Hey guys! Ever needed to keep certain items out of your master planning runs in Dynamics 365? Maybe you've got some spare parts you don't want the system to bother with, or perhaps you're testing new products and don't want them included just yet. Whatever the reason, excluding items from master planning is a handy trick to know. This guide will walk you through the process, ensuring your planning runs are as efficient and relevant as possible.

Understanding Master Planning Exclusions

Master planning in Dynamics 365 is a powerful tool that helps you determine the quantity and timing of future supply needs. It takes into account various factors like demand forecasts, sales orders, and existing inventory to create a production and purchasing plan. However, not all items need to be part of this process. Some items might be managed manually, or their demand might be so predictable that automated planning is unnecessary. That's where exclusions come in. By excluding items, you prevent the master planning engine from considering them, which can significantly improve performance and reduce noise in your planning results.

Why Exclude Items? There are several reasons why you might want to exclude items from master planning:

• Spare Parts: Items used for maintenance and repairs often have unpredictable demand. Including them in master planning can lead to unnecessary purchase orders or production orders.
• Testing Products: When you're testing new products or running simulations, you don't want these items to affect your actual production and purchasing plans.
• Manually Managed Items: Some items might be managed manually due to specific agreements with vendors or unique demand patterns.
• Slow-Moving Items: Items with very low demand might not benefit from automated planning. Excluding them can simplify your planning process.
• Phased-Out Products: As you phase out products, you might want to exclude them from master planning to avoid generating unnecessary supply orders.

Excluding items from master planning helps you focus on the items that truly matter and ensures your planning runs are efficient and accurate. It’s a way to fine-tune your supply chain management to better reflect your business needs.

Methods to Exclude Items

Dynamics 365 offers several ways to exclude items from master planning, each with its own advantages and use cases. Let's dive into these methods to help you choose the best approach for your specific needs. Understanding these options will give you greater control over your master planning process and ensure that only relevant items are considered.

1. Using Coverage Groups

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 items assigned to that group. By setting the coverage code to "Manual," you can effectively exclude items from master planning. Here’s how to do it:

• Navigate to Coverage Groups: Go to Master planning > Setup > Coverage > Coverage groups.
• Create a New Coverage Group (or Modify an Existing One): You can either create a new coverage group specifically for excluded items or modify an existing one. If you're creating a new one, give it a descriptive name like "Excluded Items."
• Set the Coverage Code to Manual: In the coverage group details, find the Coverage code field and set it to Manual. This tells the system that items assigned to this coverage group should not be planned automatically.
• Assign Items to the Coverage Group: Now, you need to assign the items you want to exclude to this coverage group. Go to Product information management > Products > Released products. Select the item, and in the Plan tab, find the Coverage group field. Assign the coverage group you created or modified.

Using coverage groups is a clean and organized way to exclude items, especially when you have multiple items that should be treated the same way. It also allows you to easily manage these exclusions in one place. This method is particularly useful for items that you manage manually or those with highly predictable demand.

2. Setting the Planning Formula

Another way to exclude items is by manipulating the planning formula on the item itself. The planning formula determines how the system calculates the quantity needed for an item. By setting the planning formula to None, you can effectively prevent the system from planning for that item. Here’s how to do it:

• Navigate to Released Products: Go to Product information management > Products > Released products.
• Select the Item: Choose the item you want to exclude from master planning.
• Edit the Item: Click on the Edit button to modify the item details.
• Go to the Plan Tab: In the item details, navigate to the Plan tab.
• Set the Planning Formula to None: Find the Planning formula field and set it to None. This setting tells the system not to use any planning formula for this item, effectively excluding it from master planning runs.
• Save the Changes: Save the changes to the item.

Setting the planning formula to None is a straightforward way to exclude individual items from master planning. This method is useful when you have only a few items to exclude and don't want to create a separate coverage group. However, it's important to note that this setting overrides any coverage group settings, so be mindful of potential conflicts.

3. Using Item Allocation Keys

Item allocation keys are used to allocate demand across different dimensions, such as warehouses or production lines. While they're not directly used for excluding items, you can leverage them to effectively remove items from the scope of master planning by not including them in any allocation. Here’s how you can use this approach:

• Navigate to Item Allocation Keys: Go to Master planning > Setup > Item allocation keys.
• Create a New Item Allocation Key (or Modify an Existing One): You can create a new item allocation key or modify an existing one. If creating a new one, give it a descriptive name.
• Ensure the Item is Not Included: When setting up the item allocation key, make sure the item you want to exclude is not included in any of the allocation percentages. If the item is already included, remove it.
• Assign the Item Allocation Key to the Item: Go to Product information management > Products > Released products, select the item, and in the Plan tab, assign the item allocation key.

By ensuring that the item is not included in any allocation within the item allocation key, you prevent demand from being allocated to that item, effectively excluding it from master planning. This method is particularly useful when you want to control how demand is distributed across different dimensions and ensure that certain items are not considered in the planning process.

4. Modifying the Master Plan Query

For advanced users, modifying the master plan query offers a powerful way to exclude items based on specific criteria. The master plan query defines which items are included in the planning run. By adding a filter to exclude certain items, you can customize the scope of the planning process. Here’s how to do it:

• Navigate to Master Plans: Go to Master planning > Setup > Plans > Master plans.
• Select the Master Plan: Choose the master plan you want to modify.
• Open the Query: In the master plan details, find the Query button and click it to open the query editor.
• Add a Filter: In the query editor, add a filter to exclude the items you want to remove from the planning run. You can filter based on various criteria, such as item number, item group, or coverage group.
• Save the Changes: Save the changes to the query.

Modifying the master plan query is a flexible way to exclude items based on complex criteria. However, it requires a good understanding of the query language and data structure in Dynamics 365. This method is best suited for advanced users who need fine-grained control over the planning process.

Step-by-Step Example: Excluding a Spare Part

Let's walk through a practical example of excluding a spare part from master planning using the coverage group method. Suppose you have a spare part, SP-100, that you want to exclude because its demand is unpredictable and you manage it manually.

1. Create a Coverage Group:
   • Go to Master planning > Setup > Coverage > Coverage groups.
   • Click New to create a new coverage group.
   • Enter Excluded Parts as the name and a description.
   • Set the Coverage code to Manual.
   • Save the coverage group.
2. Assign the Item to the Coverage Group:
   • Go to Product information management > Products > Released products.
   • Find and select the item SP-100.
   • Click Edit to modify the item details.
   • In the Plan tab, find the Coverage group field.
   • Select the Excluded Parts coverage group.
   • Save the changes.

Now, the item SP-100 will be excluded from master planning runs. The system will not generate any planned orders for this item, and you can manage its supply manually.

Best Practices and Considerations

Excluding items from master planning can significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of your planning process. However, it's important to follow some best practices and consider potential implications.

• Document Your Exclusions: Keep a record of all items excluded from master planning and the reasons for their exclusion. This documentation will help you maintain consistency and avoid confusion.
• Regularly Review Exclusions: Periodically review your exclusions to ensure they are still valid. Business conditions change, and items that were once excluded might need to be included in the planning process.
• Communicate with Stakeholders: Inform relevant stakeholders, such as production managers and purchasing agents, about the items excluded from master planning. This will help them understand why certain items are not planned automatically.
• Monitor Inventory Levels: Even though excluded items are not planned automatically, it's still important to monitor their inventory levels. You might need to adjust your manual planning based on actual demand.
• Avoid Over-Exclusion: Be careful not to exclude too many items from master planning. The goal is to improve efficiency, not to create a manual planning nightmare. Only exclude items that truly benefit from manual management.

By following these best practices, you can effectively exclude items from master planning and optimize your supply chain management in Dynamics 365.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with careful planning, you might encounter some issues when excluding items from master planning. Here are some common problems and how to troubleshoot them:

• Item Still Being Planned: If an item is still being planned despite being excluded, double-check the coverage group and planning formula settings. Make sure the coverage code is set to Manual and the planning formula is set to None.
• Unexpected Shortages: If you experience unexpected shortages of excluded items, review your manual planning process. Ensure you are monitoring inventory levels and placing orders in a timely manner.
• Inconsistent Results: If you get inconsistent results, check the master plan query. Make sure the filter is correctly configured and not inadvertently including the excluded items.
• Performance Issues: If you experience performance issues after excluding items, review the overall master plan settings. Large planning runs can still be resource-intensive, even with exclusions.

By addressing these common issues, you can ensure that your item exclusions are working as expected and that your master planning process is running smoothly.

Conclusion

Excluding items from master planning in Dynamics 365 is a valuable technique for optimizing your supply chain management. By carefully selecting which items to exclude and using the appropriate methods, you can improve the efficiency and accuracy of your planning process. Whether you're dealing with spare parts, testing products, or manually managed items, understanding how to exclude items from master planning will give you greater control over your operations. So go ahead, give it a try, and see how it can transform your planning process. Happy planning, folks!