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How to sell software in configurated parts

  • 30 November 2023
  • 7 replies
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T
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Hi,

In my company we assemble and sell machinery. The machines are configured in the IFS configurator but we have a challenges with adding functions that are pure software.

The goal is that the client can choose a software function to the configuration and then this is added to the product structure or the routing to ensure that the software engineers remembers to add the feature during manufacturing.

 

Any ideas on how to do this?

 

BR Thomas

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Best answer by Novacura_jst 1 December 2023, 17:18

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Björn Hultgren
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Maybe a work instruction can be added against the relevant component in which the software should be installed? You can add configuration rules also against the work instruction. 

T
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Hi Björn

Thank you for answering. That sounds like a good idea.

I think IFS require to make the part as an inventory part - but that confuses our warehouse because the part is not psysical. 

How can we solve this?

Björn Hultgren
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Can’t the work instruction be linked to the physical component in which the software should be installed? I.e., the software itself doesn’t have to be an inventory part.

hhy38
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Hi Björn

Thank you for answering. That sounds like a good idea.

I think IFS require to make the part as an inventory part - but that confuses our warehouse because the part is not psysical. 

How can we solve this?

Hi @Thomas123 

You don’t need to create an inventory part. You can sell or buy services. So there are options for these. If you create a purchase part without the inventory part that means a stockless part. Or if you want to sell a service you can create a non-inventory sales part.

 

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hhy34/
matt.watters
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Consider setting this as an inventory part that but one that is Not Consumed in production. The configuration determines which software ‘part’ is to be installed, but not issued from stock, on the shop order.

With this method, assembly has visibility to the correct software to be installed, and this will allow you to have revisions (versions) for each software part number.

Regards - Matt
T
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Thank you for all the answers - very helpful

Novacura_jst
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I have seen this implemented in different ways for different customers:

  • Option 1: As Matt said create a part in the BoM and set it to “Not Consumed) and add it according to normal CTO backoffice rules. Pricing can be done on the Characteristic as is normal for CTO. 
  • Option 2: Add a rule to add an additional operation (Install Software) that needs to be reported on in the Shop Order.
  • Option 3: Add a rule to Add work Instructions
  • Option 4: (Probably not for your case). Create an external rule that adds the part as a non-inventory sales Part to the customer order. This could be priced individually. Downside is you would also need to add a “counter”-function to remove the line when the configuration changes. For what you want to achieve this is probably not the right one, but we had other scenarios where it was useful.
  • Option 5: Event action to send a task (via Streams) to a team responsible for this when you release the order and the Shop Order is created.

Hope that helps, Personally i think Option 1-3 would all work fine for you. Slight favourite for operation since someone needs to report it and the shop order cannot be received unless reported (Unless you use the Backflush/Close Operations function ofc)

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