How to Create Internal Releases
cieTrade's Release Manager and internal release feature helps mills generate their own releases to send to suppliers, and create receiving tickets in bulk against those unique numbers. Below are the steps necessary to use this feature.
Setup:
1. Enable the feature under Settings > Preferences > System Options > check 'Release Management'. Click Save Settings.
2. Navigate back to the dashboard and then back to System Options to select a Release Management type.
3. Choose 'Issuing Releases (Mill)' from the Release Management Mode drop down
4. You will now see a 'Release Management' tab on the main left hand menu.
Create Release(s):
1. Click on Release Management tab from the left hand menu. This will bring you to the release management inquiry, where all open and fulfilled releases will be displayed.
2. The filters along the top are helpful to look for specific releases or information
The Status drop down shows if a release is open or if it has been assigned to a supplier.
The Warehouse denotes which warehouse you are packing the trucks from.
The Mill/Receiver allows you to filter by the Customer. This is primarily used by mill suppliers.
The Supplier drop down lets you filter by the Vendor. This can only be filtered on once the Release has been generated.
The Product drop down is pulled from the order level detail or manually entered on the Generate Release form. You can filter the inquiry by specific products and grades.
The User filter lets you look for all the releases created by a specific cieTrade User.
The Date range allows you to select which calendar range you want to search by or if all is checked, it will look at any release for any date.
3. Click Generate at the top of the screen. This will pop up a form to enter the details about the block of releases.
The Warehouse is the warehouse where the material will be delivered to.
The Grade will be the type of material that's shipped, and the Packaging will be how the material is shipped.
The Supplier is the Vendor that you are purchasing the material from.
The Shipping Point is the vendor location that the material is being picked up at or dropped off from.
The PO# is a drop down that will include all open orders for that supplier and shipping point. If you link your order here your Pricing, Delivery Terms, Ship Via, and Department will default from the contract level. You can also update these manually here instead.
NOTE: You do NOT need to choose a supplier and link your order to generate releases. If you are simply trying to create release numbers ahead before you figure out which vendors will fulfill those orders, leave that information blank.
The Release Date allows you to select a date for these releases.
NOTE: This will be changed later after generating the releases in bulk.
The bottom row allows you to enter a Prefix or a Suffix.
The Prefix includes any numbers that ALWAYS come at the beginning of all your release numbers in that sequence.
The Suffix is any numbers or letters that ALWAYS come at the end of all your release numbers.
Enter the number of releases you want to generate in the Number of Releases field.
4. Once you have all of the correct information entered, click Generate.
5. If you filter the inquiry by (Open) Status and Supplier you will now be able to view all the releases you just generated.
Updating Release(s):
At this point you can update the release dates easily through the Release Management inquiry.
1. Click on the first release number line in the sequence to open up the Edit Release window, and update the Release Date field. Once finished, use the downward arrow to quickly save and move to the next release number in the sequence.
2. When you have your schedule set, you can export an Excel or CSV file to send the block of releases to your supplier for the month.
3. Down the line, if you need to update details on these releases in bulk, check off the releases on the inquiry. This will make a Bulk Edit button appear at the top.
4. Click on the Bulk Edit button to change details about these releases. You can update the supplier and linked order at this point by checking next to the field you want to change, and entering the new information as needed before clicking Save.
Create Your Worksheets:
When you have updated the details you need completely and your supplier has confirmed they will fulfill these releases, now you should go back to the Release Manager to create your Receiving Tickets.
1. Filter the inquiry again by (Open) Status and any other filters you need and click Go.
2. Check off the releases you want to generate worksheets for and click Create Shipment.
3. In the Create Shipment window, the Supplier, Shipping Point, and Purchase details will already populate if you've already entered them on the releases. If not, you have to enter them at this point.
The Logistics field allows you to set up a logistics Ship Status, an associated Pickup#, Trailer#, default Assigned User, and Default Weight as needed.
In the Freight field you can select a standard third party hauler and set up an expense.
NOTE: These details set up here will be the SAME across ALL worksheets that are generated.
4. Once you click Create, these releases will be moved from OPEN to ASSIGNED in the Status drop down, indicating that they have been fulfilled. You can view the associated Receiving ticket numbers in the Load # column.
NOTE: Each release will generate ONE receiving ticket. Additionally, you CANNOT change any release details from the Release Management module after a worksheet was generated. Changes should be applied directly to the worksheet itself.
5. You will now see the release number on your Shipping References for each worksheet. If you still need to generate documents for your hauler or your supplier, they can be created in the Documents tab on the worksheet.
