Most systems have some method for notifying users when specific situations occur.  The challenge is knowing which tools are available and how to use them.

Some of the most common methods companies use for notifying users are:

1. User Generated Notifications- This requires users to create/send the notification whenever specific events occur.  While this notification can be immediate and requires no overhead to setup and maintain, it requires users to remember and can quickly become too difficult to maintain all the possible notifications.

2. Standard System Triggers- Leveraging standard system triggers is ideal.  It allows for immediate notifications and will work with current and future system upgrades.  However, the standard triggers may not cover all requirements or be as flexible as the user would prefer.

3. User Defined Triggers- User defined triggers allow for greater flexibility than standard triggers.  However, they may not be immediate and are not guaranteed to work with future system upgrades.

4. DataBase Triggers- Depending on the database back end, it may be possible to create database triggers.  These triggers can flexible and the notification can be sent immediately.  However, it requires greater understanding of the database and may require updates to match system updates.

Companies may decide to use a combination of the above methods depending on experience, understanding, and needs.

ManEx has provided users with the ability to use predefined triggers and create their own notifications. Users can specify when the notification should be sent, to whom it should go (both internally and externally), and what the email notification should say.

The predefined triggers are be broken into several main categories. They are:

• Late Notifications - These notifications will let users know when quotes*, shipments, PO receipts, Kit releases, and Work Orders are late. This helps respective managers stay on top of their jobs and produce the best possible results.
  
  
• System Maintenance - These triggers will regenerate the MRP, re-index the database (and check for system errors), and update the production schedule* based on previous results and current demand.
  
  
• Approvals - These triggers will notify users when approvals are required for: Sales Orders, Purchase Orders, ECOs*, and Quotes*. This helps keep the process moving.
  
  
• General Notification - These triggers send notifications for new Physical Inventory, DMRs, rejected material, RMAs, and when a Sales Order has been completed.
  

Additionally, users can create user defined triggers within ManEx. These triggers can apply to any area and any condition in the database. These triggers can each be run once a day/week/month and are limited only by the users ability to write a SQL statement. If the SQL statement returns a result, the notification and result will be sent at the predefined time.

Some of the most common uses for custom triggers are:

• Customer Notifications - These triggers can send select customers an update of shipments for that day with detailed shipment information like tracking number, qty, etc.
  
  
• Vendor Notifications - These triggers can keep vendors updated on current demand for select components to ensure they have enough on hand.
  
  
• Internal Notifications - These triggers can send notifications for things like: current listing of components due this week, new BoMs added this week, Sales by Customer for the month., and many more.
  

To create the SQL statements, users can: write them within ManEx, create a view/query using a program like Excel or Access, or pay third parties to create the appropriate statement. You can view an example of a user defined trigger under the "User Defined Periodic Triggers" under the Sales Triggers.

Please let us know if you are interested in working with a third party to create custom triggers.

FUTURE CAPABILITY: Once ManEx finishes the conversion to MSSQL, users will be able to create triggers and notifications in MSSQL. This will give users more control over the timing of triggers.

NE Company started using standard and custom triggers and has been able to increase internal communication with the automated process. An unintended benefit was saving money by reducing the work load for the system administrator because he no longer had to manually run data maintenance in the middle of the night.

Their largest customer also likes the updates on daily shipments and appreciates the visibility the new processes provide.