts on sales orders.
Manual Job Costing
A control flag ('VALIDATE_MANUAL_JOB_COST') has been added to allow costs to be entered without validating the part number, material and/or supplier code.