Summary: ERP Connector Questions

BrianToussaint · ‎Jun 09, 2011

Here is a summary of the what I have found so far. Thank you to all who have responded.

Not every attribute in ERP needs to be in Windchill. You do need to have a strategy and the programming behind the import to ERP. A lot depends on how your ERP system handles things. Like with Dynamics, it does not have revision control on the part level, only BOMs and then it is still strange.

From how few the replies were, I am gathering that not a lot of people are actually doing this much. In fact I only got two replies that people were actually using this. I wonder if the ones who actually take data from Windchill to an ERP system are using the ESI software. Downside to that is the $$$ and there is not one for Dynamics yet. I've had a lot of contacts about creating one for us, but that isn't the route we are heading.

I sort of feel like this is something that is built up as a solution, but it is kind of unchartered waters as far as application. I know that on the Dynamics side it is and that the Dynamics folks are not being all that cooperative.

Sincerely,

Brian Toussaint
CAD Administrator

Hoshizaki America, Inc.
"A Superior Degree Of Reliability"
618 Hwy. 74 S., Peachtree City, GA 30269

avillanueva · ‎Jun 09, 2011

I just was introduced to this company as far as integrations from
PDMLink to SAP. Has anyone used them or their product? How does this
compare to WindchillESI?

achukwuka · ‎Jun 10, 2011

For us, our choice of middleware is Message Broker, we were using WBI, but made the switch about a year and half ago.

Alexius C. Chukwuka
IT Analyst, Global SAP Basis - TCM
Deere & Company World Headquarters
400 19th St, Moline, IL 61265

ldutoit · ‎Oct 08, 2014

Hi guys came accross this thread.

We're currently using an inexpensive Excel template file with lots of VB code methods behind it to handle ERP/MRP BOM updates. Our ERP system is so ancient I don't even think it can be called an ERP system.We use IBM AS400 Mapix system for MRP(Green Screen). Even though it is ancient basic principles still remain: Parts need to be Added, Deleted and part quantities needs to change according to specific effectivity dates on BOM that drive MRP.

Basically the input to the Excel Template file is a .csv format WT part BOM(modified to suit with MPM Link ,with neccesary attributes) set to appropriate configured effectivity date filter and the other input is a .csv format current active(planning) BOM that runs MRP. The Excel template basically does a comparison between the two BOMs and creates an excel format delta list(BOM Add/Delete/Qty Change list) to update the MRP BOM to reflect WT part BOM changes. The effectivity dates are set on the delta list in excel template file to indicate to MRP when to start planning on new parts. this Delta list can then be uploaded to most ERP system in an excel or .csv format. Whatever attributes carried over from WT parts would be transferred to ERP via Excel Template file to drive ERP. The biggest challenge is to program the Excel template to do Indented BOM comparison. There is some other BOM manipulations we programmed in Excel to get the WT part BOM structured according to MRP requirements. For instance we manipulate the WT part BOM by removing child structure rows in excel for bought-Out components because MRP don't need these child structures for planning purposes. MRP only want leadtime for main bought-out parent numbers.

The biggest challenge was to program Excel template to do indented BOM comparison to generate delta list.

The plan is to go over to SAP ERP system in a few years time so this is an interim solution to get our MRP BOMs to be as acurate as possible. This solution lets the CAD models drive the Engineering BOM which drives the Manufacturing BOM(MPM Link) which drives the MRP BOM.

amedina · ‎Oct 08, 2014

Very interesting conversation. ESI is not very good. It seems like a data
dumping tool. Then your ERP connector picks up the data and sticks it into
SAP or Oracle. I thought it was a goofy way to do it. I mean you never see
for example microsoft software dumping data into a folder for another tool
to pick it up at scheduled times. That said, if the innoface folks are
using something other than ESI then you are introducing possible company
dependencies... Innoface goes belly up, so does your ERP connector. ESI
seems like a more PTC-stable/standard way to get data out of windchill for
ERP.

On Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 12:31 AM, Lourens du Toit <->
wrote:

> Hi guys came accross this thread.
>
> We're currently using an inexpensive Excel template file with lots of VB
> code methods behind it to handle ERP/MRP BOM updates. Our ERP system is so
> ancient I don't even think it can be called an ERP system.We use IBM AS400
> Mapix system for MRP(Green Screen). Even though it is ancient basic
> principles still remain: Parts need to be Added, Deleted and part
> quantities needs to change according to specific effectivity dates on BOM
> that drive MRP.
>
> Basically the input to the Excel Template file is a .csv format WT part
> BOM(modified to suit with MPM Link ,with neccesary attributes) set to
> appropriate configured effectivity date filter and the other input is a
> .csv format current active(planning) BOM that runs MRP. The Excel template
> basically does a comparison between the two BOMs and creates an excel
> format delta list(BOM Add/Delete/Qty Change list) to update the MRP BOM to
> reflect WT part BOM changes. The effectivity dates are set on the delta
> list in excel template file to indicate to MRP when to start planning on
> new parts. this Delta list can then be uploaded to most ERP system in an
> excel or .csv format. Whatever attributes carried over from WT parts would
> be transferred to ERP via Excel Template file to drive ERP. The biggest
> challenge is to program the Excel template to do Indented BOM comparison.
> There is some other BOM manipulations we programmed in Excel to get the WT
> part BOM structured according to MRP requirements. For instance we
> manipulate the WT part BOM by removing child structure rows in excel for
> bought-Out components because MRP don't need these child structures for
> planning purposes. MRP only want leadtime for main bought-out parent
> numbers.
>
> The biggest challenge was to program Excel template to do indented BOM
> comparison to generate delta list.
>
> The plan is to go over to SAP ERP system in a few years time so this is an
> interim solution to get our MRP BOMs to be as acurate as possible. This
> solution lets the CAD models drive the Engineering BOM which drives the
> Manufacturing BOM(MPM Link) which drives the MRP BOM.
>

Gandhavalla · ‎Nov 03, 2014

Hi

See below, it may helps you..

Published on Oct 10, 2014

WEBridge 4 SAP R 4 on 10/10 of 2014 from Gandhavalla Informatics Pvt Ltd.
Windchill and SAP Integration.

http://youtu.be/0n6d7F7ANI0?list=UUcYtM-RIBom3wAp2ZaijChg

--

warm regards

Sreeni

esisreeni@gainformatics.com