Co-Parts Setup and Job Quantity

There was that part that I didn’t understand either Linda, for the in-between ops (non final) do you report quantities of each??

For all the ops except the final Op, you report the sum of the co-parts. For the final Op, you report quantity for each co-part. This is what our Ep Consultant told us.

2 Likes

Correct, they are not using the MES Co-parts tab. It sounds like that may no longer be an option for us? I did see it in previous posts on here, but maybe an older/newer version?

If you are not able to report quantity on each operation, then both parts don’t go through WIP? The second part ends up being a “ghost” part until it gets put into inventory. My operators are also frustrated that they aren’t getting ‘credit’ for making two parts for their efficiency rates, since they are only able to claim both parts on the last operation, not the previous ones.

It sounds like splitting this into multiple jobs by single operation, and using Job to Job (Make to Job) is the best work-around? Any other suggestions/options that have been successful for anyone?

Is this fixed in 2024 upgrade?

You make an interesting point Michelle and I guess I would say, and maybe @LindaSee can also weigh in here, at what point do you want to see it become a new part number cause that would be your final op…

If you want a new part after every op then you’d have to make a new part for each op.

Not sure… @jkane any input here?

I don’t understand why the operators would be complaining, they are entering the same number no matter which method is used, i.e. entering each part number or entering the lump sum. :man_shrugging:

I remember this being an issue at one of my old jobs because of the scrap factor.

There are not many options here as that is how the system works. The only thing that I could think of is using the Batch functionality to either run 2 jobs (one for each part number) at the same time or to run that single operation together.

No matter what you end up doing, it sounds like it will be extra work. If there is some metric that operators are being held to that is causing the complaints, I would go back and change the way the metric is calculated for those jobs. Although I believe when you Batch jobs, you end up with the same issue of only reporting against one part number.

Sorry, I’m probably not being much help, but I am struggling to understand the business problem here.

I think the business problem is that they want to identify both parts during the process, maybe?

@mroelandts , John raised some good questions, please let us know when you have a chance.

Respectfully,

Utah

Both parts can be identified, just not in the way you expect. All of the data is there, Epicor just can’t split it out to the granular level. Think about all of the jobs in the system, there is only ever one part number on the job. Now think about trying to do co-parts in that framework. Are you going to have two headers on the job, one for each part? That would get messy fast. The way that Epicor solved the problem is actually quite good. The job is for the complete quantity for all the parts and you specify the quantity of each part at the end. I can’t think of another way to do it in Epicor without a whole re-write and a one too many database schema.

A report could be created that takes the labor transactions and the co-part information and spits out the detail at the part level, you just would not have “exact” numbers.

That, or, you could make a new part after each operation, but you’d end up with X number of parts for however many ops you have. That’s IF you wanted to stick to co-part functionality, but batching is also something that could be used as you suggested.

I’ve never liked that part of Co-Part jobs. It is true that the last operation is the only operation that allows an operator to report quantities of each co-part.

I never understood the reason for not carrying the duel reporting all the way through the job…why only at the last op and not the rest of them. I could see it if you had operations in the beginning where you only had one part and then they were split later on an operation in the job but for the jobs I was creating, the parts started as co-parts and ended as co-parts.

This made it difficult for the operators to understand because they were working with two different part numbers and wanted to report them separately. Also, it appears as if you are reporting a greater quantity for the parent part because that is the only part showing for operations that are not the last operation.

There are also times where in an operation, you may do something different to one of the co-parts than the other.

As for reporting a sum of all parts on operations that are not the last operation, that can be confusing, especially to an operator that may be doing two operations back-to-back. For the first one, he has to remember to report a sum of all parts and for the second operation, he has to remember to report actuals of each part because it is the last operation.

Just my opinion…

4 Likes

I just created an Epicor Idea for allowing co-parts to be reported as co-parts at every operation instead of just the final operation.

Please consider voting for it!

https://epicor-manufacturing.ideas.aha.io/ideas/KIN-I-5577

3 Likes

I am using CoParts to deal with purchasing in a kit.
I got the basics set up, but wondering if I can bypass the Business Logic and add serial tracking parts to CoParts?

Are you purchasing a “kit” of items and intend to put them into inventory by breaking down the kit into individual parts?

@PhoebeL

Yes, correct!
And some of these individual parts are serial tracked.

You will need to create a method with an operation for “breaking down” the kit. The part you purchase will be the material. The parts that are “created” will be the co-parts.

You will need to create a job to do this and record the number of each part “manufactured” on the job. Once that is done, then you will take each of the co-parts to stock using the Job to Stock feature where you should be able to assign a serial number (you will probably need to setup a serial number template).

How do I add the Parts to CoParts to begin with?
I manage to do CoParts without PNs that are Serial Tracked.

Here are the instructions for setting up a Co-Part from the Kinetic Engineering User Guide:

Using the Co-Parts Functionality

Use the co-parts functionality to define a method of manufacturing that can produce multiple parts (co-parts) on a single job. During some part manufacturing processes, you can produce additional parts as by-products from a primary part. You can also produce two nearly identical parts at the same time using similar routing. An example of this is left and right bracket (with different part numbers) where the only functional difference in the two parts is the bend operation or the placement of the drilled holes.

Here is the example of co-parts:

Part A has co-parts B and C. B and C are only built when part A is built.

Part A B C
Co-Part B,C None None
Method Yes - ABC No No
Result ABC Nothing Nothing

In Engineering Workbench, you can establish the yield per quantity of the co-parts, their costing ratios, and whether this revision will be used to cost the co-part. Once this data is entered in the Engineering Workbench (on the Revision > Co-Parts card), it is automatically pulled into the job or quote when you select Get Details.

Note: You can only use this function if you have the Advanced Production module installed.

To select a new co-part for the identified primary part:

  1. Select a part revision from the tree view to review on the Revision Detail card.

  2. Select New on the Co Parts card.

  3. Find and select the part number and revision for the co-part.

  4. Use the Yield Per field, enter how many of the specified co-part will be made when one quantity of the primary part is manufactured.

  5. Select the Primary Costing check box to indicate this revision is used to cost the co-part. The roll-up calculation then uses the co-part method and applies the costing factors to the total cost of the method and divides by the Yield Per value. If this check box is clear, the part method is used to determine the job costs.

  6. Select Save.

You are saying that when you set up the parts individually in Part maintenance, you were able to make them serial tracked but the first part (the one you are using for the main co-part) you were not able to set it up as serial tracked, correct?

Yes, but the opposite!
I set them as serial tracked on Part Maintenance, but I cannot add these serial tracked parts as a co part.
Epicor for some reason gave me a business logic error when I add serial tracked PNs to Co Part.

Sorry, I was thinking about lot tracked parts.

Serial tracked parts cannot be co-parts.

All good! is there anyway to bypass that? or is it a “it cannot be done, period” kinda thing?