What I wish I knew before …Avoiding Install Base errors

About Symmetricom

~$200M annual sales Two major and distinct markets Time, frequency, and synchronization 5 major divisions 6 major sites 5 time zones ~700 employees

IB and Symmetricom

Initial implementation in 2003 Major process revision in 2007 Currently used by all divisions and most product

lines

Getting Started

Do a data review / cleanup first

Only enable IB for items that are eligible for Service, Return or Refund after delivery to the customer

For inexpensive items, determine if it will cost less to simply send a replacement upon request rather than tracking all units in the Install Base

Don't enable Install Base for non-Serial Controlled Items unless absolutely necessary

Make sure everyone understands the impact of changing certain item attributes after IB is implemented

Avoiding IB Errors

Run 'Install Base Error Correction and Synchronization Program' regularly!

Correct IB transaction errors promptly

Close Service Requests promptly - open Service Requests can cause IB transactions to fail if the action will result in an expired item instance

Process open discrete jobs before changing Serial Control - especially rework jobs

Use 'Install Base and Inventory Data Discrepancies‘ report to find discrepancies in quantities per subinventory between Install Base and Inventory

Fixing IB Transaction Errors

Search by 'Serial Number' in the ‘Transaction Errors Processing’ form to find previous IB errors for the same unit - then fix the oldest error

Sometimes IB errors that are not cleared when 'Install Base Error Correction and Synchronization Program' is run, can be cleared simply by resubmitting them in the IB error form

If you can’t access 'Installation Details' on a sales order, you may be able to make the needed change in the 'Transaction Details' form in ‘Transaction Errors Processing’

Sometimes you can get IB errors because of issues with a child instance

Fixing IB Errors - continued

To clear ‘Parties’ In ‘Transaction Details’, change ‘Receipt Type’ to one that doesn't require an ownership change; close the form; then change back to the original ‘Receipt Type’.

For RMA Receipts, look for Item Instance for serial number in ‘Lot/Serial/Instance’ tab. If not, clear Instance Number from ‘Transaction Details’.

When running a datafix, may need to update csi_ii_forward_sync_temp to set process_flag = 'P' (otherwise get ‘Forward Sync’ error)

Q and A

Questions?????