Plan

Use this function to guide and schedule the implementation and execution of a design or a production "change".

 You can access this function from the Change Control menu or from the Action panel in a change request.

The key to implementing and executing a successful "change" to a design or a production model is in the planning. An action plan conveys the objectives for the "change" to the stakeholders and to those actually involved in delivering that change.

This function supports the planning process by bringing all the components that need to be met to successfully deliver a "change" into a central repository. With quick and easy access to the guiding document for information, and functionality provided to define the rules and controls, this function offers dual purpose:

• Used as a planning tool it facilitates in the consideration and identification of the components required to deliver a specific "change". The project manager subsequently builds these components into an action plan that will deliver those requirements.
  A Sage X3 Change Control action plan actually comprises multiple plans:
• A single high level Work Breakdown Structure
  This plan outlines the approach to be taken to deliver the requirements for the "change". Essentially it describes the "what", "who" and "when" objectives from the approved scope.
• Multiple detailed implementation plans
  These plans provide the detail or specifics for delivering the approved requirements. They meet the "how" objectives from the approved scope by providing a breakdown of all work to be completed by commitment type (or transaction type).

• Used as a communications tool it provides the outline and guide for making decisions.
  Stakeholders can use an action plan to consider the components proposed by the project manager, and for confirming or developing the scope of the requirements.

By providing this functionality from a single location the Plan function becomes a critical tool in the delivery of the business case for change requests. It categorizes the sequencing of activities, and simplifies time estimations to avoid delays and potential cost overruns.

As an additional feature this function can also safeguard the delivery of the approved scope. An action plan directly impacts the progress of a change request through the remaining stages of the processing cycle. A change request, therefore, can only progress to Completed status once all individual tasks (actions) on the plans have been accomplished. This empowers the change manager to hold a change request at Being implemented status until the requirements have been delivered in full and have been approved. Once the delivered requirements have been approved the change request can then be advanced to the final status of Closed.

 It is not mandatory to define an action plan.

 All plans are automatically deleted if the status of a change request is reverted from In planning status to In review status.

For an overview of how to use this function in your particular role select the appropriate link in the following list:

• Project manager (Planner)
• Actioner
• Stakeholder

Project managers (Planners)

At this stage in the processing cycle of a change request the change request has been reviewed and progressed to In planning status. As the project manager or "planner" assigned to that change request the change manager has effectively handed over control of it to you. You will receive confirmation of this by email, if the CCMEMAILP–Email planner parameter (TC chapter, CCM group) is set. You are now responsible for planning a successful delivery of those requirements.

Your first task is to build the high level Work Breakdown Structure. This plan should outline the approach to be taken to meet the approved requirements. You will use it to control or manage the key areas of the design or production "change".

To build the Work Breakdown Structure use the business case, or information provided on the change request as your guide. The change request is both the concept proposal and the requirements document. You should list the main products or transaction types required for the "change" with the main tasks or actions to be accomplished, and appropriate timeframes. You can adapt the level of detail you provide to the size of the requirements.

A complete Work Breakdown Structure should cover the key deliverables, the completion date and all components required to deliver the approved scope.

The timeframes, milestones and dates you define will provide you with an effective control mechanism in the successful delivery of the "change". You could baseline the change from them. One comment field per task is available to you which you could use to communicate with the assigned actioner and the stakeholders. You could use it, for example, to state  assumptions or list constraints that might limit or affect progress or completion of that task.

 High level Work Breakdown Structure

Your high level Work Breakdown Structure will provide the basis for your second task. This is to create detailed implementation plans for the key commitment types (or transaction types). It is these individual plans that will deliver the approved scope.

The commitment types for which you can define detailed plans align with the Change Control impact analysis functionality. Use the high level Work Breakdown Structure as your guide when building the individual Implementation plans. It will help you determine which key deliverables are required to deliver the required scope and the level of detail necessary to communicate key information. You should assign to each key deliverable the task or action to be accomplished and by whom, with appropriate timeframes.

 Detailed implementation plans

As you complete your high level Work Breakdown Structure and each of the detailed Implementation plans, select the Planning complete checkbox. This sets the status of that plan to Being implemented. This informs the stakeholders that that particular plan is complete. It also indicates to the actioners that they can start actioning the tasks on that plan to which they have been assigned. They will receive confirmation of this by email, if the CCMEMAILAC–Email actioner parameter (TC chapter, CCM group) is set.

You have completed the Action plan when you have selected the Planning complete checkboxes in the high level and each of the detailed plans. The change manager will receive a notification email to confirm this, if the CCMEMAILCM–Email change manager parameter (TC chapter, CCM group) is set. A completed action plan also advances the status of the change request to the next stage in the processing cycle, Being implemented status. 

 Action plans are not mandatory. This function gives you total flexibility over which plans you need and which ones you decide are not required. For example, you could manage a successful delivery of the requirements from simply a high level Work Breakdown Structure. Alternatively you could manage the delivery of the requirements from a single detailed implementation plan without a Work Breakdown Structure to support it. There is, however, one rule you need to follow. The status of the change request can only advance to the next stage in the processing cycle, Being implemented status, when the action plan is complete. You need to, therefore, select the Planning complete checkbox in any plan that displays In planning status to trigger the system to do this.

 Actioners can start the tasks to which they have been assigned before you select the Planning complete checkbox if your company policy permits this. Transactions can then be added to a plan at a later stage. This can be particularly useful where a hierarchy of processes exist within your organization. The system will block a task from being set to In progress however it can be set when the plan is ready. Just be aware that the Start date will not then reflect the true start date for the task.

Blocking transactions

A potential consequence of a "change" can be that the processing of transaction lines associated with a specific change request needs to be halted, or blocked. Should this be necessary you need to manually block the transaction lines affected by the requirements.

Manual blocking is different for the different transaction types. Purchase order lines, for example, can be closed if the supplier has not shipped the goods. Sales order lines can either be closed or the stock dealloacted. You need to choose the most suitable blocking method for the type of transaction.

 Refer to the impact analysis for information. The detailed sales orders impact analysis, for example, displays the quantities processed at each stage of an order's preparation and delivery cycle. This information will help if you have to make a blocking decision against a sales order line.

 You are advised not to reactivate a blocked transaction until the approved scope for this change request has been delivered in full. This will not be until the action plan has been implemented and the change request is complete.

Actioners

As an actioner you are responsible for taking ownership of and delivering a task or action in the action plan by the specified date.

At this point in the processing of a specific change request, however, you are dependent upon the project manager signaling the "go ahead". They will do this by confirming they have completed the action plan:

• The high level Work Breakdown Structure defines the approach to be taken to deliver the requirements for the "change".
  It is complete when the status is Being implemented.
• The multiple detailed Implementation plans define how the individual commitment types will deliver the approved requirements.
  Each is complete when the individual plan status is Being implemented.

As soon as a plan, high level or detailed, is complete you can start actioning the tasks (actions) assigned to you. You will receive confirmation of this by email, if the CCMEMAILAC–Email actioner parameter (TC chapter, CCM group) is set. The email will contain a uniform resource locator (URL) to the completed plan.

All tasks you have been assigned to deliver will initially display Pending status. Set the status of the action when you begin the work and again when you complete it. The Start and End dates are linked to the Status field and populated automatically when you select a value. This not only provides visibility to all stakeholders of your particular progress to date, but also to the progress of the plan overall. Take note of any comments added by the project manager in the Comments fields. They can add a comment per task and could highlight assumptions they have made or constraints they are aware of.

 You can start an assigned task before a plan is complete, if your company policy permits this. The system will block you from setting the task to In progress however you can set it when the plan status is Being implemented. Just be aware that the Start date will not then reflect the true start date for the task.

 Remember to update the high level Work Breakdown Structure and the detailed Implementation plans. You might have multiple tasks on the detailed plans assigned to you covered by a single task on the high level plan. Keeping the whole action plan up to date provides visibility to all stakeholders of its progress.

 The status of your tasks directly affects the status of the whole action plan and ultimately delivery of the requirements. Only when every task on every plan is at Completed status can the change request be advanced through the remaining stages of the processing cycle. It is imperative, therefore, that you keep your tasks up to date.

Using your personal home page to locate your tasks quickly and easily

You can tailor your personal home page to display specific groups of change requests. Some of these will provide you with direct access to tasks (actions) awaiting your input.

The following gadgets display change requests at the planning or implementation stage of the processing cycle. They are provided for you to add to your home page as Representations (Modules = Change Control, Categories = No category):

• Change requests to plan
  This gadget shows all change requests awaiting, or currently in planning, where your Sage X3 user code matches the assigned planner (project manager).

• Plan
  This gadget shows all active change requests at the planning or implementation stage of the processing cycle.

• Plans to action
  This gadget shows all change requests where your Sage X3 user code matches an actioner assigned to an incomplete task (action) on an associated plan.

Each gadget displays a spot view of the selected (filtered) data at the point you run it. You can use the standard Sage X3 query functionality to manipulate the results in the gadget until it displays the results you require.

You can access the plan associated with the change request directly from the gadget using the standard Sage X3 functionality available on every row.

Stakeholders

As a stakeholder or member of your company's "change board" or steering committee, you can, at any time, access an action plan. An action plan shows you how the objectives for the design or production "change" will be met. You can use it as a mechanism for referencing and managing business risk, and potentially costs.

While the majority of communication would have taken place during your scheduled meetings you can obtain specific information, when you need it, from the plan. Each action plan (the high level Work Breakdown Structure and the detailed implementation plans for the individual commitment types) provides visibility of proposed changes. Each action plan also provides visibility of progress against that plan.

From each plan you can access critical information associated with the specific change request. To access this data use the standard Sage X3 functionality available with individual fields. From the detailed Implementation plans you can open the details of the individual transactions.

If your actioners update their statuses on a "real time" basis the action plan keeps you informed. You can use it when determining the costing estimates, for budgeting and, if necessary, for replanning. It is central to your accountability as a stakeholder.

Prerequisites

  Refer to documentation Implementation

Screen management

• High level
• Detailed Implementation Plans

The High level block is the high level Work Breakdown Structure. This plan defines the approach to be taken to deliver the requirements for the change request.

The summary grid displays the current status of the individual Implementation plans. The entities listed are aligned with the associated Impact analysis.

A plan status can be one of the following: In planning, Being implemented, or Completed. Not applicable is displayed if either of the following conditions apply:

• The associated Impact analysis did not generate any transaction lines.
• The project manager has confirmed that the plan is not required.

High level

This block is the high level Work Breakdown Structure. This plan defines the approach to be taken to meet the approved requirements.

Project managers (Planners)

To build your high level Work Breakdown Structure append the main transaction types (entities) to be delivered with the tasks or actions to be accomplished. Then assign appropriate timeframes and actioners. A complete Work Breakdown Structure should cover the key deliverables, the completion date and all components required to deliver the approved scope.

The actions you can include in your high level Work Breakdown Structure are from a predefined set of values. These have been associated for use within your particular organization with specific entities, or types of transactions. For example, if predefined, you could select that sales orders (entity) are canceled (action) and that purchase orders (entity) are returned to the supplier (action).

You assign the key dates and personnel to oversee delivery of each individual "action". You can also add a comment per action to highlight planning assumptions you have made or constraints you are aware of.

You can broaden the scope of your high level Work Breakdown Structure by including actions for entities associated with your organization. For example, if predefined, you could select a recommendation that customers (entity) needs to be consulted (action). Another action might be that your company's product catalog (entity type "Other" with "Product catalog" in the Comment field) needs to be updated (action). You cannot draw up detailed plans for these entities but by including them in your high level Work Breakdown Structure your action plan will be complete.

 Actions

 You need to exercise caution before setting your high level Work Breakdown Structure as Planning complete. As soon as an actioner sets the status of one of their actions to In progress your high level Work Breakdown Structure will be fixed. You will not be able to append to or delete any of the lines on the plan.

Actioners

Set the status of your assigned action (or task) when you begin the work and again when you complete it. This will populate the Start and End dates and provide visibility to all stakeholders of your progress.

Take note of any comments added by the project manager in the Comments fields. They could highlight assumptions the project manager has made or constraints they are aware of.

Detailed Implementation Plans

This grid displays a summary of the status of the individual implementation plans. Each plan provides a breakdown of all the work to be completed for the individual transaction types to deliver the approved requirements. Each plan can be accessed by simply selecting the appropriate action in the Action panel.

Project managers (Planners)

You create your detailed implementation plans in much the same way as you created your high level Work Breakdown Structure. You select actions to be included in your implementation plan from the same predefined set of values associated with the type of transaction (Sales orders, Sales quotes, purchase orders etc). However, instead of assigning a completion date for the transaction type, you assign individual actions and timeframes to individual transaction lines.

Alternatively you can set a single action, actioner and timeframe as the default for all displayed transaction lines for the selected transaction type. For example, if predefined, you could select the action "Return to supplier" for a single or all purchase order transactions. Another action could be to "Cancel" all sales order transactions or to "Disassemble" individual work order transactions.

Tip: Use the Assign to all lines functionality where a common process (action) is carried out on a majority of transactions for a selected transaction type. For the few transaction lines where a different action is required to deliver the approved scope you can then change the common (default) action. For example, in the event of a product change the majority of purchase orders (transaction type) are returned to the supplier (action). Purchase orders raised the previous working day, the minority of orders are, however, cancelled (action). For this scenario you could apply the default "Return to supplier" action. You could then use the Quick edit to change each order raised the previous working day to the "Cancel" action.

You assign key dates and personnel to deliver each individual "action". You can also add a comment per action. Use this to state assumptions you have made, or constraints you are aware of that might limit or affect progress or completion of that task.

 Actions

 Once you set your implementation plan as Planning complete your plan is validated. All transaction lines for which an action has been defined need to have been assigned a completion date and an actioner responsible for delivering the task.

Actioners

Set the status of your assigned action (or task) when you begin the work and again when you complete it. This will populate the Start and End dates and provide visibility to all stakeholders of your progress.

Take note of any comments added by the project manager in the Comments fields. They could highlight assumptions the project manager has made or constraints they are aware of.

Action panel

• Edit
• Return to request
• List of change requests

 A change request needs to be at In planning status to create or change a plan.

Edit

Project managers (Planners): Select the Edit action to do the following: Create or add tasks to a high level Work Breakdown Structure Set your high level Work Breakdown Structure as Planning complete. This informs the "actioners" and stakeholders that the plan is complete and ready to implement. Actioners: Select the Edit action to update the status of the tasks assigned to you.  The Edit action is only displayed when the following conditions are met: This change request is at In planning or Being implemented status. You are logged in either as the current planner for this change request or an actioner assigned to this change request.

Return to request

Select the Return to request action to display the business case for this change request, that is, the full details of the change request itself.

List of change requests

Select the List of change requests action to return to the full list of change requests in the database.

The following actions display the list of commitments for the selected commitment type that have one or more open lines for the following:

• The product, or the specific version (that is, the major or the minor version) of the product on this change request.
• Where the product version has been specified, those commitments where the version of the product has not been specified, that is, the major/minor version is blank.
• An assembly associated with the product, or the specific version or revision of the product on this change request. This includes lines where the product or product version on this change request is a component or subassembly of a bill of materials (BOM). All commercial (sales), production (manufacturing) and subcontract BOMs are included.

Select the required action to do the following:

• Project managers (Planners):
• Create or add tasks to a detailed implementation plan.
• Set your detailed implementation plan as Planning complete to inform others that the plan is complete and ready for implementing.
• Actioners: Update the status of the tasks assigned to you.

 The individual transaction lines for each commitment type are generated when the impact analysis for this change is run. To repopulate the transaction lines with new snapshot, dynamic data you need to update the impact analysis. To display the updated lines you need to select the standard browser Refresh (F5).

Where there are variations, this is explained below with the action.

• Sales orders
• Sales quotes
• Purchase orders
• Purchase requests
• Work orders
• Sub contract orders
• Demand forecasts
• Stock
• BOMs
• Routing

Sales orders

Sales quotes

Purchase orders

Purchase requests

Work orders

Sub contract orders

Demand forecasts

The list displayed does not segregate those forecasts that are for a specific version (major or minor version) of the product.

Stock

BOMs

This action displays a list of assemblies and subassemblies that are associated with the product on this change request. All commercial (sales), production (manufacturing) and subcontract BOMs are included. The sales BOMs are those used on sales orders. The production BOMs are those used in cost calculations, work order management, Material Requirements Planning (MRP) and the Master Production Schedule (MPS). The subcontract BOMs are those used on subcontract orders, in cost calculations, MRP and the MPS.

Routing

This action displays the list of routes (the sequence of operations, materials and tools required to produce or process a product) that are associated with the following: The product on this change request. An assembly (BOM) associated with the product on this change request. This includes lines where the product on this change request is a component or subassembly put together using a route and the bill of material.  The list displayed does not segregate those routes that are for a specific version (major or minor version) of the product.

The following actions are available from the commitment type selected above.

• Edit
• Return to plan
• Return to request

Edit

Project managers (Planners): Select the Edit action to do the following: Set a single action, actioner and timeframe as the default for all displayed transaction lines for the selected transaction type Set your detailed implementation plan as Planning complete. This informs the "actioners" and stakeholders that this plan is complete and ready to implement.  Actioners: You need to select the Quick edit icon on the individual lines to update the status of the tasks assigned to you.

Return to plan

Select the Return to plan action to redisplay the high level Work Breakdown Structure and detailed plan status summary for this change request. You can access the detailed implementation plan for a different transaction type after you have selected this action.

Return to request

Select the Return to request action to display the business case for this change request, that is, the full details of the change request itself.

Error messages

• Generic messages

In addition to the generic error messages, the following messages can appear during the entry :

You do not have permission to add or delete lines

You can only add lines or delete lines from this plan if you are logged in as the current planner for this change request.

You cannot add or delete lines when the Plan status is 'Implement'

You can only add lines or delete lines from this plan when the plan status is In planning.

To revert this plan to In planning status from Being implemented status you need to clear the Planning complete checkbox.

You can only clear the Planning complete checkbox when all assigned tasks are at Pending status. Tasks at In progress status can be reverted to Pending status; completed tasks, that is a task at Completed status, cannot be changed. If any tasks have been completed you cannot clear this checkbox.

You can only clear the Planning complete checkbox if you are logged in as the current planner for this change request.

The Entity field must contain a value

You cannot leave the Entity field blank.

The Description field must contain a value

You cannot leave the Description field blank.

Lines with an Action ID must have an Actioner and Complete by date

A complete plan has an action or task, an actioner and the date by which the associated task needs to be completed on each line. You cannot add a partially complete line to this plan. 

To select the 'Planning complete' checkbox all lines in plan must have an Action ID, an Actioner and a Complete by date

You can only select this checkbox if this particular plan for this change request has been completed in full. A complete plan has an action or task, an actioner and the date by which the associated task needs to be completed on each line.

Some lines do not have actions defined

A complete plan has an action or task, an actioner and the date by which the associated task needs to be completed on each line. You have left some lines in this plan blank.

[User] ( [User name] ) is not authorized for [Entity] for site [Change request Site]

Permission to edit this plan is controlled through your user profile. If your user profile has administrator rights you will have unrestricted visibility and access to the plans otherwise access will be restricted by site. Check the level of access provided for your user profile as it could have site restrictions against it.

Tables used

  Refer to documentation Implementation