for processing while performing all operations within the one single piece of software," says Garth Wilkinson.
The workforce were familiar with SYSPRO working processes and were already using the unique DataSwitch module to import sales orders from the company's website and to raise linked inter-company purchase orders and sales orders from its manufacturing division.
As DataSwitch runs in the background, information can be fed directly from the customised panes to process the postings in SYSPRO. The panes developed for this load planning solution were designed to display data, prompt for entries, validate entries and then to pass data through DataSwitch for processing seamlessly into SYSPRO.
"DataSwitch has been key to integrating our load planning tool with SYSPRO. It allows us to save time inputting information into various different systems as it links everything through a single channel. We are able to present and manipulate our own information into the custom panes and then submit it all through DataSwitch with the system producing despatch notes, purchase orders and receipts automatically," says Garth Wilkinson.
A slick process
All the customised panes are held within the standard load planning query screens, which provides a single access point to review or action all aspects of the process.
The first stage is to assign sales order lines to a load. This is done visually using a custom pane, which shows all outstanding sales order lines not currently assigned to a load. The load-planning tool has grouping functionality that allows operators to group the consignment by date and route. This enables them to see which orders need to be despatched on a specific date and the delivery routes they would typically be sent on.
The operator is then free to either accept the assumed load reference or update the despatch and delivery dates, routes or sequences within the custom pane.
When the load is ready for picking, the standard SYSPRO delivery manifest report is used to provide the warehouse with details of the load they need to pick. This report includes the assumed amount of packaging along with the customer's freight charges and prompts the team to accurately capture and charge for the quantities used on the load.
Recording despatch
DataSwitch clears out the sales order lines from the load plan and replaces them with the confirmed despatch note details. This means the confirmed despatches are all visible in the standard load planning query thereby maintaining a full record of what has been sent, when and where.
This completes the process in terms of load planning but DataSwitch is also being used to complete the inter-company supply process. If an item is picked that has been supplied by the manufacturing division, the linked purchase order is automatically booked in. Then the sales order raised by manufacturing is shipped and despatched awaiting a consolidated monthly inter-company invoice.
While William Say & Co has only been using its ERP system with the added load-planning functionality for a short time, Garth Wilkinson says the new working process has already made time-saving efficiencies and brought new accuracy to the businesses' despatch process. The accurate processing of load quantities was previously operated using a paper based system which wasted a lot of administrative time and was not nearly as accurate at the load planning solution that is now in place.
"Although we have not been using the full ERP solution for that long, already we are seeing a big difference in our efficiency. Before we had SYSPRO with load planning installed, we used to have to do a work-around to plan our deliveries, which took too much time and lacked accuracy. We can now do everything through the system, which is a significant benefit all round," says Garth Wilkinson.