SOP & ADP

[Mark Burnett]

I'm familiar with special order parts on R&R
but I'm getting ready to be using ADP...
Is there a big differance between the two as far as SP and SB goes?

[David S]

Mark:

Jump in here Chuck!

Chuck Hartle would be my "goto" guy for ADP SOP system questions.

I like the special order program available on ADP and commend you on setting it up.
If I understand your post correctly, SP and SB are stocking status codes. It is not a requirement that you use these codes with the SOP system.

One point I would like to get across is that it is my understanding that a part with a status code of SP is never tested for Phase In. Therefore, I would not use these status codes.

Thanks
David S

[Chuck Hartle]

Ok, You asked for you, so here it is...

I know that SB is a receipt code for a supplemental backorder on the ERA system. However, SP is a status code that David has identified correctly. Using status code SP for special order parts on the ADP system will not test any phase in criteria and when the part has an on order of zero and an on hand quantity of zero, the part drops at month end. I would reserve this status for make trim parts that you will never stock, or for aftermarket part numbers you have added to your system for different make models other than your own franchise.

ADP SOR, as I have written about and mention in this forum, has three different metholds of implementation.

1) There is the manual method.
This is nothing more than a glorified way of putting your special order parts on the computer but it will not utilize your service file or name file in parts. Basically, you go into SOR and created a "manual" SOR number but you continue to use the manual method of posting and tracking them once they have arrived.

2) There is the Automated / Manual Method
This is the method most commonly used by the few parts managers who brave to understand this feature. With this option, you can now create a special order in the invoicing function (function "I") screen or the service invoicing screen (function ROA or PRO depending on the software release you are using) and it will now track both the wholesale and retail customer along with the SOR information. You still have to manually receipt the parts and fill the SOR requests, but now your service department and parts department can track the SOR through function SPI on the system. This is a very powerful and easy way to communicate special order information to the entire fixed operation.

3) The Automated / Automated Method.
This has all the features of the above process but has on enhanced feature that is wonderful if you have a handle on your service department repair orders. This feature of SOR will automatically fill an open counter tickets and repair orders the instant you receipt your special orders in function RA. The backlash of this approach is if a repair order is left open and the customer has left the dealership, you now have a filled special order request and it drops out of the outstanding special order reports and SPI. Thus, you have a customer's part on the shelf and the system says you gave it to the customer. This can cause chaos in the warranty repair order area if you leave WRO's open after the customer leaves. The next thing you know, your warranty clerk books the WRO and closes it with the part on the repair order and the repair was not fulfilled. Hence, I would suggest that if you are just starting out that you use Option #2 to begin with and once you master this, move to this option.

You can find these options under the submenu SPM (Special order maintainence) under the function code SOS.

It is really important to remember to spend some time learning this feature of your system. It took four months and a lot of trial and error before we got it perfected. Very few individuals at ADP really understand the interaction between your PART-NO. file and your SOR-LINES file. This is because only about 15% of the ADP Clients are using the ADP Automated SOR program. This is certainly a case where I would highly suggest that you load the ADEPT training tape on SOR available from ADP to learn how to use this system properly. I set up a fake parts department over several months and played with it, then trained my employees on it over a two week period before 'turning it on'.

Once you turn it on, if you want to go backwards, you have to call ADP to turn it off for you. I know this because I turned it on and off several times before finally diving into it and learning it.

Reynolds offers a more 'user friendly' SOR program up front, but if you can take the time to work with the ADP program it is by far the better of the two when it comes to information sharing and reliability.

Chuck Hartle'

[This message has been edited by Chuck Hartle (edited 04-10-2001).]

[Mark Burnett]

Thanks Chuck!
Looks like we'll be switching to ADP in about 6 to 10 monthes and this gives me a little more insight!

[RBickleyJr]

I feel sorry for anybody leaving Reynolds. I just started with a company that is still on ADP. Everyday is an adventure.

As for SP and SB, these aren't stocking codes, but transaction types.
SP: special order, prepaid
SB: special order, backorder (not prepaid)
SD: special order, (with) deposit

Chuck, (anyone) on ADP in PRO, how do you order and prepay a part in one transaction?
Also, in I?
S: forces sale, but doesn't order
O: orders, but doesn't sell
P: prepaid, but didn't order
What am I missing? (other than proper training)

[Mark Burnett]

Your right RBickleyJr!
I loved R&R era when I had it!
Now I'm on a thing called TDN but soon I'll be on ADP...
As for SB, SP, and SD... Your absolutly correct! I loved that function and I hope ADP has something similar...
Thanks for your woeds of wisdom......

[Chuck Hartle]

ADP doesn't allow prepaid special orders on repair orders (ROA or PRO depending on the software release level your on). ADP has been promising for several years that they were working on it, but it has yet to materialize.

There is a way to do this, yet it is cumbersome to do. If you have established the same service customer number for your parts department, you can issue a prepaid counter ticket by the customer number and put it with the repair order when the customer comes to pick it up. Using the same customer number it will now view in the service write up window the next time the customer comes in and the part has been receipted.

As for feeling sorry for anyone going from Reynolds and Reynolds to anything else or ADP for that matter.....
Working with both these systems extensively on a daily basis, I can tell you that both systems have their strengths and their weaknesses. As I have written over and over again, it really is a matter of what you feel comfortable with. I have heard many managers tell me that they feel sorry for anyone going from ADP to Reynolds and Reynolds. I still contend that if you could take the best of ADP, Reynolds and Reynolds, and UCS and put it together, you would have a great system.
Just a side note to this, what little I have seen of UCS, their special order program is the strength of the system and blows away both ADP and Reynolds & Reynolds. Once you get comfortable with a system and you have it working, it is hard to change and adapt to it.

Chuck Hartle'

[HALEY]

SORRY TO COME SO LATE..I AM ON ADP AND AM USING SOR AND HAVE FOUND ONLY A FEW PROBLEMS TO WORK AROUND:INABILITY TO PREPAY IN AN RO, WE USE TWO LINES SELL ON ONE (GOES NEGATIVE) AND ORDER ON THE NEXT.YES IT'S TWO LINES PUT WE CAN DO IT QUICKLY AND ALL INFO FROM THE RO TRANSFERS.WE ALSO USE THE COMMENT LINES INSIDE THE SOR TO ID THE WAREHOUSE(FOR TURNAROUND TIME) BILLED OR WARR (PAID OR NOT) AND THE TECH'S NAME (THE RO HEADDER HAS THE WRITER) WHEN THE DETAIL LINE SHOWS ON THE PRINT ALL BECOMES CLEAR. THE ONLY THING BESIDES THIS IS THE FACT THAT THE SOR FILE HAS CUST INFO...THE SORLINE FILE HAS PART INFO..SO RUNNING A BIN FOR SOR ID IS IMPOSSIBLE.AND THE OPEN SOR REPORT HAS NO BIN INFO. IT WASN'T THERE WHEN THE SOR WAS BUILT.WE DO @235K MONTHLY ON A 125K INVENTORY
SO SOR IS A BIG PART OF MY TRACKING,BUT A FEW SIMPLE DAILY REPORTS KEEPS EVERYTHING IN LINE EASILY.AND SERVICE CAN CHECK THEIR OWN ORDER STATUS!

[jimm]

I've gone from ADP to R&R, to ADP, to R&R, and now i'm back on ADP. I have to say that R&R's special order program runs circles around ADP. It's so mutch easier to create an sor on R&R, and everyone in the parts dept. & serv. dept can track the order. When you use sor's on R&R it makes tracking a part's history even better, when i was on R&R i used to tell my people, "don't lie to me , because i'll check it on the computer, and the computer don't lie". and it was true, i could find out what,who , when a part was ordered. i could also create great reports. i created one report just for receipting in the sor's, and it made it even easier. in conclusion, I too "feel" for anyone going from R&R to ADP.

[Chuck Hartle]

jimm,

Sorry you feel that way about the SOR program with ADP. But I want to make sure that no one is misled here.

It is very easy to create a SOR with the ADP system if you are utilizing the right version. You can create a SOR in invoicing (Function I) and service billing (ROA or PRO). If you were using the manual method you had to get completely out of these programs and go to SOR to create a special order request. The "manual method", as I call it, is nothing more that a computer version of handwriting your special order requests.

With the automated version, it does everything you mentioned that is doesn't do! The SOR request comes up for the service writers with the automated version. You also can use program SPI to look up and see all information for a customer. SPI (Special Order Inquiry) is a awesome function. You cannot change information in this screen, which means you can give your service advisors access to this powerful program so that they can look up the speical order if they need more detail.

Once you activate the automated version of SOR, you begin to use the SOR-LINES file for reports on special orders. It is just a detailed as the SPEC.ORDR file with Reynolds and Reynolds.

I will admit, that up front the Reynolds and Reynolds system is more user friendly when it comes to special orders, but if you work with the ADP system and utilize the right version, it is just as effective. Reynolds does have one thing over ADP, you can prepay parts on repair orders......

Chuck Hartle'

[This message has been edited by Chuck Hartle (edited 05-23-2001).]