XA BROWSER WORKBENCHES ARE COOL! (Broadcast/Receive for Regular Tasks) Brenda Butler, Senior Consultant

Agenda for Today Browser Workbenches –What are they? –Where are they? –Considerations and limitations –Sample tasks –Building, saving, closing, using workbenches

Workbenches – What Are They? Two or more open Browser view windows on the desktop Linked in broadcast/receive function to communicate information interactively. Great for: –Inquiry –Performing certain tasks – daily or occasional

To find and use, click NAVIGATION anywhere it is found and select WORKBENCHES.

For detail of a workbench, “Plus out” to see windows and which are broadcasting/receiving.

Open & Delete a Workbench You can also open a workbench by double- clicking the icon.

Considerations What is the task/inquiry needed? What specific information do I need? Is the desired information in the DISPLAY list of your broadcast window? If not, it is unavailable for the workbench. Which views and subsets are appropriate? Should workbench be public or private?

Limitations Number of screens is limited by the size of your monitor (and others). Size/configuration saved by creator may not fit your monitor (make your private version). In R6 need broadcasting window to have master records not “transient” records (orders that move to history). R7 solved this problem. Tree structure/hierarchical windows will not work.

Workbench Examples Customer Service: by customer, see open orders, shipments and AR balance. Materials: on-hand, item locations, PO’s and maybe PO history. Purchasing: requisitions, open PO’s and PO history. Engineering: item revision, bill of material and routing. Shipping: items in shipping location, customer orders for those items with shipment promise date. Accounts Payable: vendor, PO’s, AP invoices

Workbench Examples Item Availability: on-hand, purchase orders, customer orders, manufacturing orders. MO Component usage: from item warehouse, inventory transaction history for IP’s. PO Item Expedite: subset past due items and link to vendor record for vendor name and telephone number.

Workbench Problems Why can’t I see a workbench? Was it created as “Public”? Are the views and subsets “Public”? It’s not talking! –The broadcasting window should have the correct broadcast settings in your preferences. Set by user, not by the workbench. –Are broadcast/receive icons enabled?

Select CUSTOMIZE and PREFERENCES and the BROADCAST tab. Double click or highlight and click ADD to adjust settings.

Broadcast Combinations Broadcast a window to one or more windows. Broadcast from window 1 to 2 and then from 2 to 3 (reason – because you can’t access information from first window).

1 to 2 and 1 to 3

Vendors broadcasting to PO’s PO’s broadcasting to PO items 1 to 2 and 2 to 3

Saving a Workbench Close all extraneous Browser windows when building or saving a workbench because any open window will be locked in the workbench. No SAVE command—use ADD WORKBENCH — even when it already exists and you are just making changes.

Name the workbench (area, task or windows) Domain – Public Private Options – Global Broadcast Global Receive or neither (Global broadcasting & receiving means broadcasting windows will broadcast to windows outside of the workbench.)

Closing a Workbench Click “X” on any window. Will receive this message. May need to just close the window selected. If so, answer NO. If finished with workbench, answer YES.

TIP: Double click the workbench symbol on one window to auto maximize all windows in the workbench.

Workbench Security at R6 Introduced without a lock-down for Public workbenches. PTF SH13931 at level 40 and higher ties workbench security to subset security; i.e., users with authority to create public subsets also can create public workbenches.

Let’s create a workbench or two!

Release 7 Improvements Broadcast window can be records which go to history. Workbench adjusts for missing records. Select another and continue. Separate workbench security now available. Even maintenance history will broadcast.

How Can I Leverage Browser? Browser Bootcamp ½ day of group Browser Education ½ day with each department to develop tailored views, subsets, workbenches, create reports, etc. Result: at the end of the engagement, users have incorporated Browser into their daily activities to become more productive.

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