[Info-vax] The real problem that needs solving to grow VMS

[Simon Clubley]

On 2022-11-02, Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> wrote:
>
> Software that solves specific issues for a particular vertical market many times 
> will not exist in other software packages.  The list can be rather long.  Just a 
> few examples:
>
> Handling of cores
> Superscession of part numbers
>
> The lack of either of those examples is a total show stopper.
>
> This is applications that have over 40 years of specific development for this 
> particular vertical market.  Some obsolete.  Some quite recent.
>
> The customers have looked hard for those "alternate ERP packages".  The search 
> has failed.
>
> One customer is trying a cloud solution.  Looks like they are on course for a 
> future crater.
>
> You can claim all you want about alternatives.  Doesn't mean any exist.
>
> The most common response from potential new vendors is "we can't do that".
>

What is it precisely about supersessions that new vendors can't do ?

Supersession support should be a standard feature when handling parts.

What is different is how much supersession support is automated versus
a parts manager having to fixup manually the more complicated cases.

For example, in your own system, how do you handle the merging of multiple
part numbers into one new combined part number ?

How do you handle the reverse problem of splitting a bag of components
sold as one part number into their own new part numbers ?

How do you handle the accounting implications of the above ?

Do you allow supersessions across vendors, for example from a miscellaneous
part number to a vendor part number ?

What do you do about previous sales history on a part number ? Do you change
the part number on the history records to the new part number or do you link
them together in some other way so that you don't lose the history when it
comes to the system recommending stock orders based on previous sales history ?

How do you handle supersession loops during part number lookup ? Do you
ignore the whole supersession chain or do you return the part number that
was found immediately prior to the supersession loop being detected ?

Simon.

PS: Yes, I have done work on this in the past. Why do you ask ? :-) :-)

-- 
Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.