Hey guys! Ever found yourself needing to exclude certain items from your master planning runs in Dynamics 365? Maybe you've got some slow-moving inventory, or perhaps you're dealing with items that are planned through a different system. Whatever the reason, Dynamics 365 offers several ways to exclude items from master planning, ensuring your planning process is as efficient and accurate as possible. In this article, we’ll dive deep into the various methods and configurations you can use to achieve this, making sure you're equipped with all the knowledge you need.

Understanding Master Planning in Dynamics 365

Before we jump into the how-to, let's quickly recap what master planning is all about. Master planning in Dynamics 365 is the process of determining the quantity and timing for future production, purchases, and transfers. It considers various factors such as demand forecasts, sales orders, inventory levels, and production schedules. The goal is to create a balanced plan that meets demand while minimizing costs and maximizing resource utilization. It's a crucial part of supply chain management, helping businesses optimize their operations and avoid stockouts or excess inventory.

When you run master planning, the system evaluates all items in your inventory to determine what needs to be produced, purchased, or transferred. However, not all items need to be included in this process. Some items might be managed manually, while others might be planned using a different system or strategy. This is where the ability to exclude items from master planning comes in handy. By excluding these items, you can focus your planning efforts on the items that truly matter, improving the accuracy and efficiency of your planning process.

Methods to Exclude Items from Master Planning

There are several methods available in Dynamics 365 to exclude items from master planning. Each method offers different levels of granularity and control, so you can choose the one that best fits your specific needs. Let's explore these methods in detail:

1. Using the Coverage Group

Coverage groups are a fundamental concept in Dynamics 365 master planning. They allow you to define the planning parameters for a group of items. One of the key settings within a coverage group is the coverage code, which determines how the system plans for the items in that group. By carefully configuring the coverage code, you can effectively exclude items from master planning.

To exclude an item using the coverage group, you can set the coverage code to “Manual.” This tells the system that the item should not be planned automatically. Instead, you'll need to manage the item's inventory manually. Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to Inventory management > Setup > Coverage > Coverage groups.
2. Select the coverage group that applies to the item you want to exclude.
3. In the General FastTab, find the Coverage code field.
4. Select Manual from the dropdown list.
5. Save the changes.

Once you've set the coverage code to “Manual,” the system will no longer include the item in the master planning run. This is a simple and effective way to exclude items that you manage separately or that don't require automatic planning.

2. Using the Item Coverage Settings

Item coverage settings provide a more granular level of control over how individual items are planned. These settings override the coverage group settings, allowing you to customize the planning parameters for specific items. You can use item coverage settings to exclude an item from master planning, even if it belongs to a coverage group with automatic planning.

To exclude an item using item coverage settings, you can set the coverage code to “Manual” at the item level. Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to Product information management > Products > Released products.
2. Select the item you want to exclude from master planning.
3. On the Plan tab, click Item coverage.
4. In the Item coverage form, click New to create a new item coverage record.
5. In the General FastTab, find the Coverage code field.
6. Select Manual from the dropdown list.
7. Save the changes.

By setting the coverage code to “Manual” at the item level, you ensure that the item is excluded from master planning, regardless of the coverage group it belongs to. This is particularly useful when you need to exclude only a few specific items from a larger group.

3. Using the Planning Formula

The planning formula is another powerful tool for controlling how items are planned in Dynamics 365. It allows you to define a formula that calculates the required quantity of an item based on various factors. By configuring the planning formula appropriately, you can effectively exclude items from master planning.

To exclude an item using the planning formula, you can set the formula to “None.” This tells the system that the item should not be planned using a formula. Instead, you'll need to manage the item's inventory manually. Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to Product information management > Products > Released products.
2. Select the item you want to exclude from master planning.
3. On the Plan tab, find the Planning formula field.
4. Select None from the dropdown list.
5. Save the changes.

When the planning formula is set to “None,” the system will not include the item in the master planning run. This is a simple way to exclude items that don't require formula-based planning.

4. Using the Master Planning Parameters

Master planning parameters provide a global setting that affects the entire master planning process. You can use these parameters to exclude certain types of items from master planning based on specific criteria. For example, you can exclude items with a specific item group or storage dimension group.

To exclude items using master planning parameters, you can configure the Filter settings in the master planning parameters form. Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to Master planning > Setup > Master planning parameters.
2. In the General FastTab, click Filter.
3. In the Filter form, add a new filter criteria to exclude the desired items.
4. For example, you can add a filter to exclude items with a specific item group.
5. Save the changes.

By configuring the filter settings, you can exclude a wide range of items from master planning based on various criteria. This is a powerful way to fine-tune your planning process and ensure that only the relevant items are included.

5. Using Inventory Status

Inventory status is a feature in Dynamics 365 that allows you to classify inventory based on its availability and usability. You can use inventory status to exclude items from master planning by setting the status to a value that indicates the item should not be planned. For example, you can create an inventory status called “Obsolete” and assign it to items that you no longer want to include in the planning process.

To exclude items using inventory status, you need to configure the master planning parameters to consider the inventory status. Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to Inventory management > Setup > Inventory breakdown > Inventory status.
2. Create a new inventory status, such as “Obsolete.”
3. Navigate to Master planning > Setup > Master planning parameters.
4. In the General FastTab, find the Inventory status field.
5. Select the inventory status that you want to exclude from planning (e.g., “Obsolete”).
6. Save the changes.

By configuring the inventory status, you can easily exclude items from master planning based on their status. This is particularly useful for managing slow-moving or obsolete inventory.

Practical Examples

Let's look at a few practical examples of how you might use these methods to exclude items from master planning.

Example 1: Excluding Slow-Moving Inventory

Suppose you have a number of items in your inventory that are slow-moving and rarely sold. You don't want these items to be included in your master planning runs, as they can skew the results and lead to unnecessary production or purchase orders. In this case, you can use the inventory status method to exclude these items. Simply create an inventory status called “Slow-Moving” and assign it to the items. Then, configure the master planning parameters to exclude items with this status.

Example 2: Excluding Items Planned Through a Different System

Imagine you have a separate system for planning certain items, such as spare parts or maintenance supplies. You don't want these items to be included in Dynamics 365 master planning, as they are already being planned elsewhere. In this case, you can use the coverage group or item coverage settings to exclude these items. Set the coverage code to “Manual” for the items, and they will no longer be included in the master planning run.

Example 3: Excluding Promotional Items

Let's say you're running a special promotion on a particular item, and you want to manage the inventory for this item separately. You don't want the item to be included in the regular master planning run, as the promotional demand might be significantly different from the normal demand. In this case, you can use the planning formula method to exclude the item. Set the planning formula to “None” for the item, and it will no longer be included in the master planning run.

Best Practices for Excluding Items

To ensure that you're effectively excluding items from master planning, here are a few best practices to keep in mind:

• Document your exclusions: Keep a record of all items that you've excluded from master planning, along with the reason for the exclusion. This will help you keep track of your planning process and ensure that you're not accidentally excluding items that should be included.
• Review your exclusions regularly: Periodically review your list of excluded items to ensure that the exclusions are still valid. Items that were once slow-moving might become popular again, or items that were planned through a different system might now need to be included in Dynamics 365 master planning.
• Use the most appropriate method: Choose the method that best fits your specific needs. For example, if you need to exclude only a few specific items, use item coverage settings. If you need to exclude a large group of items based on a specific criteria, use master planning parameters.
• Test your changes: After making any changes to your master planning settings, always test the changes to ensure that they are working as expected. Run a test master planning run and verify that the excluded items are not being included in the results.

Conclusion

Excluding items from master planning in Dynamics 365 is a crucial skill for any supply chain professional. By using the methods and configurations described in this article, you can ensure that your planning process is as efficient and accurate as possible. Whether you're dealing with slow-moving inventory, items planned through a different system, or promotional items, Dynamics 365 provides the tools you need to fine-tune your planning process and optimize your supply chain operations. So go ahead, give these methods a try, and take control of your master planning process today! You got this, guys!