Purpose of Release Quantity in Q-Info Record

[former_member445197]

Hi All,

I apologise if this is a basic question, but could you please explain the purpose of the 'Release Quantity' field in a Quality Info Record? I understand that it can be used to restrict the quantity of a material ordered from a specific vendor. However, please let me know which business situation (or quality reason) would require such a restriction.

Thanks in advance.

[former_member42743 · Accepted solution]

The main business purpose of this functionality is to support multi-sourcing policies.

For critical materials many companies want to have back up vendors for certain materials. These can be materials that have complicated or at risk transportation routes, materials that have long lead times to produce if a vendor has to start from scratch, materials subject to swings in pricing, materials you can't afford to be without.

Most vendors don't want to be your back up. So most vendors want an assurance or contract that you'll order XXXX qty. You can use the info record to limit your primary vendor amounts to limits that ensure during the specified period you'll be forced to order from the secondary vendor. Or you set the primary vendor to zero quantities allowed until you've met the required amount of purchased qtys from the secondary vendor. Then you reset the primary vendor and purchase from them the rest of the year.

Some places just use the records to monitor the qty's purchase each quarter and make adjustments each quarter so that at the end of the year all contractual qty's are met.

And lastly, some governments, or quality requirements may limit the qty of certain materials you are allowed to purchase. Or on the flip side, be required to purchase.

[former_member445197 · Accepted solution]

Thanks so much, that clears it up for me.

[former_member42743 · Accepted solution]

your welcome..

Another business requirement I forgot about is introducing new materials into a process.

A business might want to bring in a new vendor but don't want to put the mfg process at too much risk by switching over all at once. So the first year, they might set their Q-info records to order 10% new vendor, 90% current vendor

Second year, 30% new vendor, 70% old vendor.

Third year, 70% new vendor 30% old vendor

Fourth year. standard quantities with old vendor now the backup vendor, 90% vs. 10%.

Craig