Amce analysis project

ACME ANALYSIS PROJECT
www.theevansgroupllc.com
By Brian Wax, Business Consultant.

ACME ANALYSIS PROJECT PHASE 1 REPORT

Table of Contents
Project Scope and References .......................................................................................... 3
In-Process Project Modifications ..................................................................................... 3
Data and Information Collection ............................................................................................4
Contract Review and Analysis .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Best of Bread EMS Contracts .................................................................................................5
Organization .............................................................................................................................6
Core Business Process Mapping .............................................................................................8
XYZ CORP./ACME SYSTEM VIEW........................................................................................................8
INITIAL IDENTIFICATION OF CORE PROCESSES ...............................................................................9
Demand Flow: ................................................................................................................................................. 9
Pricing Approach: ...................................................................................................................................... 10
Payment Process: ....................................................................................................................................... 11
Business Flow: .................................................................................................................................... 12
PURCHASE PRICE VARIANCE ................................................................................................................. 13
Systems View: .............................................................................................................................................. 13
PPV Reconciliation: ................................................................................................................................... 14
Identified Feeds to Reconcile PPV: ........................................................................................................... 15
FINAL IDENTIFIED CORE PROCESSES .............................................................................................. 15
Component Inventory PPV (Feed 1) .......................................................................................................... 15
Component Inventory PPV (Feed 1) .......................................................................................................... 16
CTO Value Add (Feed 2) ............................................................................................................................ 17
Component Inventory Revaluation (Feed 3).............................................................................................. 18
Blanket Purchase Agreement Adjustments (Feed 4) ................................................................................. 19
Reversals for component revaluation from prior quarter (Feed 5) ........................................................... 19
Sales order cancellation credit to ACME (Feed 6) .................................................................................... 20
Non-ACME supplier PPV to Sunnyvale (Feed 7) ..................................................................................... 21
Accounts Payable Approval Process (Feed 9) ........................................................................................... 21
CCBOM/BPA Variance Posting Process (Feed 10) .................................................................................. 23

Financial Reconciliation ........................................................................................................24
Process Analysis .....................................................................................................................25
KEY OBSERVATIONS ............................................................................................................................... 25
Information Systems ..............................................................................................................26
Interfaces and Communications ...........................................................................................26
Recommendations ..................................................................................................................26
PROCESS ...................................................................................................................................................... 26
CONTRACT IMPROVEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT ....................................................................... 26
ORGANIZATION OPTIMIZATION ........................................................................................................ 27
FINANCIAL RECONCILIATION ............................................................................................................. 27
Summary .................................................................................................................................27

Page 2 of 27


Project Scope and References
John J. Doe & Associates (ABCD) (XYZ Corp.) to provide an independent analysis of portions
of the business relationship and supply chain issues between ACME and XYZ Corp..
Additionally, the lack of ability to provide management with a complete understanding or
prediction of the reported “ACME PPV/Variance(s)” was a major triggering event for the
launch of this project.
The work product was mutually agreed and defined by the following documents:

>

Letter ABCD to XYZ Corp. dated June 19, 2006
o Business Process & Financial Flows for Contract Manufacturing
o M. Wais email “ACME Analysis, Attachment A to June 19th letter
> Letter ABCD to XYZ Corp. dated June 25, 2006
o Project Outline for ACME Business & Financial Flows: Revision 2
o Project Outline Revision 2, page 2 of June 25th letter >
Project Flow chart, presented at kick-off meeting July 17, 2006 >
Statement of Work dated July 17, 2006
All PowerPoint review presentations are an integral part of this final report are attached for
reference. The three members of the ABCD team that participated in this project were John J.
Doe, John F. Doe and Brian Wax.

In-Process Project Modifications
Modifications to the project scope were made during the project with agreement by both
parties. The following are the significant changes to the project as defined in the above
referenced documents:

>

>

>

>
>

Phase 1 was specifically specified to “NOT include terms or conditions that may be
targeted for contract improvement” (Attachment B, 1st bullet). ABCD performed
significant work in Phase 1 to a) identify areas within the existing contract to be
considered for modification and/or negotiation and b) to provide Best-of-Breed terms
that are not contained in the contract or agreements for consideration by XYZ Corp. for
future contract negotiations. (Please see “Contract Analysis” section of this report).
Phase 1 included the interviewing of ACME staff, which was removed as a requirement
, 2nd bullet). It was the opinion of ABCD that interviewing of ACME staff was
premature based on the findings during Phase 1. These interviews should be
rescheduled for the beginning of the next project phase, after XYZ Corp. has the
opportunity to digest Phase 1 findings and develop an action plan.
Additional analysis of payment data was stopped after the sampling of data stores did
not show any problems or inconsistencies. The significant problem of reconciling the
reported variances also inhibits or reduces the value of this effort.
ABCD
recommended that this work be reconsidered after the completion of Phase 1 and after
XYZ Corp.’s ability to reconcile variances is consistently achieved.
Detailed reconciliation mapping and analysis was added to Phase 1 as it was a
significant problem that was not initially expected.
An additional project review was added to Phase 1.

Page 3 of 27


Data and Information Collection
Per the agreed plan, ABCD used information and data provided by XYZ Corp. coupled with
over twenty-five employee interviews to obtain the information required, and to assist in
leading XYZ Corp. personnel to work solutions to noted and/or discovered issues.
Additionally, work group sessions were used to assist in the collection of pertinent
information on cross-functional problems and ownership. ABCD and XYZ Corp.
management had both planned and unplanned review meetings and conversations during the
course of the project. The following is the list of XYZ Corp. core employees interviewed and
involved in the project:

>

Supply Chain Management
o EMS
o Purchasing
o Manufacturing Operations
o Commodity Management
o Senior Management

>

Finance
o Accounts Payable
o Cost Accounting
o Senior Management
Sponsors

>

The following is the list of documents provided for review and/or analysis:

>

Contracts
o
> Spreadsheets
o
> Power Points
o
The EMS contract and supporting spreadsheets for pricing and variance determinations were
reviewed in detail. These documents were reviewed for two core purposes, 1) for foundation
information to understand the current business relationship and to help define how XYZ Corp.
and ACME routinely operate and 2) to find areas that XYZ Corp. can improve their contract
position with ACME. (Please reference first bullet on page one under “Project Modifications).
This report section deals with potential areas for contract improvement and enhancement.
In general, the XYZ Corp./ACME MSA is relatively standard in nature. ABCD did not find
any extraordinary issues that are of imminent concern. The approximately fifty notations and
comments made by ABCD can be located i (ACME MSA with “track changes” on) to this
report. The comments vary from minor “clean-up” issues to important concerns. Specific
concerns that should be addressed and negotiated with ACME (or any other supplier that XYZ
Corp. uses, or may use in the future) as soon as feasible are as follows:

>

Epidemic Failure: The contract does not include any reference to epidemic failure that
could be induced by ACME assembly, test or workmanship. Clauses of this sort are

Page 4 of 27


>

>

>

>

>

>

becoming more frequent as companies turn over more and more of manufacturing and
configuration to third party partners.
Contract Pricing: In cases that XYZ Corp. has negotiated contract pricing with
suppliers, section 6.2 should “require” ACME to pay no more than the stated contract
prices. This provides protection in case of a later dispute if costs are exceeded without
having to justify a position by XYZ Corp..
Profit Margin: ACME has guaranteed profit and/or operating margins independent of
performance. XYZ Corp. should consider language that ensures appropriate, measured
performance by ACME to mutually agreed XYZ Corp. requirements or ACME profit
can be limited or excluded. In addition, XYZ Corp. should ensure that they do not pay
profit on accounts that typically would be excluded, i.e. SG&A.
Flexibility:
The current flexibility clause is incomplete and potentially ambiguous.
Significant detail is required in defining flexibility coupled with specific time frames,
horizons, product priorities etc. Without clear definition, it is relatively easy for EMS
providers to under perform, without consequence to themselves, while potentially
causing XYZ Corp. or XYZ Corp. customers’ grave issues.
Carrying Costs: The contract allows ACME to be paid carry costs regardless of
responsibility for the root cause. The contract should be specific that carry costs will
only be allowed if there is an action by XYZ Corp. that causes the event and ACME is
unable to mitigate the effect of the XYZ Corp. action within normal business
operations and expectations of an EMS partner.
Margin on Margin: The current XYZ Corp./ACME pricing model allows the
accumulation of margin on margin. A significant benefit from a single EMS and CTO
provider is that potential limitation or even exclusion of these costs to XYZ Corp..
Consideration should be provided by the EMS partner to XYZ Corp. for the significant
additional revenue generated by the EMS partner that this sourcing methodology
affords.
Benchmarking and Validation: XYZ Corp. should ensure that lead-times, time
standards and component costs are highly competitive through benchmarking or some
other means with a requirement for reimbursement if the reported costs are determined
to be out of line with the industry and/or competition.

Best of Bread EMS Contracts
This section is added based on a specific request by the Vice President of Supply Chain.
ABCD reviewed the current business and contract relationship between XYZ Corp. and
ACME, for the determination of “Best of Breed” terms, conditions and concepts that could be
utilized to enhance XYZ Corp.’s contract position and improve EMS performance.
Progressive OEM’s have been negotiating many of the following concepts into their business
agreements. Each of the items should be looked at for their individual merit as well as how the
combined deployment of these concepts will enhance the various areas of EMS performance.
It is likely that the EMS provider either will be initially resistive to some of the concepts, as
there is a shift of responsibility to the EMS provider or requires the EMS provider to improve
supply chain processes.

>

Lead-time Management: This area is regularly under invested in by OEM’s. Lead-time
has immense impact on a number of critical performance areas; flexibility (both up and
down), product mix changes, excess and obsolete, cost take-down rates, cost

Page 5 of 27


>

>

>
>
>
>

>

reduction implementation, ECO implementation, etc. Terms controlling lead-time
management based on industry best lead-time, benchmarking and audit ability, supply
chain simplification, etc. should be considered.
Flexibility: Most flexibility terms are not complete and provide many loopholes for the
EMS supplier. The actual definitions and associated algorithms for calculation and
performance measurement need to be well understood and agreed upon by both parties.
Additionally, clauses requiring the EMS supplier to take complete responsibility for all
the non-OEM controlled sub suppliers should be included. Inclusion of the subsuppliers should help ease the burden on both the OEM and EMS.
Limits of Liability: Adding terms requiring the EMS supplier to be responsible for all
costs associated with standard off-the-shelf components should be considered. The
EMS provider generally has more leverage than the OEM, uses this fact for a sales
technique and then still makes the OEM responsible for costs associated with the
procurement, carrying, return, end-of-life transitions or excess material.
Cost Reduction: Specific ties to industry takedown rates with plans for benchmarking
and audit ability should be part of the agreement. Measurement to “best of breed” as
opposed to industry “standard” should be considered.
Global Pricing and Costs: Requiring the EMS supplier to provide component pricing at
the lowest global cost in any geography will provide lower costs and reduce the cost
management effort of the OEM.
Most Favored Customer: Most favored customer clauses are universally disliked by
most EMS suppliers. The clause requires that the EMS supplier not charge the OEM
any more than the lowest cost or rate, offered to any of their other customers.
Pay at Final Delivery: As more and more of the operation are transferred to EMS
providers, it becomes easier for the third party providers to obtain profit on individual
portions of their business (i.e. board assembly to CTO). A consideration for having a
limited number of “partners” should be the cost avoidance offered with the “four walls”
of the supplier.
Quality Performance:
Quality performance is rarely defined well. Appropriate
definitions with defined metrics, audit ability coupled with regular, accurate
measurement tied to specific and consequential rewards or penalties should be
deployed.

Organization
The capability and performance of the EMS commodity management team has broad and
significant influence on the entire supply chain organization and therefore on the Company.
Defining clear roles and responsibilities for the EMS commodity team is critical.
As expected, the current organization is highly focused on the “number one” goal of ensuring
product delivery. This singular focus, and organizational performance measurement, may be
causing a lack of development in other critical areas. Short-term delivery performance must be
coupled with long-term strategic initiatives that will continue to support XYZ Corp.’s
growth and performance goals long into the future.
Proper organizational structure,
leadership, staffing and strategic planning are paramount for the EMS commodity team to
become a high performing organization. As XYZ Corp. continues to grow and likely sees
pressure on gross margins, management of the third party providers will become even more
critical, and the commodity team will experience increasing performance pressure.

Page 6 of 27

Additionally, with the enormous continuing growth experienced by XYZ Corp., the third party
partnership and associated spend will require excellence in all aspects of performance and
execution.
Companies that have high performing EMS commodity teams typically have the team
separated into three functional capabilities regardless of actual organizational structure. Core
responsibilities for these key areas are as follows:
Administrative: Responsibilities include all aspects of basic day-to-day business
activities, both internally and externally.
Responsible for all reports, business
documents, engineering documents, data collection, inter-departmental information
flow, etc. happens in a routine, timely and accurate manner.
Fulfillment: Ensures delivery of product to end customer through EMS/CTO partner,
inclusive of capacity planning and assurance, short-term ramp (up or down)
achievement. Responsible for cost reduction implementation, assurance of
component supply in tandem with other company commodity teams and
implementation of forecast to order process.
Strategic: Has strategic responsibility for development of EMS/CTO commodity
strategy, sourcing, contract negotiation, cost and all executive cross-functional
interaction both internally and externally.
In companies of comparable size to XYZ Corp., it is common for the commodity team to
consist of five to seven people depending on product volatility (both number of SKU’s and
volume and/or mix changes). The appropriate structure and number of people is critically
associated with where the organization is currently in functional capability and maturity, and
whether the development and deployment of a long term, strategic commodity strategy exists.
From our limited contact through this project, it appears that the area of fulfillment is the key
focus area, and achieves the desired results in product delivery. Strategic direction and
administrative areas should be assessed for performance enhancement. A skills assessment in
conjunction with an organizational analysis should be a completed with the assistance of an
outside independent third party. When the organizational and skills assessment is complete, a
development transition plan can be put in place.

Page 7 of 27


Core Business Process Mapping
ABCD team members initiated the core process mapping effort by identifying key process
stakeholders through referral from senior managers. Initial interviews with these stakeholders
lead to other individuals who had content knowledge of the core processes or who could
provide information used in these processes. We did not engage ACME employees who
interact with XYZ Corp. supply chain personnel. External interviews during phase 1 were
considered premature at this time of the investigation. Phase 2 should include the ACME
counterparts who complete the supply chain relationship.
Process mapping, contrary to conventional belief, requires participants to succinctly and fully
describe the business models and methods in a logical and disciplined manner. At the highest
level, several iterations will be required to identify key relationships and interdependencies and
gain consensus on exchange of knowledge or work product. While conducting the process
mapping interviews it was difficult to obtain the needed time and priority from some
individuals or small teams required to complete specified steps. Numerous meetings were
missed or quickly ended due to conflicting priorities or absence of key participants. At times,
the participant’s level of interest was low or he/she was facing other distractions.
At the beginning of the process mapping stage, core, or key processes, were identified that
culminated in the analysis and reporting of ACME purchase price variance or compensation.
As definition progressed with the core processes, we discovered a set of reports and activities
that were crucial for completing variance analysis.

XYZ Corp./ACME System View
The following process chart represents a graphic depiction of the high-level system that
controls the XYZ Corp. and ACME business, inclusive of the three different portions of a
supply chain; information and data (including interpersonal communication and verbal work
direction), financial and material movement/flow.
The process is semi-complex in nature but not significantly different from other similar
companies and their relationships with third party EMS and CTO providers. There are
significant numbers of email and verbal communications that should be considered for process
documentation and possible system automation.

Page 8 of 27


Initial Identification of Core Processes
The core processes were identified by XYZ Corp. participants. Consensus was reached at a
system level, but as the flow suggests, there are process activities that are not described. The
process flow illustrates that interdependencies exist but does not go into sufficient detail to
provide a robust description of the actual event triggers, services or products and the sequence
of activities.
Demand Flow:
This illustration shows how operations planning
generate demand requirements for either ACME or
XYZ Corp. Sunnyvale. Information systems are
noted but not completely understood by the various
cross-functional organizations.
A complete
understanding of the forecast to order process is
required as the conversion from forecast to orders
happens within this process, with no real-time
feedback or adjustment for financial planning.
Reconciliation of forecast to actual is after a quarter
end.

Page 9 of 27

Pricing Approach:
The methods that XYZ Corp. uses to calculate pricing and cost standards cause confusion and
create variances that are not truly PPV as compared to industry standard definitions. These
amounts however, are included as “ACME PPV” and cause consternation as that portion of the
“variance” is regularly misunderstood. The methodology deployed is unique to XYZ Corp., but
not necessarily a “bad” approach. More cross-functional education is required to ensure that all
participants are truly on the same page; understanding and comprehension of XYZ Corp.
semantics and definitions.

Page 10 of 27

Payment Process:
The payment flow identifies the core relationships between XYZ Corp. and ACME. In brief,
XYZ Corp. provides the build forecast. EMS and CTO pricing is managed through reports
exchanged between the two entities. Monthly and quarterly reports are created that identify
pricing issues that require adjustment. Adjustments are made and ACME eventually invoices
XYZ Corp. for product and services.

Page 11 of 27

Business flow:
The following flowchart is representative of the business systems view. It identifies business
relationships. It does not describe complexity of the relationships. Beginning and end points are not defined nor are actual business requirements that drive this system. As the
investigation progressed into the core processes, it was discovered that the embedded
processes for Blank Purchase Agreements, ACME forecast and BPA are not documented nor
controlled by a clearly defined processes.
This is an associated factor in why it was difficult to define the processes and process
interdependence. The business management methodology is not generally uniformly or fully
understood by any group or individual. Many of the actions that occur are functional methods
that have been passed down from prior employees or created by individuals with core
functional responsibility but without consideration for cross-functional implications. Evidence
suggests that a comprehensive business plan and method for managing the ACME relationship
is critically needed.

Page 12 of 27

Purchase Price
Variance Systems View:
The financial and accounting tools and practices exist that allow XYZ Corp. to manage cost
accounting, forecasting materials, sales orders and subsequent financial adjustments. With
these tools and business practices, XYZ Corp. employees should be able to estimate PPV and
all of the PPV elements.
Interviews were conducted with the identified owners of the reporting processes. We
interviewed owners individually and in small teams where data or information hand-offs were
occurring. We discovered a minimal degree of consensus existed on data actually reported
from each process feed. Cost accounting and Supply Chain personnel had to work through the
numerous details to validate the data or information and how it is collected and finally
reported. The Q4 variance was the initial target as it was a substantial amount of money and
there was an apparent inability to describe how the total variance was derived. The following
is the initial variance derivation and reconciliation model.

Page 13 of 27

PPV Reconciliation:
Twelve feeds were eventually mapped into flow charts. There are flow charts representing of
nine of the twelve feeds (the Decru feed is no longer used and two are direct outputs of Oracle
accounts) noted in the spider diagram below. These 12 feeds/calculations are generally
independent of the PPV reconciliation and serve other primary purposes. The feeds are utilized
to extract PPV when an issue or problem arises. There is no defined method or process for
conducting PPV reconciliation.
Calculating PPV is currently conducted by gathering information or data from numerous
sources. How and what the data represents in each flow has not been considered important. At
times, when asked about the source of any given processes that came from outside the function
of the reporter the answer was, “that is not my concern or functional responsibility”.
The PPV reconciliation method is not a documented process. As it stands currently, the PPV
reconciliation is not scalable, sustainable and repeatability of the same method is unlikely.
Therefore, trending or analysis based on past efforts will have a potential for being inaccurate
and without substantial validation of data.

Page 14 of 27

Identified Feeds to Reconcile PPV:
Each of the feeds were individually identified and described by the owners of the activities that
roll up in to the reconciliation. These are very high level and do not solidify into a documented
or formal method of practice. During the interview process, it was apparent that little
orchestration had been done by the owners to understand the relationships and interdependence
of the data, and how it was actually was gathered and reported.
To this date, we do not have formal consensus between the owners on what the data is, or how
it is actually transacted. An agreed upon conclusion is critical in defining requirements and
specific products that are passed on through the value chain. This evidence re-enforces the fact
that the process is largely based on tribal knowledge, and passed along by “word of mouth”.
(None of the actual reports or tools used by the designated owners were provided during the
mapping of the processes).
The described core processes (variance feeds) were created by. The Accounts Payable
processes were created and published in the Procure to Payment process engineering initiative.
This process has been validated by the P2P team.

Final Identified Core Processes
The following are the final set of core processes that were identified by the participants as the
ones that were critical to managing ACME, and for reconciling the “ACME variance” that is
reported to executive staff. (These are “core” processes, and will be used for as-is mapping in
phase 2, and not a deliverable for phase 1).

Page 15 of 27

Component Inventory PPV (Feed
1) Identified Owner: Mark Shindel
Processes Scope:
Commodity Management reviews a PPV
inventory report submitted by ACME
personnel.
Commodity management
forwards the report to the commodity
teams for review and identification of
issues with part pricing. If no issues are
identified, payment is processed. If issues
are found, it is up to the specific
commodity manager to work the issue with
ACME.
Issues/Observations:
There is no closed feedback loop on issues
and does not have a measured corrective
action plan, or remedied part pricing. The
loop does not include a report back to the
Commodity Management Team leader
who should verify that a discrepancy was
actually fixed and prevented from
reoccurring.
There is no automatic
tracking mechanism or system identifying
a price change. The only way to confirm
pricing is to review the next month’s
report. Discrepancies will likely end up in the A/P hold report and adjustments made over time.
Errors of this nature will permeate the PPV reconciliation process (including quarterly BPA
adjustments).
Recommendations:
Part pricing issues should be tracked and reported in order to reconcile changes in the purchase
price to actual changes in PO line items.
A PPV inventory review should be a scheduled event, within a defined process, that coincides
with payment on a fixed, regular basis. The report is submitted by ACME on a monthly basis;
however, it is not known when XYZ Corp. personnel complete the review.

Page 16 of 27

ACME ANALYSIS PROJECT PHASE 1
REPORT
CTO Value Add (Feed 2)
Identified Owner: Dustin Wang
Processes Scope:
This process identifies forecasted pricing
based on historical Blanket Purchase
Agreements. XYZ Corp. standard pricing is
contrasted and subtracted out leaving the
ACME compensation value. The same is
done with actual sales orders and XYZ
Corp. standard pricing. Cost accounting
prepares a monthly report that is distributed
to the XYZ Corp. financial community.
The primary reason for this process is to
report monthly payment to ACME in
contrast to actual cost to XYZ Corp.. This
process is independent of the actual method
and should be reviewed to determine if the
numbers reported are accurate and not
double counted in any other process report.
This is a “net” report and does not identify
any corrections, changes or adjustments.
Recommendations:
This process’s relationship to other
financial reports that affect PPV needs to be
fully understood. For example, how does
the timing of inventory PPV impact
this report?
(The belief is they are
mutually exclusive).

Page 17 of 27

Component Inventory Revaluation (Feed 3)
Identified Owner: Dustin Wang Process
Scope:
Cost accounting reviews blanket purchase orders by
consecutive quarters to identify price changes in contrast to
the XYZ Corp. standard pricing. These parts are described
as “3 by 5” components. Cost accounting identifies and
extracts specific parts that were impacted by the creation of
a new blanket purchase order. Materials on hand are then
multiplied by the cost difference from the new BPA. This
establishes the revalued parts on hand pricing. This process
is completed for each ACME location.
Through the interview process, it was discovered that
ACME sites might handle pricing adjustments with different
methodologies. This requires validation to ensure accuracy
of the component revaluation.
Recommendations:
Complete a comprehensive “as is” map of the attached
flow. Match to each ACME site pricing and adjustment
methods. This should be performed within unique part
families.

Page 18 of 27

Blanket Purchase Agreement Adjustments (Feed
4) Identified Owner:
Process Scope:
This process defines how cost accounting makes quarterly
adjustments to blanket purchase orders that begin and/or end
quarterly. Depending upon when a new BPA takes effect pricing
is adjusted to reflect the new BPA
Timelines and consistency may make comparing and analyzing
quarterly adjustments difficult.
Recommendations:
None

Reversals for component revaluation from prior quarter
(Feed 5) Identified Owner: Dustin Wang
Process Scope:
The purpose of this process is to revalue component pricing
that have accrued for one fiscal quarter.
Are accruals accurate given the number of adjustments that
happen over the fiscal quarter? Given that commodity
management is changing prices on a monthly basis, how
does this impact accrual reporting?
Recommendations:
None

Page 19 of 27

Sales order cancellation credit to ACME (Feed
6)
Identified Owner: Lisa Bullis
Process Scope:
To ensure that product that is “configured to order
then cancelled” is tracked and restocked to
inventory. ACME and the XYZ Corp. PLM’s
report electronically the cancelled orders,
subsequent break down, and restocking activity.
XYZ Corp. PO line items are adjusted and ACME
and the PLM’s are compensated for the tear down
process
None
Recommendations:
None

Page 20 of 27


Non-ACME supplier PPV to Sunnyvale (Feed
7)
Identified Owner: Dustin Wang Process Scope:
This process defines the PPV for non-ACME
suppliers.
This process has a noticeable difference in
contrast to the PPV for ACME. It appears that
cost accounting does the price analysis with out
closing with Commodity Management. Box 5.0
has no resolution. A price or percentage filter is
used to determine if a part is out of control from a
price perspective. The filter level is set on
“professional” judgment.
Recommendations:
Define a closed loop solution with Commodity
Management. Define a standard for professional
judgment. The price variation may be dynamic,
and the filter level may be ineffective for different
types of commodities.

Accounts Payable Approval Process (Feed 9)
Identified Owner:
Process Scope:
Management process for all transactions invoiced through Accounts Payable. Payment issues
that are discovered end up in a hold file until discrepancies are rectified.
Page 21 of 27


(chart follows)
Historical data reveals that a large dollar amount is maintained in this location until issues are
resolved. Revaluation and quarterly adjustments that do not reconcile will be placed on hold
and payment will be delayed
Recommendations:
None
Page 22 of 27

CCBOM/BPA Variance Posting Process (Feed 10)
Identified Owner:
Process Scope:
Process for identification of price variances and
adjustment with ACME. This Process appears to
be a derivative of process #1. A filter is used (to
determine at an aggregate) if the variance is out
of control.
Process #1 and process #9 appear redundant.
This exercise may be able to be completed at the
same time as process #1. The filter of 5% also
requires validation. The filter may be effective
for certain components and at the same time
could leak considerable expenditure on a
different class of components.
Recommendations:
Consolidate process 1 and 9 into one process.
Verify/validate the percentage/dollar amount is
appropriate for all commodities.

Page 23 of 27


Financial
Reconciliation
Numerous attempts were made
by various ABCD staff to have
the main participants develop
a simple reconciliation chart
based on the identified
variance feeds.
We were
unsuccessful in our attempts.
This may be indicative of a lack
of ownership or priority to the
variance issue and ensuing
project.
The chart (pictured at right)
(provided to the participants
in
excel
format)
was
developed by ABCD for use
by the assigned owners. The
purpose of this chart and its
completion (as it applies to
this phase of the project), was
to confirm that all elements of
the identified “ACME PPV”
variance were completely
understood and that the
business
owners
could
demonstrate to management
that they can reconcile the
variance amounts reported to
executive staff.
The subsequent use of the chart,
and associated data, is in the
determination of the validity,
predictability, accuracy of each variance and its origination. Furthermore, the data should be
analyzed to be sure that it “makes sense” from a value perspective as well as an ownership and
process perspective. The use and analysis of this information is the core of understanding how
to improve performance and assist in making strategic decisions. As of this writing, ABCD is
unable to provide any further insight, as there has not been completion of the data by the
business owners. We believe that this must be made an extremely high priority by management
or it compromises creditability and impedes performance enhancement and strategic decisionmaking.

Page 24 of 27


Process Analysis
Throughout phase 1, it became evident that actual defined methods or processes to manage
ACME and all subsequent reporting do not exist. This is a systemic problem resulting from a
lack of definition of core processes, the interdependencies between processes coupled with
clearly defined roles and responsibilities. When a cross discipline effort is initiated, clarity of
purpose and direction diminishes and functional team members point at each other as the data
source. While trying to define the PPV process, the stakeholders would make statements,
“Where the number comes from is not my problem”. The reporting requirement now suffers
from validation and accuracy is suspect. The reports utilized to create a PPV report are XYZ
Corp. internally created except for the monthly report from ACME and sales order
adjustments. The actual methods or Oracle reports for gathering the data remain unknown. We
only observed Microsoft Excel spreadsheet data. Cross analysis and comparison happens
when cost accounting completes a monthly finance report that is delivered to executive staff.
This finance reporting effort appears to be the only PPV analysis that is done on a consistent
quarterly basis. The issue with this particular report is that is missing several processes to
complete a more comprehensive report. Additionally, all the data is post facto and several of
the reconciliation processes do not have closed loop reporting to ensure pricing variances were
actually corrected and reported.
While conducting two process definition meetings the cost accounting function and supply
chain functions could not agree on the method for calculating the PPV. A subsequent follow
up meeting with cost accounting and supply chain functions was redirected by supply chain
not to include cost accounting.
What does exist is an informal set of actions that allow a knowledgeable participant to source
and put together a report on PPV when requested to do so. This series of actions has no
defined beginning or end-point. The key stakeholders still have not demonstrated consensus on
how to complete the PPV analysis.

Key Observations

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

No clear ownership for reporting PPV exists
Actual cross functional understanding of the reconciliation method does not exist
The methods and lower level actions are not documented.
PPV analysis is a requirement for managing the ACME relationship. Currently
PPV is reactive only and has no front-end business impact.
PPV and other supplier facing processes are not documented
Core processes are now documented, but the interrelationship and dependencies of
the processes are not well defined or understood.
Repeatability is possible only through tribal knowledge, predictable results are
questionable in quarter to quarter analysis
Work product methods are not repeatable, sustainable or scalable

Page 25 of 27


Information Systems
ABCD was not provided insight into the applications or tools that are used to create reports
etc. that comprise the core process and subsequent variance reconciliation. Interviewee
statements confirmed that Oracle and SAP were the critical applications that contained the
pricing engines, blanket purchase agreements and the tools to produce a report. Consolidation
of reporting streams would benefit the overall effort in contrast to physically chasing down
the numbers.

Interfaces and Communications
Common statement made by key stakeholders “Not my concern how they got their numbers”
is problematic in validating how all input streams culminate in a well-established answer. The
comment also demonstrates a belief or position that how an individual stream may be of value
to reporting is irrelevant or “not my problem”. Clearly defined PPV ownership as described in
the process section will ensure that all streams are understood and more importantly, how they
actually impact PPV.

Recommendations
In addition to the individual recommendations noted in this report, the majority of all
recommendations fall into the following four major groupings:

Process

>
>
>
>
>

>
>

Designate a responsible business process and program owner with a set of
performance expectations to monitor and report PPV on a monthly basis
Formalize a team of participants to create the “As Is” process utilizing a
comprehensive process design approach such as “Six Sigma”
The business owner will be responsible for driving and achieving consensus on the
core processes and subsequent as-is mapping
Obtain consensus on core processes so a more effective as-is process mapping
project can be effectively launched
Define and endorse project scope, executive sponsor, milestone driven plan with
concrete deliverables
o (DMAIC), Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control.
o Formal progress reporting to management
o Sustaining plan to institutionalize process
Align newly defined processes and methods to company quality requirements
Develop methods for testing and sampling data from Oracle to ensure data
management is being addressed from a quality perspective

Contract Improvement and Enhancement

>

Develop plan and timeline to obtain Best-of-Breed contracts and EMS/CTO
performance as previously noted in report

Page 26 of 27


Organization Optimization

>
>
>
>

Align materials functions to complement EMS and CTO businesses frameworks
Conduct skills, capability and interest assessment to align workforce talent to
updated organization structure
Develop transition plan and timeline to fully staff and execute updated organization
and associated functional capability and strategy objectives
Develop and deploy a cross-functional commodity strategy and benchmarking
activities to validate business strategy and direction

Financial Reconciliation

>
>

Complete current reconciliation process to validate process feeds and financial data
Identify gaps and issues to determine if the core processes require modification >
Modify or re-engineer the reconciliation processes as required

Summary
Phase 1 has started a critical effort to improve the management of XYZ Corp.’s EMS partner
and the associated financial controls and processes. It is our opinion that developing a plan to
implement the aforementioned recommendations will significantly improve the performance of
the XYZ Corp. EMS commodity team and the supply chain organization as a whole.
The understanding and acceptance of the cross-functional participants of the critical nature and
importance of this work product to XYZ Corp.’s future is paramount. Appropriate priority
should be placed on the development and deployment of a true action plan with timely
performance measurement to the plan. Based upon our observations, we recommend that the
plan be extremely formal with ties to both individual and team performance measurement and
review.
Setting an objective of developing a Best-of-Breed organization and functional capability, as
benchmarked against other top companies, would provide the required motivation for the
organization.

Page 27 of 27

Amce analysis project

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (17)

Similar to Amce analysis project

Similar to Amce analysis project (20)

More from The Evans Group LLC

More from The Evans Group LLC (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Amce analysis project