Source Determination and Supersession

The source determination can be based on more items than when using heuristics. It can be based upon costs, priority or quota arrangements. Heuristics uses pre-defined percentages for each source of supply (quota arrangements) or procurement priorities. The only check on feasibility is through capacity leveling…a very manually intensive process. Both CTM and heuristics support supersession and discontinued products, however neither support shelf life functionality.

Supersession is very similar to product interchangeability. It includes product discontinuation. Supersession includes the following logic – image for a moment that there are three parts, part A, part B, and part c:

• A > B < C

• A > B > A

• A > B > C > D > A > B > C > D (when products are changed on a seasonal basis)

Supersession is fully explained at these posts

Supersession Generally in SAP

http://www.scmfocus.com/servicepartsplanning/2007/12/13/supersession-and-interchangability-in-sap/

Supersession in MCA

MCA SPO is a very cool service parts planning application that has very tight logic around its parameters. We consider the MCA SPO manuals to be some of the best publications on the topic of service parts planning. To find out how MCA deals with supersession, see this post.

http://www.scmfocus.com/servicepartsplanning/2008/04/06/supersession-in-mca/