Deployment Optimizer
In a previous article we described the deployment optimizer and showed a number of screen shots.
http://sapplanning.org/2009/08/30/snp-deployment-optimizer-profile-configuration/
In this article we will cover the fields that are available within the Optimizer Profile. All of these fields are associated to a tab in the Deployment Optimizer Profile.
General Constraints Tab
- Transportation Capacity: Takes into account transportation resources defined in the resource master data.
- Handling Capacity: Takes into account the capacity of the handling resources defined in the resource master data.
- Storage Capacity: Takes into account the capacity of the storage resources defined in the resource master data.
- Maximum Product Specific Quantity Stored: Takes into account the maximum product specific quantity that is stored in the individual locations.
- Maximum Transportation Lot Size: Takes into account the product dependent maximum transportation lot size that was defined in the transportation lanes.
There are several fields related to taking into account safety stock, and the same for shelf life, for supersession. (It also will take into account quota arrangement which will not apply for most clients for redeployment, although possibly for deployment)
Discrete Constraints Tab
This tab is only of value if the discrete optimization option is selected.
- Min Transportation Lot Size: You can specify in this field that you want the optimizer to consider the min lot size profile for transportation lanes.
- Integral Transportation Lot Size: Can use integer transportation lots
- Integral Means of Transport: Can use integer transportation fleet values.
- Cost Function (Means of Transport): Can take into account the piecewise linear cost function defined in the transportation lane
- Procurement Quantity: Can take into account the piecewise linear cost function for the procurement quantity.
Model Params Tab
- Average Stock on Hand: Calculates the storage costs during planning (stock on hand, storage)
- Stock On Hand at End of Period: Changes this calculation to end of period
- Bucket Offset During Shipment: Used by the optimizer to calculate the availability date of a receipt element within a period (bucket)
Solution Methds Tab
- Max Runtime: Self evident
- Number of Improvement: How many times the optimizer will look to try to find a better solution.
There are more fields below this related to essentially how many resources or how much time to provide to the optimization.
- Cost Based Prioritization: Includes demand prioritization on penalty costs that you define in the product master.
- Strict Prioritzation: Makes the optimizer adhere to demand prioritization.
Here we show the product master tab (SNP1) and the time dependent costs that are entered per product location at either the customer or at the location.
If you select the penalty cost box, you can then open the following and enter the information.
Back to the Solution Methods Tab, there are several solution procedures to choose from, either Primal Simplex or Dual Simplex. Also, the Aggregate planning field specifies that the optimizer carries our aggregate planning at location product group level.
Integration Tab
This has fields that control the stock transfer and forecast horizon. The fixed or substitution order demand for fixed orders allows the system to treat the distribution demand of the fixed orders like independent requirements.
Automatic Cost Generation Tab
The first four fields all deal with how things like customer requirements, corrected demand forecast, demand forecast and safety stocks are treated in terms of priority.
The other three fields on this tab have to do with how the optimizer considers the priority of location products in combination with the priority of priority classes of demand.
Extended Settings Tab
This tab contains fields which control the details of how the optimization technically runs.
Deployment Parameters Tab
This is the most important tab in the deployment optimizer profile. It controls the what the optimizer looks at.
- Distribution Based on Lowest Cost: If shortage, fulfill the demand at the demand locations. This distributes the available to deploy quantity to the demand locations based on lowest costs only.
- Fair Share Distribution of Demands: If supply shortage, this indicator sets the optimizer to evenly distribute the available quantities to demanding locations.
- Distribution Based on Lowest Costs: If surplus, distributes available to deploy quantity based on lowest costs only. Is not necessarily location with a need.
- Push Distribution By Demands: If surplus available to deploy, evenly distribute the quantities based on demand.
Other fields on this tab have to do with the deployment horizon for push, pull and SNP checking.
