The Kanban module is used to manage material flow by expediting part ordering. Unlike forecast scheduling, Kanban relies on replenishment. Customers send and track Kanban signals, which represent that a designated number of parts (standard pack) are required from a particular supplier at a particular Ship To. As parts are consumed, new signals are created and sent.

The Kanban module is tied directly to the existing demand and shipping components. Signals correspond to demand schedules against which suppliers ship.

Kanban Setup

To set up the Kanban process, an administrator user must first turn on the Kanban module in the Customer Profile and set the Kanban parameters.

Next, the Kanban parts must be set up. Kanban part parameters can be established by publishing a Kanban API file or manually through the application. By using the Define Parts option from the Kanban menu tab, you can make any part in the system a Kanban-controlled part and define its Kanban parameters. With this option, you can also manually generate new standard or emergency Kanban signals.

Kanban Views

You can view and track Kanban signals through the Kanban Console. Using the View Console option from the Kanban menu tab, you view signals and manually change signal status, modify the signal parameters, and generate new standard or emergency Kanban signals.

Using the View Parts and Pull Signals option from the Kanban menu tab, you can view signal detail or print bar code labels.

Kanban Cycle and Signal Status

Kanban signals (or pull signals) represent a required quantity to be sent to a specific Ship To by a specific supplier. Through the Kanban process, signals move through a cycle, changing status during different phases. Customers can manually change signal status through the Kanban Console or by sending (importing) a file containing the part information.

1. Created - When a Kanban signal is created, it has a Created status. At this time, a demand release is generated and stored, waiting to be sent to the supplier. You can manually create standard or emergency signals through the Kanban Console as well as through an API file. If you've selected "Auto Replenish Pull Signals" in the Customer Profile, signals are automatically created to replace signals as they are consumed. If "Auto Send Pull Signals" is selected in the Customer Profile, signals are automatically sent immediately after creation, changing the status to At Supplier. You can cancel (delete) Created signals or move them to At Supplier status.
2. At Supplier - After a Kanban signal is created, it is sent to the supplier and the signal status becomes At Supplier, indicating that the request for parts has been sent. When the signal is sent and the signal becomes At Supplier, the corresponding demand release is activated and becomes available for the supplier to ship against. You can cancel (delete) or receive (move to In-House status) At Supplier signals.
3. In-Transit - When a supplier ships against a signal's demand, the signal status becomes In-Transit, indicating that the parts represented by the signal are on the way to the customer location. You can manually receive (move to In-House status) In-Transit signals.
4. In-House - When a shipment against a Kanban signal is received, the status becomes In-House, indicating that the parts represented by the signal are at the customer location. A shipment is received when a receipt is sent that corresponds to the shipment or when you change the signal status to In-House. You can consume In-House signals.
5. Consumed - When you have used the parts represented by the signal during production, you can move the signal status to Consumed. If "Auto Replenish Pull Signals" is selected in the Customer Profile, the consumed signal is automatically archived and a new signal is created. If AutoReplenish is not selected, the signal remains in the Consumed status until you create a new signal.
6. Archived - When a Consumed signal is replaced by a newly created signal, the Consumed signal moves to an Archived status. Archived signals represent a signal history where you can track older signals and shipments. Signals remain in the Archived status for the number of days specified in the Customer Profile.