In the SAP APO system, you can use the Alert Monitor to monitor alerts for Production Planning and Detailed Scheduling (PP/DS) . To do this, you define a PP/DS alert profile containing a user-specific selection of alerts that are relevant for your planning area.
PP/DS alert types are divided into the following groups:
Alerts on relationships between orders or operations, for example:
On dynamic pegging
On time relationships
Alerts on orders, for example:
On shortages (undercoverage situations)
On under- and overconfirmations
On days’ supplies
On mode linkage
Alerts that occur during planning using a procurement planning heuristic (
Exception in Procurement Planning
)
Alerts on resources, for example:
On resource capacity usage
On container resources
Alerts for activities on a resource
On interruption of activities
About violation of synchronization
Alerts for campaigns
Alerts for container resources
Alerts for target stock and safety stock levels
Alerts for procurement scheduling agreements
See Alert Monitor for the Procurement Scheduling Agreement
Alerts for sales scheduling agreements
See Alert Monitor for the Sales Scheduling Agreement
If you work with order networks, you can specify that alerts that are issued in connection with upstream orders are determined by the system and outputted for the highest order as network alerts.
However, only certain types of alerts are taken into account in the determination of network alerts. If there is a past alert in an upstream order, for example, this does not lead to a network alert in the highest order.
The following alert types do not generate network alerts:
Exception in procurement planning
Procurement scheduling agreement alerts
Days’ supply alerts (database)
Sales scheduling agreement alerts – scheduling agreement
Sales scheduling agreement alerts - product
Order in the past
Sales order in the past
Receipt due date/time in the past
Start date/time in the past
Opening date/time in the past
Sales scheduling agreement in the past
Operation alert
Confirmation date/time (operation) in the past
Average resource utilization (PP/DS)
Average capacity overload
Average capacity underload
Planning heuristic alerts
Exception in procurement planning
Bid invitation alerts
Quotation received in response to RFQ process
Decision date/time for RFQ exceeded
No quotation received in response to RFQ
No quotation in response to RFQ, end date/time exceeded
Response to RFQ process not yet prepared
RFQ withdrawn
RFQ changed
Stock alerts
Stock fallen below safety stock level
Stock below target stock level
Target stock level exceeded
The following tables contain descriptions of the PP/DS alerts:
Alert type |
Description |
---|---|
Date/time alerts for dynamic pegging |
The system can create an alert for a receipt and a requirement if the receipt and the requirement are linked through a dynamic pegging relationship, and the variance between the availability date/time and the requirement date/time is exceeds the alert threshold defined in the product master. This means: If the availability date/time of the receipt lies before the requirement date/time by more than the allowed variance If the availability date/time of the receipt lies after the requirement date/time by more than the allowed variance For more information, see Pegging . |
Alerts for fixed pegging |
As with dynamic pegging, the system can create alerts for date variances between the availability date/time and the requirement date/time for a receipt and a requirement linked through a fixed pegging relationship. In addition, the system can create alerts if the characteristic requirements of a requirement and the characteristic value assignments of the assigned receipt are not compatible (for example, if the receipt for a blue object is assigned to the requirement for a red object). |
Quantity alerts for pegging |
Based on the pegging relationships between receipts and requirements, the system can analyze which receipt quantities are assigned to which requirements.The system can create alerts: If the receipt quantity has not been completely assigned to requirements, meaning that the receipt creates a surplus If the requirement quantity (quantity required) is not completely covered by receipts, a stock undercoverage situation (shortage) exists |
Planning with shelf life |
If you have set the
If in the case of fixed pegging relationships the defined shelf life conditions are violated (by manual rescheduling, for example), the system can generate alerts for the following situations: If maturation time has not yet elapsed The product must have a certain maturation time before it may be used. If there is a requirement for the product during this time, the system issues alerts. If the shelf life is too short The product expires before the minimum shelf life demanded in the requirement. If the shelf life is too long The product’s shelf life is longer than the maximum shelf life demanded in the requirement. In the case of receipts and requirements between which
no pegging relationships exist, the system compares the shelf life demanded in the requirement with the actual shelf life of the receipt for a defined time span. If a receipt expires during this time span, the system generates the
|
Time relationships between operations |
There may be time relationships with allowed minimum and maximum intervals between operations. For example, a certain period of time is required for drying between an operation in which a component is painted and a subsequent operation in which the component is installed in an assembly. You define minimum and maximum intervals in the plan (the plan of the production process model, for example). The system can generate alerts if, in the planning, there is an interval that is shorter or longer than the process-related minimum or maximum intervals respectively. There are no alerts in the event of a shortfall below the planning-related minimum intervals. |
Alert type |
Description |
---|---|
Dates/times in the past |
The system can generate alerts if the following dates/times lie in the past: Sales order date/time Availability date/time of a receipt Start date/time of an order Opening date/time of an order Confirmation date/time of an operation Sales scheduling agreement (start date/time of an order) |
Order not scheduled |
The order has the
scheduling status
|
Order generates stock overcoverage/is undercovered |
|
Confirmed quantity falls short of/exceeds desired quantity |
Customer requirements for a product have a desired (required) quantity and a confirmed quantity. The system can generate alerts for customer requirements if the confirmed quantity falls short of or exceeds the desired quantity. For more information, see Under- and Overconfirmation Alerts . |
Order outside its validity period |
The system can generate this alert if the validity of the order is violated (See Determining the Validity Period of an Order .) |
Quotation received |
This alert occurs only in an open bidding process in collaborative planning. |
Shortfall below or overrun of days’ supply |
Days’ supply alerts inform you of critical situations regarding product availability and/or when stock levels are too high (alerts:
You can therefore specify the minimum and maximum days’ supply that will trigger alerts if they are exceeded or fallen short of. The minimum days’ supply defines how many calendar days receipts and stocks must at least suffice to cover requirements known at the time of planning. You can use up to three different days’ supply types that take account of different categories of receipts, stocks, requirements, and forecasts. You can define three different minimum and maximum days’ supplies for each days’ supply type. If the days’ supply is above or below these values, the system issues an info alert , a warning alert , or an error alert .
If you specify minimum days’ supplies of 5, 10, and 15, for example, the system creates: An info alert if the days’ supply is below 15 days A warning alert if the days’ supply is below 10 days An error alert if the days’ supply is below 5 days You define days’ supply types and minimum days’ supplies in Customizing for
You define for which of the three days’ supply types the system displays alerts in the
order view
or the product planning table in Customizing for the
For more information, see: |
Mode linkage violated within an order |
Mode-linked activities between which there are time relationships cannot usually be scheduled independently of each other in different modes. If the mode is specified for an activity, it is also specified for the linked activity to which there is a time relationship. In exceptional cases, mode linkage for activities that are in different operations can be violated during planning. See Mode Linkage |
Mode linkage violated across orders |
See
|
Alert type |
Description |
---|---|
Exception in procurement planning |
In planning using a procurement planning heuristic, PP/DS generates messages for the planning log. In Customizing for
Each message belongs to one of the following problem classes: Problem class 1 contains termination messages. Problem class 2 contains error messages. Problem class 3 contains warning messages. Problem class 4 contains information and success messages. You use the problem classes to define the threshold values for the alert priorities information alert, warning alert, and error alert. If the problem class for a message is below the threshold value for a certain alert priority, the system generates an alert with this alert priority.
If the system is to generate an error alert for the problem classes 1 and 2, a warning alert for problem class 3, and an info alert for problem class 4, enter 3 as the threshold value for the error alert, 4 for the warning alert, and 5 for the info alert. |
Alert type |
Description |
---|---|
During planning with production campaigns, the system can issue the following alerts:
For more information, see Campaign Alerts . |
Alert type |
Description |
---|---|
Average resource overload |
The system can generate an alert if the average resource utilization in a period falls below or exceeds certain threshold values. You specify the periods by defining a period profile in the PP/DS alert profile. You define period profiles in Customizing for
|
Average resource underload |
|
Resource overload on bucket resource |
The system can create an alert if a capacity overload occurs for a bucket resource. You specify as of which load the system interprets a load as an overload in the bucket resource. |
Resource overload on single-activity resource |
The system can generate an alert if two activities overlap in time on a single- or multi-activity resource. You specify as of which overlap time the system regards an overlap as an overload in the resource. |
Resource overload on multiactivity resource |
|
Incompatible characteristics on resource |
In block planning, time segments for the processing of activities with certain characteristics are reserved on a resource. One time segment can be reserved for painting components blue, for example, and the next time segment for painting components red. The system can create an alert if the characteristic requirements of the resource in a block do not match the characteristic value assignments of an activity scheduled in this block. This situation can arise if you change block parameters. |
Machine outage (SCEM) |
This alert can be triggered by
|
Alert type |
Description |
---|---|
Planning with container resources |
During planning with container resources, the system can generate a number of alerts that: Inform you that the parameters maintained in the resource master record for the container resource have been violated Support the special buffer process features, such as product purity and container-conforming pegging The system can generate alerts: If the product quantity in the container resource: Exceeds the maximum quantity allowed for this container resource Falls below the minimum quantity allowed for this container resource Is less than zero If the container resource contains two or more products at the same time If a product is to be filled into a container resource that still contains another product. The system sets the fill level display for the product that is still left in the container to zero. However, the residual quantity of the first product still remains in the container resource. From an inventory management point of view, however, both the old product and the product that has been newly filled is posted to stock. Depending on the amount of the residual quantity in the container, the production planner must therefore decide whether he or she wants to create an order to remove the residual quantity. If two orders that are relevant to the fill level are linked at different production stages levels through pegging but are scheduled on different container resources Example: An order that fills container A is linked through pegging to an order that is to withdraw the same product from container B. In this case, the production planner must manually transfer the product from container A to container B. |
Alert type |
Description |
---|---|
Non-interruptible activity is interrupted by a break |
It is specified in the production process model (PPM) that certain activities cannot be interrupted. In exceptional cases, non-interruptible activities are interrupted during scheduling and rescheduling. The alert
|
Activity violates synchronization on the resource |
The synchronization of activities on multimixed and multiactivity resources must not be violated scheduling and rescheduling. This means that scheduled activities must match up regarding start date/time, duration, and one further characteristic. Under certain circumstances, such as when changes are made in parallel modes, the synchronization is violated during planning. The alert
|
Stock alerts for target and safety stock levels
When the system determines stock alerts, it does not take account of characteristics, shelf life, or pegging intervals.
Alert type |
Description |
---|---|
Stock fallen below safety stock level |
In the location-specific product master, you can specify the safety stock level, as well as a static or time-dependent safety stock method. Safety stock alerts are only generated for products for which one of the following safety stock methods has been defined: SB
SM
If the safety stock level determined by the system is not reached, you receive the error alert
The alert informs you about: The start and end of the period in which there is a shortfall below the safety stock level The current stock Safety stock Percentage shortfall |
Stock below target stock level |
In the location-specific product master, you can specify the safety stock level, safety stock method, maximum stock level, and a target stock level method. Target stock alerts are only generated for products for which one of the following (static) target stock methods has been defined: 4.
This means that the target stock level is the total of safety stock plus maximum stock.
Time-dependent data from SNP is not taken into account when determining target stock level alerts. If the target stock level determined by the system is fallen short of or exceeded, you receive the error alert
The alert informs you about: The start and end of the period in which the target stock level is fallen short of or exceeded The current stock The target stock level Shortfall or overrun as a percentage Status of the alert (error alert for overrun, info alert for shortfall) |
Target stock level exceeded |
Choose the alert types that are relevant to you, and define threshold values if necessary.
Select the objects (products and resources) for which the system is to determine alerts.
You can only display alerts for products if you enter a product selection. If you also enter a selection of resources or ATP categories, you restrict the product alerts that exist for the selected products to alerts for these resources or ATP categories only.
If you only enter a resource selection, the system issues resource alerts only.
If necessary, assign the PP/DS alert profile to your
Overall Alert Profile
or your
SCC User Profile
. If you want to use the
Alert Monitor
in a PP/DS application (
Product View, Order View
), enter the PP/DS alert profile under
Settings.
For the detailed scheduling planning board, assign the alert profile to the
planning board
profile or the
overall alert profile
for the DS planning board.
For more information, see:
Application-Specific Alert Profiles
Monitoring and Solving Planning Problems Using the Alert Monitor
Display of Alerts
in the documentation for
Production Planning and Detailed Scheduling
.