Quotes to Orders

[neileg]

I think this is a non-trivial application, too. I have a developed a similar application to this (though this was before I used Access). If I remember correctly, I ended up attaching the quote record to the order with no direct transfer of data between the two, not even the customer ID, since I found that the quote might go to XYZ (Holdings) Ltd, and the order come in from XYZ (Manufacturing) Ltd. Orders were re-keyed, since the variations between quote and order were so varied that automating the transfer of data was pointless.

Good luck

 

[Fizzio]

Cheers Neil,
I'm beginning to realise the enormity of the project (just when I'm in too deep!). I have asked them to produce a process map of the three separate processes they want the Db to capture Quotes, Orders and Manufacturing (ie creating job cards from the orders and allowing the machine operators to record what work has been done on a day-by-day basis.

I've almost cracked the quotation bit, now how to transpose this to an order and create an effective job plan from this

I asked about how different the orders were from the quotes and more often than not, the order is very similar, normally the original quote + additional items.

 

[Rich]

This is turning into a very complex accounting db, you'll almost certainly be asked to track payments, labour costs etc.

You also need to track materials, producing an order from a quote simply means opening the orders form and updating it from the quoted items, will you have a quoted materials table as well as an actual materials table? Does he want to track various stages of the production process?

 

[Fizzio]

Cheers Rich.

Thankfully, he is more than happy using Sage to do all the financial stuff for him and he wants no stock control built in.

The production process he wants to track is what work is actually done on a particular day, by whom and whar materials did they use (he does not want to use this to track materials though...phew!)

What I suspect he will ask for is a worksheet for the operator that maximises the productivity of the manufacturing process so that they have to make as few machine changes as possible to complete all the orders. Therefore the Db will have to look at the orders outstanding and create a 'job card' that may produce items for many orders on each run before changing materials to produce the next items (for potentially many jobs). This is the part I am dreading. I may call on Mile-O's Whizzery for help there!!

Thanks for the ongoing interest.

 

[neileg]

It's starting to sound like a Paradox database I developed about 10 years ago for an engineering company in Gosforth. It would be amusing if we were talking about the same company!

 

[Fizzio]

It's starting to sound like a Paradox database I developed about 10 years ago for an engineering company in Gosforth. It would be amusing if we were talking about the same company!

I hope not. I once tried converting a Db from Paradox to Access - took me 8 months
This company has a £6m turnover per year, making construction and insulation panels in the North Shields area - at least I'll get some insulation for my loft for it (oh and a lollipop)