Use this function to match (or link) business processes with specific types of business transactions. The resulting matched, or linked, business process plus transaction type is given the general term 'Action'. Each 'action' should reflect a 'process' commonly carried out within your organization. 

Actions are used with the Sage X3 Quality management functionality:

  • The Change control functionality uses 'Actions' in the preparation and delivery of controlled and audited design and production 'changes'.
  • The Non-conformance functionality uses 'Actions' in the preparation and delivery of controlled and audited corrective or preventive actions against 'deviations'.

'Actions' effectively become the 'what' and 'how' of quality management planning schedules guiding implementation of a design or production 'change', or corrective or preventive actions. They are the tasks carried out by specialist teams or key personnel on specific types of transactions. The 'what' are the transaction types to be delivered; the 'how' the tasks (actions) to be accomplished.

For example, if your company returns faulty purchased components a business process associated with returns could be 'Return to supplier' and a type of business transaction, 'Purchase orders'. To manage a non-conformity you will need to create a linked 'action' between 'Return to supplier' (business process/action) and 'Purchase orders' (transaction type). Each linked 'action' is identified by a unique code that you define. This gives you complete control and flexibility over your identification codes. Other examples associated with the faulty components could be to link 'Modify' (action) with 'BOMs' (transaction type), 'Close' (action) with sales 'Quotes' (transaction type) and 'Consult' (action) with 'Customers' (transaction type).

Your system is supplied with a predefined list of actions (business processes) relevant to non-conformance in Miscellaneous table 806 - Actions commonly used by businesses in the distribution and manufacturing sectors. A predefined list of relevant transaction types is provided in Miscellaneous table 807 - Transaction type. You should review the lists in these Miscellaneous tables and add to them if necessary before creating your linked 'actions'. The lists should reflect 'processes' common to preventing or correcting non-conformances in your particular business.

Planners (project managers) will append individual Action codes to their planning schedules (Action plans) to deliver a requested 'change'.

 

To link multiple descriptions or processes with a single transaction type you simply assign a unique code to each linked transaction type plus action.

Example

Your organization frequently sends products through the postal system. It is imperative, therefore, that any product packaging is strong and secure. Your customers, however, regularly return goods damaged as a result of defective packaging.

Your warehouse manager examines some of the returned defective packages. If they conclude the design of the packaging is at fault they would raise a change request to review the design used. In the event that your company’s 'change board' approve a redesigned format an Action plan will have to be put together to deliver the 'change'. If, however, they conclude that the adhesive, for example, has not been applied correctly they would initiate an incidence of non-conformance. If Quality assurance confirm the inadequate application of adhesive a corrective and preventive Action plan will have to be put together to correct the issue.

For this scenario you might consider creating an 'action' that links a task or process such as 'delay' with the transaction type 'Demand forecasts'. This would enable the planner (project manager) to include an action in the plan to hold or delay shipments until the new strengthened packaging is available. If your company returns faulty components to the supplier you could create an 'action' that links the Transaction type 'Purchase orders' with the Action 'Return to supplier'.

Here are examples of suggested 'actions' for managing non-conformances:

  • Match the transaction type 'Purchase orders' with the action (business process) 'Return to supplier’;
  • Also match the transaction type 'Purchase orders' with the action 'Cancel';
  • Match the transaction type 'BOMs' with the action 'Change';
  • Also match the transaction type 'BOMs' with the action 'Scrap';
  • Match the transaction type 'Purchase requests' with the action 'Block';
  • Also match the transaction type 'Purchase requests' with the action 'Delay';
  • Match the transaction type 'Demand forecasts' with the action 'Delete lines'.

You could consider creating 'catch-all' or 'include-all' actions. For example, you could match the description 'Block' with a transaction type 'All'. These associations would give project managers unlimited or unrestricted scope in terms of your business setup or your business activities for their planning schedules.

 Change control management planning (Change Control > Change Control > Plan)

 Non-conformance management planning (Non-conformances > Non-conformance management > Action plans)

Prerequisites

SEEREFERTTO Refer to documentation Implementation

Screen management

The Non-conformance Actions function contains a single screen for creating and managing 'actions'.

Entry screen

You use this screen to match (or link) business processes commonly carried out within your organization with specific types of business transactions. The resulting matched, or linked business process (action) plus transaction type is identified by a unique code which you assign manually. This gives you complete control and flexibility over your identification codes. The code is used in Non-conformance Action plans.

You can link multiple actions (processes) with a single transaction type. You must assign each linked transaction type plus action a unique code.

 

Action code (field ACTIONID)

Use this field to identify this 'action'. Type in a value which must be unique.

'Action' is the general term given to a business process that has been matched, or linked with a specific type of business transaction. Planners (project managers) will append individual action codes to their planning schedules to deliver a requested preventive or corrective 'change'.
Action (field TRANACTION)

Use this field to identify a standard business process which is commonly carried out in your organization for a specific type of transaction. For example, if your company disassembles faulty products to reuse the component parts, you could select a value 'Disassemble'.

To be available for a Non-conformance management Action plan you must match, or link an action (business process) with a type of transaction, for example, you could link your value 'Disassemble' with the transaction type 'BOMs'. The resulting matched, or linked, business process plus transaction type is given the general term 'Action'. Each 'Action' should reflect a 'process' commonly carried out within your organization.

The list of actions (business processes) is defined in Miscellaneous table 806 - Actions.
Transaction type (field TRANTYPE)

Use this field to identify a type of business transaction which is commonly carried out in your organization. For example, if your company returns faulty purchased goods to the supplier select the value 'Purchase orders'.

Transaction types are used with Non-conformances that need Approvers (reviewers) input.

Transaction types are also used with Non-conformance management Action plans. To be available for an Action plan you must match, or link a transaction type with an action (business process), for example, you could link the value 'Purchase orders' with a 'returns' action such as 'Return to supplier'. The resulting matched, or linked, business process plus transaction type is given the general term 'Action'. Each 'Action' should reflect a 'process' commonly carried out within your organization.

The list of transaction types is defined in Miscellaneous table 807 - Transaction type.

Error messages

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

Field error

The value you have entered in the field does not exist in the Miscellaneous table associated with the field. Either enter a different value or add the record you require to the Miscellaneous table (Miscellaneous table 806 - Actions or Miscellaneous table 807 - Transaction type).

X3 application error

The Action (field TRANACTION) and Transaction type (field TRANTYPE) are already linked under a different code (field ACTIONID). You cannot duplicate linked business processes (actions) and transaction types under different codes.

Tables used

SEEREFERTTO Refer to documentation Implementation