Mass Update within Assembly Planner
Mass Update is one of the most powerful tools for altering large amounts of data quickly within Assembly Planner (the other being the Import-Module). In contrast to importing, the focus of Mass Update is using the existing fields as benchmarks in order to make massive changes where a certain criterion is met.
The idea is simple, using Assembly Planner’s standard advanced search form, a user can select a subset of data within their process data (routing/operation/activity/consumption) or within their Item/BOM data; then update, add or remove data within that selection. These updates can be saved, reopened, and edited over time to create a kind of ‘bank’ of standard updates.
For example, during the new model release, users may be required to change the Model/option mapping of all processes to include the new model. It may be the exact same model functionally, but within the orders system, it has to change with the year.
In that case, users have a few options; using our autobuild feature, manually updating each activity, or using Mass Update. Obviously, the manual approach is not very desirable, and autobuild is not possible for all users depending on the configuration of the system. Mass Update is always available.
I do this type of change a few times a year, so I would go into the Mass Update module to find my existing update for Activity Model Mapping.
I then make my selection using the Advanced Search form. In this example I am looking in my Routing for any activity that has my old Model, adding them to the list of Activities to be changed.
From there I simply set up my update statement, in this case, I want to add a model where I find another.
Once I hit run, the application will scan the database for anything you selected in the search, find any instances of the ‘Existing’ criteria, and apply the change. These changes can be stacked and run in order; adding, replacing, and removing things all in one selection and execution. Once complete, I would review the change in the relevant module … Activity in this case … and check-in my changes.
Another common use of Mass Update is to make changes to the mBOM at a low level across the database. For example, if I have switched suppliers for most of my bolts and washers, I need to change the part numbers within a lot of my mBOMs. Rather than go through each and make the change, I can specify the old number and the new, marking the date that I plan to switch over.
At the time of running this update, the application will again scan my selection, find all instances of the old part numbers, and replace them with the new as of the 9/17 date selected. This same process can be done for the Process Consumption and Resource requirements within the activities, taking hours and hours of manual work, finding and updating the necessary entities, and making it a few standard updates that take seconds to run.
Users are encouraged to use Mass Update whenever there is a change to a field, process, or property that can be logically searched for and ultimately changed. There are obviously changes that cannot be done in a logical way, but for the most part, anything a user would do in the system manually can be programmed in an update. The only real question is, is it worth the time to set up the update.
If there is a single part that is moving from one station to another, it probably isn’t worth it. However, in a case where the company has decided to change all instances of the word ‘torque’ to ‘tighten,’ it is probably worth doing the update.
Adding models/options, changing screws and washers, flipping true/false flags, changing a time standard or multiplier; all of these could be done using an update rather than going in manually, saving time and hopefully improving the accuracy of the data.
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