#and then one of the purchases was on 'awaiting delivery to warehouse'

[thistaleisabloodyone]

The purchase of the new CyberHelix cards got cancelled, which is Frustrating because that's why I bought any cards today, but I did use the refund to go buy two new auctions. Still getting the basic versions of the two Riku cards, but the one with the shiny signature is a no-go 😩

[ayejayque]

The usefulness of managing inventories

Interlinked and overlapping functions exist in all businesses. The backbone of any business delivery function is logistics, supply chain management, and inventory management. That makes these functions as important to marketing managers as they are to financial controllers. Managing the inventory is a very vital task that gives you a complete picture of the supply chain. It is also reflected in the financial health as seen on the balance sheet. All organizations strive to keep an optimum inventory. That enables it to meet all its requirements. Over or under-inventory is avoided. It directly impacts the financial figures. Inventory is always on the move. Meticulous control through planning and review, and constant and careful watch on internal and external factors are essential requirements for managing the inventory. Most organizations have professionally qualified inventory planners. They constantly monitor, control, and review the inventory. They also interface and liaise with production, procurement, and finance departments. What actually is inventory Inventory is an idle stock of physical goods. These goods have a certain economic value. Organizations hold on to them in assorted forms. They are held because they await packaging, processing, alteration, use, or sale at some point in time in the future. The organizations that are involved in manufacturing, trading, selling, and servicing a certain product, hold stock of assorted physical resources. These resources are kept for future consumption and sale. Keeping inventory is a mandatory compulsion of businesses. Different businesses keep inventories for different reasons. The reasons could be speculative, functional, or even physical needs. Keeping in mind the points above, we reach the following verdicts with reference to inventory: - Production, manufacturing, and selling organizations have to hold an inventory in one form or another. - Inventory can be in a completely finished state or even in an incomplete or partially complete state. - Inventory is managed for future consumption, future sales, and future processing/value addition. - All resources held in the inventory have an economic value. They even count as assets of the business. The various kinds of inventory Materials inventory is a necessity at all stages and departments of an organization. A business concerned with manufacturing should hold an inventory comprising raw materials and consumables that are essential for production. Partially finished goods are also kept in the inventory. The finished goods are held in an inventory located at the plant, stores, and distribution hubs. Raw materials and finished goods that are in transit at different stages are also kept in the inventory. Goods that are finished are held by organizations at their stocking junctions or even with the dealers and warehouses, till the time they reach the market and then the end users. Other than raw materials and finished goods, organizations keep spare parts for servicing products in the inventory too. There is a designated place in the inventory warehouse for defective products, scrap, and defective parts provided these have an economic value and are part of the inventory records of the company. Kinds of inventory with respect to functions INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT Raw materials Work in process Finished goods Consumables required for processing. E.g.: fuel, stationary, bolts & nuts, etc. Required in manufacturing Partially completed production, in various stages, stored with various departments like production, WIP stores, QC, final assembly, paint shop, packing, outbound store, etc. Finished goods at distribution centers throughout the supply chain Maintenance items/consumables Production waste and scrap Finished goods in transit Packing materials Rejections and defectives Finished goods with stockiest and dealers Locally purchased items required for production Spare parts stocks & bought out items Defectives rejects and sales returns Repaired stock and parts Sales promotion & sample stocks Read the full article

[wellhellotragic]

Dead in the Water (1/2)

You guys!!! It’s here! It’s our @csrolereversal drop date and I’m so excited for you all to see the amazing art @clockadile created for this event. Everyone, please go to her page, check out this amazeball painting, and send her all of the love that she deserves because this fic would never have existed without her! She is just such a wonderful person and I feel so honored that I got to make words in an effort to bring her art to life in a different way. I hope that I’ve done it, and her, justice and that you guys enjoy this. Shout out to @darkcolinodonorgasm for pulling this event together and to everyone in the rolereversal discord chat. It truly has been such a wonderful event and everyone has been so amazingly supportive of one another, so thank you all for being so awesome! Also tagging @cshalloweek​ even though my theme doesn’t completely match the day.

Summary:

Killian Jones may have just had the worst year of his life. The loss of his hand, of his career, and of his pride were almost more than he could take. In a bid to reclaim his life, Killian decided it was time to face his fears, and get back on the metaphorical horse, or in his case, back on the water. Only, the purchase of a haunted second-hand boat may just come at the cost of his sanity.

“The sea is like a cruel mistress. You can love her, you can hate her, but you can never trust her.” - author unknown

Rating: M (foul language sprinkled in and some adult themes)

Also on AO3

“Mayday! Mayday!”

Nothing.

“Please, is anyone out there?” The faint words were met with radio silence. The only noise a high pitched whining from what was likely a busted eardrum. Weak and dizzy, blood continued to drip into the water filling the cabin. The once brown floor now covered in pink.

Searing pain, a sinking boat, and all hope lost. There was little to do but wait. Wait for the inevitable. There was nowhere to go, no reason to have hope. Climbing to higher ground had been a struggle, and pointless as the vessel continued to dip lower and lower into the icy water.

That night, prayers went unanswered. The heavens laughed as they flashed their pearly white teeth and the crackle of a thousand laughs filled the air. The rain continued to fall all around.

There was nothing to do but wait until the water finally claimed her prize. Until the sea took it’s claim. Until the world went black.

***

It was unseasonably hot in Boston. Granted, summertime was hardly a perfect oasis in the northeast on a usual year, but that July had seen it’s hottest temperatures in over sixty years, and the city had been a sweltering mess. The usually pristine buildings along Freedom Trail were littered with blinding metal as each window had suddenly become occupied with ac units overnight. There had even been rolling blackouts as the power company struggled to keep up with the city’s demands.

Why Ariel’s Antiquities had insisted on holding their event outdoors was a mystery to Killian. Women and men dressed in their best, hoping that fancy clothes would somehow insinuate that they had money and could easily out bid their competitors. Unfortunately for them, their power suits became far less intimidating by the minute as sweat lines began to appear sometime just before ten. As the hours drifted on, people became puddles, their shoes sticking to the sidewalks.

Killian found himself near constantly tugging on the collar of his shirt, peeling it away from his sticky skin. Unlike him, his brother had refused to undo the top two buttons on his shirt and seemed even more miserable, if that were somehow possible.

The two men had been sniping at each other for the better part of the morning, and now with the sun at full intensity above them, they’d resorted to silence as they milled their way through lot after lot. The auction advertisement Killian had seen online seemed to have mostly a mishmash of memorabilia and collectables, with a few actual antiquities mixed in.

But unlike the other bidders, the two men weren’t there for random knick knacks. There was one specific item that had caught his eye on the online inventory. A tiny thumbnail the only indication of its existence and he could only hope that it hadn’t been from a previous auction.

For over an hour, Killian traipsed through the old fair grounds, Liam in tow behind him, searching with no luck.

“Killian, I hate to be the one to say this, but it’s not here. We’ve been to every lot and it’s just garbage.” He turned to see his brother giving him a look of pity, infuriating his very being. “Perhaps this is a sign.”

“A sign of what? False advertising?”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it. I just-” Liam took a deep breath, pushing the air out on an audible huff. “I just worry about you.”

With that, all of the anger and frustration from the day left Killian’s body. He couldn’t be mad at Liam any more, not when he knew it was true. When he still had memories of waking in the hospital, of seeing Liam’s eyes red and puffy from tears. It was the first time he’d seen his brother cry since their mother had passed years before.

“Liam, this is something I need to do. I need to prove to myself that I can get back out there. I can’t let this cripple me for the rest of my life.”

His choice of words hadn’t meant to convey the irony, but as his brother glanced down at the metal and leather covering his wrist, Killian couldn’t help but notice the cruelty of the universe. That even the most benign of words could cause such pain, even a year later. How even thinking about that day caused his missing hand to throb in pain.

“Killian, you are one of the strongest people I know. You don’t have anything to prove. Not to me or anyone else.”

Gone were the days where Liam teased him and called him little brother. Now, he was lucky if Liam said anything cheeky around him at all. And while he didn’t have anything to prove to anyone else, the truth was that he needed to show his brother that he wasn’t broken. Not anymore. That he didn’t need to be coddled like a wounded duck.

Before he could respond though, a glimmer caught his eye from a passing bidder’s reflective earrings, causing him to whip his head to the left. And there, tucked behind an old telephone booth, 2 huge entertainment centers, and a large canopy bed, there it was. There she was.

He didn’t wait for his brother, his jogging nearly breaking into a full stride. She was hard to see, tucked away behind items too heavy to move, but even in his limited view he could see that she was battered and bruised. Still, Killian knew that with a little sweat equity, she could be a marvel. He let his hand run down the fiberglass, feeling the strength of the hull, despite the hole in her port side. A gaping wound about the size of a bowling ball.

She was damaged, just as he was, but together they’d mend each other. He was sure of it.

“That’s it? That’s the boat you brought us all the way out here for?” Killian could only smile to himself. “Brother, she’s a mess. Where’s the mainmast? And did you see that hole? There’s no telling what kind of dry rot is on the inside.”

“Yes. I know she’s not much to look at right now, but-”

“No. You can’t be serious. She’s better off torn apart for scraps.”

Killian couldn’t explain to his brother the draw that he felt. He’d been searching auction houses for months. All of the boats he’d seen were either grossly overpriced, or faced the Goldilocks conundrum. Too small. Too big. But this one, it was just right. From the instant he’d seen that tiny thumbnail picture on his laptop screen, he’d felt it deep within his gut. He was meant for that boat, just as she was meant for him.

“And what kind of name is Jewel of the Real?”

“Realm.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s Jewel of the Realm.”

Killian’s hand brushed over the faded wood, tracing the faintest outline of where an ‘M’ used to reside.

The rest of their time there was a bit of a blur for Killian. Liam trying his best to talk him out of buying The Jewel as people threw their paddles up in the air, capturing the trinkets on the stage. Killian fighting with a man two rows ahead of him for the winning bid, going over the maximum price he’d set in his head. Giving the auction house the delivery address, ignoring the way his brother huffed as Killian wrote them a check.

But none of that mattered, because in the end, she was his. The auction house delivered her a few days after his check cleared. The address he’d given them was for a warehouse another expat had told him about. Cheap monthly rates and all of that. What Will Scarlet had neglected to mention was that the warehouse was actually an abandoned building in a rather questionable part of town. Killian never should have trusted the man with a deposit sight unseen. The building lacked windows or doors, and Killian immediately knew he’d been had by the huxter.

He’d scrambled to find another place to fix up the Jewel. The drydocks at the marina were expensive and lacked space for him to spread out with tools, not to mention the absence of privacy while he worked. It was bad enough that people stared at his hook while he was picking up food from the local pub or out with Liam and his wife. He’d be damned if he was going to have people watch him work on a boat one handed. He even considered trying to work out of his friend, Robin’s, garage but the thirty two foot boat simply wouldn’t fit. No matter how imaginative he got with his sketches.

In the end, it was the most unlikely of allies that came to his rescue. The last man he ever expected to aid him with the Jewel. Liam owned a shipping company, specializing in European imports, with English ales and German lagers making up the bulk of his business. The main office was based in downtown Boston, but there was also a small warehouse down by the port where items were stored as they awaited inspection. His brother, still not happy with his decision made him an offer anyway. Come to work at Jones Shipping Monday through Friday, and he’d have the warehouse all to himself in the evenings and on weekends to work on the “abomination.”

Killian accepted begrudgingly. He wasn’t necessarily in need of a salary. He had the monthly stipends from the Navy to live on, the only benefit of losing his left hand, and the idea of becoming a corporate stooge maddened him to no end. He’d already sold his soul once, and they spit him back out once they deemed him of no further use. He wasn’t quite ready to lose the rest of himself to a full time day job pushing paperwork, schmoozing potential clients, and taking orders from Liam. But the perk of Liam’s harbor warehouse was too great to pass up.

So he took the job. He started on a Monday and the boat was delivered on the following Tuesday. Liam had neglected to mention his need for a key, so after driving across town, Killian ended up having to turn around without seeing her. The next day he’d nearly ripped into Liam when he saw him, but seeing three other men in suits sitting in front of Liam’s desk made him rethink his anger. Or at least rethink giving his brother a piece of his mind at work in front of people he’d only ever met at staff parties. He’d already had to deal with stares and questions from a rather bold intern. The stress from his own self-consciousness only amplified his frustration with Liam.

He finally got the key from Liam later that afternoon, along with another gift that he wasn’t particularly fond off. One that actually left him offended. One that he threw back in his brother’s face as he stormed out of his office, not caring one bit what anyone thought of him. Not when his brother obviously thought so little.

He was too upset to even go check on The Jewel at that point, choosing to head to a pub near the harbor instead. The Rusty Anchor was a fan favorite for expats. It’s where he’d met Scarlet, which unfortunately didn’t actually say much about the place. He’d met a few good blokes there as well though, like the bartender Robin. They’d become friends in a grief counseling group. It was mandated for Killian, but optional for the other man who was grieving his wife. Listening to Robin talk at their monthly meetings had helped put Killian’s loss into perspective. Suddenly his missing hand didn’t seem so catastrophic.

Robin had invited him to the pub knowing Killian was new in town with few friends, and the two men had formed a bond in the months since. In a way, he felt closer to the man than he did to Liam. Like he could tell him anything without the brotherly judgment that always radiated from the elder Jones.

After a few pints and a good talk with Robin, Killian had calmed. Liam was still a moron, but that wasn’t on him. And as Robin said, he just had to continue to remind himself that the only reason he was even working for his brother was so that he could fix up the Jewel. As soon as she was sea worthy, he could leave his job without breaking his word to Liam.

In a slightly better mood, he headed a few streets over to the warehouse, ready to take a full inventory of all of the repairs she’d need. The hole in the hull was obvious, as well as new paint all over, and she needed a new mast and sails, but there was always the concern of dry rot. That was the biggest worry. Having to replace every plank of wood and all of the fiberglass on the boat would defeat the entire purpose of restoring her.

Not to mention the difficulties he’d face using his hook. He was more than proficient with it for everyday use after eight months of practice, but some things still tested his limits. As he walked up to the warehouse, thinking about how he’d hoist the sails on without tearing them, he was completely lost in thought, oblivious to the man standing next to his boat. He was more than a little embarrassed by the shriek that escaped from his lips, but upon realizing that it was Liam there waiting for him, his distress turned to anger again. Especially when he saw the box from earlier on a nearby table.

“Killian, before you say anything, it’s not what you think. I never meant to imply-”

“What? That I’m a freak. That I’ll scare away all of the clients?”

“Actually, it was quite the opposite. I got it for you.” Killian looked down, unable to meet his brother’s gaze. “What? You don’t think I see you? The way you shrink in on yourself when you’re out with Elsa and me?”

Liam had him there.

“Look, Killian. I just thought that maybe it would help you to feel more comfortable. I never meant to insinuate anything by it.”

Perhaps he had overreacted. In his mind’s eye, it was just the cherry on top of a horrible year. The whole world judged him. Wasn’t it only a matter of time before his brother saw him as a disfigured beast as well? Except, that wasn’t what happened. He’d made a snap judgement, and thought the worst of Liam in the process.

“You’re right. I... it’s harder than I expected it to be sometimes. I thought,” he had to fight to keep his emotions in check as he remembered those first few weeks in the hospital. How he’d lost more than just his hand. “I thought it would be easier than this.”

“And I’m sorry that I didn’t handle it in a more sensitive way. I think I was just so excited to show it to you that I assumed you’d be just as enthusiastic. Obviously, it’s not all that functional, but it’s remarkably realistic and Elsa and I just thought it would make you more comfortable dealing with clients.”

Killian laughed to himself. A sad little thing. It was very realistic in a way that nauseated him when he first opened the box. Even now, as he walked over to it and lifted the top, he couldn’t help the catch in his throat. The prosthetic hand looked incredibly realistic, right down to the synthetic hair on the back of the silicone. There was a metal clip that popped into place in his arm sleeve and a metal wire that hooked into his shoulder strap, just like with his hook that allowed some slight mobility in the hand. It opened and closed, allowing him to grab objects if he needed to, but it wasn’t nearly as advanced as the mechanical hands he’d seen in the clinic. Although this one probably didn’t cost the same as Liam’s house either like the mechanical ones, which was a plus.

He lifted it from the box, testing the weight of it. It was slightly heavier than his hook, something that would take some getting used to. It was also probably going to end up being longer when all was said and done. Wearing suits might be a problem. He’d have to wait until he got home to check.

Liam, for his part, didn’t seem to want to make it any bigger of a deal than he already had. Instead, he changed the subject back towards The Jewel.

“Do you want the good news or the bad first?”

He’d already had a hard enough day. He didn’t need the bad news at all, much less first.

“The good.”

“Well, she’s not a total loss. I’ve been checking her over, and the bulk of the damage seems to be located here, in the hull where this hole is. The fiberglass is badly splintered around it. I’ve been trying to work out what exactly could have caused it, but aside from an act of Poseidon himself, it makes no sense. Whatever made the hole, it came from the inside of the boat. The furniture inside the cabin is also ruined. Smashed to pieces or rotted away. But the rudder and keel are still in perfect shape.”

Killian leaned in closer, allowing his hand to move along the edges of the hole. Liam was right. The edges was splintered towards the outside of the boat, and the fiberglass around it was all badly cracked. The auction house had sent him home with documents explaining that the ship had been docked at the marina and it had been hit by some object during a storm. They’d clearly been mistaken.

“And the rest of her? What shape does she seem to be in?”

“Well, the wood planks on the deck could use a good sanding, but if you’re just talking about integrity, I think she’ll hold up just fine.” Killian and Liam both climbed the ladder Liam had set up, allowing him his first good look at her. “You know about the mast and roping already. A full redo on both of those. But come look at this!”

Killian followed, letting his hand glide upon the metal railing. For the first time, it felt real. Look at this! It’s the original certificate showing the builder. You realize what this means don’t you?”

“That you’re excited she’s older than you are?”

“No! She’s vintage Killian! Once we fix her up, you can sell her for twice what you paid for her! Well done little brother.”

Killian took a deep breath, already out of patience with his brother for the day.

“Liam, I see three things wrong with what you’ve just said. First, it’s younger brother. Second, when exactly did this become a joint endeavor? Just a week ago you thought the very idea of my purchasing her was the single greatest mistake of my life. Thirdly, and listen closely Liam because I’m not going to say this again, I am not selling this boat.”

“Well you are my little brother. And I’m just trying to protect you. Why do you think I worry and watch after you so much?”

“You don’t need to worry about me!”

“Well apparently I do!” There was something about the way Liam’s voice, the way it broke as he screamed the words that tugged at Killian’s heart. “You almost died! I waited and waited while they searched for your body, sure that there was no way you’d survived that storm. And then I waited and waited again at your bedside in the hospital, praying to God that he didn’t take you away from me like he had mother. So don’t you dare tell me that I can’t or shouldn’t worry about you!”

Killian had to will back the tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He knew that Liam had been at his bedside in the hospital, but he had never thought of what it must have been like for him getting the call that his brother was lost at sea in a storm. He spent a great deal of time clinging to some wreckage, just trying to stay afloat as the waves crashed over his head, and his body plummeted over and over for what felt like years. Once the storm had passed, he found a piece of the destroyed ship large enough for him to crawl on top of and he let the exhaustion take over. When he woke again it was to intense agony in the hospital ICU.

“Liam, I’m not out there anymore. I’m not adrift at sea anymore. I’m here, and I’m fine.”

“But you aren’t. You aren’t here. You say you are, but I think a part of you died out there that day, and I-” Liam gave up all pretense of hiding, letting the tears flow free, “I think part of you wants to get lost again. Why else are you so intent of fixing up this boat?”

“That’s what you think? That I want to put in all of this work just to go out and vanish into the ocean? Liam, I’m doing this to prove to myself that I can. Because the idea of going back out there sends a bolt of terror through my spine right to my very core. I need to show myself that it was just a freak accident. To get back up on that proverbial horse.”

Liam said nothing, just walked back down to the stern of the boat and down the ladder, walking straight out of the warehouse, leaving Killian alone with the guilt of everything he’d put his brother through. Even as children he was always managing to get into trouble, and poor Liam had always been the one to pick up after him. As he heard Liam’s car start up from the open warehouse door, he couldn’t help but wonder how much more Liam had left in him.

If it weren’t for the fact that he had work at eight in the morning, he very likely would have found himself back at Robin’s, downing a full bottle of rum all on his own. As it stood, he had a debt to Liam, far more than for the agreement he’d made for the warehouse space. He owed his brother everything, and though he couldn’t give Liam the one thing he wanted most, he could give him everything else. He could be the prodigal son in a way. Arrive to work everyday in nice clothes, rubbing elbows with Boston’s elite.

So instead of heading back to Robin’s he went down into the ship’s cabin. The space was small, not that he expected much. The boat was only thirty two feet long, and not that tall. There was enough space for a small kitchenette with a tiny sink and grill top. Across from that stood what should have been a small dinette area. Where a table and bench seat should have been was nothing but wood scraps and moldy torn fabric.

He nearly gagged when he opened the door to the tiny lavatory. The toilet was covered in black mold, or what he hoped was mold as nothing else seemed like an attractive option. And then he went to the bedroom area up at the front of the boat. He wasn’t quite sure what to expect, knowing that the hole was in that area. What he found was nothing though. The bed and mattress had been removed, as well as the padding in the seat next to it. The wood forming the cabinets and closet had been torn out as well, leaving behind only the impressions of where they once fit in.

It was evident that the Jewel needed work when he bought her. And he knew that had he known at the time just how much work she needed at the auction house, he likely still would have bought her. But as he stood there, in the torn apart interior, he couldn’t help but feel scammed by Ariel’s Antiquities. They’d purposefully positioned her in a way that no one could see just what shape she was truly in.

Repairing her would take longer than anticipated, which only meant more time working for Liam. Exhausted, Killia headed back to his one bedroom apartment, crashing nearly the moment his head hit the pillow. The next morning, he rose well before the sun, even without the use of an alarm. Apparently you could take the man out of the navy, but not the navy out of the man.

After a nice run, Killian readied himself for the day by showering. Once dry, Killian placed his sleeve over his stump, followed by the hook he’d become so used to. He then picked out one of his better suits, not that he had all that many to choose from, dressed, combed his hair, and stepped back to take stock of himself in the mirror. It wasn’t a look he was used to. In fact, the last time he’d been dressed in such a way had been his mother’s funeral. He was still a teenager, Liam barely an adult himself, wearing suits they hadn’t yet grown in to.

Not wishing to dwell on that thought any longer, he headed for the door, grabbing his keys from the bowl on the side table.

And that’s when he saw it. The gift that Liam had given him the day before. His brother had left it in the warehouse in his haste to escape, and Killian had grabbed it on his way out, still not sure how he felt about it. He’d never really intended to wear it, not for everyday office use at least, but as he stood there in his suit, feeling completely uncomfortable and out of place, he decided to, just for once, do something for Liam.

It took him a few minutes to undress, removing his suit jacket and dress shirt so that he could disconnect his hook from the shoulder strap. The hand felt clunky on his arm, and it was difficult to get it through his sleeves, but in time he managed.

The drive to Liam’s, and now his office, wasn’t a long one, but at seven in the morning, it may as well have been a full county away. The traffic was horrible, not something he’d become accustomed to driving in. He’d always avoided rush hour like the plague, and now it would be a part of his daily routine. He also found that the hand was difficult to use. Because of his sitting position, it wouldn’t quite clamp shut around the steering wheel the way his hook would have.

By the time he arrived, he was over ten minutes late, and the morning staff meeting had already started. He did his best to sneak in, sitting at the back of the room, hoping to go unnoticed by Liam, but because the world was already against him that day, he failed.

Liam called him up to the front of the room, officially introducing him to everyone as the new head of client relations. Killian gave an awkward wave and that was it. He’d been inducted into the company, and day after day, week after week, he sat at a desk, working up contracts, researching possible leads. His nights were often spent at dinners, flirting with wives and schmoozing husbands into signing with Liam’s company. He hated it, and more still, he hated how little time he had for repairs on the Jewel.

Repairing the hull had been easy. He sent off for a patch kit, a misleading name considering the size of the hole to be touched up. After carefully cutting away the excess damaged fiberglass and setting the patch in place, he waited for the epoxy to harden, sanding down the excess so it was smooth. Aside from the lack of paint, she looked good as new. The hardest part had been placing everything where it needed to go with just one hand.

He soon realized just how difficult repairing the rest of the boat would be. The entryway to the Jewel was narrow, hardly wide enough for one person to enter at a time. He’d never be able to get fully assembled furniture and cabinets in. So slowly, he brought in all of the material, piece by piece. It took time, considering he’d had to carry all of the materials from the parking lot down the dock, and onto the ship. It was exhausting work, and there was still the matter of assembly. It took him weeks to get everything cut just to size, and assembly space had become a real issue after the new bench and table had been installed. Finding a place to store the cabinetry wood had almost broken him. The boat had almost broken him.

But he persevered. Slowly the cabinets came together. The bedroom in the bow of the boat found itself with a bed and a small closet, and the bathroom got a shiny new toilet. After two months, he’d finally finished the interior of the boat. All that stood in his way from land and sea was a new mast, the part Killian had been dreading most.

It was the very first thing Killian had ordered after he’d purchased The Jewel, but as with any special order, it had taken over a month to arrive, and then when it did, it wasn’t even the right size. He and Robin had spent the better part of a day trying to make it work, to somehow force the new mast into place, huffing and puffing at the weight. Hours later, Killian finally admitted defeat, and with shaky arms sent the company a firmly worded email chastising them for their incompetence.

Two full months and one paint job later, a new one arrived. Robin was unable to help him again though. Setting his pride aside, Killian was forced to ask for help. He and his brother’s relationship had soured. It wasn’t that there was ill will between the brothers, but there was a small bit of resentment on Killian’s part. Sometimes it seemed as if Liam was giving him extra work and setting extra meetings for the sole purpose of stalling his repairs. Some of the clients that Liam set him up with were too small to even have shipping needs.

We just want to make sure that they keep us in mind incase the expand Killian. You have to always be selling Killian. It’s called networking Killian.

He’d had enough. Eventually he’d declined enough of Liam’s offers to spend time together on the weekends that Liam had stopped inviting him over. The brothers discussed business needs, but outside of the office, they may aswell have not even have been related. Killian did feel bad. His brother was the only family he had left after all, but there was just the matter of his pride. He’d had so many arguments with Liam in his mind that he couldn’t remember which conversations were real, and which were made up. He just knew that he was right in all of them.

Which is why it was so hard for him to turn to Liam for his help. Unfortunately, the mast weighed a few hundred pounds and while the dock, where the boat finally resided, had a crane to help them move it in place, someone still needed to help him slide it into place and hold it steady as he secured it to the boat. The dock had a firm policy on not helping with certain repairs. They didn’t want to be held liable for any damages or injuries that occurred as a result of human error.

Asking Liam for help had been hard. It took him full two days of building up the courage. He’d nearly walked into Liam’s office three times before turning around at the last minute. Finally, he just had to man up. To his surprise, Liam agreed without much opinion on the matter, and that weekend the two brothers finally made up as they struggled together to install the mast. They tried seating it in place, but despite their best efforts, it was slightly off, leaning just a degree or two. While most people might have shrugged it off, both of the Jones boys were determined to get it in straight.

To the chagrin of the crane worker, they demanded he raise it back up so they could check to make sure the surface was level. Nothing seemed off to the naked eye, but again, the mast wouldn’t sit straight. After one final raising, Killian stuck his hand in the seat, trying to feel if there was bubbling or warping in the wood, and to his surprise, he felt something cold and smoothe, not at all like the wood plank he’d expected. After some fiddling, he was able to loosen the object enough to pull it from its hiding place. It was small, so small he wasn’t surprised that anyone at the auction house had missed it.

Liam, for his part hadn’t said much, but Killian could tell by the way Liam was breathing that his brother was annoyed, not with him but with the delay, and ready to finish working. Killian threw the gold piece in his pocket and together, he and Liam finished installing the mast and all of the rigging lines. Afterwards they went for drinks at Robin’s bar, a place Liam had never been before. They shared a few beers, caught up on all of the things they’d missed in the past few months, and each departed like it was no big deal, both ready for a good night’s sleep.

Killian had hoped to crawl into bed and fall straight asleep, but for some reason, as he laid there, his brain seemed to kick into overdrive. It started with thoughts of how he’d have to map out the currents and winds in the boston area before he could ship out. Before long though, all he could think about was work. He’d planned on leaving Liam’s company as soon as he was done, and while he hated some aspects of the job, he did like the structure it provided him with. It forced him to get back into the world again, something he hadn’t realized that he needed to do until Liam tricked him into it.

Unable to sleep, Killian got up to clean, something that usually relaxed him. He started with the dishes, washing and drying them all by hand before moving on to tend to his laundry. Most of his suit items were dry clean only, but his weekend clothes were soaked with sweat and best washed sooner rather than later. Checking all of the pockets and making sure everything was right-side out, he threw items in the washer one by one until he got to the jeans he’d been wearing that day. He’d managed to completely forget about the trinket he’d found on the boat, until just then.

He finished sorting his clothes and started the machine up before heading back into his bedroom, turning on the nightstand table lamp as he crawled back under the sheets. He let the metal turn in his fingers, inspecting the perfectly polished gold. It was a small locket with a bird etched onto one side. There wasn’t an engraving to go with it and told him nothing about the person who’d lost it. The chain that it was attached to was short and the links where tiny, meaning it likely belonged to a woman, but that was all he was able to gather. He continued to turn the locket, just feeling the weight of it in his hand, the surprising warmth of it, when his finger caught on a hidden clasp and the locket snapped open.

It wasn’t what he’d expected. Most women’s lockets contained tiny photographs, but the inside of this one held a small compass. The opposite side featured an engraving, but it didn’t have any names. It simple read: So you always find your way.

He should have wanted to search for the owner, to return what was probably a meaningful gift. There were plenty of news stories all the time about people helping to reunite lost items and owners. The soldier who had his purple heart stolen. The bride that lost her wedding ring on a beach vacation. They were always happy endings, and he knew that the locket didn’t belong to him, but for some reason, he just felt a call to it. Like he also needed it to help him find his way. So he kept it, slipping it on over his own head, having to pull it past his ears. He fell fast asleep soon after.

The next week at work had been grueling. Liam had lined up three dinners for him, one of them with a very sexually aggressive woman that ran a dog breeding company. Apparently there was a high demand for designer dogs and people were willing to pay high prices to have them shipped over the water during the summer and winter seasons when airlines restricted their pet travel policies. He’d had to pry her off of him at the end of the evening, promising he’d call her soon. A complete lie.

The whole encounter had left him feeling dirty. He hadn’t even so much as looked at a woman since his accident, not really, and he just wasn’t ready to move forward in a romantic capacity, even just a physical one. Not after having his heart shattered before. The woman in question wasn’t even interested in him. Not as anything more than a gigalo.

The weekend couldn’t have arrived fast enough. He just needed to get out of town. To get away from everyone, from his responsibilities. He was ready to hit the water and shed the ghosts he carried around with him. He’d planned meticulously. There were charts filling half of his closet and he’d popped by the Tuesday before to fill the kitchenette with snacks for his inaugural trip. He didn’t have a refrigerator yet so he’d done his best to stick with ready to assemble meals. Nothing big, just some bread and jams. A few tea bags and bottled water in case it got cold out on the water.

The plan had been to set sail just as the sun was rising that Saturday. To greet the new day on the water, but for some reason his alarm hadn’t sounded that morning, and for the first time since he’d joined the navy, he overslept. By the time he made it down to the docks it was just after ten, and the area was filled with people. Families going out on day trips. Tour groups trying to enjoy the last few weeks before the winter season. Before everyone would have to winterize their boats and leave them stored away until spring.

He was lost in his thoughts as he walked along the wood planks at the docks, past other ships, nearly tripping on a rope that someone has carelessly left out. Cursing under his breath, collecting himself from the slight embarrassment of it all, he glanced back at The Jewel. It was hard to see with the sun reflecting back on the water, but for just a few seconds, he could have sworn that he saw a shadow moving along her port side. There was a person on his boat.

It wasn’t unheard of, finding a vagrant living on an unused boat, or some random person lost and on the wrong ship. The Jewel had a very specific and unique paint job though. Mistaking her for any other vessel on the harbor would have been impossible. And he’d been there only a few nights before. He would have seen signs of a stowaway using her for shelter.

That could only mean that whoever was aboard his boat was looking for trouble, and after the morning he’d had, he was more than willing to give it to them. Swearing to himself, he picked up his pace, ready to give the trespasser a piece of his mind, but when he finally made it to The Jewel, she was empty. Thinking perhaps they’d gone below deck, he crept down the narrow stairs, doing his best to avoid making noise. There was no one though. She was empty. Just a trick of the mind.

Feeling foolish, Killian reemerged, on the deck, ready to give all of the lines one final check before setting sail when he heard a noise, a creaky wooden plank from down below. This time he ran, not giving a damn if the person knew he was coming or not. He was ready to find whoever was hiding.

Once again though, he came up empty. Even after searching in all of the cupboards and storage spaces under the kitchen bench and his bed. He checked all of the closets, but there was no one. He was all alone.

It was just in his head. Not surprising considering what a huge step he was about to take. The idea of going back on the water leaving him with an uneasy queasy feeling in his gut. Which was also the exact reason that he needed to do it. Why he’d tried to stress to Liam the importance of buying The Jewel.

He needed to conquer his fear. Even if his brain tried to scare him out of it. Because that’s all it was. A shadow from a person on a boat near his. An old creaky boat groaning from the change in humidity. It was all in his head, and it needed to stay there.

More determined than ever, Killian went back upstairs, ready to set sail, distraction free, but when he emerged from the cabin, he was met once again with an odd sensation. A feeling of being watched.

“Permission to come aboard?”

“Bloody hell, Liam? How long have you been here?”

“Not long.”

And there it was. His older brother, his protector, playing games with his head to place doubt. Liam had done more than his fair share of things to delay the boat becoming ready, but to actually try to scare him away was just too much.

“What the hell’s wrong with you?”

“Come again now?”

“I’m talking about you playing games with my head, trying to frighten me away from taking my boat out. You’ve made it very clear that this wasn’t something you wanted me to do, but this is a new form of low, Laim.”

He was furious.

“Killian, I assure you, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve only just arrived.”

He watched the elder Jones, the way his brow furrowed. Liam may have been a great many things to Killian, but he’d never known his brother as a liar.

“Then what are you doing here?”

“I’ve actually come bearing a gift.”

It was only then that Killian noticed the neatly wrapped bundle in Liam’s left hand. Liam didn’t ask permission again, choosing to come aboard The Jewel to hand the gift to Killian. He felt more than a little guilty for accepting it, especially after having just yelled at his brother, but Liam was insistent.

Carefully he peeled back the wrapping paper, careful not to tear it, lest he find paper scraps for weeks to come blown into every nook and cranky. Inside, he found a book, an old one by the look of it.

“It’s a first edition. Took some time to track down or I would have had it to you sooner.”

The significance of Liam’s thoughtfulness was evident. It was a first edition of Peter Pan. The book their mother used to read to them nightly. Each time she finished, Killian would beg her to start again from the beginning. It was the thing that first ignited his love for the sea.

“Thank you, Liam. This means more than you know.”

Liam just gave him a nod, understanding the emotional weight they both held in that moment.

“I, uh, guess you haven’t checked the stern of the boat just yet?”

It was on his list. First the ropes, then a walk around above deck to ensure everything was properly secured, before walking around the dock to check that everything was good on the exterior.

Intrigued, Killian climbed down from the boat and walked around to the back side of The Jewel. But what he found was that she’d been renamed.

“The Jolly Roger?”

“I very specifically remember you telling mum and me that when you grew up, you were going to own a huge ship, and you were going to name her The Jolly Roger-”

“Just like Captain Hook.”

He’d completely forgotten. As a small eight year old, he was determined that one day he’d own a pirate ship. That he’d sail the seven seas taking whatever he wanted from whoever he wanted. Probably in part because he was sick of getting Liam’s hand me downs.

“I hope you don’t mind. I know she’s not exactly what child Killian had in mind, but you’ve done exactly what you said you were going to do. And I know I’ve been a prick about this entire thing, so I wanted to do something to make up for it. To show you that I really am in your corner.”

Killian was touched. It was possibly the first time his brother had apologized to him since before their mother died. Even then, it was probably the first time he’d ever done it without being scolded into it.

“Thank you, brother.”

There’s one final thing. Last night, Robin and I came out here and installed a motor on the back.” Killian was about to say something, but Liam barreled on. “I know. But I just want to keep you safe. If you should find yourself without wind, you’ll still have a way to get back to shore.”

“Marvelous.” His annoyance only slightly tempered by Liam’s attempt at a kind gesture.

From his inside coat pocket, Liam produced a manual for the motor. ‘A guide to your new Stern Mounted Electronic Engine.’ He had to give it to Liam. He’d thought of everything. Even a Mr. SMEE.

Together, he and Liam set about getting The Jolly ready. After checking everything over twice, they finally set out, both men trying not to hold their breath as the docks become smaller and smaller. After about thirty minutes, they were able to relax, realizing that the ship hadn’t yet sunk, and likely wouldn’t anytime soon.

The trip was relaxing for the most part. The brothers argued still, as Killian realized that Liam had completely rearranged all of the food in the kitchenette. It wasn’t surprising and he’d seen Liam do it at his house, whenever Elsa would just quickly throw things back in the pantry. But what did shock him was how Liam adamantly denied it, even though Killian knew he’d left the tea bags in the cupboard above the tiny stove top, not under the sink. And the chips had been moved as well as other items. Still though, Liam swore he hadn’t touched them.

Killian eventually let it go, finding it not worth bickering over anymore than they already had. The real fist-to-cuffs came at the end of the day, as the two men had already redocked and were setting the boat back to rights. Liam had grabbed the trash and told Killian that he was going to take it all to the dumpster in the parking lot while Killian secured all of the sails.

Liam couldn’t have been gone for more than a minute when Killian stood to turn and move on to the other sail when he slipped and fell flat on his back. It hurt more than he wanted to admit, and in his haste to stop himself from falling, he’d somehow managed to catch his hook in the jib sail, tearing it as he fell.

Killian took a moment to compose himself, waiting for the sting of hitting his back on the rail to subside. He must have taken longer than he realized, because by the time he sat back up he heard Liam call his name and scramble across the boat to check on him.

Killian assured him that he was fine, or that he would be as Liam helped him back up. Careful of his steps, he turned to see just what exactly he’d slipped on when he caught sight of small water puddles in the shape of shoe prints. Absolutely sure that Liam had made them somehow, the two brothers had it out, causing Liam to storm away in a huff once more.

Killian stayed long enough to dry all of the water and to watch the sunset over the horizon before heading back to his place to grab a much needed ice pack. His back was still sore two hours later, so he opted for a shower instead hoping that the warm water might help soothe the muscles.

Slowly he undressed, trying not to twist or bend too much. Catching just a glimpse of himself in the mirror are he removed the small gold locket he’d found, he caught sight of his red cheeks, realising that even in October, he’d still managed to get a bit too much sun.

Getting to sleep had been tough. It was only after a glass or two, or three of rum that he was able to find a comfortable position. He drifted off, dreaming of being a child again. Of Neverland and Captain Hook.

The next morning he was still quite sore, so he’d opted not to take a second trip out on the water. Instead, he’d spend the day shopping for groceries and flicking through television programs until he settled on Wicked Tuna. Before he knew it, it was time to ready himself for bed and another dreaded week at work.

It ended up not being as bad of a week as he expected it to be. Liam hadn’t scheduled any meetings for him outside of normal office hours, and the clients that came into the office to settle contracts all seemed relatively normal for once. The brothers had quazied made up, but both felt it was best if Liam didn’t go out with Killian again for a while.

By the time the next weekend came, Killian was eager to set sail again, alone. No distractions. No mind games. Just him and The Jolly. Unable to hide the gold chain under his work shirt, Killian had chosen to leave the compass at home all week, but slid it back over his head before getting in his car to drive down to the water.

For a few moments he worried that his plans would be dashed as his car had refused to turn on. The starter trying to turn over and failing. Finally though, he got her started and headed straight for the docks.

He went through his usual routine, checking everything over, checking the weather once more. It was a little windier than he would have preferred, but the local station said that the wind would die down a bit by mid day. With everything ready, he set out, heading up the coast line just a bit.

The wind stayed stead for nearly four hours, despite the weather stations promise, and at one point, his life preserver ring had managed to come loose and blow straight off the ship. Not wanting to waste sixty dollars on a new one, he turned into the wind, stalling the boat, and dove dove in after it. A foolish endeavour on his part, considering he was alone if anything had gone wrong, but he figured if he could just get to the ring, he’d be fine.

The water was colder than he’d expected. In the navy he’d done cold water drills, letting his body adapt to it. But it had been a year, and his body simply wasn’t used to it yet. The moment he hit the water, his leg cramped up, and for just a second, he sunk under the surface of the water as he grabbed at his leg. When he resurfaced, it was with a mouth full of salt water. His nose burned and his eyes stung.

Once he managed to make it to the preserver, he tried wiping his eyes, but it only made things worse. Looking around to see just how far he was from The Jolly, his eyes had difficulty focusing. Everything became blurry as it felt like he’d had sandpaper rubbed against his cornea. At one point, it looked as if there was a figure standing at the bow of the boat. An impossibility given how far out he was and the lack of other boats.

He closed his eyes, giving them a few minutes to calm down, and when he reopened them, the figure was gone, and The Jolly was more in focus. Killian managed to swim back to the boat, a freezing mess in his wet clothes. He hadn’t actually thought about bringing a change of clothes with him for such a short journey. He stood there on the deck a shivering mess, ready to give up on the day.

As he tried to turn the wheel he began to feel slightly warmer. The wind had finally died down just as local weather woman Alfina Merryweather had promised, except that Merriweather had neglected to mention that her version of a slight breeze was actually a dead stop.

There was nothing, not even the slightest hint of movement. He waited and waited, at one point removing his clothes and doing his best to squeeze as much water out as he could. He thought of Liam, of how his brother would probably be worried if he didn’t hear from him soon. Thoughts that eventually reminded him of the motor his brother had installed for just such an occasion. The motor that Killian never wanted, and certainly wasn’t going to admit to using.

It took him forty two minutes to read the manuel enough to understand what he was doing, the whole thing one long novel of gibberish. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, and how many times he went through the manuel again, twenty minutes later he was just as stuck as before.

After another thirty minutes of attempting to start it and pretending that hyperthermia wasn’t a real threat, he finally caved, ready to call for help over the radio to a towing company. But the radio was just as dead as SMEE, and all of his calls for help were met with static. He began to worry, checking his phone to see the time only to realize that his phone was dead as well. He continued to plea for assistance, the static only becoming louder, eventually there was a spark as he felt a strange nasty shock from the microphone

He jumped back, yelling every curse word he could think of until he was nearly hoarse. Just as he’d quieted, shaking out his hand, he’d heard it. A creaky noise coming from above deck, The same sound he’d heard on his first day out. The sound of boards buckling under the weight of a person. He was sure of it this time, unless the jolt had managed to shock his brain too.

Slowly he crept back up the stairs, feeling every hair raise along his arm as he went. Something felt off. Something just felt very very wrong. But he persisted still, opening the door as quietly as possible. He crept along the deck, treading lightly as not to make any noise. As he moved high enough to see the front of the boat, he noticed a figure. An eerie ethereal blur of a woman.

But before he could say anything she turned and looked right at him. He watched her for a moment, as she seemed to float above the bow of the boat, somehow both there and not quite real. And then her mouth opened, and with the anguished scream of a hundred voices at once, she yelled at him to get out.

He nearly fell as he scrambled backwards, feeling his heart in his throat, trying to leap clear from his body. And just as quickly as she appeared, she was gone. He was paralyzed in fear, completely unable to move when he heard the boat’s engine spring to life, snapping him out of his trance.

[transformhubb]

Importance Of Data Architecture In The Age of Digital Transformation

Understanding and swiftly adjusting to the shifting behaviors and expectations of digital users are prerequisites for a successful digital engagement. They need data, analytics, and applications to adapt to real-time digital processing for their digital experiences, which calls for a next-generation enterprise digital data architecture.  

The gap between businesses that successfully use data and those that don't, according to our experience and deliverables in digital transformation services in Singapore, corresponds to a 1% margin boost for leaders. 

A business need is the capacity to quickly use cutting-edge technology to supply goods and services in previously impossible ways. On the other hand, any company that does not leverage integrated digital transformation solutions and new technology runs the danger of being irrelevant to modern consumers. 

Some of the most rapidly expanding global businesses are ‘born digital’, which implies that the power of digital is ingrained into the very fabric of their business strategies. Consumer expectations have been molded in several different ways by these and other cutting-edge businesses.  

It seems that customers have come to assume that by just clicking a few buttons, a cab will be at their location in a matter of minutes. Or that the entertainment service they select would suggest programs that they are most likely to appreciate. Or that the movie or other stuff they're seeking will be delivered instantaneously through social media networks. 

What technological elements support digital transformation, and what should you think about if you want to advance your company? The trendy, cutting-edge ones attract the greatest interest, and although you should invest in those that will offer you an advantage, it's equally critical to think about the data architecture required to support them. The crucial but sometimes disregarded component of digital transformation solutions is what can be referred to as data architecture. 

Data: Core of the Digital Transformation  

Let's take a look at how modern digital consumers purchase to better grasp the requirement for data sharing and analytics at high speed and scale. 

Imagine Sarah, an individual using a search engine or social media platform. She comes across an advertisement for something that’s on her mind. The advertisement directs her to an e-commerce website, where she may view the item that drew her attention while the site suggests further items that she might enjoy. She may verify the date of delivery to her address once she has chosen her selections and made her purchase. 

The website is completing her purchase by optimizing delivery routes and warehouses while she awaits her package. Her order is fulfilled, and the e-commerce website reviews her preferences to offer her more products, services, or discounts in the future. 

This type of purchase is made possible by the data that is practically examined in real-time. 

The data and search are optimized by many top digital transformation companies like TransformHub. Data architecture includes this as a key component. 

Real-time analytics and predictive modeling are used to provide suggestions. They retrieve information from several systems, including the user profile, purchase history, and the search terms being used in the current session. 

Customer’s delivery address and the locations of the warehouses are analyzed to determine the optimum delivery route and schedule, which optimizes order fulfillment. 

Digital transformation solutions have been realized by retailers that effectively meet consumer expectations and innovate consistently in marketing, design, distribution, support, and other areas. 

This transformation is based on scalable, linked, and smart models. Some established companies have effectively adapted by implementing an omnichannel strategy and combining physical and digital procedures.  

This physical and digital integration now encompasses marketing and supply chain management procedures in addition to sales channels. A smart strategy used by many companies offering digital transformation services in Singapore.  

Digital Architecture Framework & Its Significance 

There are two key elements that digital architecture must consider. 1. Digital engagement

The first is that platforms are used in digital interaction. For iOS and Android, mobile apps are created. Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant, and Siri are used in the development of digital assistants. Standards, SDKs, and development guidelines specific to these platforms must be followed.  

To improve the client experience, they also provide tools that may be used, such as maps, auto-dialing phone numbers, language vocabularies, and others. To keep digital engagement apps up to date, these platforms also have continual requirements and adjustments. 2. Users

The second is that consumers and other digitally active users expect all channels, regardless of the channel they use, to have the same knowledge about them and to work consistently. This affects a data architecture in the following ways: 

To ensure that information about a consumer is accessible to all the digital platforms, the data must be separated from each one of them. 

To have a comprehensive history of a customer's interactions available whenever required, data will need to be collected from a digital platform. 

Real-time interactions will be driven by digital events started by customers. 

Instead of the transaction or report data requirements of an application or data mart, interactions are little, bite-sized chunks of data. 

New digital interactions will be formed as platforms develop; therefore, a digital data architecture must be flexible and quick to adapt as well. 

Guidelines For Implementing Digital Data Architecture 

An event-responsive, digital data architecture grows through a continuous series of initiatives, unlike a data warehouse or data mart. For a few reasons, this may be done without requiring a data architecture to begin work. 

The accepted practice for digital and cloud-based computing has developed as containers and APIs utilizing Docker and Kubernetes. 

The consumer of event-responsive data is liberated from exploring data structures, thanks to APIs for data interactions, which decouple data structures from data consumption. 

For event-responsive data, using data objects rather than data tables offers flexibility, meaning that adding new data items and data pieces does not affect previously developed API services. 

The instructions for putting into practice a digital architecture and event-responsive data, project by project, are as follows: 1. Ensure that jobs are finished swiftly:

Digital platforms and consumers' preferences and habits change often, making digital interaction unstable. In response, projects adopt new digital interactions and must be finished rapidly. 2. Create an efficient user interface:

To engage people, digital platforms must have a well-designed user experience. The data that each event requires is also identified by the user experience. 3. Define the APIs and their data content:

When an event interacts with the event-responsive data repository via an API, it produces or consumes data. Designing data objects and their data content is based on this. 4. Control the APIs' data content:

Data objects, connections between them, and data pieces that are new to the event-responsive data repository can go through governance before they are physically in place or utilized since the APIs are a result of the user experience design.  5. Fill up the data repository for events:

Only add data objects and data components to the event-responsive data repository that support defined APIs and have been completely approved by this before-the-fact governance procedure, such as customer data for a new digital engagement platform. 6. Deliver data components to processing systems:

Existing processing systems must be informed when new data objects or modified data are added by digital events to the event-responsive data repository: 

Both batch processing systems and near real-time systems may be supported by providing these as a data stream utilizing the pub-sub pattern. 

To ensure a consistent view of corporate data from origination to delivery, the new or modified data objects should comprise the stream's content. 

Repeat this procedure for each project that follows. Because the only requirements are the ability to build APIs, regulate data content, and fill the event-responsive data repository with whatever data is necessary for a project to operate, projects may also be run concurrently. 

Creating The Right Data Architecture 

Organizations may innovate with business models and shorten time-to-market because of the power, speed, and flexibility that a cloud environment offers. Without cloud technology, digital transformation is almost unimaginable. It is no longer just up to the IT department to decide how to implement these; CXOs are now debating this as a strategic business mandate. 

High-speed data analytics and the capacity to handle bigger amounts of data are made possible by cloud engineering services and data analytics consulting services that provides computing power in the cloud. Utilizing cloud services helps you save costs and increase company agility by enabling you to scale up or down your infrastructure and processing capacity as needed. M 

Minimizing capital cost, application deployment, processing power, and storage capacity become on-demand and essentially pay-as-you-use resources. The ability to deploy system resources as needed and distribute data among many processes is made possible by the cloud environment. 

Some of your databases and apps may already be in the cloud, while others may need to be transferred as part of your digital transformation plan. Data synchronization must be planned and maintained if you're employing both on-premises and cloud infrastructure. 

Your data architecture could be built on a public, private, or hybrid cloud. Private clouds are more affordable for larger firms, whereas public clouds often perform better for smaller companies. 

Nowadays, many businesses use a hybrid cloud strategy that combines their private cloud with many public cloud service providers. AWS, Google, Azure, and other service providers might be utilized for particular services. 

Let’s Connect 

You can confidently embrace the best digital transformation solutions and continually develop your business models with the correct data architecture in place. 

To create a tailored digital transformation roadmap and data architecture based on your current assets and future ambitions, get in touch with the experts at TransformHub. 

[crowleycrowley7-blog]

New Cold Storage Tips In Washington

As COLD STORAGE SEATTLE for perishable products grows worldwide, environment friendly and efficient cold chain administration requires robust partnerships and quick reactions. Lineage Logistics stated it has acquired Seattle Chilly Storage and its amenities at Algona, Wash., and the Port of Tacoma, Wash. Phrases weren't disclosed. I felt welcome on the NewCold workplace right from the start. It was the primary time that I have been in a position to gain expertise inside such a big organization, and that has given a whole lot of perception. I always came to my internship with pleasure. All this together has given me the motivation to proceed studying. Cold Storage Lofts is as handy as it's up to date. Our pet-pleasant community is beautifully located to offer incredible views of downtown Kansas City proper out of your house window. Located simply off of Grand Boulevard on 3rd Avenue, in the heart of the vibrant River Market district, all the sights and sights of town are at your front door. We are found near all kinds of high-quality eating, entertainment, and procuring options, as well as the famous City Market, Central Library, and Power & Mild District - all simply steps away! With glorious entry to major highways, including I-35, I-70, Highway seventy one, and I-29, your morning commute might be quick and easy. A handy MAX Orange Line Bus Stop can also be situated close to our property, allowing you to be wherever within the KC Metro space inside minutes. Our chilly storage facility in Tacoma, WA is now operational. On Might 24, 2018 we celebrated the festive opening of the site. The group is in full swing to fill the excessive bay and to serve our anchor customer Trident Seafoods. The cold storage facility might be utilized by Fieldbrook Foods of Dunkirk to store completed product while it awaits delivery to its many customers throughout the United States. Fieldbrook Foods is a producer of ice cream and different frozen desserts together with many personal-label brands. The Talbot household's maritime roots date again to 1941, when Archibald Talbot purchased and began working the Bellingham Shipyards, which constructed minesweepers and barges for the U.S. Navy throughout World Battle II and the Korean Battle. Talbot established the cold storage business in 1946 next to the shipyard as a way to diversify after WWII ended. It provided local fishermen and farmers entry to refrigerated warehousing and shipping. Unicold offers Container Services, Warehousing, and Distribution - together with Oahu and the neighbor islands. With the most important refrigerated food warehouse on the islands, we have now the facilities, manpower and expertise to assure your refrigerated shipments are properly cared-for. I improved upon many skills by interning at NewCold, including enterprise communication, Excel, planning & organizing, and of course business development.

[itsmezali-blog]

Light in the box reviews - Is Lightinthebox Safe to Purchase from?

Light in the box is a worldwide shop that are experts in some primary categories: fashion, small home appliances, home decor, and different electronics. Inspecting Light in the box reviews on the internet, you'll find out that it is best famous for its customizable wedding party apparel and evening apparel.

This online shop lures potential customers who think that they'll find the wedding event garments of their desires at a small percentage of the cost of traditional sellers. In addition to this, the customizable features of the online store mean that they won’t need to pay money for personalized tailoring.

However, for every delighted bride-to-be who gets her beautiful white bridal gown, there is another opinion that describes a completely different history.

On not too expensive products, for example clothing, it's not really a problem.

Nonetheless, for those who are thinking about utilizing the Lightinthebox.com site for larger purchases, for example home appliances or gadgets, the Lightinthebox reviews (called a “Lightinthebox.com scam” or a “Light in the box rip off”) on online forums would advise you must consider one more time.

On the net they are popular review net sites that contain many client comments about Lightinthebox.com. Below are the internet sites with the comments which we discovered:

Trustpilot.com

Out of 14400 opinions on Trustpilot.com, Lightinthebox.com has an overall result of 4 out of 5 stars.

Approx 62 percent of those who posted assessments gave the internet retailer a total 5 stars, and almost 16 percentage evaluated their purchasing experience with 1 star.

In general, it's a general favourable outcome, especially when considering evaluations on Trustpilot.com about comparable websites, such as AliExpress or Tomtop.

Light in the box review on ConsumerAffairs.com

On Consumer Affairs, Light in the box has the different result when compared with other review portals, because there're 640 ratings and a general result is one star.

Most of the comments concerning Light in the box showed irritation with prolonged delivery time and as well as miscommunication on sizes, most of them came from shoppers who had purchased footwear.

The SiteJabber website

SiteJabber’s gave Lightinthebox ratings almost like those found on Trustpilot.

Based on 3842 feedback gathered, Lightinthebox wound up with a rate of four stars, with approx 60 % of the comments being graded at five stars.

Whilst you might find a large amount of discontented clients if you search any online site presenting Lightinthebox review, you’ll also find many domestics who were fully happy with their purchases and the customer service.

Generally, a lot of the clients who were pleased with their orders appeared to be ordering smaller wares: different outfits, wigs, add-ons or small electronic products.

We've detected that the more expensive things have much more unfavorable opinions, a fact that online shoppers should take note of.

Light in the box hoax reviews are attainable on forums and message boards where buyers write that they've never gotten their wares. Sometimes, those Lightinthebox reviews are posted too fastly.

When we responded to the question, “What's Light in the box?” we debated that this shop is headquartered in Beijing.

That's why the majority of its items ship from another country, and as a consequence shipment times aren’t exactly the swiftest. And also the processing time might be very long.

How Exactly Does Delivery Work? Light in the box reviews concerning shipment service

Some goods process within only one day, but the rest may span from 3 days to a whopping 15 days before they depart the stockroom.

A primary gripe is the length of the shipment times, outlined below:

Mail Service-Tracking

Goods delivered by this option can make it to the United States Of America in 10-20 days from the time it leaves the warehouse. In the time of high season, this delivery time is prolonged to 15-30 business days.

Check a calendar, this means that it can be about 6 weeks (counting weekends) before your wares come.

Our own Lightinthebox Review About Postal Fast

Selecting this option will surely accelerate the shipping process, lowering your wait time down to 5-8 days. It provides it to approximately an 1 week wait, even during peak season time. This is faster.

Express Fast Shipping

For people who expect their goods as quickly as possible, it can be the ideal shipment solution to take into consideration. With Quick Delivery, worldwide shipment is reduced to 3-5 working days.

We cannot find any information concerning specified rates for each shipment option, however the company does state that shipment will depend both on the size of the item and on the shipping time period as Lightinthebox reviews shows.

When it comes to the universal Mail Tracking Service shipment method, the longest time wait is lower than nine weeks for goods to come after ordering.

It is a long period of time to await and think if you’ve become a victim of the Lightinthebox hoax, or whether it is a standard shipping time for a package coming from overseas.

It is a sufficient quantity of time to ask the difficult question, “Is Light in the box trustworthy?” after awaiting too long for a probably expensive packet and publishing unfavorable Lightinthebox review.

Earlier than believing you have get swindled by a Lightinthebox.com hoax, make certain that you have waited all the 45 days that your item may take to come to your home.

After that get in touch with customer support to ascertain if they are able to deliver any sort of additional tracking data or details affirming the dispatch of your product that shows it is arriving to you.

Summary: Is Lightinthebox reliable? Why some Lightinthebox reviews are weak?

When we have extensively answered to the query, “What exactly is Lightinthebox.com?” it is time to ask the real question: Is Light in the box reliable to buy from for my daily shopping wants?

Despite the fact that evaluations appear to be favourable generally speaking, we're on this blog to response whether there may be a Lightinthebox.com scam.

Shopping on Light in the box is a superb way to get discounted rates on a tailor made wedding gown or to order a few products that you need in large amounts.

General, is Lightinthebox.com trustworthy? It has many risk-free payment possible choices that suggest that it isn’t a rip-off online site.

The actual Light in the box reviews indicate that you need to try two or three cheaper goods first to verify if you are pleased with the customer service and shipping times earlier than you're begining to purchase more costly things.

[jocelynniwalker]

Here Are 5 Tips For Shopping Online

The past was when Christmas shoppers had to dress up and shower, as well as endure frigid temperatures to shop for presents. In the past, avid bargain seekers eagerly awaited store openings on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) like engines that sat idle waiting for ignition. Doe-eyed automatons, kids flipped through catalogs of toy stores in hopes that it will take them to the mall. It was a traumatic, brutal time. Uncertainty was the rule.

It was quite shocking to realize that Christmas shopping was never the identical. We no longer needed to go to the store for a long time! Online shops were opened by companies instead. Online shopping was possible for shoppers at any time during the day, regardless of whether they were dressed in sexy clothing or completely naked.

Be Secure

When you shop on the internet for cosplay accessories credit card, it is the most preferred method of payment. Your credit card number remains static. It is not changed unless an account is closed and then reopened. Once your credit card data has been posted online, it might be stolen or used to commit fraud.

Online shoppers have several alternatives to lower their risk. Shopping online should be conducted on secure sites. You can verify that the site you're on is secured by looking for a tiny padlock icon that appears in the upper right-hand part of the URL bar.

Credit or Debit?

Shopping online is easier with plastic, however, certain plastics are better than other types. It's advisable only to utilize credit cards, rather than debit cards, for online shopping. Credit cards are a form of credit, while debit cards draw directly out of the bank account. Once in possession of your bank account information, hackers can do much more damage to your finances than if they had access to your credit card number.

Be aware of the Restocking Fee

Although online shopping may eventually lead to the demise of physical stores, there is one thing that is certain: the warehouse. It will continue to be necessary to store large quantities of merchandise and to hire employees to manage the warehouses.

As long as robots don't take over their jobs warehouse workers will need wages for the tasks they do. Retailers already cover the cost of paying someone to retrieve the item, package it and then ship it. item you have purchased online. However, if you want to decide to return an item, it still has to be repackaged and replaced, although the company hasn't made any money through the return. Online retailers are now charging restocking costs on items that are returned.

Bargain Hunting

If there's a major drawback to online shopping for cosplay shoes is the agony of waiting the delivery of your order. The earlier you make your purchases, the better likelihood that they'll be delivered on time. Federal law requires that retailers ship items within the specified times. Standard shipping can take up to 5 days for business, while standard shipping takes 30 days. If no delivery date is given within the transaction, it has to be shipped within 30 days.

Plan Your Purchase

The only issue online shopping is the lengthy wait time for your order to be shipped. There's a greater likelihood of receiving your purchase on time if you place your orders earlier. Federal law requires that retailers ship things within the timeframes specified (e.g. the standard shipping takes three to five business days, or 30 days if there's not a shipping date in the transaction).

[orrangie-blog]

Light in the box reviews - Is Lightinthebox Safe to Order from?

Lightinthebox.com is a global retail store that are experts in some primary areas: apparel, small appliances, home decor, and a variety of gadgets. Reading Light in the box reviews (visit the https://chinasafeimport.com/blog/light-in-the-box-reviews webpage to test them), you'll probably find that it's the most famous for its individualized wedding party clothes and evening clothing.

This internet page entices people who believe that they will purchase the wedding ceremony apparel of their desires at a small fraction of the price of standard sellers. Even better, the customizable options of the webpage signify they won’t need to cover the cost of custom tailoring.

Nonetheless, for every delighted bride-to-be who receives her beautiful white wedding gown, there is another review that shows a different history.

On relatively inexpensive things, just like for example clothes, it isn't really as much of a problem.

But nevertheless, if you're thinking of utilizing Light in the box for bigger orders, like devices or electronics products, the Lightinthebox reviews (termed as a “Light in the box scam” or a “Light in the box rip off”) on user discussion forums would suggest that you need to think again.

On the internet they are very popular opinion portals that have a large amount of purchaser comments about the Lightinthebox website. Listed below are the webpages with the reviews which we discovered:

The Trustpilot website

Based on 14392 comments on the Trustpilot net page, Lightinthebox.com has a general score of 4 out of 5.

Approx 62 % of those who posted assessments issued the internet shop the full 5 stars, and approx 16 % evaluated their purchasing experience with 1 star.

Generally speaking, this is an overall positive outcome, especially when taking a look at feedback on Trustpilot.com regarding very similar websites, like for example AliExpress or Tomtop.

Light in the box review on ConsumerAffairs

On ConsumerAffairs.com, Lightinthebox.com has the totally different outcome if compared with other opinion internet pages, due to the fact that there are 645 evaluations and an overall mark is one star.

Most of the comments concerning the Lightinthebox.com website expressed frustration with prolonged delivery time and additionally miscommunication with size, nearly all of them came from shoppers who'd bought footwear.

SiteJabber.com

Sitejabber.com's gave Lightinthebox scores similar to those on Trustpilot.

Based on 3842 comments gathered, Light in the box wound up with a rate of 4 stars, with approx 60 percent of the ratings being evaluated at 5 stars.

Whilst there are plenty of angry people when you browse any webpage showcasing Lightinthebox review, you can also find lots of folks who are totally happy with their purchases and the customer support.

Generally speaking, the majority of the clients who were very happy with their transactions appeared to be ordering small wares: various outfits, hairpieces, accessories or small electronics products.

We've determined that the more expensive wares appear to have much more poor opinions, this fact online shoppers must keep in mind.

Light in the box swindle comments are accessible on forums and discussion boards where shoppers write that they have never received their items. In some cases, those Lightinthebox reviews are made a too quickly.

When we responded the question, “What exactly is the Light in the box portal?” we debated that this retail store is headquartered in Beijing.

That's why most of its items ship from another country, and as a consequence delivery times are not exactly the swiftest. Even the processing time could be very long.

How Does Shipment Work? Light in the box reviews about delivery service

A few goods process in only twenty four hours, but the rest may span from three days to a more than fifteen days prior to they leave the stockroom.

A major claim is the too long the delivery times, described below:

Mail Tracking Service

Articles delivered by this option can make it to the United States Of America in 10-20 days from the moment it departs the warehouse. For the period of high season, this shipping time is lengthened to 15-30 days.

Check a calendar, which means that it could be up to six weeks (counting weekends) before your items come.

Our own Lightinthebox Review About Postal Expedited

Making a decision on this method will unquestionably speed up the shipment procedure, reducing your wait time to 5-8 days. It provides it to approximately an one-week wait, even during high season times. This is swifter.

Express Expedited Shipping

For clients who want their items as soon as possible, this can be the most excellent shipping solution to take into account. With Quick Shipment, international delivery is reduced to 3-5 working days.

We can't find any data regarding specified prices for every shipment method, however the hop does express that shipping will hinge both on the size of the product and on the shipping time period as Lightinthebox reviews suggest.

When you're thinking of the basic Postal Tracking Service shipping method, the longest time wait is below nine weeks for an item to receive after buying.

It's a long time to await and think if you have become a sufferer of the Light in the box rip-off, or if it is a standard shipping time for a parcel received from abroad.

It is the right amount of time to ask the very serious question, “Is Light in the box reliable?” after waiting that long for a potentially costly bundle and writing unfavorable Lightinthebox review.

Earlier than thinking you’ve fallen prey to a Light in the box scam, be certain you’ve awaited the full 45 days which your item could need to make it to your house.

And after that follow up with customer support to see if they can give you any kind of extra tracking information or information confirming the send of your packet that proves that it's arriving to your house.

Summary: Is the Lightinthebox.com store trustworthy? Why some Lightinthebox reviews are poor?

Now that we have meticulously responded to the query, “What exactly is Lightinthebox?” this is time to ask the real query: Is the Lightinthebox.com website reliable to purchase from for my everyday shopping needs?

While evaluations appear to be very favorable generally speaking, we are on this website to response whether there could be a Light in the box hoax.

Buying on Light in the box is an excellent way to get price cut on a tailor made outfit or to gain various goods that you want in bulk.

Generally speaking, is Light in the box safe? It has many risk-free payment possible choices which will demonstrate that it isn’t a rip-off site.

The actual Light in the box reviews signal that you want to order 2 or 3 low cost items first to see if you’re satisfied with the client service and delivery times before starting to purchase larger products.

[hauntedcreatorkingdom]

Warehouses in Qatar commonly have their own person inventory management method that subsequently is about up to operate in tandem with your enterprise's program. They provide a safe, Protected, and centralized spot for your own merchandise, which makes it simpler to keep an eye on and Manage your stock. By purchasing a warehouse, you'll be able to be expecting to retailer, ship and distribute products and solutions added effectively. If somewhat something is out of stock, you will understand it straight absent and provide clientele with substitute options in lieu of leaving them awaiting days and even months. Warehouses which have supplemental in-household fulfillment groups also help businesses transfer, bundle and system orders from purchasers. Deals dispatched on pallet racks, one case in point is, is normally unpacked and re-boxed just prior to cargo on your shopper. Warehousing also permits perfectly timed shipping and delivery and optimized distribution, with in-home monitoring methods that allow both you and your consumers know particularly when the obtain has extended been given, packed, fulfilled, dispatched out, and delivered. Additionally, it can help lower mistakes and injuries while while in the purchase fulfillment tactic and stops your products from buying dropped or stolen for the length of dealing with. But the greatest attract of warehouses is the fact that they help you store goods for long haul use. Vegetation, artwork, candles, foodstuff and drugs are only a few samples of products which demand Certain storage situation that can Typically only be fulfilled by a warehouse. This could certainly assist to extend the product’s shelf life, even though slicing down your provider costs. On top of that, the answers saved in warehouses are frequently insured. Consequently, you've got larger prospective buyers to obtain compensation from your insurance provider from the party of hurt, fireplace or theft. 

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[manishajain001]

The UNICEF said it will stockpile 520 million syringes in its warehouses, as part of a larger plan of one billion hypodermic needles by 2021, to guarantee initial supply and help ensure that syringes are available in countries before the COVID-19 vaccines arrive. “As the world awaits a COVID-19 vaccine, UNICEF has begun laying the groundwork for the rapid, safe and efficient delivery of the eventual vaccine by purchasing and pre-positioning syringes and other necessary equipment,” the UN agency said on Monday.

[hudsonespie]

How Cruise Lines are Preparing for a Post-Pandemic World

It’s no surprise or secret that the coronavirus pandemic has dealt a major economic blow to cruise ship lines. Some of the earliest, most gripping stories of COVID-19’s spread outside of China involved quarantined cruise ships searching for safe harbor in the viral storm. After some initial scrambling to bring home everyone already at sea, most cruise ships have been in port and empty of passengers, awaiting word that it’s safe to sail again. 

Miami is the home port for many of the cruise lines in the Western Hemisphere, especially those sailing to the Caribbean and South and Central America. It’s also the headquarters of Horizon Air Freight’s cruise ship division and home to our dedicated cruise industry warehouse facilities, which include refrigerated and frozen storage for the millions of pounds of food we move to cruise ships in a typical year. (It’s one of the more specialized of our more than 30 consolidation centers positioned strategically around the globe.) But as we write this, Miami is also a hotspot of coronavirus cases, so we don’t anticipate cruise operations will restart there anytime soon.

“They really need to get the whole state under control before Miami-based cruise lines start thinking about cruising again,” says Alex Durante, Horizon’s director of global sales.

Indeed, just a few weeks ago, the CDC announced it was extending its No Sail Order until September 30, so, at least for U.S.-embarking cruise ships, the wait continues.

That doesn’t mean that nothing is happening aboard their ships. We’ve been shipping a lot of food to feed onboard crew members who were temporarily banned from disembarking due to quarantine regulations. We’ve also shipped a high volume of personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect onboard crews, and, in one recent case, we shipped thousands of pounds of PPE to an entire shipyard to protect workers renovating a cruise ship in dry dock. Masks, gloves, face shields, hand sanitizer, disinfecting aerosol sprays: we’ve been getting it all delivered on-board to cruise ships around the world, even in remote ports, to keep their people safe and healthy as they prepare for what’s next.

Of necessity, we’ve developed some rapid expertise in hand sanitizers and disinfectants, then passed that along to the cruise lines we serve. Sanitizers and disinfectants with high levels of alcohol are classified as hazardous freight, making them more complicated and expensive to export. We’ve been recommending alternatives with lower levels of alcohol paired with other chemicals that help to fight germs and viruses.

“Buy non-hazardous,” says Durante, “and it’s a lot more cost-effective and efficient to get it to you.” It saves our customers money — they can see the savings on our automated financial reports — while still keeping everyone safe.

Smaller Adventure Lines Sailing Soon

Some of the boutique cruise lines we serve — especially those offering adventure cruises to remote areas — may start sailing again sooner than the larger lines, with embarkations from countries presently safe and open. (A few have already started.)

“If we’re shipping them ammunition to protect themselves from polar bears,” says Durante, “the barriers to reentry are probably lower.”

These smaller lines can keep all their passengers together during excursions, and it’s easier to test and screen everyone in the controlled, manageable environments they’re able to provide.

“If they’re cruising to Antarctica, French Polynesia, Greenland, or other safe areas,” says Durante, “they’re likely opening sooner.”

A Longer Wait for Large Cruise Lines

For the larger cruise lines, however, and for any lines sailing to or from countries still under heavy restrictions, the wait continues. In the meantime, most are already planning ahead for a post-pandemic world.

There are still a lot of unknowns. Will cruise lines screen passengers before they board? If so, we may be shipping them a lot of forehead thermometers and test kits. We know we’ll be shipping more gloves, masks, and sanitizers for the foreseeable future. Will buffets be replaced with table service dining? If so, that may impact the food and service equipment we’re shipping.

“Whenever the CDC and the governing bodies in other countries give the green light to start sailing again,” says Durante, “we have the infrastructure in place to support them. Whatever they need, our global team of marine logistics experts will get it to them, when and where they need it.”

From Keeping an Overhaul On-Schedule to Shipping Food All Over the World

Horizon first started supporting cruise ships several years ago when we handled some emergency overnight deliveries from Germany to the Bahamas to keep a major ship overhaul on schedule. The supplier knew Horizon due to previous urgent shipments we handed for them and recommended us to the cruise line as the forwarder who could get the parts there on-time.

“The shipowner was very happy,” says Durante, “and he asked, ‘Who did these emergencies? I never expected we’d see those parts on time.’”

The same cruise line’s logistics department then asked Durante if Horizon could help with their food deliveries. They were shipping 7,000 pounds of food per week from California to French Polynesia. “They wanted to buy wholesale in the U.S. instead of paying a fortune in port,” says Durante, “but the shipments were causing them a tremendous amount of trouble.”

Horizon and our Los Angeles partner put together an arrangement with a refrigerated and frozen warehouse in California, then set up weekly consolidated delivery schedules of food and beverages from various West Coast vendors. More than three years later, we’re still shipping 7,000-10,000 pounds of food via air for them each week.

That initial opportunity led Horizon to launch our cruise ship division, with a dedicated team and facilities initially assembled by Durante. From our new state-of-the-art refrigerated and frozen warehouse facilities in Miami and L.A., to providing up-to-the-minute statuses of every single purchase order electronically, our services were immediately in high demand. We started shipping food to cruise ships all over the world: millions of pounds of it each year.

“We went from spare parts,” says Durante, “to shipping high-end wine, lobsters, ice cream, and porterhouse steaks. Anything and everything the guests wanted, we made the necessary logistics arrangements to get it to them.”

That eventually led to keeping cruise ships supplied with everything else they needed, from engine parts to watches and pearl necklaces for their onboard jewelry stores, with all deliveries timed to their global fleets schedule. 

Unlike other commercial maritime industries, the cruise industry needs two very distinct kinds of support from a maritime logistics company.

The technical division of a cruise line is very much like the technical division of a container ship company, a fishing fleet, or any of the other maritime sectors Horizon serves. We get them the parts and supplies they need to keep their ships running safe, able, and on-time.

Then there’s the hotel or hospitality division, which has far more in common with a hotel in a major urban center than a tanker ship or offshore rig. For cruise ship hospitality divisions, in addition to food and beverage items, we ship a lot of toiletries and cleaning chemicals, promotional merchandise such as mugs and T-shirts, key cards, and equipment and supplies for onboard entertainment.

“If you can ship perishable food,” says Durante, “and are able to successfully and consistently navigate through the complexity of what these shipments entail, then all the rest is easy.”

Sailing to See the World Again

At Horizon, we work every day with people who spend their lives traveling through the awe-inspiring beauty of the open seas while experiencing the many cultures and countries of this wide world. Most people don’t have such opportunities in their daily lives, but cruise ships can give them that experience, that adventure.

This is a challenging time for cruise lines and for the world, but throughout Horizon’s 50 years in business, we’ve seen the commercial shipping industry rise to many such challenges before. We’ll get through this one together and emerge stronger than ever.

We look forward, for many reasons, to the day when the pandemic is brought under control. And we look forward to the time when cruise ships can get back to what they do best: give people adventures, vacations, and entertainment at sea. Whenever the time is right, we’ll be there to support them.

This article is sponsored by Horizon Air Freight. Horizon keeps fleets shipshape and on-schedule with global marine logistics by air, land, and sea. Critical marine spares, supplies, and equipment from any vendor worldwide: consolidated, expedited, delivered door to deck. Whatever you need, wherever you need it, we’ll get it there on time and on budget. With more than 50 years of experience, we keep more than 3,000 ships safe, able, and sailing. To learn more or to request a quote, call 800-221-6028 or visit haf.com.

from Storage Containers https://maritime-executive.com/article/how-cruise-lines-are-preparing-for-a-post-pandemic-world via http://www.rssmix.com/

[berniesrevolution]

In best-selling author James Patterson’s latest novel The Store, a writer and his family go undercover to write the exposé of the century, about a dominant corporation that insinuates its way into people’s lives, homogenizing society under its vision. It’s a website that initially sold books and then branched out to providing other goods and services.

Patterson calls it TheStore.com. But we all know what he’s referring to.

“I think people are interested because everybody is using these sites, including Amazon,” said Patterson in an interview. “Most people find them interesting and some find them troubling.”

Often, people hold both views at the same time, and that internal conflict makes them ripe for pop-culture interrogation. Popular entertainment habitually reflects the preoccupations of society. After the financial crisis, a wave of books and films presented financiers as amoral villains: The Big Short, The Wolf of Wall Street, George Clooney’s Money Monster, even Oliver Stone’s long-awaited follow-up to Wall Street. But the national mood has shifted. America has become more wary of Silicon Valley, and political movements on the left and right have turned against it. And these concerns have propelled a diverse set of narratives, from thrillers to comedies to animated features.

While lacking coherence, this trend may prove more impactful than the recent political focus on giant tech platforms. When Slate’s Franklin Foeror USC’s Jonathan Taplin write well-received books warning about tech monopolies, it serves an important public policy function. When conservative voices call for Google to be regulated as a public utility, it creates space for a trans-partisan alliance on weakening the power of the tech titans. When a Google-funded think tank fires researchers critical of Google, it raises questions about who truly controls the flow of information in our democracy.

But when a transparent facsimile of Amazon or Facebook or Google pops up in the movie you’ve devoted Friday night to watching, it attracts a wider audience and can distill more recognizable fears.

Take Storks, the 2016 animated comedy about what happens after Internet retailer Cornerstore.com transforms the legend of storks manufacturing and delivering babies into a package-delivery service headquartered at a giant fulfillment center atop a mountain. The Amazon warehouse worker drudgery sits in the background of a larger narrative about parenthood and following your destiny, but in the end the protagonist, a stork named Junior, rallies his comrades to free themselves from the mildly oppressive Cornerstore, and return storks to their true mission in life.

“It just seemed culturally like what would resonate,” said writer and co-director Nicholas Stoller, best known for Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the Neighbors films. “When I thought of big business, eight years ago I would be making fun of Walmart. Now it’s Amazon.”

Stoller’s brother Matt was actually one of the monopoly policy researchers fired by the Google-funded New America Foundation. Nick Stoller uses Amazon “constantly” and Storks isn’t really a biting commentary. But just the fact that Amazon has such a dominant position culturally that something resembling it can easily slide into a kids’ movie is a commentary in itself.

In Patterson’s The Store, a modern horror/suspense story, an all-knowing corporation monitors its workers and customers so completely that nobody can escape its grip. In another age, a law office served as the faceless panopticon in John Grisham’s similarly constructed The Firm. Today the stock villain is clearly an Amazon stand-in.

Author James Patterson has been outspoken about Amazon in the past; his publisher Hachette waged a high-profile battle with the website over e-book pricing. Patterson believes that Amazon wants to control shopping in America, and publishers’ need to grab attention in the only book marketplace that matters has narrowed what the public sees in print. “With the squeeze on publishers, they have less time and inclination to say, I have this big whale Infinite Jest,” Patterson said. “Ten years ago they would have bought it, but who’s going to buy it now?”

The Store, whose hero is knowingly named Jacob Brandeis (Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis was one of the biggest critics of monopolies in the Progressive Era), envisions a paternalistic online retailer that controls what people desire and how they live. Some become so addicted to the convenience that they drop out of society, just sitting at home waiting for drone deliveries. Executives connive with lawmakers to shutter libraries, supply free tablets for schools (with software that can only access The Store), and abolish sales tax for Internet purchases. Warehouse workers are afraid to speak out, and those that do get transferred to a high-tech version of a re-education camp.

The dangers of a dominant Internet platform that exploits endless surveillance also overlays The Circle, a Tom Hanks-helmed thriller based on the book by David Eggers, about a company that’s a kind of hybrid of Facebook and Amazon. Silicon Valley, HBO’s lacerating satire of tech business culture, mines the industry’s utopian self-image for absurdity. The downsides of the openness of social media come forward in the black comedy Ingrid Goes West and the schlock horror film Friend Request.

Ultimately, artists are trying to entertain. And tech leaders’ ambition to transform human behavior, and their uncritical belief in the benefits of their radical interventions, lends itself to satirical or even skeptical treatment. “This is the era of megalomaniacs, people who think they know better than all of us about everything,” said Patterson.

(Continue Reading)

[magzoso-tech]

Private tech companies mobilize to address shortages for medical supplies, masks and sanitizer

New Post has been published on https://magzoso.com/tech/private-tech-companies-mobilize-to-address-shortages-for-medical-supplies-masks-and-sanitizer/

Private tech companies mobilize to address shortages for medical supplies, masks and sanitizer

Startups across the nation and around the world are looking for ways to relieve shortages of much-needed personal protective equipment and sanitizers used to halt the spread of COVID-19.

While some of the largest privately held technology companies, like SpaceX and Tesla, have shifted to manufacturing ventilators, smaller companies are also trying to pitch in and relieve scarcity locally.

Supplies have been difficult to come by in some of the areas hardest hit by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, and the shortfalls have been made worse by a lack of coordination from the federal government. In some instances local governments have been bidding for supplies against each other and the federal government to acquire needed personal protective equipment.

On Sunday, New York’s Governor Mario Cuomo pleaded with local governments to not engage in a bidding war. In fact, Kentucky was outbid by the federal government for personal protective equipment.

“FEMA came out and bought it all out from under us,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear told a local newspaper. “It is a challenge that the federal government says, ‘States, you need to go and find your supply chain,’ and then the federal government ends up buying from that supply chain.”

Against this backdrop local startups and maker spaces are stepping up to do what they can to fill the gap.

Alcohol brands are turning their attention to making hand sanitizer to distribute in communities experiencing shortages. 3D-printing companies are working on new ways to manufacture personal protective equipment and swabs for COVID-19 testing. And one fast fashion retail startup is teaching its tailors and seamstresses how to make cloth masks for consumer protection.

AirCo, a New York-based startup that developed a process to use captured carbon dioxide to make liquor, shifted its efforts to making hand sanitizer for donations in communities in New York City.

Now, new alcohol brands Bev and Endless West are joining the manufacturing push.

Endless West announced this morning that it would shift production away from its distillery to begin making hand sanitizers. The World Health Organization approved their sanitizers, which the company will produce in its warehouse in San Francisco.

The two-ounce bottles will be donated to local restaurants and bars that remain open for delivery, so that employees can use them and distribute them to customers. Bulk quantities will be distributed to healthcare organizations and facilities that need them.

Endless West also put out a call for other companies to provide supplies to hospitals and health organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“We felt it was imperative to do our part and dedicate what resources we have to assist with shortages in the healthcare and food & beverage industries who keep the engine running and provide such important functions in this time of immense need throughout the community,” said Alec Lee, CEO of Endless West, in a statement.

Los Angeles-based Bev is no different.

“As an alcoholic beverage company, Bev is very lucky in that we are licensed to purchase ethanol directly from our suppliers, who are doing their part by discounting the product to anyone licensed to purchase it,” said Bev chief executive, Alix Peabody. “Community underscores everything we do here at Bev, and as such, we will be producing hand sanitizer and distributing it free of charge to the homeless and elderly communities here in Venice, populations who largely have insufficient access to healthcare and essential goods like sanitizer.”

Hand sanitizer is one sorely needed item in short supply, but there are others — including face masks, surgical masks, face shields, swabs and ventilator equipment that other startups are now switching gears to produce.

(Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

In Canada, INKSmith, a startup that was making design and tech tools accessible for kids, has now moved to making face shields and is hiring up to 100 new employees to meet demand.

“I think in the short term, we’re going to scale up to meet the needs of the province soon. After that, we’re going to meet the demands of Canada,” INKSmith CEO Jeremy Hedges told the Canadian news outlet Global News.

3D-printing companies like Massachusetts-based Markforged and Formlabs are both making personal protective equipment like face shields, as well as nasal swabs to use for COVID-19 testing.

Markforged is pushing ahead with a number of efforts to focus some of the benefits of 3D printing on the immediate problem of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers most exposed to COVID-19.

“We have about 20 people working on this pretty much as much as they can,” said Markforged chief executive, Gregory Mark. “We break it up into three different programs. The first stage is prototyping validation and getting first pass to doctors. The second is clinical trials and the third is production. We are in clinical trials with two. One is the nasal swab and two is the face shield.”

The ability to spin up manufacturing more quickly than traditional production lines using 3D printing means that both companies are in some ways better positioned to address a thousandfold increase in demand for supplies that no one anticipated.

“3D printing is the fastest way to make anything in the world up to a certain number of days, weeks, months or years,” says Mark. “As soon as we get the green light from hospitals, 10,000 printers around the world can be printing face shields and nose swabs.”

Formlabs, which already has a robust business supplying custom-printed surgical-grade healthcare products, is pushing to bring its swabs to market quickly.

“Not only can we help in the development of the swabs, but we can manufacture them ourselves,” says Formlabs chief product officer, David Lakatos.

Swabs for testing are in short supply in part because there are only a few manufacturers in the world who made them — and one of those primary manufacturers is in Italy, which means supplies and staff are in short supply. “There’s a shortage of them and nobody was expecting that we would need to test millions of people in short order,” says Lakatos.

Formlabs is also working on another piece of personal protective equipment — looking at converting snorkeling masks into respirators and face masks. “Our goal is to make one that is reusable,” says Lakatos. “A patient can use it as a respirator and you can put it in an autoclave and reuse it.”

In Brooklyn, Voodoo Manufacturing has repurposed its 5,000-square-foot facility to mass-produce personal protective equipment. The company has set up a website, CombatingCovid.com, where organizations in need of supplies can place orders. Voodoo aims to print at least 2,500 protective face shields weekly and can scale to larger production volumes based on demand, the company said.

STAMFORD, CT – MARCH 23: Nurse Hannah Sutherland, dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) awaits new patients at a drive-thru coronavirus testing station at Cummings Park on March 23, 2020 in Stamford, Connecticut. Availability of protective clothing for medical workers has become a major issue as COVID-19 cases surge throughout the United States. The Stamford site is run by Murphy Medical Associates. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Finally, Resonance, the fast fashion startup launched by the founder of FirstMark Capital, Lawrence Lenihan, is using its factory in the Dominican Republic to make face masks for consumers on the island and beyond.

“To contribute to the Dominican health efforts, Resonance is acting to utilize their resources to manufacture safety masks for distribution to local hospitals, nursing homes, and other high-risk facilities as quickly as possible. They have provided user-friendly instructions and material and will pay their sewers who can to make these masks from the security of their homes,” a spokesperson for the company wrote in an email. “Resonance is currently working to share this downloadable platform and simple instructions to their website, so anyone in the world can contribute to their own local communities.”

All of these efforts — and countless others too numerous to mention — point to the ways small companies are hoping to do something to help their communities stay safe and healthy in the midst of this global outbreak.

But many of these extreme measures may not have been necessary had governments around the world actively coordinated their response and engaged in better preparation before the situation became so dire.

There are a litany of errors that governments made — and are still making — in their efforts to respond to the pandemic, even as the private sector steps in and steps up to address them.

[stephenjaymorrisblog]

Disclaimer:  All names have been changed to protect the innocent.

  Larceny Incorporated

 February 15, 2020

 By Stephen Jay Morris c/w Pamela Amodeo-Morris

©Scientific Morality

             Moving is a nightmare, as many of you know.  Try moving across the country.  You do what you can to cut corners and save money.  However, the axiom rings true:  you get what you pay for.  In this conservative era of laissez-faire idiocy, there are dishonest hucksters hiding in the back offices of hundreds of warehouses.  Pamela and I were victims of one.

           When we walked away from our home in Oregon, we ended up living in mobile homes in the Southern California desert for six and a half years.  Living in a mobile home is a heartbeat from homelessness. Many mobile home parks are ghettos for poor white people.  I pity the poor, but some of them are damaged people who get on my nerves.

Our first home was not in a park, per se, but was on a residential street of a small city. The coach, as park managers and owners reference these homes, was situated on a large, privately owned, corner lot.  Its street was near a major intersection, where police and emergency vehicles’ sirens screamed day and night.  Druggies and drunks would walk past our walled yard all hours of the night, shouting threats at each other, and dark figures in old cars would frequently park just outside our bedroom window late at night, engine idling and gangsta rap blasting from their sound systems.  Unlike most mobile homes in the desert, which are primarily landscaped with small rocks and concrete, this one was heavily planted with fruit trees, rose bushes, shrubs and plants.  The landlord, who was an elderly man, was a great collector of native and non-native plants and trees.  He paid a neighbor to come and water the property twice weekly, and more during the intense summers.  It usually took the guy about three hours to complete the task.  We finally moved from there when the landlord wanted to reoccupy his property.

Since 2012, our primary goal had been to move to New York.  We wanted to be near Pamela’s family and within driving distance of New York City. But, with tight finances again dictating our fate, we rented a second mobile home in the same town.  (Just before this move, we got sidetracked a bit and almost moved to Texas, to be near Pamie’s sister.  In hindsight, though, everything worked out for the better.)

Unlike the first rental, this mobile home was situated in a large, beautiful, well-managed park, tailored for the 50+ community.  It was a great improvement over the latter:  spacious, insulated from the downsides of city-life, and owned by a responsive, absentee landlady.  However, the homes here were situated very close to one another on small, leased lots. With our focus steadfastly fixed on New York, we unpacked only our basic living necessities.  The vast majority of our belongings remained boxed and stored inside the home, in a large, unused area apparently intended as a recreation room. As such, it resembled a warehouse.

The neighbor to the right of us was a loud mouth, Trump supporter.  Every morning, he sat on his front porch, cell phone to his mouth, loudly berating the ills and failures of the Obama Administration and the country’s “nanny state.”  He initially tried to hustle me in his efforts to find customers for his “car repair business.”  He soon got the message that I was not interested in his business or his company. Lord, have mercy!

This move was supposed to be temporary, but we ended up living there for three and a half years. I had my heart attack in the small backyard at the end of our second year there.  My beloved Golden Retriever passed away there 14 months later.

All the while, Pamela searched relentlessly for a New York home.  She worked with several realtors and finance brokers via phone and email.   She even flew east twice to look at potential houses.  Finally, when a move looked imminent, Pamela searched found a long-distance moving company that quoted us a price at about 50% below the competition!  I’ll call them “L.A. Bowel Movers.”  The salesman, or “move coordinator,” called himself Jeremiah.  I immediately thought that Mormons owned the company.  Like Howard Hughes, I trusted Mormons.  Well, I later came to learn that this was no Mormon outfit.  We trusted Jeremiah.  We sent him a deposit and booked a move.

           However, as time went on, potential new home deals fell through.  We spent loads of money on required house inspections. But one house after another, something would go awry.  We canceled and rebooked our move with Jeremiah at least five times, and each time, he promptly and without incident, inked a new date for us.  Jeremiah was a charming guy, affable and easy-going. Usually, that would be a red flag for me.  However, anxious to buy our very own home in New York, I was suckered in.

           Switch and bait:  One thing I found odd was that this company hadn’t sent anyone to give us an on site estimate.  Jeremiah had provided it by phone and email, based on details Pamela gave of our current home’s size and the gross weight of our belongings recorded in past moves.  That was yet another red flag we ignored.

           Cut to moving day.  We were aware of the company’s policy:  No goods loaded until 50% of the total move balance was handed over.  Payment could only be made by cash, cashier’s check, or postal money order.  Another red flag we overlooked.  Pamela had already obtained a cashier’s check in the required amount.

The movers showed up 30 minutes late.  The truck they brought was 26 feet long, much smaller than we’d expected.  We soon learned that it was intended only to accommodate the total cubic footage and weight on which the original phone estimate was based, with room to spare.  Our entire load would later be transferred onto a contracted mover’s semi-truck.  Well, the moving team’s lead man, Jose, surveyed our entire household’s possessions.  He then informed us that more space would be required on the truck to accommodate everything; approximately 546 more cubic feet. This, of course, translated to additional costs of over $3,100.  We panicked; we didn’t have the extra funds!  They had us over a barrel!  After several phone calls were made between Jose, his boss, Jeremiah and us, Pamela and I discussed our dilemma in private.  We were stuck.  We had no choice but to pay up and get the truck loaded.  Our new home was scheduled to close in six days, we had a plane to catch, our lease was up, and we had a team of people depending on us! After some protests, we obtained an option to request a discount.  The lead man’s boss accepted it, we agreed for the move to proceed, and we handed the cashier’s check to Jose.  During this entire ordeal, five workers sat in front of the house, waiting for their orders.  It seemed as though they’d been through this before.  Funny, the movers ultimately managed to load all of our stuff onto every cubic inch of the small truck.   Go wonder.

Cash only:  Fast forward:  we successfully arrived in New York and, after several hotel stays, we were invited to be guests at our realtor’s home while awaiting the closing of our new home and arrival of the moving truck. This home’s very remote location left us with no cell service, which was the sole means by which the mover (driver), Don, could reach us.  Fortunately, there was a land line we could use while there.  We phoned the mover and, with great difficulty, we provided that phone number to him.  Immediately, a communication problem with the mover became evident, as he spoke with a heavy mid-Eastern accent in very broken English; his comprehension was even less.  He informed us he would be arriving in five days.

           Two nights before the expected arrival date, Don phoned to inform us that he would be arriving the next morning, between 7 and 10 a.m.  This meant we had to hustle, get to bed early, and arrive at the house in time to meet him.  Well, we arrived at 7:15 a.m. and waited.  After almost two and a half hours, we decided to leave, figuring he wasn’t going to show up.  Just before we got into our rental vehicle, we saw this semi-truck coming up the road.  They arrived at 10:30.

To our astonishment, there were only two guys to complete the delivery:  Don and his partner.  Just the two were going to move our voluminous amount of stuff from the truck and into our new home!  Don, the leader, was an unctuous dude who was short in stature with the biggest Napoleonic complex I had ever witnessed!  As we came to soon find out, he also had a persecution complex and argued with us several times in his broken English.  Pamela would instruct him how to set up furnishings and he would either ignore her or angrily dispute it.  It was below 30 degrees out, but he insisted that we turn off the heat and leave all of the doors open the entire time!

The other major hurdle was the requirement for the means of payment.  Total due was over $5,200.  We had been instructed, only after we’d left our former home and place of banking, that the driver would only accept cash or postal money order. We had neither, and had no easy access to our funds.  We were limited by our credit union to withdraw no more than $2500 a day.  We’d already obtained that amount the previous Friday, after great effort and a long drive in the snow and rain, from and to our remote guest house.  But, now, while the move delivery was in progress, we had to leave the movers alone at the house to travel again to areas unfamiliar to us.  Finally, we were finally successful in purchasing the remaining funds at a post office in the form of postal money orders.  We returned and paid the funds to the mover, obtained his receipts, and painfully endured the project through its finish at 9:30 p.m.  We were so frustrated, defeated, and exhausted that we told the movers to simply leave us to finish assembling the furnishings that were still lying in pieces on the floor.

           When it was all over, I was pissed off and Pamela was exhausted.  As time went on, we found damage to some of our furnishings.  We opened boxes and found more damaged goods.  When it finally came time to use our clothes washer, it made a terrible banging sound. We ended up going to the laundromat twice.  A repairman later found it had been damaged during the move.

           Not only did the movers fuck us over, but our vehicle transport company also ripped us off.  I won’t get into that right now.  If you are telling me that capitalism is superior to socialism, I will reply that that is similar to comparing Scarlet Fever to cancer.  Both diseases should be cured.

Unless I become a millionaire, I will never move again.

[ohdsouthflorida]

How a Serco Mechanical Dock Leveler Model WS Functions and Its Design Highlights for Industrial Operations Loading Dock in Dade, FL

A dock system is the consolidation of numerous loading dock equipment. The purpose of utilizing the dock system is to facilitate a faster and efficient storage and transfer of goods as well as of the equipment. The loading docks have been engineered to provide easy passage or access to the storage areas and are considered to be part of the warehouse facility’s infrastructure.

With the last 3 years recent economic boom of Dade, Florida, a massive influx of warehouse and manufacturing facilities are now being established.

The dock system includes the leveler, shelter, seal, door, barrier and other similar equipment. One of the most significant equipment is the loading dock leveler. The regular process of loading and unloading of goods requires the use of the dock leveler. It serves as a bridge between the facility and the delivery trailer truck. To this end, the leveler is deemed part of the loading dock as it is mounted at the endpoint of the dock to ensure the provision of a flat and leveled flooring to smoothly facilitate the passage of the deliveries.

The loading dock leveler is vital to the manufacturing and warehousing facilities but in most cases, it is most often an overlooked piece of equipment in the loading and unloading facilities.

In essence, a smart approach is important to the selection and purchase of the dock leveler as it provides the energy and cost-saving system that may eventually help boost the productivity of the business not to mention its effects on the transfer effectiveness of the goods.

The dock leveler should be evaluated first before your purchase to ensure that it also includes a proficient safety feature that promotes an accident-free work area.

Moreover, the high-quality and durability of the dock leveler should likewise be appraised in order to get away from the frequent conduct of maintenance and repair.

If you are in Dade, Florida, it is strongly recommended to avail of the services of the Overhead Door Company of South Florida, a division of DuraServ Corp. We offer the safest, most efficient dock design to servicing your loading dock as well as the pieces of equipment including but not limited to the dock leveler, doors and other high-end products. Aside from that, we have high-quality and durable products and skilled technicians to keep your loading dock to its maximum potential.

We offer the Serco Mechanical Dock Leveler Model WS. It has a higher capacity with the exclusive safe TFrame Design and heavy-duty dock bumpers. Apart from that, it has the exclusive hydra cam plus automatic lip extension and a structural steel safety legs that promotes an accident-free facility.

That is why this mechanical dock leveler model will provide you with the worry-free dock system that will efficiently increase your progress along the way.

For your needs about Serco Mechanical Dock Leveler Model WS, mechanical dock leveler, Serco mechanical dock leveler, loading dock equipment, loading dock solutions, Serco mechanical dock leveler Dade FL, and Serco mechanical dock leveler South Florida, you may visit our official website to learn more at https://www.ohdsouthflorida.com/dock-levelers-lifts/mechanical-dock-levelers/.

For your queries and other concerns, you may call us at the telephone number (954) 266-7960 or you may email us at https://www.ohdsouthflorida.com/contact/.

All our service areas are open regularly to provide you with the high-end products and utmost service at South Florida - Miami, Miramar, West Palm, Broward, Dade, Monroe County, Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, and Doral.

Our dedicated coordinators await your call to provide you with our best services to meet your dock leveler needs.

[siva3155]

400+ TOP SAP MM Interview Questions and Answers

SAP MM Interview Questions for freshers and experienced :-

1. What Mrp Procedures Are Available In Mm-cbp (consumption Based Planning)? Various material planning methods are used in MRP (Material Requirements Planning). Reorder point procedure (VM) Forecast-based planning (VV) Time-Phased materials planning (PD) These are specified in material creation (MM01) under the MRP 1 tab. 2. Under What Conditions Are Planned Orders Created? What May Planned Orders Be Converted To And How Is That Conversion Accomplished? Planned orders are always created when the system creates an internal procurement proposal. In the case of vendor procurement, the MRP Controller may create a planned order or directly create a PR. The next step for a planned order is to be converted to a PR so it goes to purchasing and is to eventually become a PO. A planned order can be converted to a PR using transaction code MD14. 3. What Are The Organizational Levels Of The Enterprise Structure In R/3? The top level of the organizational plan is the Client, followed by Company Code, which represents a unit with its own accounting, balance, P&L, and possibly identity (subsidiary). The next level down is Plant, an operational unit within a company (HQ, Assembly Plant, Call Center, etc.). The Purchasing Organization is the legally responsibly group for external transactions. This group is further subdivided into Purchasing Groups. 4. What Are The Different Ways To Organize Purchasing Organizations? A Purchasing Organization may be responsible for multiple plants and this is referred to as “Distributed Purchasing”. On the other hand, “Centralized Purchasing” features one Purchasing Organization per Plant. A Purchasing Organization doesn’t necessarily need to be assigned to a Company Code. This would enable procurement for every company code as long as buyers are acting for an individual Plant, and that Plant is assigned to the Purchasing Organization. Hence, a plant may be assigned to more than one Purchasing Organization. 5. What Are Special Stocks? Special Stocks are stocks that are accounted for but are not owned by the client, are not stored at a regular facility. Consignment, sales order, and project stock are examples. 6. What Are Some Of The Options Available To Transfer Materials From One Plant To Another? Although it is possible to transfer materials from one plant to another without a Stock Transport Order, many advantages are lost including entering a vendor number, planning a goods receipt in the receiving plant, monitoring process from PO history, and the ability to create STO directly from a MRP PR. 7. What Are Some Of The Common Stock Transport Order Movement Types? One step transfers of materials can be posted using MT 301. Other various transport scenarios differ in the MTs by the Goods Issues and Good Receipts. Common Goods Issues may use MTs 303, 351, 641, or 643 in the STO. A STOs Good Receipt often uses MT 101. 8. What Is The Difference Between A Purchase Order And A Purchase Requisition? A Purchase Requisition is a document type that gives notification of a need for materials or services. A Purchase Order is a document type that is a formal request for materials or services from an outside vendor or plant. Procurement types may be defined at the line item and can be standard, subcontracting, consignment, stock transfer, or an external service. 9. What Is An Indirectly Created Purchase Requisition? An indirectly created Purchase Requisition has been initiated by CBP, the PS Project System, PM Maintenance, and Service Management, or PP Production Planning and Control. The “directly created” Purchase Requisition, on the other hand, is created by a person manually in the requesting department specifying what materials/services, units, and a delivery date. 10. What Is An Rfq And How Is It Different From The Quotation Form? A RFQ is a purchasing document and an invitation to a vendor(s) for quotation regarding needed materials or services. If multiple an RFQ is sent to multiple vendors, the system can automatically determine the best quote and send rejection letters in response to all others. The RFQ and the Quotation Form are one in the same in the system as vendor’s quotes are entered directly in the RFQ.

SAP MM Interview Questions 11. What Are The Transactions That Will Result In A Change Of Stock? A Goods Receipt is a posting acknowledging the arrival of materials from a vendor or production, which results in an increase in warehouse stock, a Goods Issue which results in a reduction in stock, or a Stock Transfer moving materials from one location to another. 12. When Would It Be Prudent To Post Goods Movements Via The Shipping Application? If picking, packing, and transportation operations need to be planned in detail. Also, in shipping, you can manage movements like returns from customers, vendors, and returns to stock. Movement Types in shipping start with a 6. 13. What Is A Reservation? A Reservation is a document used to make sure that the warehouse keeps a certain amount of a material or materials ready for transfer at a later date. It contains information on what, quantity, when, where from and to. Reservations help effective procurement by utilizing the MRP system to avoid out of/lack of stock situations. 14. Can You Manually Generate A Purchase Requisition Referencing A Purchase Order Or A Scheduling Agreement? A Purchase Requisition cannot be created with reference to either of these, as they are documents controlled by the purchasing organizations. Requirements can be automatically generated with MRP that reference a Scheduling Agreement if the source list is maintained for item-vendor combination. 15. How Is Gr/ir Account Related To Inventory? If you are involved with inventory, then you need the GR/IR account (Inventory Account) when the IR is posted. If you are not involved about inventory, then the system does not need the GR/IR account when the IR is posted; the system needs a G/L instead of the GR/IR account. 16. How Do Planned And Unplanned Consumption Affect Movement Types? In a customized Movement Type, you have defined which consumption value gets posted in the movement. Many will always be planned or unplanned, but for some there is a dependency on if the movement references a reservation. This would be planned consumption. 17. What Are Departmental Views? All functional areas of the system use the same material master data. The material master data is defined in individual screens (departmental views) that can be added as needed. Thus a material can be created with only basic data and other departments can add other information later as it becomes available. 18. Is Material Data Valid For All Organizational Levels? Control of master data depends largely on how each company sets up its Organizational levels - centralized or decentralized. Some material data is valid for all organizational levels while other data is valid only at certain levels. (I.e.: client, plant, sales org., etc.). 19. Why Would You Want To Create Physical Inventory Sheets To Perform An Inventory Cycle-count On A Material Or Materials? For a cycle counting procedure, physical inventory documents need to be created. These are used to record inventory levels of the material being cycle counted. Use transaction MICN. Click on the Execute button. On screen “Batch Input: Create Physical Inventory Documents for Cycle Counting”, perform the following, Click on the Generate Session button and Click on the Process Session button. This procedure details how to create the physical inventory documents for cycle counting in a batch, rather than one at a time, based on certain criteria. This would print physical inventory documents for all material/batches that meet those requirements. 20. What Is The Difference Between A Blanket Purchase Order And The Framework Order? In general, the Blanket POs are used for consumable materials such as office paper with a short text, with item category B. There need not be a corresponding master record, for the simplicity of the procurement. The FO, Framework Order, document type is used. Here, the PO validity period as well as the limits are to be mentioned. The GR, or Service Entry for the PO are not necessary in the case of Blanket POs. One need not mention the account assignment category during creation of the PO. It can be U, or unknown and be changed at the time of IR. 21. What Is Release Procedure? Release Procedure is approving certain documents like PRs or POs by criteria defined in the configuration. It is sensible to define separate release procedures for different groups of materials for which different departments are responsible, and to define separate procedures for investment goods and consumption goods. 22. How Do You Display Parked Documents? There are two possible transactions to use here. They are FB03 and FBV3. The first shows all posted document types. This is the best choice if you think the document has been posted to you actual balance. The later shows only parked documents that have not yet posted to your expenditure balance. These documents are still encumbrances. It is the best choice if you are trying to find which documents are still awaiting completion or approval. This transaction is very similar to the FBV2 transaction used with P-Card reconciliation and marking parked documents complete. 23. How Do You Perform An Invoice Verification? If the Invoice refers to an existing document (PO, etc.), then the system pulls up all of the relevant information like Vendor, Material, Quantity, Terms of Delivery, and Payment Terms etc. When the Invoice is entered, the system will find the relevant account. Automatic posting for Sales Tax, Cash Discount, Corrections etc. When the Invoice is posted, certain data such as Average Price of Material and Price History are updated. Use Transaction MIRO. 24. How Do You Perform A Goods Issue? Use Transaction MIGO. On the initial screen, enter the header data (you need not enter the Movement Type or the Plant as these are automatically copied from the order). Choose Goods Issue ,Create with Reference, To Order. If you know the order number, enter it directly. Using the By-products Indicator, you can simultaneously post the Goods Receipt of planned by-products. Using the Choose transaction/events indicator, you can display all transactions/events for an order and choose the transaction/events for which you want to post a Goods Issue. Copy the desired item(s). Check data on the overview screen. Post the document. 25. Where Do You Perform A Goods Issue? Use Transaction MIGO. It is possible that when MIGO is accessed that a different document screen appears than the one required. This occurs because SAP remembers the last Goods Movement transaction accessed per user login. To reach the Goods Issue Purchase Order screen, click the Dropdown Icon in the transaction field and select “Goods Issue”. 26. How Will Items Be Returned To The Vendor? When you are posting a Goods Receipt for a PO, you can also enter items that you want to return to the vendor. To do this, you no longer have to reference the purchase order with which the goods were originally delivered. From the item overview, choose 161 (Return for PO) as the default value for the Movement Type. Enter the data for the return item(s) and post the document. 27. How Do You Create A Source List? Use Transaction ME01. Enter the Material Number and the Plant Data. Enter source list records, validity period, period of time material is procurable, Vendor Number, responsible Purchasing Organization (or number of the Agreement or Contract), PPL (if the material can be procured from another plant), Fixed Source (?), MRP control. Also, a check should be done to see whether any source list records overlap. To do so, choose Source List Check. 28. How Do We Get A Proper List Of Vendors To Send An Rfq? Either use the Information Record to see who has sold a particular material to the organization in the past, or go through the Source List. 29. What Are The Components Of The Master Data That Details A Companys Procurement Used By, Vendor Evaluation For Example? The key components of Master Data are: Info Record (ME11), Source List (ME01), Quota Arrangement (MEQ1), Vendor (MK01), Vendor Evaluation (ME61), and Condition Type (MEKA). 30. What Is Vendor Evaluation And How Do You Maintain It? Vendor Evaluation helps you select the Source of Supply by a score assigned to a particular vendor. The scores are on a scale of 1 to 100 and are based on differing criteria. Use Transaction ME61 and enter the Purchasing Organization and Vendor Number. 31. How Do We Create Consignment Stocks? Everything is the same as a normal PR or PO, except: Enter the item category “K” for the consignment item. This ensures that the Goods Receipt is posted to the consignment stores and an invoice receipt cannot be generated for the item. Also, do not enter a net price. 32. Can You Change A Purchase Requisition After It Has Been Created? Yes. Use Transaction ME52N. Check to see if the PR has already had a PO issued against it. If so, you must inform the Purchasing Group. Check if the PR has been approved. If so, you may only make changes to a limited extent and may be subject of approval. Check if the PR was created by MRP. In this case, you don’t have much control over the modification process. All changes to items are logged and stored. Information stored includes when the information was changed, who changed it, what the changes were, etc. Select the desired item in the item overview and choose Go To Statistics Changes. 33. What Is The Difference Between A Pr With A Master Record And Without A Master Record For The Material Being Ordered? If the master record exists, then all of the information about the Source List, Information Record, and Vendor Evaluation already exist in the system. If we don’t have a Master record for the material we are ordering, the material is generally being ordered for direct usage or consumption. You can specify which consumption account is to be charged which is also known as Account Assignment. For example, we assign the purchase costs associated with a requisition to our sales order or cost center. If the first situation exists, many times purchasing enters into a longer-term purchasing agreement with a Vendor, which is called an “Outline Agreement”. If the Outline Agreement is done, then Purchasing cannot issue a purchase order against a PR. It can only set up such an agreement (either a “Contract” or a “Scheduling Agreement”). 34. How Do We Know If A Po Has Been Issued? Bring the Requisition up by using Material Management, Purchasing, Purchase Requisition, Display. Where the requisition overview screen is displayed, select an item by clicking on the selection box to the left of the item. Click on the General Statistics icon on the application tool bar. Select item. General Statistics icon. The screen appears, in the middle, under Order Statistics, in the field Purchase Order, if there is no number the PO has not been issued. 35. Where Is Material Master Data Saved? Tables MARA and MARC. 36. Where Is The Header Level And Item Level Data Saved In A Po? In SE11, we can see this information in table EKKO and EKP0 respectively. 37. How Do You Generate An Automatic Po After Creating A Pr Using A Particular Material? In MMR and VMR check Auto PO (MM02/XK02). Maintain the Source List and select the indicator for the source list record as MRP relevant (ME01). If more than one source list record is generated, make one of them fixed. Run MRP and the PRs generated will be pre-assigned with the source of supply (MD01). Enter ME59 for automatically creating POs from PRs. 38. How Can You Disable A Reservation In Mrp? Use Transaction Code OPPI to check “block stock”. 39. How Do You Find The Logical Value For Stock Item By Date? Use Transaction MC49. 40. If You Have Created A Custom Movement Type And You Get A Not Allowed Error, Where Should You First Look For The Cause? Using Transaction Code OMJJ, check “Allowed Transactions” for the customized Movement Types. 41. How Do You Display A List Of All Reservations In The System? Run report RM07RESL. 42. How Can You Post A Goods Receipt If The Po Number Is Not Known? If you selected PO Number Not Known in Transaction MIGO, you can specify search criteria for the POs on the initial screen. The system then displays a list of purchase orders. Select and copy the required PO items. 43. How Do You Perform A Goods Receipt? Use Transaction MIGO. Enter the Header Data, select the Movement Type, Enter the PO Number, select the PO items to be copied, and then post the document. 44. How Can An Invoice Be Verified? Transaction Code OLMR may be utilized. 45. How Can You Process Vendor Returns Without A Purchase Order Reference? Use Transaction Code ME21N. Look for the Return columns and click it at the item details, MIGO_GR, Goods Receipt for Return Purchase Order Movement type will be 161 to deduct the stock and 162 for reversal. Before saving, check if there is a check in the Return Column to ensure that it is a return Purchase Order. 46. What Are Some Of The Initial Configuration Steps For Physical Inventory? Define Default Values for Physical Inventory Document, Batch Input Reports, Tolerances for Physical Inventory Differences, and Inventory Sampling. Cycle Counting should be configured as well. 47. What Are Some Of The Initial Configuration Steps For Inventory Management? Plant Parameters, Define System Message Attributes, Number Assignment (Allocate document type FI to transactions), Goods Issues, Transfer Postings, Define Screen Layout, Maintain Copy Rules for Reference Documents, Setup Dynamic Availability Check, Allow Negative Stocks (). 48. When, In Initial Configuration, Why Would You Have To Setup Stock Transport Order? If it is required to carry out an inter-plant Stock Transfer through SD, then this configuration is required and must be carried out. 49. What Are Some Of The Initial Configuration Steps For Purchase Requisitions? Define Document Types, Processing Time, Release Procedure (with and without classification), Setup Authorization Check for G/L Accounts, Define Number Range. 50. What Data Does The Information Record Contain? The Information Records has data on Units of Measure, Vendor price changes after a certain level, what materials have been procured by a specific vendor, price and conditions for relevant Purchase Organization, Tolerance limits for over/under delivery, Vendor evaluation data, planned delivery time, and availability time the vendor can supply the material. 51. How Do You Create A Vendor? Use Transaction Code XK01. Add the Vendor name, Company Code, Purchasing Organization, Account Group, and the Vendor address. Next add the country, Bank Key, Bank Account, Account Holder (an actual name), and then save the data. 52. What Are The Lot Size Attributes A Material Can Posses? Lot Sizing dictates the reorder quantity for a material. A material can have a static, periodic, optimum, or fixed lot size. 53. What Are Some Of The Data Points Provided By Purchasing For A Material? Some of the key inputs when creating a material are Base Unit of Measure, Purchasing Group, Reminder days, tolerance levels, shipping instructions, GR processing time, JIT schedule indicator, Critical part (), etc. 54. How Do You Create A Material? Use Transaction Code MM01. Name the material, choose an industry sector, choose a material type, create or copy the views, add a basic description, give it’s attributes/values, MRP information, reorder point, accounting valuation, warehouse management information and then save the data. 55. What Are The Main Purchasing Tables? EKBN Purchase Requisition EBKN Purchase Requisition Account Assignment EKAB Release Documentation EKBE History of Purchase Document 56. What Are The Key Fields For The Material Master? Material Groups, External Material Groups, Divisions, Material Status, Labs & Offices, Basic Materials, Storage Conditions, Temperature Conditions, Container Requirements, and Units or Measure Groups. 57. Will Roh Have A Sales View? Will Fert Have A Purchasing View? They shouldn’t because ROH type materials are procured from the outside not sold and FERT type materials are created inside and aren’t procured. In some special cases, we have to sell raw materials (ROH) and buy finished goods (FERT) from outside sources. The views must be extended in these cases using transactions OMS2 and MM50. 58. How Do You Configure The Release Procedure? Use Transaction OMGQ. 59. How Do You Create A Class? Class is defined as the group of characteristics, which can be attributed to a product. Use Transaction CL01. Enter the value for the Class name and a small description. Select the group from it. The values on the different tabs are not mandatory, so you can skip the values if you wish or you can go to any extent needed. Save, and the Class is created. 60. How Do You Change Characteristic? Use Transaction Code CT04. Follow these steps: Format (numeric, character, etc.), Unit of Measure, Templates, Required Entry, Intervals as Values (?), descriptions for texts for characteristics and characteristic values, display options for characteristics on the value assignment screen, Allowed Values, Default Values that are set automatically on the Value Assignment Screen. 61. How Do You Define A Release Procedure For Prs And Pos? Use Transaction ME54 and ME28 respectively. 62. How Can One Keep Users From Using Standard Mm Movement Types? Standard Movement Types should not be deleted from the system. The account assignments, however, may be deleted for a particular Movement Type in table T030 using transaction OBYC. Another way to achieve the same result is to enter Movement Type in transaction OMJJ. Remove MBXX from allowed transactions. 63. What Needs To Be Present In Order For Material Type To Be Automatically Copied From One View To Another? When creating any view, the Industry Sector and Material type will be automatically copied from an existing view, so long as at least one view exists. 64. How Do You Determine Which Views Of A Material Need To Be Added Or To See Which Plants A Material Has Been Extended To? You can use transaction MM50. To extend a material to a different plant requires selecting the new plant on the organizational level screen. Note that all views of a material are not extended unless they were selected on the initial screen. In addition, each plant may have a different system configuration requiring additional inputs on each of the departmental screens. Material changes made in one plant do not change that material in other plants. 65. When Creating A New Material, What May Prompt Some Of The Possible Material Types? Pressing F4 gives a list of choices. Select the material type for the material you are creating. For example, FHMI for Prod. Resources/tools, ROH for Raw Materials, FERT for Finished Products, etc. 66. When Can A Production Resource/tool Be Defined As A Material? A Production Resource / Tool can be defined as a material if purchasing and inventory functions are to be carried out for that PRT. The information required to be input is dependent upon which department views are being created. Thus, material master information is typically entered at different times by numerous system users. Note that to add a view, the “Create Material” transaction is used rather than the “Change Material” transaction. 67. What Views Are Possible For A Material? The material type selected controls the views possible for material. For a material to be used in the system it needs to be created for each plant. Multiple views of a material are possible but at a minimum, the material needs to have a description and a base unit of measure assigned on the basic data view. Additional department views (i.e. Accounting, Sales, Purchasing, MRP, Warehouse) can be added at a later time by extending the material. As additional plants are added, a material will need to be extended to the plants before it can be used there. 68. What Sap Program Is Used To Update Or Create Material Master Records? RMDATIND is used to update Material Master Records and can be used for such assignments as extending all materials to a new plant. 69. Where Can You Dictate How Planned Orders Are Converted Into Requisitions In Mrp? Look at the Transaction Code OPPR indicator. Assign proper indicator. 70. What Are Some Of The More Important Materials Management Tables? EINA contains general data of the (Purchasing) Information Record; EINE includes Purchasing Organization of the same. MAKT is the Materials Description table, MARA-General Materials data, MARC-Plant Data for Materials, MARD-Storage Location Data for Material, MAST-Material to BOM Link, MBEW-Material Valuation, and MKPF-Header Material Document. Some of the tables that directly pertain to the document types are T156 Movement Type and T023/T024 Groups Material and Purchasing. 71. How Are The Various Mm Configuration Transactions Accessed? Transaction Codes OLMD accesses MM-CBP, OLMB accesses MM-IM, OLME accesses MM-PUR, OLML accesses MM-Warehouse Management, OLMS accesses Material Master Data, and OLMW is the proper transaction for valuation and account assignment. 72. How Do You Access The Materials Management Configuration Menu? Transaction Code OLMS has a host of options that are not accessible through the IMG. 73. How Do You Set Price Control For Receipts (goods/invoice) Telling The System How To Value Stocks? Transaction Code OMW1 allows you to set price control to S (Standard Price) or V (Moving Average Price). Under Standard Price (S), the materials and accounting documents are both valid. The one with the lower value will be posted with a price variance entry. 74. Why Would An Organization Need To Allow Negative Stocks? Negative Stocks are necessary when Goods Issues are entered necessarily (business process reasons) prior to the corresponding Goods Receipts and the material is already located physically in the warehouse. 75. What Is An Invoice Verification? The Invoice Verification component completes the material procurement process and allows credit memos to be processed. Invoice Verification includes entering invoices and credit memos that have been received, checking accuracy of invoices with respect to price and arithmetic, and checking block invoices (these are the ones which differ too much from the original PO). 76. What Is The Source List? The Source List identifies preferred sources of supply for certain materials. If the Source List has been properly maintained, it will identify both the source of a material and the period of time in which you can order the material from the source. 77. What Is A Quotation? Once a vendor has received an RFQ, the vendor will send back a quote that will be legally binding for a certain period of time. Specifically, a Quotation is an offer by a vendor to a purchasing organization regarding the supply of material(s) or performance of service(s) subject to specified conditions. The Quotation then need to be maintained in the “Maintain Quotation: XXXX” screens. 78. Give Some Examples Of The Information Relating To A Materials Storage/warehousing? Some examples are Unit of Issue, Storage Conditions, Packaging Dimensions, Gross Weight, Volume, and Hazardous Materials Number. Also, there are various Storage Strategies information and options. 79. What Are The Various Steps In The Mm Cycle From Material Creation Through Invoice? The following creates a rough picture of the MM Cycle. Create material, create vendor, assign material to vendor, procure raw material through PR, locate vendor for certain material, processing GR, goods issue, and invoice verification. 80. What Is A Source List? The Source List identifies preferred sources of supply for certain materials. If it’s been maintained, both the source of supply and the time period. The Source List facilitates gaining a fixed source of supply, blocked source of supply, and/or helps us to select the priffered source during the source determination process. 81. What Is A Price Comparison? Perform a price comparison using ME49 and one may compare quotations from different vendors. 82. What Is A Material Type? A Material Type describes the characteristics of a material that are important in regards to Accounting and Inventory Management. A material is assigned a type when you create the material master record. “Raw Materials”, “Finished Products”, and “Semi-Finished Products” are examples. In the standard MM module, the Material Type of ROH denotes an externally procured material, and FERT indicates that the relevant material is produced in-house. 83. If You Have A Multi-lineitem Po, Can You Release The Po Item By Item? No, a PO is released at the header level meaning a total release or “With Classification”. PRs, on the other hand, have two release procedures possible. “With Classification” as described above, and “Without Classification” where it is only possible to release the PR item by item. 84. What Is Sap? How Is It Used In Industries? SAP is the most popular Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software application used to provide enterprise business solutions. It was first introduced in 1972 in Mannheim, Germany. SAP stands for Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing. SAP provides complete business solutions by integrating various business tasks, such as sales, purchase, and production. It takes information from one business process and incorporates the same into another business process, thereby speeding up business processes. For example, the information about the raw material in stock is used by the production department to prepare products. It is most widely used in industries, because it automates business processes and provides real-time solutions for them, that is, it updates and processes the data very quickly. 85. What Is Sap R/3? SAP R/3 is an ERP software officially launched in 1992. It is a replacement for the SAP R/2 mainframe computing based ERP software and is based on client-server computing. With the advent of client-server computing, SAP AG, Germany (founder of the SAP ERP software), launched SAP R/3 in the market to provide client-server based real-time business solutions. The letter R in SAP R/3 represents the real-time business data processing, while 3 represents the three-tiers in client-server computing. The three-tiers in client-server computing are: Presentation (Client), Application (Business logic), and Database (Stores the actual business data). SAP R/3 integrates the various business areas, such as sales, purchase, and procurement, by using its different functional modules, such as Material Management (MM), Sales and Distribution (SD), Financial and Controlling (FICO), and Human Resource (HR). Different versions of SAP R/3 are 3.1i, 4.0b, 4.5b, 4.6b, and 4.6c with the latest version 4.70. 86. What Are The Core Functionalities Of The Sap System? The core functionalities of the SAP system consists of Sales and Distribution (SD), Materials Management (MM), Financial Accounting (FI), and Production Planning (PP). In the first phase, the companies implement the SAP software with these core functionalities and later in the second and third phase, they may also introduce other functionalities, such as Controlling (CO), Warehouse Management (WM), Human Resource (HR). However the type of modules and the phasing of implementation solely depends on the type of industry the client works as well as the organization's readiness and urgency for the need to adopt integrated enterprise system such as SAP. 87. How Can You Define An Mm Module? What Is Its Importance In Sap R/3? MM stands for Material Management and is a part of the Logistic functional area of SAP R/3. It is an important SAP R/3 module, because it helps manage broad-level business activities, such as procurement, valuation and assignment, batch management and material storage. Since the materials are the most precious resource of an organization, extreme care needs to be taken in all the processes related to materials management. Efficient material management is the essence of the MM module of SAP R/3. 88. How Is The Mm Module Integrated With Other Modules Of Sap? The MM module deals with material procurement on the basis of the production required; therefore, it is linked with the Purchasing Planning (PP) module. The Sales and Distribution (SD) module is proportionally related to the MM module, because it uses information about the quantity of material sent for production. The MM module is related to the Warehouse Management (WM) module, because the MM module maintains information about the material storage and material transfer inside an organization. The MM module is also related with the Financial Accounting (FI) module, because every operation performed in the MM module directly impacts the financial process of the organization. 89. What Are The Levels Of Organizational Units Of Enterprise Structure In R/3? The client is the top level of the organizational units of Enterprise Structure in R/3. The client is followed by the company code, which represents a unit with its own accounting, balance, and P&L The next level of organizational units of Enterprise Structure is plant, representing an operational unit of a company. 90. Define Client. What Is Its Importance In Sap? A client can be defined as a person, company, or an organization that purchases goods from another person, company, or organization and pays for that. In terms of SAP, a client can be defined as a unit that has its own master records and a set of tables. It is important in SAP because it stores and maintains data about the organization where SAP is implemented. 91. How To Create A Client In Mm Module? You can create a client in MM module either by using the transaction code SCC4 or by performing the following steps: 1. Click SAP menu-->Tools-->Administration-->Client Administration. 2. Double-click SCC4 Client Maintenance. The display View "Clients": Overview screen appears. 3. Click the Display -> Change button. The Information dialog box appears. 4. Click the Continue button. The Change View "Clients": Overview screen appears where you can create a new client. 92. How To Create A Company Code In Sap? In SAP, the company code is created using the transaction OX02. The company code field is defined as a four-character alphanumeric string. You can create a company code in SAP by performing the following steps: 1. Open the SAP Customizing Implementation guide. 2. Click Enterprise Structured-->Definition-->Financial Accounting-->Edit, Copy, Delete, Check Company Code. The Choose Activity dialog box appears. 3. Double-click Edit Company Code Data. The Change View "Company Code": Overview screen appears where you can create a company code. 93. How Can You Assign A Company Code To A Company In Sap? You can assign a company code to a company by performing the following steps: 1. Open the SAP Customizing Implementation guide. 2. Click Enterprise Structured Assignments Financial Accounting -> Assign company code to company. The Change View "Assign Company Code - Company": Overview screen appears where you can assign a company code to a company. 94. How Many Charts Of Accounts Can Be Assigned In A Company? In a company, only one chart of accounts can be assigned. 95. How Many Company Codes Can Be Assigned In One Chart Of Accounts? You can assign many company codes in a chart of accounts. 96. How Many Company Codes Can Be Assigned To A Company? You can assign one or more company codes to a company. 97. What Is A Plant In Mm? A plant is an organizational unit, where materials are produced or goods and services are provided. In SAP, it is represented by a unique four-digit alphanumeric number. A plant is allocated to one company code and a company can have many plants. In an organizational unit, a plant can be at one of the following locations: Corporate headquarters Central delivery warehouse Manufacturing facility Regional sales office 98. How Many Company Codes Can Be Assigned To A Plant? You can assign only one company code to a plant. 99. Can A Company Code Be Assigned To Many Plants? Yes, you can assign a company code to many plants. 100. Define Storage Location In Sap. In SAP system, a storage location is the place where you can store your stock of goods, within the premises of a plant. Each plant has at least one storage location assigned to it. 101. Can Storage Locations Be Created Automatically? How Can They Created Automatically? Storage locations can be created automatically when an inward goods movement for a material is performed. In order to create a storage location automatically, open the Sap implementation guide and then follow this path: Materials Management->Inventory Management and Physical Inventory->Goods Receipt->Create Storage Location Automatically. 102. Can Two Plants Have A Common Storage Location? A storage location is a unique four-character alphanumeric key; therefore, it cannot be common for two plants. 103. What Is The Menu Path To Configure The Storage Location? You can configure the storage location by navigating the following menu path: Select Display IMG ->Enterprise structure ->Definition->Maintain storage location 104. What Are The Different Ways Of Organizing Purchasing Organizations? The different ways to organize purchasing organizations is distributed purchasing and centralize purchasing. Distributed purchasing represents multiple purchasing organization for multiple plants and centralized purchasing represents one purchasing organization per plant. 105. What Is The Reference Purchasing Organization In Sap? The reference purchasing organization can be defined as an organization whose conditions or contracts are linked to other purchasing organizations. This organization can make conditions or contracts that can easily be used in other purchasing organizations. 106. What Is Master Data In Mm Module? Master data in MM module acts as a reference data defining various business entities and plays a key role in the core operation of a business. 107. How Is Master Data Important In Mm Module? A Master Data in MM module contains all the basic information needed to manage a material. The data is stored and sorted on the basis of different criteria, such as the descriptive nature of the material (size, dimension, and weight), control function of the material (material type and industry sector). Apart from the data maintained by the user, it also stores data that is automatically updated by the system (such as stock levels). 108. What Is A Material Master File? The complete information related to managing a material is stored and maintained in a data record in the material master, which is sorted on the basis of different criteria. 109. Why Are Material Master Records Used In Sap? Material master records are used in the SAP R/3 system to manage the materia I-specific data. The material information stored in material master records is used by all logistics areas in the SAP R/3 system. The material master records integrate all the material-specific data into a single database object that eliminates the problem of data redundancy. Since material master records store data in a single database object, the same data can be shared by all departments, such as purchasing, inventory management, materials planning, and invoice verification. 110. How Is The Information Of Material Master Records Updated? You can manually update the information of the material master records; however, there are some exceptions that can be updated by the system only, for example, the administrative data that is updated by the SAP R/3 system only. 111. What Data In Material Master Is Maintained At The Client Level? The general data, that is, the data applicable to the company as a whole is stored at the client level. 112. What Are The Data In Material Master That Are Maintained At The Company Code Level? The data that is specific to a particular company and the plant and storage areas assigned to the company is maintained at the company code level. 113. What Are The Plant-specific Data In Material? The MRP data and forecast data are the plant-specific data in material. 114. What Is The Lot Size Attribute Of A Material? The lot size attribute represents the reorder quantity for a material. A material can have a periodic, optimum, or a static or fixed lot size. 115. How Is Material Information Structured In Material Master Records? Material information is structured in material master records on the basis of different criteria, such as material's master detail (such as name size dimension , and weight), that shows its descriptive nature and material's detail with a control function (such as material type, price control and industry sector). Material master records also store the information about the data that can be automatically updated by the system. For example, the stock level can be automatically updated by the system on the basis of the material data update. 116. What Is A Batch? A batch is a group of materials combined together quantity-wise for various reasons. Very often, the materials with the same characteristics and values are grouped into a batch. For example, in a chemical industry, a certain number of containers of a specific product may be considered a batch as these products were produced at the same time and have the same physical and chemical characteristics. 117. Why Is Batch Record Important? A batch represents a quantity of a particular material processed at the same time with the same parameters. These materials, produced under one batch, have the same characteristics and values. However, these characteristics may vary from the materials of another batch produced on the same day. A batch record is important as having a batch record indicates that it conforms to the current Good Manufacturing Procedures (cGMP) and contains specifications of the product tested, analytical methods, and test results. 118. How To Create A Batch? You can create a batch record manually by using the transaction code MSC1N. The navigation path of creating a batch is: SAP Menu -> Logistics -> Materials Management -> Material Master -> Batch -> Create. 119. How Can Batch Records Be Changed? You can change a batch record by using the transaction code MSC2N. The navigation path of changing the batch record is: SAP Menu -> Logistics -> Materials Management -> Material Master -> Batch -» Change. You can change the batch record, but you should note that these changes are also available for review. 120. How To Delete A Batch? You can delete a batch by using the MSC2N transaction code. You can delete a batch record by flagging the batch master record. For this, you need to first select the batch in the Change mode. 121. What Is Batch Information Cockpit? The Batch Information Cockpit (BIC) is the main switching point having a wide range of options for scrutiny and control. It stores all the information related to the analysis of a particular batch at a single location. 122. What Is A Serial Number? A serial number is provided to an item to identify it and to store information about it. A serial number is mostly used to refer to equipments such as motors, drills, or vacuums. In MM, an item of a material contains serial number as well as a material number. This combination of the material number and serial number helps to uniquely identify an item of a material. 123. State The Importance Of Classification Data. The classification data allows you to search for the materials on the basis of the characteristics values entered into the classes. This feature is very important when the customer wants to search for a particular vendor and batches. 124. What Are The Main Master Files Used In Mm? The following are the main master files used in MM: Material master file Inventory master file Vendor master file 125. Give Some Example Of Master Data In Material Management (mm). Material master, material master general data (MARA), tax classification material (MLAN), info records, source list, and vendor master are the examples of master data in MM. 126. What Is Vendor Master Data? Vendor master data contains details of each vendor who supplies materials or services to an enterprise. The vendor master data is stored in individual vendor master records consisting data, such as vendor's name vendor's address currency used for the transaction payment terms and contact person's name sales staff. 127. What Are The Different Fields In A Vendor Master Data? The different fields in a vendor master data are as follows: The name and address of the vendor The currency in which the transaction would be done The terms and conditions of payment The names of important contact persons The different accounting information, such as the reconciliation account in the general ledger 128. How To Create A Vendor Number Range? When you create a number range, it is important to remember that vendor numbers, such as material numbers can be assigned externally or internally. You can create vendor number ranges by selecting the following navigation path: IMG -> Financial Accounting -> Vendor Accounts -> Master Data -> Preparations for Creating Vendor Master Data -» Create Number Ranges for Vendor Accounts. For configuring the vendor number range, you should enter a unique number for the range which is a two character field and then specify the limit for the number range. The current number field is used to define the current number. The Ext. field defines whether the number range is defined externally by the user. 129. What Is The Transaction Code To Access The Materials Management Configuration Menu? The OLMS transaction code is used to access the Materials Management Configuration menu. 130. What Are Purchasing Information Records? The purchasing information records, also known as info record, contain information related to the material and vendor who is supplying the material. It also contains details about the material, such as the current price of the material. 131. What Are The Categories Of Purchasing Information Record? The following are the categories of purchasing information record: Standard — Contains information for the standard purchase order. In this type of purchasing info record, you can create info records for materials and services which do not have master record. Subcontracting— Contains the ordering information for subcontract orders. Pipeline— Contains information of the commodity that is sent through the pipeline such as oil, water. Consignment— Contains information of the material that is in vendor's possession and is kept by the vendor at some other premises at his own cost. 132. What Are The Prerequisites Of Creating A Purchasing Info Record? The prerequisites of creating a purchasing info record are as follows: Material number — Before creating a purchasing info record, the material number of the Material Master record should be known Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) Material number — Before ordering a material having a MPN, you must know its MPN material number Vendor number— The number of the vendor master record should also be known Organizational level — Suppose the purchasing info record is for a particular purchasing organization or plant then the code specific to that purchasing organization or plant is required 133. How Can You Create A Purchasing Information Record? You can create a purchasing information record either manually or automatically by setting the Info update indicator when maintaining a quotation, a purchase order, or an agreement. 134. Can Purchasing Info Record Be Created Without A Material Number? Yes, you can create a purchasing info record without a material number. If the material is without the material number, you need the following information for creating the purchasing info record: Material short text Order unit Material group Short term key 135. How Is An Information Record Based On The Material Master Created? At first, you need to create the info record by selecting SAP Menu->Master Data-Info Record->Create. Details, such as vendor number, material number, purchase organization, or plant number, are then entered. The number of the information record (in case of external assignments) is then entered. Next, the general data for vendors, ordered quantity, origin of data, supplying information, and Customs Tariff Number is entered. The planned delivery time, purchasing groups, and standard purchasing quantity are then entered. The control data is then checked. The default value of tolerance data and purchasing group are taken from the material master record. The net price is entered and then select Go TO->Texts to display the text overview. If the PO text is already defined, it appears in the material master record; otherwise, it needs to be entered. After all these entries, the record is saved. 136. What Is Document Management System In Sap? Document management system (DMS) in SAP helps you store external documents, such as the goods or material pictures. By using the DMS, you can set the maximum size of the picture that can be uploaded in a document. The DMS helps to link these external documents with the appropriate SAP objects. 137. How Will You Create A Document? You can create a document by using the CV01N transaction code or by using the following menu path: SAP Menu -> Logistics -> Central Functions -> Document Management System -> Document -> CVOIN-Create. 138. Name The Key Fields That You Must Specify While Creating A Document. The key fields that you must specify while creating a document are: Document Number — Refers to a unique alpha-numeric number that is used to identify the document. . Document Type— Refers to a document type that categorizes a document. Document Part— Refers to a document's section that is treated as an in dividual document. Document Version— Refers to a two-character number that represents the document version 139. How Will You Link A Document To A Material Master Record? After creating a document, you can link it with the Material Master record by using the MM01 transaction code or by using the following menu path: SAP Menu -> Logistics -> Materials Management -> Material Master -> Material -> Create (General) -> MM01- Immediately. 140. How Will You Link A Document To A Vendor Master Record? Once you complete creating a document, you can link that document with the vendor master record by using the XK01 transaction code or by using the following menu path: SAP Menu -> Logistics -> Materials Management -> Purchasing -> Master Data -> Vendor -> Central -> XK01- Create. 141. How Classification System Is Used To Describe A Document? A Document Management System (DMS) stores large number of documents; thereby, it becomes quite difficult to find the right document. In such a case, the classification system is used to describe a document that uses a set of characteristics combined together to form a class, which is later assigned to a document. The class assigned for a document can be used to find a specific document from the DMS. 142. What Is The Source Of Error "not Allowed" In Case Of Custom Movement Type Creation? You need to check the allowed transaction for the customized movement types and use the OMJJ transaction code. 143. Give The Names Of The Tables Where The Header Level And Item Data Are Stored In A Purchase Order. The EKKO and EKPO are the two tables where the header and item level data are stored, respectively. 144. Give The Names Of The Tables Where The Material Master Data Is Stored. The MARA and MARC are the two tables where the master data is stored. 145. What Is The Vendor Evaluation? How Is It Maintained? The vendor evaluation is an activity to find a vendors performance by giving a particular score on a scale of 0 to 100. Alternatively, you can use a transaction code ME61 and enter purchase organization and vendor number to view the details. 146. Write The Name Of The Sap Program Used To Updated Or Create Material Master Records (mmr). The RMDATIND program of SAP is used to update or create Material Master Records (MMR). 147. What Is The Storage Location-specific Material Master Data? There might be a case when you need to store a material at more than one storage locations. In this case, to store the data, you need to create different material master records for each storage location. This is called the storage location-specific material master data. 148. When Is A Production Resource Tool (prt) Defined For A Material? If purchasing and inventory functions are carried out for Production Resource Tool (PRT), then a PRT is defined for a material. 149. What Transaction Code Is Used To Extend The Material View? The MM50 transaction code is used to extend the material view. 150. What Is Source List? What Is The Menu Path To Define A Source List? A source list is used to identify sources of supply for certain materials. The following is the menu path to define a source list: Select Logistics -> Materials management -> Purchasing -> Source list. 151. What Do You Mean By Material Numbers In Sap? Material numbers are unique numbers used to identify a material. 152. What Does An Industry Sector Control? While creating the material master record for a material, you need to classify the material according to the industry type. This is called the industry sector. The industry sector controls the screen appearance, the screen sequence, and the appearance of industry-specific fields on individual screens in the material master record. 153. Can We Change The Industry Sector Of An Existing Material? No, once assigned you cannot change the industry sector of an existing material. 154. What Is Valuation Category? The valuation category specifies the standard used to differentiate the different partial stocks. In simple words, you can say that valuation category is the criteria to define partial stocks. The standard system comprises a variety of valuation categories, such as B and H. B is used for procurement type that is here the stock is divided up depending on whether the stock is procured externally or manufactured in-house. On the other hand, H is used for origin, that is here the stock is divided oh the basis of from where it was delivered. The valuation category in the Material Master record holds every material that is assigned for valuation. 155. What Does The Material Type Control? The material type controls the materials stock management, which implies: If there is a change in the quantity of the material, it should be updated in the material master record. Along with the change in the material master record, there should be changes in the stock accounts also. 156. What Is The Transaction Code To Create A Material Type? MOS2 is the transaction code to create a material type. 157. What Material Types Are Prompted While Creating A New Material? Click the F4 key to select the material type for a material that you want to create. For example, the material type FHMI is used for Prod. Resources/tools, the material type ROH is used for raw materials, and FERT is used for finished product. 158. What Is The Menu Path To Define Material Type Attributes? The following is the menu path to define material type attributes: Select Logistics Master Data: Material Master -> Material -> Control data -> Define material type attributes. 159. Can We Change The Material Type Of A Material? Yes, we can change the material type of a material. 160. How Are User Defaults Set For Views? You can set user defaults for views by selecting Defaults->Views. 161. List The Steps To Create A Profile. You can create a profile by following these steps: 1. Select Profile -» MRP Profile from the Menu screen to display the Initial Create Profile screen. 2. Enter the value in the key file that you want to assign in the profile. 3. Select Goto -> Selection to display the Selection screen. 4. Enter a profile description and select the fields that you want to include in the profile. 5. Select Goto -> Data to display the Data screen. 6. Enter your data in the Data screen and save the profile by selecting Profile -> Save. 162. How Are The Characteristics Changed? The characteristics are the properties that describe the length, color, and other related features of an object. Perform the following steps to change the characteristics of an object: Select SAP Menu->Gross App. Components->Classification System->Master Data->Characteristics Alternatively, the CT04 transaction code is used to change the characteristics. 163. How Is A Class Created? A class is a collection of the group of the characteristics for a particular object. You need to enter the class name and a description for it and then select the group. After saving the details, the class is created. Alternatively, you can use CL01 T-code for this purpose. 164. Can You Include An Roh (raw Material) Type In The Sales View? Usually, the raw materials cannot be included in the sales view. However, the raw materials can be included in the sales view only when they are sold to procure finished products in return. 165. List The Key Fields Of The Material Master Table. The key fields of the material master table are material groups, material status, divisions, storage conditions, labs and offices, basic materials, container requirements, measure groups, container requirements, and temperature. 166. What Are The Major Purchasing Tables? List The T Codes For Them. The major purchasing tables along with their T-codes are as follows: 167. What Is Non-valuated Material? The material that is maintained on the basis of the quantity rather than its value is called the non- valuated material. The non-valuated material can only be withdrawn from the stores or warehouses only when it is transferred to "valuated" stock. 168. How Can You Access The Additional Data Screen? You can access the additional data screen in a material master record from any view by selecting additional data in the standard material master. 169. How To Move A Material Master Record From One Sap System To Another? You can use either of the two ways to move data from one SAP system to another. 1. Using direct input 2. Using Application Link Enabling (ALE) 170. What Is The Transaction Code To Display Material Of Sap Mm? MM03 is the transaction code to display material of SAP MM. 171. What Is The Purchasing Value Key? It is the key, which determines the following: Reminder keys— Keys that help determine the number of the days before or after the vendor has to be reminded for the material procurement Under delivery tolerance limit & Over delivery tolerance limit Order acknowledgement requirements in purchase order 172. How Can You Configure The Purchasing Value Key? You can configure the purchasing value key by performing the following steps: 1. Open the SAP implementation guide. 2. Click Materials Management->Purchasing->Material Master->Define Purchasing Value Keys. This opens the Change View "default Values: Material Master": Overview page. 3. Enter the New Entries button. This opens the New Entries: Details of Added Entries page. 4. Enter the appropriate values in the fields. 5. Click the Save button on the toolbar. 173. What Is Vendor Sub-range? The vendor sub-range is defined as a subdivision of the total range of products provided by a vendor. Vendor sub-ranges are required when you create or maintain Material Master data. 174. What Is A One-time Vendor? A one-time vendor is the vendor who rarely or only once supplies the materials or articles to your company. For such vendors, you do not need to create a separate master record because the master records have no use after the business transaction is completed. Therefore, you can collectively create a master record for all the one-time vendors. 175. Why Is Negative Stock Needed In An Organization? Negative stock is needed in an organization when a material is shipped to a customer and the production is not confirmed or there is not enough stock to satisfy the requirement. The system allows issuing the material and inventory shows a negative quantity of stock, until the product of material is confirmed. 176. How Are The Consignment Stocks Created? The consignment stocks are created in the normal purchase order or requisition, but the main thing to consider is that the K category is to be entered for the consignment item. As a result, the goods issued are posted to the consignment stores and the invoice receipt is not generated. 177. Define The Consignment Cycle? Consignment cycle is much more similar to the purchase cycle except that when you create goods receipts of the consignment stocks, only QTY (quantity) is updated without creating any accounting documents. Once the goods are utilized, consignment is settled. The value of the consumed or issued consignment stocks is used from the active purchase info record. 178. How Is Consignment Material Procured? The consignment material is procured through purchase requisitions, purchase orders, and outline agreements. 179. How Can We Take Consignment Stocks Into Our Own Stock? You can take consignment stocks from the vendor into your own stock by performing the following steps: 1. Select Goods movement->Transfer posting to display the initial screen. 2. Enter the plant name and the location where you want to store the materials. 3. Select Movement type->Transfer posting->Consignment->Consignment to own. 4. Select Continue to display the collective entry screen. 5. Enter the name of the vendor, the materials, and the quantity of materials. 6. Enter the receiving storage location if you want to store the materials in another storage location. 7. Post the document. This makes the vendor liable to change the storage location of the materials. 180. How Can You Do Invoicing In Case Of Consignment Stocks? You can do the invoicing of consignment stocks by performing either of the following: Invoicing with purchase order Invoicing without purchase order 181. How Can We View The Stocks Provided To Vendor? The stocks of material provided to vendor can be viewed by using the SC Stock Monitoring for Vendor report. The report can be accessed by selecting Purchase Order->Reporting->SC stocks per vendor from the menu. With this report, the current status of the stocks, the planned issues, and the planned receipts can be viewed. 182. How Are Components Consumed In Case Of Subcontracting? In subcontracting, the end product is ordered by using a subcontract order. The materials or components required by the vendor to manufacture the end product are mentioned in the purchase order. The components are posted to the stock of material provided to vendor in Inventory Management. When the components are supplied to the vendor, the vendor manufactures the end-product and delivers it. At this point, the goods receipt with reference to the subcontract order is posted. The goods receipt also contains the posting of the consumption of the components from the stock of material provided to vendor. In case the components consumed by the vendor are more or less than that specified in the purchase order, an adjustment needs to be posted to correct the consumption of components. 183. What Is The Need Of Creating Physical Inventory Documents For An Inventory Cycle-count Procedure Of A Material Or Materials? For a cycle-count procedure, the physical inventory documents are needed, because these are used to record inventory levels of the materials. 184. What Is The Difference Between Planned And Unplanned Consumption? The difference between planned consumption and unplanned consumption is that planned consumption is updated if goods are withdrawn due to reservation, whereas unplanned consumption is updated, if goods are withdrawn from stock without a reservation. 185. How Can One Vendor Obtain Components From Another Vendor Or Third-party? The components can be provided by a third party, such as another vendor. In this case, the subcontractor is specified as the delivery address in the purchase order. This implies that the components are directly delivered to the subcontractor. To order components for a subcontract order from another vendor, perform the following steps: 1. Select Purchase order->Create->Vendor known from the Purchasing menu. 2. Enter the vendor of the components and the desired plant. 3. Enter the components. 4. Select Item->More functions-> Delivery address. A dialog box appears in which the delivery address can be entered. 5. Enter the number of the subcontractor in the Vendor field. 6. Select the SC vendor box. As a result, the components at the goods receipt are posted to the stock of material provided to the vendor. 7. Save the purchase order. 186. How Is Invoice Verification Of Subcontracting Po Done? The invoice verification of subcontracting PO is done in the same way as it is done in purchase order. 187. How Do You Attach A Document In The Purchase Order? A document can be manually attached to a purchase order by using the document management system in SAP. In case when the purchase order is prepared using the T-code ME21N, then no attachment can be added. You need to save the purchase order and re-open with the T-code ME22N. Click the service for object button, select Service Object Button-> Create-> Create Attachment, and then select the file to be attached. 188. How Can A Subcontract Order Be Created? A subcontract order can be created by performing the following steps: 1. Enter the end-product to be ordered and the item category for subcontracting (L) in the order item. 2. Press the Enter key to display the screen for component processing. 3. Enter the components required by the vendor to manufacture the end-product. 4. Save the purchase order. 189. What Do You Mean By The Lot Size? The lot size is the quantity of materials used for re-ordering. It can be static, periodic, optimum, or fixed in attributes. 190. What Do You Mean By A Reservation? A reservation is a document that ensures availability of materials in the warehouse when materials are required for transferring materials to a customer. It contains information, such as which materials are needed, what quantities of materials are required, and when or where the materials are needed. It helps the Material Requirement Planning (MRP) system to avoid lack of stock in the warehouse. 191. What Transaction Codes Are Used With Reservations? The following transaction codes are used with reservations: The MB21 transaction code: Creates a reservation The MB22 transaction code: Changes a reservation The MB23 transaction code: Displays a reservation The MB25 transaction code: Displays lists of reservations 192. How Is The List Of All Reservations In The Systems Displayed? The reservation list can be displayed by running the RM07RESL report. 193. State The Difference Between Stock Transfer And Transfer Posting? Stock transfer is the physical movement of goods from one store to another store or one plant to another plant. Transfer posting is movement of goods from one stock type to another or from one storage location to another storage location within a plant. 194. What Is The Transaction Code To Create Movement Types? OMJJ is the transaction code to create movement types. 195. How To Create Movement Type? Perform the following steps to create a movement type: 1. Select the standard movement type 201 from the Determine Work Area Entry dialog box. 2. Click the copy icon and then overwrite 201 with Z01. 3. Select the new movement type Z01 from the Determine Work Area Entry dialog box. 4. Select Reversal-> follow-on movement. 5. Enter the reversal movement type. 196. How Is Stock Transferred In A Cross-company Scenario? Stocks can be transferred between plants that belong to different company codes. Such a stock transfer process can be done in any of the following ways: One-step plant-to-plant stock transfer Two-steps plant-to-plant stock transfer STO without delivery through shipping STO with delivery through shipping 197. How Can A Stock Transfer Be Monitored In Purchasing? A stock transfer can be monitored in Purchasing by using the following stock documents: Purchase requisition Stock transport order (STO) Stock transport scheduling agreement 198. Can A Purchase Requisition Be Generated Automatically? You can generate a purchase requisition automatically only in case where a material is sent out for external processing, for example subcontracting work. Another situation where you may need to generate a purchase requisition automatically is when the bill of materials is for a material other than a non-stock item. 199. State The Configuration Steps For Purchase Requisition? The steps for the purchase acquisition are as follows: 1. Defining of document type 2. Processing Time 3. Release Procedure 4. Authorization Check 5. Defining of the number ranges 200. How Do You Change A Purchase Requisition Once It Is Issued? To change a purchase requisition after it is issued, the first task is to check whether a purchase order against was issued or not. If it is issued, then the purchase groups are informed. Next step is to check whether the purchase requisition is approved or not. If it is approved, then only change to the limited extent is possible. Also if the purchase requisition is created by the MRP, then much less interference in the process is possible. Keeping all these parameters in mind, regarding all the changes that are going to be brought into effect, select the desired item and select Go To-> Statistics ->Changes link. 201. State The Differences Between The Purchase Requisition With A Master Record And Without A Master Record? In case of the purchase requisition with the master record, the source list, information record, and vendor evaluation are present in the system. In this case, the outline agreements are generated due to the changing of the short-term purchasing into the long-term agreement. As a reason, the purchase order cannot be issued against a purchase order, but only an agreement can be set up. If the material master is not present, then the material is ordered as a consumable item. The account assignment is done by specifying the consumption accounts against this acquisition. For example, the purchase information related with this requisition can be assigned to a specific cost center. 202. State The Importance Of The Vendor Evaluation In The Purchase Department? Vendor evaluation is an important function of the purchase department as it supports in optimizing the procurement process by selecting vendors to supply materials or services. 203. What Are The Main Criterias Of Vendor Evaluation? The main criterias of vendor evaluation are as follows: Price Quality Delivery Service and Support External Service 204. What Are The Document Types Used In Prs? Purchase requisitions (PRs) are internal documents of an enterprise. These documents are used to request the Purchasing department of the enterpriser to procure a particular material or a service. The quantity of the requested material and the date of the procurement are also specified in the PRs. The document types used in PRs are as follows: 1. Request for Quotation (RFQ). 2. Outline Agreement. 3. Purchase Order. 205. What Is The Difference Between An Indirectly Created And Directly Created Purchase Requisition? A purchase requisition is said to be created indirectly when it is initiated through another SAP component, such as consumption-based planning, project system, plant maintenance, and production planning and control. On the other hand, a directly created purchase requisition is the one that is manually created through the requesting department. The person concerned has the full control to decide the item, the quantity to be ordered, and the delivery date of the order. 206. Can A Purchase Requisition Be Manually Generated Through The Reference Of A Purchase Order Or A Scheduling Agreement? A purchase requisition cannot be generated either by using the reference of a purchase order or by using a scheduling agreement. 207. What Is A Purchase Order? What Does A Purchase Order Contain? A purchase order is a document issued by a buyer to a seller which consists of the type and quantity of the goods or services the seller will provide to the buyer at a specified date. A purchase order consists of: Document Header — Relates to the entire purchase order Number of Items — Relates to the number of items to be provided by the seller to the buyer. 208. Where Do We Define Payment Terms In Po? The payment terms in PO represent the agreements of customers and vendors. You can define the payment terms in PO in the master records of customers and vendors. 209. What Are The Document Types Used In Po? The document types used in PO are: Standard Purchase Order (NB) Stock Transport Order (TB) Framework Order 210. What Is The Difference Between Blanket Purchase Order And The Service Order? The blanket purchase order is used for consumable materials, such as office paper with a sort text. In case of blanket purchase order, no Good Receipt (GR) is required for the purchase order. In framework order, the document type is used for purchase order and GR and Service Entry (SE) are required for purchase order. 211. What Is Price Comparison? Price comparison is used to compare quotations from different vendors. You can use transaction code ME49 to perform a price comparison between different vendors. 212. What Are The Document Types Used In Sa? The document types used in SA are: LP for standard scheduling agreements LT for stock transport scheduling agreements LPA for scheduling agreements with release documentation 213. What Are The Document Types Used In Contract? The document types used in Contract are: MK WK 214. What Is A Contract? A contract is an agreement between a customer and a vendor that states that the vendor will supply material to the customer at an agreed price for a specified period of time. It can be based on either a total quantity or a total price. A contract avoids the need to create a new purchase order each time the material or service is required. 215. What Are The Different Types Of Contracts? A contract can be one of the following two types: Quantity contract — In this type of contract, the purchasing department agrees with the vendor for supply of a specified quantity of material, or services. Value contract — In this type of contract, the purchasing department can limit the total spending for a material with a vendor. The release orders are valid only till the total spending for the value contract equals the total agreed upon value. 216. What Is The Difference Between A Scheduling Agreement And A Contract? A scheduling agreement contains the details of a delivery schedule whereas a contract contains only quantity and price information and does not contain any details of specific delivery dates. 217. What Is The Difference Between Release Procedure In Internal Documents And External Documents? The release procedure differs for internal and external documents. The internal document and the purchase requisition can be released either at the item level or at the header level. Additionally, the internal document can be released ether with classification or without classification. The external document, such as the purchase order or the request for quotation, can only be released at the header level by the classification method. 218. What Are The Main Documents Used In Mm? The following are the main documents used in MM: Purchase requisitions Purchase orders Goods transfers Goods receipts Goods issues 219. What Are The Various Steps Of The Mm Cycle? The following are the different steps of the MM cycle: Create material Create vendor Assign material to vendor Procure raw material by using purchase requisition Locate vendor for certain material Process goods receipts Goods issue, and Invoice verification 220. What Is The Definition Of Procurement? Procurement can be defined as the purchase of goods or services at the best possible total cost in correct amount and quality. It is the process of acquiring goods and services that covers both acquisitions from third parties and from in-house providers. 221. What Is An Account Assignment Category In A Po Document? The Account assignment category field plays an important role in the purchasing documents. It contains many control functions that help to determine the objects that are charged in case of an ordered material. The ordered material must be procured for direct usage or consumption. With the help of account assignment category in the purchasing documents, the cost of the material can be allocated to a single Controlling object or it can be allocated among various Controlling objects. 222. What Is The Difference Between A Purchase Order And Purchase Requisition? A purchase order is a document type that gives notification about formal requests for materials or services from an outside vendor or plant. A purchase requisition is a document type that gives notification about the need for materials or services. 223. What Is The Creation Indicator? The creation indicator defines whether or not the planned orders, purchase requisitions, or schedule lines must be created for materials that are procured externally. It also defines whether or not MRP lists need to be created. 224. Define Automatic Generation Of Purchase Orders From Purchase Requisitions. The SAP system can automatically convert purchase requisitions into purchase orders. This task can be performed either online or in the background. In the process of conversion, the SAP system attempts to merge as many purchase requisition items as possible to form one purchase order. Automatic processing of conversion of purchase requisitions to purchase orders is recommended only in the case when you have a well-maintained SAP system, else manual processing is advised. 225. What Is Quotation? Quotation is offered by a vendor to a purchasing organization that contains the details regarding the supply of materials or performance of services subject to specified conditions. A quotation is a legal document that binds the vendor for a certain period. The quotation is created by the vendor in response to a request for a quotation issued by a purchasing organization. A quotation consists of all the details, such as the total quantity and delivery date of a material or service offered. 226. What Is Request For Quotation (rfq)? A request for quotation (RFQ) is a document sent to a vendor by a purchasing organization and the vendor sends quotations with prices in response. An RFQ consists of two parts: RFQ header— Contains general information, for example, the name and address of the vendor Items — Contain information about the total quantities and delivery dates for the materials or services specified in the RFQ 227. How Rfqs And Quotations Are Processed In Sap? The RFQs and quotations are processed in the following manner in SAP: 1. RFQ is created either manually or by using an already existing RFQ, requisition, or outline purchase agreement by the company. 2. Company creates the list of vendors who are to receive the RFQ. For this purpose, a separate document is created for each vendor. 3. Company enters the prices and conditions set out in the quotation submitted by the vendor into the RFQ document. 4. Company carries out a comparative appraisal of all of the vendor quotations by means of the price comparison list. The quotations given by each vendor are compared item by item. The mean value quotation represents the average value of the individual quotes. 5. Company enters the most favorable quotation in an info record and sends rejection letters to the other unsuccessful bidders. 6. Finally, company monitors the status of follow-on activities related to the RFQ and quotation (e.g. a contract is set up or a purchase order issued). 228. What Are The Ways A Rfq Can Be Created? RFQs can be created in either of the following ways: Using manual approach — Data for an RFQ is entered manually for the materials for which you wish prices to be quoted. Using copying approach — An RFQ is copied from an existing RFQ. Using referencing approach — An RFQ is created by using reference requisitions or an outline purchase agreement. Using automatic approach — An RFQ is created automatically by using a requisition. 229. What Are The Rfq Types? The RFQ type is a two-character field used in the configuration of RFQ document types. It helps the company to differentiate between the different types of RFQs that they can send out. 230. List The Important Key Fields For Rfq? Different important key fields for RFQ are as follows: RFQ Date Quotation Deadline RFQ Document Number Organizational Data Default data for Items Collective Number Validity Start/Validity End Application By Binding Period Reference Data or RFQ Item detail RFQ Delivery Schedule Additional Data Vendor Selection 231. What Is Rfq Delivery Schedule? RFQ delivery schedule refers to the information entered by the purchaser that comprises date, time, and amount required on that date. You can access the delivery scheduling screen by pressing the SHIFT+F5 key combination from the keyboard in the SAP interface. 232. How Will You Release A Rfq? Follow this navigation path to release a RFQ: SAP Menu -> Logistics -> Materials Management->Purchasing->RFQ/Quotation->ME45-Release. A screen appears; enter all the information in the screen and the RFQ is released based on the information entered. 233. How Can The List Of Vendors Be Found To Send A Request For Quotation (rfq)? You can use the information record to find the list of the materials to find out the vendors from whom the goods have been purchased in the past. Thereafter, the request for purchase requisition is issued. Alternatively, you can go for a source list. 234. What Is The Purchasing Document Category For Rfq? The Purchasing Document Category for RFQ is the single character A, and for other documents such as for Purchase Orders, the category is F, for Contracts it is K, and for Scheduling Agreements it is L. 235. What Is The Role Of The Confirmation Control Key? The confirmation control key is used to specify whether or not a notification for shipping is expected PO item. 236. What Is Purchasing Document? A purchasing document is a document type used by the purchasing department to procure materials or services. 237. Name Some Of The Data Points Provided By Purchasing For The Materials. Some of the data points provided by purchasing for the materials are Base unit of measure, purchasing group, remainder days, shipping instructions, tolerance levels, GR processing time, critical part, and JIT schedule indications. 238. How Does The Sap System Differentiate Between Purchasing Documents? Document type is the unit to differentiate between different kinds of purchasing documents in the SAP system. Each document consists of a unique number, which determines the significant number range and the fields that are offered to you for data maintenance purposes. 239. How Are Purchasing Documents Numbered? In the SAP system, each document is assigned a unique number. These numbers can be alphanumeric also. You can assign these numbers in two ways, either internally or externally, depending on the policy of your company or enterprise. An internal number depicts that the SAP system assigns the number automatically, whereas an external number depicts that the person creating the document must supply manually. Alphanumeric assignment of numbers is only possible in the latter case. 240. Can A Line Item In A Purchase Order Be Blocked After It Has Been Created? Yes, a line item in a purchase order can be blocked after it has been created. Blocking a line item stops acceptance of any goods receipts related to that line item. 241. What Are The Account Assignment Categories In A Purchase Order? SAP provides you with a number of account assignment categories that you can use for a purchase order. An account assignment category indicates the account assignment details that are required 242. Can Multiple Accounts Be Assigned To A Purchase Order Line? Yes, you are allowed to assign multiple accounts to one purchase order line. Multiple account assignments may be required in a situation where the cost of the item to be purchased is divided among multiple people. 243. What Are The Different Types Of An Item Category? An Item Category is a field in purchase requisition that specifies the category of purchase requisition. The following are the different types of Item Categories: Blank-Standard K-Consignment L-Subcontracting S-Third party D-Service U-Stock Transfer 244. What Is Service Procurement? Service procurement consists of activities, such as bidding, contract management and operational procurement processes from requisition to payment. 245. What Is The Difference Between Procurement For Stock And Procurement For Consumption? In procurement for stock, when you order a material, the system does not require an account assignment because the posting to the appropriate stock and consumption occurs automatically every time the transaction related to goods takes place. In procurement for consumption, you need to enter the account assignment (such as cost center) that specifies the purpose of consumption. On the receipt of goods, the material or service is shown as it has been consumed. 246. What Is The Difference Between External Procurement And Internal Procurement? In the external procurement, the procurement of raw material, trading goods, and services is made from the external supplier for the organizational units of an enterprise that need such items or services. In the internal procurement, the procurement of raw material, trading goods, and services is made from an organizational unit of an enterprise for other organizational units of the same enterprise that needs such items or services. 247. What Is A Document Type? A document type is used to differentiate between different kinds of purchasing documents. In other words, different purchasing documents are distinguished on the basis of their document types. Document types are defined for RFQs, purchase orders, and contracts. 248. What Are The Ways Of Converting Planned Orders Into Purchase Requisitions? You can convert the Planned Orders into Purchase Requisitions either by converting them individually or by collectively converting all the planned orders. 249. What Transaction Code Is Used To Convert Planned Orders (po) Into Requisitions In Material Requirement Planning (mrp)? The OPPR transaction code is used to convert Planned Orders (PO) into requisitions in Material Requirement Planning (MRP). 250. Can You Add Custom Fields To Purchase Order(s) And Request For Quotation (s)? Yes, you can add custom fields to a Purchase Order and Request for Quotation. 251. How Is Framework Order Different From Standard Po? Framework Order (FO) is a purchasing document used for procuring materials or services. This type of purchase order has an extended validity period instead of a stipulated delivery date as in case of the Standard Purchase Order (PO). 252. What Document Type Can Be Used In Case Of Service Procurement? The service procurement is used by the organizations to procure the services or part of the services. It consists of activities, such as bidding, contract management, and all the activities from requisition to payment. 253. What Do You Mean By Using Multiple Account Assignment In A Po? Using multiple account assignment in a PO allows you to apportion the cost associated with a PO item. When you use the multiple account assignment, the account assignment data takes the form of individual account assignment items. 254. How Is The Sto Different From The Standard Po? In STO, UB document type is used and it also requires a supplying plant for the movement of materials, whereas in the standard PO, NB document type is used and requires a vendor for the procurement of material. 255. How Can We Return A Material That We Have Received With Reference To A Po? In case of external vendor, when your company returns a good, received with reference to a purchase order, the reference of the PO is not mandatory to post the return in the system. The system just posts a goods receipt correction and issues to a credit memo against the vendor. However, if the vendor is internal, you may require the reference of the PO. In this case, the system automatically updates the stock, without any internal billing. 256. How Are Free Items Managed In A Po? Mark the item as FREE in the Purchase order. The price for such PO items will be zero. 257. Which Documents Are Used As References When We Create Po? At the time of creating PO, we take the reference of Purchase Requisition, Request for Quotation, and any other Purchase orders. However, it is not necessary to take the reference of these documents as most of the values are automatically taken by the SAP R/3 system. 258. What Is The Transaction Code To Set Price Control For Receipts (goods/invoice)? The transaction code OMW1 is used to set price control for receipts (goods/invoice). 259. What Is The Difference Between Quantity And Value Contracts? Quantity Contracts— When the total quantity to be ordered is known in advance during the validity period, the quality contract is used. This contract is considered as fulfilled when totaling of release orders of a given quantity has been issued. Value Contracts — When the total value of the release orders does not exceed a definite and predefined value, the Value contract is used. The contract is considered as fulfilled when totaling of release orders of a given value has been issued. 260. What Is A Centrally Agreed Contract? A centrally agreed contract type is created without specifying the name of the plant. The plant specification is provided at the time of creating the contract release order. In centrally agreed contract, different conditions for individual plants can be maintained easily. Moreover, different ordering addresses or goods suppliers in the vendor master record can also be specified in this type of centrally agreed contract. The centrally agreed contract is useful in the enterprises that have a central purchasing department and the materials are required to be bought for different plants. In this case, they create a high-level contract used by the other department-specific purchase organizations within the enterprise. The use of such centrally agreed contracts usually results in more favorable conditions of purchase and helps maintain consistency in process of purchasing throughout the enterprise. 261. List The Important Fields Of A Service Master Record? The important fields of a Service Master Record are as follows: Service number— Defined for external or internal numbering of the service Service Category— Distinguishes between the types of services Descriptive text— Contains a short or long description of the service Base unit of measurement— Contains the unit in which you can measure the service Material/Service group— Allows the service to be selected for grouping purpose Valuation class— Finds the general ledger accounts that are related with the service 262. What Is A Standard Service Catalog (ssc)? A Standard Service Catalog (SSC) is a general standardized catalog that contains the detailed explanation of services. The descriptions of these services are stored as master records and help to remove data duplication. 263. How Can Services Be Purchased? The services can be purchased by first creating a document in system which forms the base of the purchasing process. This document can be a purchase requisition, an RFQ, or a purchase order. Now, determine the possible sources that can provide the service. For this, you can either select a new service or a service that has been previously used. If the service is requested for the first time, a bid invitation process is started. In the bid invitation process, you first need to create an RFQ and then record the incoming quotations in it. The best quotation is determined based upon certain factors, such as price, warranty period. The order is then placed to the successful bidder who receives either a standard purchase order or a release order issued against an existing contract. 264. What Is A Service Entry Sheet? A service entry sheet is a transaction in which the data related to the service that has been ordered is recorded using a purchase order. You can use the ML81N transaction code to locate the service entry sheet. You can also locate the service entry sheet by using the following path: SAP menu->Logistics->Materials Management -> Service Entry Sheets Maintain. 265. What Is A Blanket Purchase Order? How Can It Be Created? A purchase order that has a validity period and contains a simple process of procuring materials or services is referred as a blanket purchase order. For creating a blanket purchase order, use the ME21 or ME21N transaction code. 266. In What Cases Item Category M (material Unknown) And Item Category W (material Group) Can Be Used In Contract? The Item category M is used when the material issued is unknown. The item category W is used when the value and quantity of material are unknown. 267. How Can We Create An Sa In Sap? You can create a Scheduling Agreement (SA) in SAP either manually or by using the referencing techniques. To create a SA manually, you have to enter all the information on scheduling agreement manually. You can even use reference documents from where you will copy the information related to the scheduling agreement. These reference documents can be Purchase requisitions, Request for Quotations, and Centrally agreed Contract. 268. What Are Schedule Lines? Schedule Lines — The Schedule lines are generally created adjacent to the schedule agreements. For example, you have a material that is procured through a subcontract and you are required to ensure the delivery of this material on specific days. For this, you can create a schedule line for the schedule agreement of that material. In the source list of the schedule line, you have to provide information regarding the vendor and schedule agreement along with the validity dates of delivery and also specify the agreement, which is relevant for MRP. 269. What Is Tax Code? The tax code defines how the tax will be calculated and posted in SAP R/3 System. Each item on which the tax is applicable is allocated to a tax code. The R/3 System reads this tax code for each item and calculates tax for it. This tax and tax code is a part of Purchase order. 270. What Is Material Requirement Planning (mrp) In Sap? Material requirement planning guarantees the procurement and production of the required quantities of materials on time. The MRP helps a company to determine which materials are to be produced and in what quantity they are to be produced. 271. List The Types Of Mrp? The three types of MRP are as follows: Reorder-point planning — In this type of MRP, the procurement starts when the existing stock and the receipts fall below the reorder point. Forecast-based planning — In this type of MRP, the forecast values and the future requirements of the material is decided by the forecasting program. Time-based planning— In this type of MRP, the date of the planned requirement should match with a known date, such as the date when the vendor delivers. If the vendor delivers the material on the same date, then you can start the planning procedure from that date itself. 272. What Is A Mrp List? The MRP list is a static list which is the initial working document for the MRP controller to start working from and contains the planning result information for a material. You can access the MRP list for an individual item by using the MD05 transaction code. You can also access the MRP list by using the following navigation path: SAP menu->Logistics-> Materials Management->MRP->Evaluations->MRP List - Material. 273. What Is The Difference Between Material Requirement Planning (mrp) And Consumption- Based Planning? MRP and Consumption-based planning are two types of SAP planning used to determine a product's requirements. When you plan materials by using MRP, you need to plan the materials requirement based on Sales and Operations Planning (SOP). When you follow the consumption-based planning approach to plan the materials, you need to plan the future demand of the product. This can be done by using the historical demand of materials. 274. What Important Values Are Used To Define The Reorder Point? The following important values are used to define the reorder point: Safety stock Replenishment lead time Average consumption 275. What Is A Procurement Proposal? What Are The Types Of Procurement Proposal? Procurement proposals are created by the system and are based on the settings defined by the purchasing department. They help in ascertaining the required materials. The different types of procurement proposals are: Purchase requisitions: Required for a material that is procured externally. Schedule lines: Required when a material is procured externally and the material has an identifiable source and scheduling agreement. Planned orders: Required for materials that are procured internally. 276. How Is The Automatic Purchase Order Generated After Creation Of Pr By Using A Particular Material? You need to maintain the source list and select the source list indicator record. In case of more than one source code list, one of them is fixed. You then need to run the MRP. As a result, a purchase requisition is generated with the pre-assigned list of the supply source. Lastly, the ME59 T-code is entered for automatic creation of purchase order from the purchase requisition. 277. What Is Forecasting In Sap System? Forecasting is a future prediction which is an uncertain process. Most business decisions are based on forecasts, such as decision of material requirements. While making business decisions, forecasts are continuously needed. The impact of the forecast on actual results is first evaluated and the initial forecasts are updated and then accordingly the decisions are modified. 278. Can Forecast Model Be Selected Automatically? The forecast model can be selected automatically by entering the value J in the Forecast Model field in the Material Master record where the value J is used for Automatic Model Selection. 279. What Do You Mean By Forecast-based Planning? Forecast-based planning is a process used in consumption-based planning which depends on predictions of future requirements calculated on the basis of forecast. 280. What Are The Different Types Of Forecast Model? The following are the different types of forecast model: Constant Trend Seasonal Seasonal trend 281. Define Time-phased Planning. Time-phased planning is an MRP procedure, where materials are planned to be delivered in a particular time interval. In the time-phased planning technique, there is a planning file that contains an MRP date to plan the delivery of materials. When the material master is created and is reset for each running plan, then MRP date is set. If you need to plan the delivery of a material earlier than the specified MRP date, you can enter an MRP date while running the plan. For example, if the running plan is set to Wednesday, you can get it forwarded to Monday. 282. Define The Planning Process Flow. The planning process flow describes the business process and the technical system process that are involved in CBP. The system accomplishes the following partial processes in the planning run: 1. The system first checks the planning file entries and also checks whether or not the material is changed in the planning run. 2. The system accomplishes a net requirement calculation for every material. It checks whether, or not the requirement quantity is covered by available warehouse stock. 3. After carrying out a net requirement calculation for every material, the system then carries out the log-sizing calculation. 4. The scheduling is done for the start and finish dates of the procurement proposals. 5. The system determines the type of procurement proposals and creates planned orders, purchase requisitions, or schedule lines for the materials. 6. The system creates exception messages and accomplishes a rescheduling check to recognize critical situations of the planner that has to be processed manually in the planning results. 7. The system also computes the actual days supply and the receipt days supply of the materials. 283. What Is The Condition To Create The Planned Orders? The condition to create planned orders is that the system creates an internal procurement proposal and then planned orders are created. In the case of vendor procurement, a planned order is created by the MRP Controller. 284. What Is The Transaction Code To Convert Planned Order Into Purchase Requisition (pr)? MD14 is the transaction code to convert planned order into PR. 285. What Is Total Planning? The planning of all materials that are related to requirement planning is known as total planning . It includes the Bill of Material (BOM) explosion for the materials. The total planning can be used for a single plant. It can also be used to control the total planning run for multiplant. Total planning can be used in the following areas: Several plant areas One MRP area Several MRP areas A combination of plants and MRP areas 286. Define Planning Time Fence. The fence, which protects the master plan from automatic changes in the master plan items, is called the Planning Time Fence. The system does not create or update the order proposals for the planning time fence during the planning run. It dynamically calculates the end date of the planning time fence beginning from the planning date. The planning time fence is used for materials planned in MRP, master schedule items in master production scheduling, and materials in long-term planning. 287. Give An Overview Of Inventory Management In Sap System? Inventory management in SAP system helps in recording and tracking of stocks of materials. It also involves planning and documentation of all goods movements. 288. What Tasks Are Covered Under Inventory Management? The inventory management is an important part of the material management. The optimal inventory management not only ensures the uninterrupted supply of the material at the required time, but also prevents wastage of the items. The material management covers the following tasks: Material stock management Planning, entry and documentation of goods transfers from/to the inventory Physical stocking of items 289. What Is Physical Inventory? Physical inventory is a process in which all the transactions related to the movement of goods are stopped and the company physically counts inventory. It is required in financial accounting rules or for regulating taxes by placing an accurate value on the inventory. 290. What Are The Initial Configuration Steps For Physical Inventory? The steps for the purchase acquisition are as follows: Defining the default values for physical inventory document Reporting batch inputs Recording tolerances for physical inventory differences Inventory sampling as well as configuration of cycle counting 291. With Which Modules In Sap Is The Inventory Management Integrated? The inventory management is an important constituent in the SAP MM module. The business activity of an organization revolves around the inventory of materials that serves as the input for the manufacturing process or the inventory of prepared goods for delivery or selling. The material is purchased from the concerned vendors on the basis of request from the Material Requirement Planning (MRP) module. The delivered items are recorded in the inventory management as the goods receipt. The material are then stored either for delivery to the customer or for manufacturing processes. Inventory management is integrated with other modules, such as FI, SD, PP, PS and QM. 292. How Is The Inventory Management Integrated With Mm? The inventory management is directly linked with the material management module because any movement of goods to/from the inventory comes under the MM module. The material requirement planning, purchasing, and invoice verification are some of the MM components that are also linked with inventory management. After the ordering of the material it is posted as a goods receipt with reference to the purchase order. The actual data of the quantities are checked in the vendor's invoice. 293. What Are The Initial Configuration Steps For Inventory Management? The steps for the inventory management are as follows: Defining plant parameters Defining system message attributes Defining Number Assignment Defining good issue, transfer posting, screen layout Maintaining copy rules for reference documents Setting up dynamic availability checks Confirmation of the negative items 294. What Is Goods Movement? What Type Of Documents Is Created After Goods Movement? Goods movement refers to the movement of stock. This movement of stock could be either inbound from the vendor, outbound to a customer, between different plants, or even between different stocks within a plant. After goods movement, the SAP system creates two types of documents: material document and accounting document. 295. Why Is Goods Receipt Important To A Company? Goods receipt indicates a receipt or inward movement of stock of materials or goods. When an external vendor provides stock to the company, the goods receipt is generated as a purchase order and when the material is produced in-house, the goods receipt is generated as a production order. A goods receipt is important to a company as using a goods receipt moves material into stock, updates the stock levels, and thereby indirectly enables the production process. 296. How Do You Post The Goods If The Po Number Is Not Known? If the PO number is not known, you must enter the search criteria for the PO in the initial screen. As a result, the list of purchase orders is displayed. The desired PO items can then be copied. 297. How Can A Goods Receipt Be Posted When Purchase Order Number Is Unknown? If the goods receipt does not have a purchase order, some companies do not accept the goods receipt and refuses to accept the delivery. On the other hand, other companies accept the delivery of materials and keep the materials into the quality or blocked stock till the situation is resolved. For obtaining the goods receipt without a purchase order number, the companies use the MIGO transaction. After entering the required details of the material, the goods receipt is posted and the material becomes a part of the plant stock. 298. How Do We Receive Goods From Production? The goods from the production can be posted either to the warehouse or consumption. They are posted with the same movement type. 299. How Can The Logical Value For The Stock Items Be Found? You need to use the MC49 transaction code to find the logical value of the stock items by date. 300. What Are The Ways Of Receiving Goods? The goods can be received as per the reference to inbound delivery. The following are the different ways of receiving the goods: Order Others Outbound Delivery Purchase Order Reservation Transport Transport ID code 301. What Is Movement Type? While implementing the goods movement in an organization, the movement type is required to be entered. It is a three-digit identification key that is entered as per the movement type. The following are the common movement types that are used in SAP: 102: Goods that are receipt against a purchase order 201: Goods that are issued 321: Goods released from quality inspection stock 302. What Does A Movement Type Control? The movement acts as a controlling factor in inventory management. It handles the following activities: Updating of quantity Updating of consumption and stock Displaying of particular fields in a document 303. List The Movement Types For Unplanned Goods Received? The following are the movement types used for unplanned goods received: 501 561 531 304. How Will An Item Be Returned To A Vendor? While posting the goods to the goods receipt in the purchase order, you need to enter the items that can be returned to the vendor. There is no need to explicitly reference the purchase order. 305. What Is Goods Issue Reversal? The process of issuing the material back to the stock of material is known as a goods issue reversal. For example, if goods issued to the production order are 500 kg of material and only 300 kg is consumed, then the rest 200 kg is returned to stock. 306. Name The Documents That Are Created When A Goods Issue Is Posted? The following documents are created when a goods issue is posted: Material document Accounting document Goods issue slip Stock changes General ledger account changes 307. What Are The Different Ways Of Stock Transfer? A stock transfer can be made physically or logically. In other words, when you move material from one storage location to another it is said that the stock transfer is done physically. Whereas when you move stock from the quality inspection status to the unrestricted status, it is said that the stock transfer is done logically. The different ways of stock transfer are as follows: From storage location to storage location From plant to plant From company code to company code 308. What Is Transfer Posting? The physical and logical stock transfers are collectively called the transfer posting. The stock transfers typically change the stock type, batch number, or material number. The transfer posting is related to the documentation of the stock changes resulting from a stock transfer. 309. How Is Stock Transfer From One Storage Location To Another Done? The stock transfer from one place of location to another place of location is carried out in a plant. The posting of this kind of transfer is done without entering the value of the stock material as the management of the items is done within the same plant. 310. How Is Stock Transfer From One Plant To Another Plant Done? The transfer of the stock from one plant to another is a bigger activity as compared to transfers done under the same plant. The material planning as well as accounting details is affected in case of the transfer of goods within a plant. In case of plant to plant transfer, the accounting data of the two stocks is affected if they are assigned to different valuations. In other words, if there are any changes in the value of the stock items from the source plant to the destination plant, the accounting entries need to be adjusted accordingly. In this case, the stock value and G/L accounts need to be updated. The materials planning are also affected, because the stock transfer is scheduled and implemented according to the guidelines in materials planning. The plant to plant stock transfer is done by one-step or the two-step procedure but only the one-step procedure can be planned with a reservation. 311. How Is The Stock Transferred From Company Code To Company Code? The stock transfer between different company codes is done in a way similar to that of inter-plant transfer, but differs in the company code. During the stock transfer process, two accounting statements are created, one for removal of stock from the source company and the other for receiving in the destination company. 312. What Is A Stock Posting? Stock posting is defined as a transaction, which occurs when you update an item quantity in the system, for example, updating the database after goods issue or goods receipt. 313. What Do You Mean By Physical Inventory? Physical inventory is the recording of actual stock levels (quantities) of materials by counting, weighing, or measuring at a given storage location at a specific time. 314. How Is The Value Of The Cross-company-code Stock Displayed? You need to perform the following steps to display the value of the cross-company-code stock in transit: Select Environment-> Stock-> Stock in transit. 315. What Is Returnable Transport Packaging (rtp)? Returnable transport packaging is a medium used to transport goods between vendors and customers. Once the goods are received, the returnable packaging is returned to the vendor. The best example is the crate for cold drinks; it needs to be returned back after receiving the cold drinks. 316. What Is Sales Order Stock? The stocks assigned to a sales order but still available in the company premises is called the sales order stock. The raw material ordered by the customer for processing a specific order and finished goods are the type of materials that come under the category of sales order stock. 317. What Is Project Stock? The stock available in the company premises to execute a project is called the project stock. It is allotted to a work breakdown structure element and is specific to the project only. All accounting treatment in MM is done for the specific project head. 318. What Is Invoice Verification? Invoice verification is used to store details of vendor invoices and forms an important part of purchasing and inventory management. It consists of entering invoices and credit memos, checking accuracy of invoices in accordance to price, and checking block invoices. 319. What Are The Different Types Of Invoice Verification? The different types of invoice verification are as follows: Invoices based on purchase orders Invoices based on goods receipts Invoices without an order reference 320. Name The T Code For Invoice Verification? An invoice is verified by using the OLMR T code. 321. How Do You Perform Invoice Verification? Invoice verification is a process of checking the accuracy of an invoice in terms of the quantity, price, and other related information. The invoice can be issued for several processes. For example, if an invoice is issued for a purchase order, then the system checks for the relevant information, such as vendor, material, quantity, delivery date, and payments details. 322. Define Ers? ERS stands for Evaluated Receipts Settlement. It refers to the process of settling down receipts of the goods in an automatic manner. In this process, an agreement is made between the vendor and the user that vendors do not prepare any invoice for the goods ordered. Rather, the system would automatically generate and post the invoice document on the basis of purchase order and receipts of goods. In addition, ERS also offers the following advantages: Using ERS, all the purchasing transactions are quickly closed. Errors of communication are avoided. Invoice verification is not prone to price and quantity variances. 323. With Reference To Which Documents Can Invoice Verification Be Done? In SAP, invoice verification is done on the basis of the following: Document date, purchase order number, invoice amount, tax amount, and terms of payment(if required) Purchase order that comprises vendors, terms of payment(if required), currency , and invoice items Purchase order history that comprises quantity and amount R/3 system settings that comprise the rate at which the tax is calculated Vendor master record that comprises bank information 324. What Are The Benefits Of Document Parking? The benefit of document parking is that you can modify the invoice in a parked status whereas the invoice that is placed on hold cannot be modified. 325. How Do You Display The Parked Document? You can display the parked documents by using either FB03 or FBV3. The FB03 transaction code displays all the posted documents; whereas, the FBV3 code shows only the parked documents that have not been posted to the expenditure balance. 326. What Is Stochastic Block? Stochastic Blocking is the process of checking the incoming invoices. In this process, blocking of the invoices is done randomly. Invoices with high value have the highest probability to get blocked. It is set for the whole invoice instead at the item level. When posting of the invoice is done, an R is set in the Payment Block field in the document header data. 327. What Are The Different Accounts Used In Invoicing? Different accounts used in invoicing are as follows: Vendor accounts Stock accounts GR/IR clearing accounts Tax account Price differences account Cash difference clearing account Freight clearing account 328. What Are The Different Types Of Variances In Invoices? Describe Them. The different types of variances in invoices are listed and described as follows: Quantity Variance— If there is a difference between the quantity mentioned in the invoice and the quantity delivered. Price Variance— If there is a difference between the price mentioned in the invoice and in the purchase order. Quantity and Price Variance—If there are differences in both the quantity and price. Order Price Quantity Variance — If there is a difference between the price per ordered quantity, such as $50 per piece is mentioned on the purchase order but the invoice contains $60 per piece. 329. Why Does The Invoices Get Blocked? Invoices can be blocked due to the following reasons: Variance in the invoice item Amount of an invoice item Stochastic block Manual block 330. What Happens When An Invoice Is Blocked? What Are The Different Ways To Block An Invoice? When an invoice is blocked, the invoice amount cannot be paid to the vendor. Blocking an invoice also blocks the individual items. The different ways to block an invoice are listed as follows: Manual Block Stochastic or Random Block Block due to Amount of an Invoice Item Block due to Variance of an Invoice Item 331. How Can We Post An Invoice Directly Without Any Reference? In case of invoices posting without a reference, proposed values for the invoice items are not displayed by the system, because the system does not determine any purchase order items and posted goods receipt for the invoice. As a consequence, information related to the accounts changed by the offsetting entry for the vendor line item,is not found in the database of the system. 332. What Is The Menu Path To Create A Document/e-mail Notification For Your Supplier? The following is the menu path to create a document/e-mail notification for your supplier: Select Material Management-> Logistics Invoice Verification -> Message Determination. 333. What Is The Difference Between Gr-based Iv And Po-based Iv? GR-based IV means Goods Receipt based Invoice Verification. In this process, each receipt of the individual goods is invoiced separately. On the other hand, PO-based IV means Purchase Orders based Invoice Verification. In this process, all the items that are in the purchase order list are arranged and are placed together. It is not taken into consideration whether the item is received in a single delivery or multiple deliveries. After all the items are collected, these items are then posted in the form of one single item. 334. How Do You Create The Vendor Account Group? Perform the following steps to create the vendor account group in SAP: Select Display IMG->Financial Accounting->Account Payable/Receivable->Vendor Accounts-> Master Records-> Preparation of Creating Vendor Master Records->Define Accounts Groups with Screen Layout /Define Screen Layout Per Activity. 335. What Is The Purpose Of Material Valuation? Material valuation in SAP MM module is necessary to determine the stock value of materials. 336. How To Determine Stock Value? The stock value of the materials is calculated using the following formula: Stock value = Stock quantity * Material price. 337. How Material Valuation Is Associated With Financial Accounting? Material valuation in MM module is associated with Financial Accounting as any change in the stock value also updates the G/L account in Financial Accounting. 338. What Are The Factors Controlling Material Valuation? The factors that control material valuation are: System settings Material master record 339. What Is Valuation Area? Valuation area is the organizational level at which the material valuation is carried out. 340. Define Valuation Class? Valuation class is a group of different materials that share some common properties. This group is defined so that you do not have to manage a separate account for each material. 341. What Is The Significance Of Account Assignment Category? Account assignment category determines the account assignment details that are required for the purchase order item, such as cost center or account number. It is useful in SAP MM as it helps in determining the following: The type of account assignment The accounts that will be charged when you post the invoice or goods receipt The account assignment data that you should provide 342. What Are The Different Types Of Account Assignment Categories? The different types of account assignment categories are: Single account assignment: Specifies one account assignment for an item in the purchase order Multiple account assignment: Allocates the costs associated with the purchase order item 343. What Is Lifo Valuation? LIFO is a balance sheet valuation technique. It stands for last in-first out principle, i.e. the material added to the stock in last is valuated first. In this technique, the pricing of old material in stock is not affected by the pricing of new material. In this technique, a layer of stock increased or decreased is created for a fiscal year, on the basis of which the valuation is done. For example, if the stock is increased then a layer is created for that stock. However, to use the LIFO, you have to configure it. 344. What Is The Release Procedure? The release procedure allows you to create condition records for the planning process. It is used to creating Purchase Requisitions (PR), Purchase Orders (PO), Request for Quotation (RFQ), Outline Agreements, and Service Entry Sheets. 345. What Is Release Strategy? How Many Release Points Can Be Involved In A Release Process? The release strategy specifies the release codes with which a purchase document must be released and the sequence in which the release must be used. You can define a maximum of eight release codes with their respective release strategies. You can involve 8 release points in a release process. 346. Can You Release The Po Item By Item When You Have A Multiline-item Po? No, you cannot release the PO item by item. PO can be released at the header level by using the with classification release procedure. 347. How Are The Release Procedures For Pr And Po Defined? The transaction codes ME54 and ME29N are used to define the release procedures for PR and PO, respectively. 348. How To Release Blocked Purchase Documents? You can release a blocked purchase document by using your release code. This process is called the release transaction. After you have released the document, you can also cancel the document using the same release code. 349. How To Reject Approvals In Sap-r/3? Will It Affect The Sap Business Workflow? You can use the ME54N transaction code or purchase requisitions and ME29N transaction code for purchase order to reject approvals in SAP R/3. This does not affect the SAP business workflow. 350. How Many Procedures Are Available To Release Purchase Requisition? There are two types of procedures available to release purchase requisition: With classification: In this procedure, you can release the purchase requisition both at item level and in total. Without classification: In this procedure, you can release the purchase requisition only at item level. 351. How To Release Purchase Order? Which Transaction Code Is Used To Display As Well As Reset The Release Of Po? You can release a purchase order at header level. You cannot release a single item in purchase order. You need to release all the items at a time. The ME29N transaction code is used to display as well as reset the release of purchase order. 352. How Many Types Of Release Procedure Are Available For Po? There are two types of release procedures available for PO: Individual release: In this type of release procedure, you can release only one item at a time. Collective release: In this type of release procedure, you can release all the items at a time but using the release code. 353. What Is A Release Criterion? The release criterion defines the strategy with which a purchase requisition or an external purchase document is released. The release criteria contains the characteristics and the values of the characteristics which determine the status of the document, that is, either blocked or not blocked (a characteristic can be the total value of the document, say greater than $100,000). The criterion can be based on any one of the following or a combination of these: i. Account assignment category ii. Material group iii. Plant iv. Total value 354. What Is Release Code? The release code is a two-character field or ID that represents the person responsible for the approval of the release procedure. 355. What Do You Mean By Release Group? Release group is a two-digit code that is assigned with a class and contains one or more release strategies. For example, release group 01 is defined for purchase requisitions and release group 02 is defined for purchase order. 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