JobLink-SQL Custom Import Details

A standard part of creating a 'Custom Import', is to line up your fields, match definitions, adjust data where required, in order that your data is adjusted and formatted according to guarantee a smooth import of your data. We strongly suggest that the client work with us, and use the SQL Server Data Transformation Utility(DTS), which is intended exactly for the purpose of linking to SQL or any other ODBC compliant database connection.  DTS includes a wizard, which can line up tables and fields in your host ERP system, and allow data to be flowing successfully into JobTime very efficiently.  From another SQL database it can be within minutes, and from other database platforms, such as Pervasive, DB2, or Oracle, initial data is typically flowing successfully within 1 or 2 days. 

Our JobLink-SQL process includes a standard battery of validation tests, to help us see where your host data may use rules and conventions that those required in the JobTime database.   Our validation work tests and isolates records in a 'quarantine', which you can see in reports, and take corrective action where needed in your host data system. 

Typically, the entire process of our JobLink-SQL project will result in a thorough (and often long postponed) database cleanup project to improve consistency and validity of entries in the client's database.  For example, we find cases where work orders might have been entered into your ERP system with missing or even illogical due-dates, such at 20 years in the past or future. These are often due to inadvertent data entry, which the host ERP system was not programmed to validate. 

Other consistency issues occur if your ERP sends JobTime a work-order with missing work order number, zero quantity, any operation-steps which are not assigned to a valid work-center, or any operations that  require secondary resources which are not yet defined.   JobTime supports and requires a high level of consistent referential integrity in its database, in order to be able to schedule accurately.  As you might expect, JobTime5's database internal consistency requirements need to be stronger in the area of scheduling needs than most of ERP host systems we have encountered.

The time required to implement the Custom Import is caused mostly by data cleanup issues in the client's  Host ERP system.  But in additional cases, the client typically finds that one or more of JobTime's best scheduling features require data, which your ERP host system simply does not contain.  In these cases, we negotiate a 'default populating rule' with your approval. Such populating rules are added to your import, and therefore make your import unique, customized to your own company.   I

In some cases, if we discover that an specific data table is needed in the import, in order to correctly populate the JobTime Scheduling fields, then you might also request that we create a utility tool to help you maintain that new data table in your Custom Import Database.

Once you deposit your data in JobTime's Import Database, and it is sufficiently well validated to your satisfaction, then we add your required specifications for custom-data populating logic, or even new  data tables that are unique to your local manufacturing technologies.  These steps assure us that your data will flow automatically and be compatible with the JobTime SQL database, and will create logical schedules that make sense to the shop.  

 

To avoid a prolonged development effort, it is essential to follow standard software development procedures, and therefore, we must initially do a  preliminary analysis of all your known data requirements, and we mutually write specifications and sign off before detailed development of your Custom Import is started.  The development steps to be followed are known by both our JobTime staff and our own scheduling and IT staff.  The specification helps all parties know how much custom work will be included in your Custom Import project, and to track its progress.  

 

During the nearly 25 years JobTime has been creating custom ERP imports, we have found that it is typical for each client may need roughly about a half-dozen specific customized steps. This is apparently due to the uniqueness of every manufacturing company, local policies and your local ERP's database.  

Some of our clients like to use JobTime to make changes in the schedule, by means of our visual Schedule Board.  Users can also make changes in JobTime like changing work-order due-dates or priorities.  When a new snapshot of your data is downloaded from your host system, you probably want the user-defined changes to be preserved. Therefore, the client needs to specify exactly which set of changes in JobTime should be preserved from one download to the next.  This can be an additional implementation requirement which further makes your import into a "Custom Import".

All of the steps mentioned above, will indicate why the 'JobLink-SQL Custom Import' requires more time than simply 1 or 2 days to line up data fields and create a data-flow.  The data connection step, is the easiest part of the Custom Import project. In some cases it can even take just a few hours to see the first data flowing from your ERP system into the JobTime Import database.  But it clearly takes additional time, to deal with customer-specific requirements.  We have seen extremely simply import projects, when the client has exceptionally strong SQL programmers in-house, and only take a single week of effort.  Other projects, where the client does not even have an in-house IT department, have been seen to require about 4 man-weeks of effort, but stretched out over several months. 

Each Custom Import project is unique.  But the information we provide you here, will give you a realistic  idea of the range of implementation effort that will be required, and the factors which affect the Import project.    

JobLink-SQL lets you maintain routings in either your ERP or in JobTime. 

 

Your custom import will normally NOT be impacted by upgrading to the latest version of JobTime5.  The architechture of the JobLink-SQL design, specifically allows you to stay up-to-date with the latest version of JobTime5, which we strongly advise you to follow.  All custom Import changes are restricted to your company-specific Import Database. The standard JobTime5 database is never modified for the sake of your import.  For this reason, you can have unlimited customizations of your import system,  but at the same time you can safely and confidently install new builds of JobTime5 as they are released.

 

We designed our JobLink-SQL Custom Import technique, to give you both import flexibility, but safe stability in progressive upgrades of your standard JobTime5 scheduling system.  This kind of import flexibility is typically found only in major ERP and APS systems with a 6-digit price tag.  But you will pay far less than this for JobTime5 APS system, even including your customized JobTime-SQL Import system.

 

Advanced Levels of JobTime5 let you progressively add and expand your Custom Import, to assure you that your finite capacity shop schedule will continue to be consistent with your ERP Master Schedule. 

 

For example, in Level4, your JobLink-SQL custom import can be extended to import your material pegging allocations of the sources and uses of materials, to assure you that these links will be fully recognized in your JobTIme5 APS scheduling, so that you have both detailed capacity and detailed material availability considered in your scheduling system.  

 

Level4 helps improve the Master Scheduling of your material consumption, because we recognize materials inputs used in each operation step, on the import of your current ERP pegging file.  All material allocations, the sources and uses, are recognized. This will synchronize your material constraints to your capacity constraints, giving you full 'Advanced Planning and Scheduling' capabilities.    

 

As another example, in Level4, our powerful APS capability supports better long-term capacity and material planning, recognizing forecasts, and long-term blanket purchase orders.   It also gives you the ability to revise short-range material delivery dates which will be synchronized to realistic shop order start-dates.   Material usage can even be tied to specific operations within orders. When you see our profiles of materials consumption over time, for any given material inventory buy-item,  then you will get even better control over your material master Scheduling, that the capabilities provided by your ERP system. This is one of the key benefits of JobTime5-Level4.