We are a manufacturing company based in New Zealand, with distribution and support companies in 7 countries around the world. We are currently on Baan 4c4, with each company operating their own database.

We are about to migrate to Baan 5, and at the same time move to a single-logistics / multi-finance structure. The goal is to provide visibility of inventory, sales orders etc throughout the group. Also to reduce the administration involved in processing sales from the manufacturing company to the sales companies. We will use bilateral invoicing (and possibly triangular) with reference to transfer price lists, and actual costing (MAUC) to enable inventory to be held at appropriate values in the sales companies.

We have proved the key concepts involved to our own satisfaction, but would like to talk to anyone who is already successfully operating a similar environment.

I have set up and worked on 4 multi company groups with Single logistics and Multi finance and a mix of multi Logistics in some instances.

As you probably know by now the enterprise unit set up is a major issue and the DEM modeller set up must be correctl to ensure correct vissibility and financial posting.

The biggest issue will be setting up your shared tables to ensure that you get the cross company vissibility required. Note that sometimes it is easier to decide what the business issues are and to then research wether it is a single logistics compny set up you require, or should you just share warehousing tables for example to see inventory availability. Note that in my experience single logistics requires clearly defined business rules and discipline. Table sharing rather than true single logistics can sometimes provide a better solution.

Other solutions I have set up have involved a shared logistics company where a group of companies are set up but only agreed shared data is vissible in specific warehouses, purchase and sales offices, this can also give more control over who is selling and moving what.

You cab email me at miketollan@aol.com with more specifics.

__________________
Mike Tollan

I have set up and worked on 4 multi company groups with Single logistics and Multi finance and a mix of multi Logistics in some instances.

As you probably know by now the enterprise unit set up is a major issue and the DEM modeller set up must be correctl to ensure correct vissibility and financial posting.

The biggest issue will be setting up your shared tables to ensure that you get the cross company vissibility required. Note that sometimes it is easier to decide what the business issues are and to then research wether it is a single logistics compny set up you require, or should you just share warehousing tables for example to see inventory availability. Note that in my experience single logistics requires clearly defined business rules and discipline. Table sharing rather than true single logistics can sometimes provide a better solution.

Other solutions I have set up have involved a shared logistics company where a group of companies are set up but only agreed shared data is vissible in specific warehouses, purchase and sales offices, this can also give more control over who is selling and moving what.

You can email me at miketollan@aol.com with more specifics.

__________________
Mike Tollan