Oracle JD Edwards Configurator in Practice

A Configurator—it sounds interesting, but maybe also complex. When should you use a Configurator? And once you’ve chosen it, what are the next steps? Implementing a Configurator may seem complicated, but in practice, it’s manageable. In this blog, we share useful tips and steps for a successful implementation.

Is a Configurator right for your company?

As we discussed previously in the blog Choosing Your Production Strategy: To Use a Configurator or Not?, this choice depends on your process. In short, a Configurator is useful when you have a large number of end products resulting from a wide range of predefined options.

When configuring a product, you choose from options where certain choices exclude others. Think of a car: if you choose a convertible, the option for roof racks is no longer available.

Approach for Implementation

Suppose you’ve chosen to implement a Configurator. What are the next steps to maximize its benefits after Go Live?

Start with a questionnaire where each answer leads to one or more options. Then, consider the impact of those answers, such as the bill of materials (BOM) and the routing of the item (labor hours). Document these steps in the JD Edwards Configurator so that orders can be easily entered. After thorough testing, you can set up exclusions to prevent impossible combinations.

For a car, this means you start by asking for the model (e.g., Audi A4), then the body type (e.g., Convertible), followed by engine, transmission, etc. Once these are translated into a BOM and routing steps, the Configurator can be easily used.

To avoid errors, exclude impossible combinations, such as preventing roof racks from being added to a convertible.

Configurator in practice

Recently, I implemented the Configurator for a manufacturer of milk cooling systems. Using the Configurator, there is now a single end product, the “Milk Tank,” which is customized for each order by completing the questionnaire during the order process.

Previously, the company had over a thousand items. If a customer ordered something that had not been created before, a new item number had to be rushed through. The Configurator has greatly simplified this process.

Additionally, the connection between sales and work orders is a major advantage. From a work order, you can always see which customer order the work is being done for, and adjustments to the sales order are directly reflected in the work order.

From complex to simple

If your product has a large number of fixed options, the Configurator offers a solution. It makes order entry easy by guiding you through a series of logical questions that always result in a manufacturable product.

With the Configurator, entering even the most complex product becomes simple and efficient.