The Blanket Sales Orders Subsystem (BSO) is an optional feature of the FACTS system. It’s located on the Orders menu (Sales Orders>Orders>Blanket Sales Orders). Blanket Sales Orders provides you with a method of delivering future order merchandise on time to the customer. The objective of the BSO sub-module is to provide timely response to customers while minimizing internal costs and maximizing internal controls on orders with multiple shipments. This flexible module allows unlimited future shipments based on customer needs.
Blanket Sales Orders provides the ability to accept and handle orders where the customer requires fulfillment with multiple shipments at specified future ship dates. For example, a customer wants to receive 1,000 gallons of paint over the next five months, in five equal shipments, with delivery guaranteed on the first of each month. Simply create the blanket sales order, answer a few questions about the release dates and quantities, and the releases of all five shipments will be calculated. Individual sales orders will be created for each release at the appropriate time based on the customer request dates and the item’s lead-time. The sales orders generated are then subject to the normal sales order processing.
You can access the following programs from the Blanket Sales Orders menu:
Blanket Order Entry, which is used to create a blanket order that allows release dates to be scheduled per line-item. Since releases are by item, the releases of a given blanket order may be set up to release all line-items together, or some items on the blanket order may ship at different time from other items.
Blanket Order Acknowledgment (SOP710), which is used to print and reprint the blanket order acknowledgment, which can be given to the customer as an order confirmation.
Blanket Order Inquiry (SOI710), which is used to inquire into the status of any open or completed blanket order.
Blanket Order Report, which is used to list release requests on open blanket orders and determine if any releases need to be processed.
Blanket Order Removal, which is used to remove completed BSO documents that do not need to remain on the system.
Blanket Order Release Register, which is used to determine, for each blanket order, whether the next release of each item is called for based on the release basis, the current date, and the customer request date of the next release. If the next scheduled release meets all the criteria, it will appear on the release register
The Blanket Order Entry program creates an order similar to an order created through Sales Order Entry. However, it also allows release dates to be scheduled per line-item. Since releases are by item, the releases of a given blanket order may be set up to release all line-items together, or some items on the blanket order may ship at different time from other items. The system allows great flexibility when scheduling releases. Optionally, an order acknowledgment may be printed.
The Blanket Order Release Register is run on a regular schedule, perhaps daily. This program determines, for each blanket order, whether the next release of each item is called for based on the release basis, the current date, and the customer request date of the next release. If the next scheduled release meets all the criteria, it will appear on the release register. When the release register is updated, this release is created as a sales order.
As the created sales orders are processed, the original blanket sales order is updated so that all release history on the blanket sales order is available. The Daily Sales Register updates blanket sales order information as blanket-generated sales orders are updated. Blanket order processing is complete when the last release of the order is processed.
Release Basis
The release basis determines when the next release must take place, based on the request date. Regardless of the release basis selected, when the system calculates that a release should take place, the system will release all items that have the same request date as one sales order.
Longest Lead Time
Longest lead-time is the longest average lead-time of all the items on the blanket order, which have the same request date. To ensure that inventory is available for a requested shipment, the system must attempt to commit merchandise based on the longest average lead-time for those items.
Fixed Days
When fixed number of days is used for the release calculation, sales orders will be created this number of days prior to the request date. For example, in order to maintain customer service levels, you may always commit goods two weeks prior to the request date. The two weeks allows time to special order, restock or transfer goods into the warehouse. In this example, fixed days would be set to 14 days.
Greater of Longest Lead Time and Fixed Number of Days
The system looks at the longest lead-time and the fixed number of days, and selects the greater of the two to determine when to release the sales order. This is the most common method for calculating the release basis.
The setup required to begin using the Blanket Sales Order program is minimal; however, there are several questions that you should consider prior to set up. Your answers to these questions will determine how you set up your system controls, in accordance with your company’s policies and procedures.
1. Create the blanket sales order. Generate the blanket order document number and complete the customer information in the header section document entry. Add line items, memo lines, release request dates and complete the Blanket order by entering the document memo.
2. Acknowledge the customer’s order. From within BSO document entry or from the BSO menu, print the order acknowledgment for the customer to use as confirmation of the order.
3. BSO Document Inquiry and/or Report Analysis: Check the status of current and completed BSO documents through Customer Inquiry, SO Quick-Look Inquiry, Item Inquiry, and Blanket Sales Order Inquiry. Use the BSO Inquiry to obtain the associated Sales Order Document # as releases are processed. Use the SO Inquiry to check the status of individual Sales Orders.
4. Run the Blanket Order Report to list release requests on open blanket orders and determine if any releases need to be processed. This report can also be used to determine which Sales Order documents are related to BSO release requests and the status of those releases.
5. Run the Blanket Order Release Register. The release register will print a list of items ready for processing. If you choose to update the Blanket Order Release Register, sales order(s) will be created for each BSO, containing all items scheduled to be released. As the order is shipped, the Daily Sales Register will update the BSO document.
6. Remove the completed blanket order document. Run Blanket Order Removal as needed to remove completed BSO documents that do not need to remain on the system.