Horizons Manufacturing Suite

Horizons Manufacturing Suite (HMS) is composed of a series of modules that enable manufacturing scalability where one can begin by using the Bill of Materials and Production Entry and scale up in use as situations demand. Add Work in Process, Serial and Lot Number control, Material Requirements Planning, Engineering Change Order and Manufacturing Production Scheduling, Router, Shop Floor Control, and a Product Configurator.

Bill of Materials With Production (BOM)

Bill of Materials with Production (BOM)- including Indented Bill of Materials as well as viewing bills via the Tree View, (like MS Explore), advanced Copy, Replace and Delete capabilities, Phantom BOMs, Standard Labor/Overhead, Actual Time entry, Variances, automatic Sales Orders to Work Orders, and disassembly of completed work orders. Handles both discrete and process manufacturing.

Successful manufacturing activity requires accurate Bills of Material. Accuracy impacts inventory levels, ensures consistent quality, and identifies the profitability of the company’s activities. Horizons Manufacturing Suite (HMS) BOM & Production Entry module provides all the material requirement needs for daily production of small and mid-sized manufacturers operating in batch, mixed mode and discrete environments.

Solve Complex Calculations

• Supports calculation of costs that include a variety of labor and overhead calculations
• Combines calculations for lot sizing, formula scalability, and expected scrap levels
• Provides standard costing, actual costing, and hybrid costing (where there is a mix of actual and standard cost in the production process)

Expand Usability Across Manufacturing Team

• Uses Windows to apply details (e.g. reference designators, defined alternate approved materials, manufacturer part numbers and sequencing for materials) in a single process
• Creates similar bills across a product line with limited effort and expense using copy functionality
• Includes floorstock items for planning and costing purposes while they are consumed in production, not requiring picking or issuing
• Supports phantom sub-assemblies in both the BOM and Production environments
• Increase Ease of Use with Graphical Windows
• Provides tree views of unlimited multi-level BOMs and drag and drop graphical tools for new BOM creation, making the transition to an integrated financial and manufacturing product easier for the user to execute
• Keeps unlimited versions or recipes of each BOM for quality control and regulatory requirements when the tools of this BOM & PE module are combined with the ECO module

Gain Simple Methods to Plan & Prioritize

• Allows users to create work orders by final end quantity or on full or partial batch multipliers
• Calculates finish dates for production with start dates, offset from customer ship dates to allow for package prep and ship
• Automates the planning and purchasing of materials with these dates using the MRP module later
• Applies all charges of production, including non-material costs (eg. out source services, labor, overhead), to the work order to ensure accurate total costs Meet Demands of Highly Flexible Environments
• Allows users to easily add, change or delete the components required for any work order where changes are frequent
• Completes work orders on a full or partial basis using backflushing processes
• Marks to automatically return over-issued or non-consumed materials to their point of issue
• Reduces transaction steps necessary for accurate inventory and financial control by allowing disposal of rejected parents and component items from within a work order
• Identifies and returns by-products to stock while scrap values can be expensed to produced items or expense accounts
• Creates multiple work order types including reverse (multiple end items from limited components) and custom

Keep Transaction Costs Low Using Multiple Tools

• Setups on a per item basis guide the system to initiate new work orders as a result of Sales Order entry
• Generates and combines new work orders on a single work order to specifically match a sales order and line number of quantities for multiple orders of the same item
• Determines the current status of production using work order headers containing user defined codes to help customer service and sales
• Distributes finished goods to multiple locations during work order close processes,reducing the need for additional inventory transfer activities
• Combines multiple work orders in a single batch to improve efficiency of material picking and issuing activities for end of process closing or to tie them to a single job

Configurator

hZ Configurator from Horizons International, Inc. functions with the Microsoft Dynamics GP^® accounting software system. hZ Configurator has the same look and feel as the Dynamics GP product as both are written in the same Dexterity® language.

hZ Configurator is designed to link to the Sales Order, Purchase Order and Inventory modules (for the distribution industry) and Horizons Manufacturing Suite (HMS) (for the make-to-order manufacturers).

Customize the make-up of sales items and manufactured items to meet client expectations with this highly flexible program. Features include:

• Create Kits for Sales Orders, Bills of Material for Horizons Manufacturing Suite (HMS), Work Orders for HMS; any combination at the same time.
• Rules based Dependencies and Exclusions (Constraints) create system driven paths along which selections are made.
• Minimum/Maximum quantities
• Use the hZ Configurator to Quote prices to customers.
• The hZ Configurator uses a graphical Tree view format for maximum ease of use.
• Items are selected with a simple double click.
• Include total manufacturing costs so appropriate price quotes can be made to the customer.
• Various Pricing methods for quoting and estimating.

The Unit price of the Sales Order item can be List Price plus options or plus items selected from the hZ Configurator, a roll-up of selected items only, or a markup of the rolled-up cost per customer or customer class.

For the Distribution industry: Procedure can be as simple as producing a price for quoting a configuration on a stock sales item, or as powerful as creating a kit or pulling in a preset kit components and auto-creating a vendor’s purchase order. Additionally, an entire non-inventory database can be set up and used for auto creation of purchase orders.

hZ Configurator Highlights:

Companies that assemble or make to order custom items will enjoy tremendous cost savings from the efficiencies and ease of use of hZ Configurator. This tool can be used for quoting, estimating, sales order item specification, bills of materials and work order creation in the Dynamics GP environment.

As a rules and options based tool, the functionality in Configurator helps businesses reduce specification errors by providing a standardized process for product definition. Cost and overhead associated with communicating precise specifications to assembly and shipping areas are reduced with the elimination of duplicate entry into multiple systems as there is complete integration with Purchasing, Routing and Shop Floor Functions. Unique needs for special orders can be cost-effectively handled with the creation of a database of non-inventory items for one-off or single-use applications. Pricing based on items, customers, or expected costs can be calculated and reviewed quickly as specification details change to provide quick, accurate responses to customers and improve service levels. Accurate materials needs, cost collection and performance planning can be achieved by deploying hZ Configurator with our complete set of manufacturing modules.

Control Pricing & Sales Configurations

• Set restrictions and functions for consistent item selections and pricing configurations
• Avoid mistakes or forgotten order elements
• Follow a standardized process for quoting, order transfer and invoicing
• Easily create and maintain purchase orders specific to each sales order
• Manage quotes, changes to products, and purchasing of assembled products from one window
• See all costs and sales prices adjusted as selections are made
• Use configurations repeatedly

Improve Efficiency of Estimating and Quoting Processes

• Specific instructions can be printed or attached to ensure accurate direction of shop floor or shipping personnel without the need for duplicate entry in multiple systems
• Provide multiple estimates for adjusted run rates with EBQ (economic build quantity)
• Quickly compare plan to actual performance upon job

Integrates With Horizons Manufacturing Suite

• Create Bills of Materials and/or Work Orders and Routings that are tied directly to the Sales Order
• Estimate non materials costs and times prior to order release and effectively manage customer delivery expectations
• Plan materials and capacity needs with MRP and Shop Floor Scheduling to improve cash flow and utilization
• Collect and record actual production costs for use in future pricing strategies

Engineering Change Order

The Horizons Engineering Change Order module, available for both Dynamics GP Standard and Professional, allows the end user to effectively manage and track version level changes to Bills of Material and components, including item content changes, quantity changes and approved alternates.

The seamless integration of this module with the Horizons Manufacturing Suite (HMS) products and Microsoft Business Solutions Dynamics GP provides unparalleled control of change request events, Bill of Material changes and component level version control for small and mid-market manufacturers and distributors in fully or semi-regulated industries.

Organizations in life science, high tech engineering and other regulated industries such as food or medical device distribution will find that the ECO tools deep integration with the manufacturing process in production entry and both bill of material and item set up provides significant support for improved documentation and compliance control.

Use Helpful Processes & Process Management Tools

• Identify designated approvers for all change actions
• Define target effectivity dates for proposed changes
• Provide easy access to historical revision information for production and customer support personnel
• Identify existing material use-up methods
• Perform mass updates for find and replace needs
• Comment tracking on a per approver basis as the change request documents process through your work flow
• Efficiently and accurately meet needs to build to existing or prior versions
• Identify existing material and vendor disposition methods with approved codes

Gain Product Life Cycle Management Tools

• Use version indexing to identify pre-production and released-to-production status
• Enhance ease of use for communicating needs and specifications with document attachment and unlimited note fields
• Support tracking historical events with change logs that have user identification and relevant dates in lookup windows and reports

HQMS

The Horizons Quality Management System module from Horizons International is designed to support manufacturers in collecting and measuring their quality performance data throughout their manufacturing operations so that it is accessible for analysis and reporting in a timely manner.

Materials and environmental data values can be defined and recorded, ensuring that this module serves the complete needs of the manufacturing quality process from purchase materials receipts through customer returned materials and all levels of manufacturing activity. Data is recorded against a defined test id which can be multi-valued if a data value is required for each item. The tests can also be applied on a sample size or total pass/fail basis. Multiple tests can be linked for a single inspection event, creating greater levels of efficiency and reducing data setup and management costs. Acceptable test results are based on item criteria rules that are version controlled to support process improvement goals.

Data is maintained in the SQL database allowing users to continue to report and analyze performance with existing tools, including excel, ensuring that data is concurrently available to all members of the quality and manufacturing team. Full audit trail functionality supports traceability and changes.

• Reduce compliance costs by quickly recording test values for environmental requirements (temperature, moisture content, etc.) or for products (height, weight, silicon %, etc.) during your manufacturing process.
• Efficiently manage QA processes with tests linked to items, processes or places in your manufacturing environment.
• Achieve faster process improvements by monitoring corrective action based on real time recording of data.
• Minimize overhead costs of quality by reusing test instructions while defining item specific conformance requirements.
• More rapidly meet and manage customer specifications for quality with version control of acceptable item criteria.
• Cost effectively improve accuracy and reach of traceability by attaching batch control numbers to serial numbers for lot processes.
• Support cost optimization in blending processes with expanded lot attributes.
• Reduce user licensing with .Net application that helps make everyone a member of the Quality Team.
• Reduce cost of providing customer related Quality data by eliminating need to transcribe and update values from paper records.

Item Pricing Matrix

Item Price Matrix (IPM) is an advanced pricing schedule system for Microsoft Dynamics GP Sales Order Processing, designed to enhance the current pricing schedule.

IPM will benefit companies that need the ability to base pricing on combinations of criteria, not just simple items and price levels.

IPM provides enhanced pricing methods such as volume pricing based on quantity, weight or dollars; contract pricing; and promotional pricing.

IPM will improve the accuracy and flexibility of pricing for any sales organization that needs advanced pricing capability beyond what is offered in Microsoft Dynamics GP or Advanced Pricing.

Import or Mass Create Flexible Pricing for Sales Order Processing

• Fourteen price assignment types
• Nine discount methods
• Volume pricing capability
• Multiple pricing available for same customer

Manage Pricing With Fewer Errors in Less Time

• Be confident that prices are correct when reviewing and setting prices
• No manual calculating or looking up prices on a spreadsheet

Automatically Calculate Pricing for Many Scenarios

• Calculate a set of prices for customers in a certain zip code or city and another set for a different location
• Give a promotional discount for all customers, or only a select group, based on their quantity volume of a particular product line, on overall sales numbers, or both
• Prepare a promotion ahead of time and have pricing automatically apply and expire
• Put a blanket purchase contract into effect for one or many customers, and notify sales order entry personnel when it has expired
• Apply extra discounts to specific customers when large volumes are ordered at once

In tough competitive selling environments, you need to be flexible and responsive to the market. This usually requires having a number of pricing strategies in place at one time. IPM is designed to give the flexibility to stay ahead of the competition. IPM is tightly integrated with Microsoft Dynamics GP Sales Order Processing and Inventory Control.

Manufacturing Product Schedule (MPS)

Master Production Scheduling (MPS) allows for scheduling based on single items or item ranges, classes or manufacturing groups. This module also features a summarized view of all finished goods at once and quantities affecting them with drill down to detail.

• Graphical format which allows users to see production bottlenecks at a glance
• Schedule can be viewed by any of five predefined or three user-defined time buckets
• Unlimited ýWhat-ifý scenarios which can then be used to update the actual schedule
• Base on the time bucket, drill to forecasts, sales orders or work orders
• Any item may be marked for use in the schedule
• Plant closed dates and holidays may be entered so that these days will not be included in the calculation of the schedule
• Exception notices will be generated whenever changes will affect MPS and MRP.
• An example is cancellation of sales order generated if affecting production.
• Item groups may be established that consist of Parent Item w/sub-assemblies so they may be scheduled at one time

Material Requirements Planning (MRP)

Material Requirements Planning (MRP)- including Purchase Scheduling, Forecasting and Automatic Purchase Orders based on Sales Orders, Forecasting, Reorder Level or Work Orders demand. Auto creation of Subassembly Work Orders and consideration of Sales Orders and Work Orders that are Auto Created.

Horizons Manufacturing Suite MRP module extends the inventory planning and control tools, reports and inquiries that are provided in the Bill of Material/Production Entry module. Manufacturers with multi-level bills of material, long lead time purchase requirements or highly competitive make to stock or make to order environments will benefit from the easy to calculate, easy to access materials needs calculations provided in this MRP process.

Small and mid-sized manufacturers must be nimble and flexible to be competitive. The MRP module within HMS makes it easier than ever.

Use Tools That Keep You Competitive

• Calculate material needs quickly for rush or last minute orders
• Include parent level forecast by item, or by item and customer
• Efficiently launch purchase orders
• Set calculation buckets by item
• Easily switch an item from a make to a buy, or vice versa, on a per item, per need basis
• Manually add unusual or unexpected items for efficiency to the purchase requirements window and then include it in the auto purchase order creation tasks
• Create user defined groupings of items on the fly for efficient work order or purchase order creation
• Restrict tools allow users to select for items for action based on planner/buyer codes, item classes, date ranges, vendors or other action critical issues
• Use Gross Requirements Reporting to identify expected use up and delivery dates
• Detailed documentation for additional review and analysis
• Define materials in locations as available or unavailable to the MRP netting process, protecting customer specific materials or consignment stocks from unplanned use up
• Enable purchasing agents to quickly identify best methods for obtaining critical materials through a variety of vendor selection methods such as least cost and shortest lead time
• Calculate modified MRP calculations based on limited items, work orders only or forecasts to support critical planning needs for key materials or resources

Multi Product Production (MPP)

Multi-product production supports process manufacturers where multiple or single components are run through a processing line which delivers multiple end items or finished products, including waste or by-products. Serial/Lot control for components and end items is available, as are a variety of costing and yield methods. Fill batches functionality allows organizations to set up and run volumes of products with multiple fill sizes, or multiple labeling specifications in a complete batch providing materials issue and serial/lot assignment efficiency such that overall transaction volumes with traditional work order processing methods are significantly reduced.

• Improve efficiency and reduce transaction costs with fewer transactions required to record daily activities
• Calculate yields and cost more accurately
• Move components and end items through high speed production lines more easily
• Include labor, overhead and materials in final cost calculations
• Achieve real time inventory accuracy for quantities and costs
• Integrates with Horizons Quality Management system for QA controls and measurements
• Integrates with Bill of Material to provide material sequencing and routing for blends and recipes
• Use Engineering Change Orders module to track recipe versions and effectivity dates

Router

HMS Router provides costing support for batch, mixed mode and discrete manufacturing allowing the organizing and automating of the production work order into steps. A Router can be linked to a Bill of Material and includes the operations to be performed, their sequence, the various work centers involved, and the standards for setup and run. Additionally material, labor and overhead costs can be back flushed on a step.

Cost Activities More Accurately

• Supports range of calculation methods including per unit, Flat rates, Hours, Minutes, & % values
• Categories include labor, overhead, vendor & miscellaneous for reporting and analysis
• Assign cost center to specific GL Accounts or may default to roll to single activity based accounts

Serial & Lot Control

Serial and Lot control - with the ability to trace components through the parent item.

Throughout the Horizons Manufacturing Suite (HMS) modules, Cradle-to-Grave serial and lot control can be enabled with the use of the Serial/Lot module. Manufacturers in regulated industries striving to find the right balance between control and cost of control will find that the Serial or Lot number tracking per item through unlimited multiple levels of Bills of Material and production is supported with tools to aid entry and selection of the control numbers:

• Counters to support the creation of new numbers at each level of production may be attached to parent items with values that can be changed or modified at the users discretion
• Recommended lots or serial numbers to consume can be prompted by the system for the users confirmation or adjustment
• Rejected items can be removed from the process and tracked for final disposition with password protection for authorized access
• Serial/Lot apply windows disperse selected items across multiple assemblies and printed reports can provide production with specific assembly direction and assignment
• Numbers can be selected or uploaded using bar code readers for efficiency and accuracy of record keeping
• Inquiry and reporting tools identify work orders, sales orders and customers at the point of consumption for control items
• Warranty activities, returns and other verification tasks are simplified with lookup tools
• Serial and lot information is enhanced with a full set of lookup inquiries and reports related to historical production events

Shop Floor Control

Shop Floor Control provides various work center and capacity planning tools. Work order status and capacity required to complete is available from production and sales order drill downs. There will be auto generation of outsourced vendor purchase orders and ability to track outsourced materials with expected return date. Able to move a production along a predetermined routing schedule where material, labor and overhead standard or actual costs are accessed for real time cost roll up to the GL or auto application to WIP GL accounts.

Small and mid-size manufacturing organizations struggle everyday to ship products on time and complete to their customers. Their desire to meet the needs of their customers in a timely and cost effective manner can sometimes allow them to overwhelm their own staff with more work or commitments than the production processes can support. The Shop Floor Control module from Horizons Manufacturing gives these businesses the opportunity to use a low cost, easy maintenance scheduling tool to help them identify bottlenecks, collect real time production data and address rescheduling needs from an easy to use graphical scheduling window.

The Shop Floor Scheduling module supports forward, backward and mid stream scheduling in an infinite capacity model. The user determines the rescheduling needs and adjusts priorities as shop floor constraints and customer requirements change. The visual scheduling tool uses color coded blocks to quickly and clearly identify bottlenecks and available capacity. As production events proceed, time spent, quantities completed or rejected and the status of the order are updated on the shop floor providing sales, customer service and management with detailed performance data. Information to quickly respond to customer requests and to forecast completion performance is easily and accurately available. Constant updating of real time costs provides easy to understand comparison of actual to expected costs, helping to maintain budget priorities and overall job cost control.

Manage Production Activities More Efficiently

• Uses Work Center Load Report to identify by work center, date, order and step required operations with time remaining to complete
• Provides Priority Flag to identify hot orders
• Indicates current status for management and customer information with ýper operationý step status code
• Identifies available hours and work days with Shop Calendar Cost Activities With Greater Accuracy
• Ties operations to cost centers for product costing
• User may apply non-material service costs to relevant work orders from Purchase Orders
• Quickly identifies cost or other performance issues with Production Activity, Production Distribution, and Router Variance reports Easily Collect Activity and Cost Information
• Supports easy data entry with Bar Code Traveler
• Reduces transaction load by focusing Data Collection on a subset of required operations Level Load or Prioritize Activities
• Supports stretching or compressing schedule times with capacity factors
• Easily identifies Wait, Queue, or Move operations for removal or modification of total traveler times
• Maximizes use of shop floor resources per traveler with Add, Delete, or Change operations