Synchronization Cycle

The synchronization data cycle is related to the delivery requests maintenance daily cycle:  shipping proposal, shipping list, advance/backorder carried forward.

Offset Releases - Dates

An offset release corresponds to the quantity to be shipped on a specific date.  A delivery request release expressed in quantity/date becomes an offset release.  However, a release specified in quantity/period gives several offset releases corresponding to the possible delivery dates, each of them representing a part of the quantity to deliver.  Each offset release is associated with a shipping date calculated by subtracting from the delivery date, the transportation lead time and any picking lead time indicated in days on the endorsement.  This becomes the latest shipping date to meet the delivery date.

The offset releases are either confirmed or planned.  They are generated by the splitting/offsetting process that is part of the Synchro daily batch process.   (See the Splitting and Offsetting Key Concept in this overview for more information.) When a delivery request is overridden by a more recent one, the corresponding offset releases are overridden and replaced in this process, their status is then closed.

Offset Release Due in Preparation

During the Synchro daily batch process, an offset release whose preparation date is reached leads to a shipping proposal line (if its nature is type 0, 1, 2, or 3 - confirmed, VDA immediate release, or planned with an endorsement mentioning Y in the ship/planned).  If both the preparation date and the ship date has not yet been reached, the status of the offset release is B (blocked).  Once an offset release has changed from open status to blocked status, the corresponding delivery request release cannot be changed.  If the preparation date and the ship date are equal, thus creating a preparation lead time of zero, the status of the offset release is C (closed).

The shipping proposal is associated with three dates coming from the offset release, which are preparation date, ship date, and delivery date.  The shipping proposal is then generated and printed from its preparation start date and the items must be shipped at its shipping date.

Offset Release Due Upon Shipment - Cumulative Quantity Due Shipped

When the shipping date of an offset release is reached during a batch process, it is due in shipment.  It means that the corresponding quantity must be shipped during the day if it is confirmed, VDA immediate release, or if it is planned with a ship/planned authorization (specified on the endorsement).  In this case, it is already displayed on a shipping proposal.

The offset release has a status of C (closed) and its quantity is added to the Cumulative Quantity Due shipped at the end of the day for the relationship.  This cumulative quantity is to a cumulative value to be reached at the end of the day.  It will be reached by the cumulative quantity shipped if the shipping proposal is fully shipped at its shipping date.  This field acts as a running total of how many items have been requested by a customer for this specific item/delivery point.

If the preparation lead time is 0 (defined on the Endorsement File, GA120M3), the preparation date is equal to the shipping date.  In this case, the offset release changes from an open status to a closed status, and is simultaneously due in preparation and shipment.

Shipment Left to be Shipped for the Day

When a shipping list associated with a shipping proposal is shipped, the quantity shipped is added to the cumulative quantity shipped for the item/delivery point relationship.  If the quantity of the offset release is met, this quantity will reach the cumulative quantity shipped at the end of the day.  The difference is what is left to be shipped for the relationship.  If this number is negative, there is a delivery advance, meaning you have sent your customer more than they have requested.  This may happen if delivery rounding rules apply to a shipment.  Delivery rounding rules are specified on the endorsement.

Out of Date Shipping Proposal:  Locked/Forwarded Shipments Advance/Backorder

When the shipping date of a shipping proposal has passed during the daily batch process, it undergoes the locking/forwarding process.  The system summarizes the quantity shipped on the shipping lists associated with the shipping proposal in comparison with the quantity resulting from the shipping proposal.  The balance (quantity shipped minus resulting quantity) is a delivery advance/backorder for the item/delivery point relationship which will be added or subtracted to the next shipment.  This shipment advance/backorder is added to the advance/carry that will be forwarded later.

The shipping proposal and the shipping list is locked to avoid any further shipments.  The advance/backorder will be forwarded to the next day.

Exceptional Shipment

An exceptional shipment corresponds to a shipping proposal with a zero resulting quantity.  Any quantity shipped will therefore, be added to the advance during the locked/forwarded process.

Forwarding of Advance/Backorder

The shipping proposal generation program which processes the due offset releases takes into account the value of the advance/backorder calculated by the locked/forwarded program:

Negative (backorder):   See the Synchro Daily Batch Process Key Concept
Positive (advance):   See the Synchro Daily Batch Process Key Concept 

Advance/Carry

This field, displayed on the Synchronization Data Maintenance Screen, corresponds to a delivery advance/carry noticed by the system during the last daily batch process. 

Packaging Rounding

If the code is set to yes, the system rounds up the shipping proposal quantity to be shipped to the upper packaging unit.  If the shipping proposals are met, the relationship will display an advance between zero and what the packaging unit capacity is.