in this issue
>  News & Announcements
>  MAC-PAC XE Shipping Interface Workshop
>  Perspectives 2005 - TDCI Customer Forum
>  Enhancement & PTF Update
>  Tip of the Month
>  User Advisory Board (UAB) Contacts


News & Announcements

MAC-PAC or MAC-PAC® XE™ - What’s in a Name?

Over the past year, a number of long-time MAC-PAC users have made the move to re-join the active user community and/or revitalize their use of the proven and reliable MAC-PAC solution. With all of this activity, we have had many questions about what ‘ MAC-PAC XE ' is as compared to just ‘MAC-PAC'. So we decided that we would take the opportunity to re-state and clarify exactly what MAC-PAC XE is, and what it means to your company.    More>>

Cosmolab Inc. Joins MAC-PAC® XE™ Maintenance Program and Expands Implementation

Cosmolab Inc., a MAC-PAC user since 1989, has recently joined the TDCI MAC-PAC XE maintenance program. Even though Cosmolab has remained an active MAC-PAC XE user, the company had been off maintenance since Andersen Consulting turned support over to TDCI in 1998. The move back to maintenance followed the implementation of the MAC-PA XE Order Processing (OP) and Accounts Receivable (AR) modules in 2004.    More>>

A. T. Cross Signs Up for TDCI’s MAC-PAC® XE™ Maintenance

The A. T. Cross Company (AMEX: ATX), a MAC-PAC user since 1993, re-initiated TDCI’s MAC-PAC XE maintenance service in January.    More>>

Ruskin Company to Implement MAC-PAC® XE™ at New Site

Ruskin Company (Ruskin) is extending its use of MAC-PAC XE to the manufacturing facilities of recently acquired Reliable Louvers in Geneva, Alabama. MAC-PAC XE will replace an outdated version of the HFA software product from Friedman Corporation. TDCI will provide implementation services for the project, working closely with people from other Ruskin sites as well as the Geneva site. MAC-PAC XE is Ruskin’s corporate standard ERP system in use at headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as multiple manufacturing locations around the country.    More>>

Carver Yachts Sees Results with MAC-PAC® XE™ Product Change Manager (PCM)

Carver Yachts went live with an extended version of the MAC-PAC XE Product Change Manager (PCM) application back in December 2003. The capabilities of PCM have provided Carver with electronic media and workflow management for change requests and change orders. This enables faster, easier distribution throughout manufacturing, engineering, finance, purchasing, and documentation departments. As a result of this automation, Carver is now realizing numerous benefits:   More>>

Watlow Goes Live with BuyDesign™ Control Center

Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company (Watlow), long time MAC-PAC user and the world’s largest custom designer and manufacturer of industrial heaters, sensors, and controllers, has gone live with web-based product configuration capabilities using the BuyDesign™ Control Center configuration engine – the core component of TDCI’s BuyDesign Product Customization Management System. Watlow customer service representatives, product specialists, world-wide sales force, and distributors now have access to the capability through the company’s web-based eCommerce system.    Read the full press release...>>

BuyDesign™ 4.0 Delivers Enterprise-Class Scalability, Mission-Critical Reliability, and Extensive Visualization Capabilities

Version 4.0 of the BuyDesign™ Product Customization Management System is now available. BuyDesign 4.0 includes a wide range of technical and functional enhancements that together position BuyDesign for deployment in the most demanding environments where rapid processing of high transaction volumes, dynamic display of complex configured products, and high availability are required. The new release also provides expanded capabilities for visualization of product features and configurations. BuyDesign is in use today by leading manufacturers of highly customizable products as wide ranging as: windows and doors, pumps, industrial heating systems, and auditorium seating.   More>>

MAC-PAC® XE™ Sarbanes-Oxley Workshop Provides Insight for Company Strategies

The first MAC-PAC XE Sarbanes-Oxley Workshop was held January 26th at TDCI headquarters. The attendees represented companies with a wide range of Sarbanes-Oxley knowledge and experience, from ‘we've just started thinking about it' to companies who were finishing their first year-end audit under the new legislation.   More>>

MAC-PAC XE Shipping Interface Input Workshop

Register Now to Attend May 17th Workshop

On May 17th, TDCI will hold a one-day MAC-PAC ® XE™ user input workshop focused on development of a functional specification for a generic ‘shipping solution' interface. This capability was reiterated as a high priority among MAC-PAC users at last year's user conference. The intent of the workshop is to develop an approach that would provide MAC-PAC XE integration with some or all of the following shipper solutions: UPS, FEDEX, DHL, USPS, and LTL carriers.    More>>

Plan Now to Attend Perspectives 2005 - the TDCI Customer Forum in August

As a MAC-PAC® XE™ user, you won’t want to miss this year’s Perspectives 2005 TDCI Customer Forum at the Hilton Columbus Hotel August 21-24 in the Easton Town Center. This is the single most valuable event you can attend in 2005. The TDCI Customer Forum is the one place you can stimulate new ideas to help your company improve customer responsiveness, productivity, and competitiveness using the MAC-PAC XE ERP solution you ALREADY HAVE.    More>>

Enhancement and PTF Update

New MAC-PAC XE Enhancements Available

MAC-PAC XE core application enhancements that have been completed since the last newsletter:

KB39 (EC) – When creating global variables through the screen generation rule, suppress the appending of the ‘G' character to the front of the variable name

KB41 ( PO ) – Add a vendor number to Receipts Inquiry

KB23 (OP) – Enable creation of EDI outbound debit and credit memos

MAC-PAC XE core application PTFs that have been completed since the last newsletter. Problems resolved are:

K2QG (EC) – Configured sales order inquiry aborts when processing numeric global variables defined at the screen generation level

K2QH (MS) – The multi-level forecast generation program is not rounding FCST component requirements

K2QI (IA) – In valid library is referenced on CHKOBJ commands in program IAPEREND (Inventory Accounting period end processing stream)

K2QE (IC) – Warehouse Stock Balance Audit aborts when executed on a pre-V5R2 system

K2QJ (EC) – SO/QO inquiry does not format numeric global variables that are not displayed

K2QK (JT) – JIT production schedule created for very large past due quantity – FA has "0" start date

K2QN (OP) – Invoice date in OP540AP1 incorrectly set to system date

K2QO (EC) – The 'formatted' condition line field is being incorrectly populated on the external program (EP) rule

K2QP (EC) – Decimal and underscore characters in an alphanumeric string cause the external program to abort

K2QQ (EC) – Zero decimal numerics are not formatted correctly through Sales Order/Quote Inquiry

K2QR (EC) – Sales Order Inquiry configuration (F14=Options) EP rule variable type processing fails to find variable codes category Y01

K2QS (EC) – PTF K2QP caused external program (EP) rule processing data issues

K2QM (JT) – JIT Flow Receipt – protect/unprotect feature is not re-initialized after changing plant

K2QL (MS) – Tentative schedule for inactive parts is still considered demand for components

K2QU (SF) – Labor Requirements Maintenance aborts when operation is deleted during the Generate Labor Requirements function

K2QV (OP) – File designation incorrect in code for PTF K2HB, program OP100CLP

K2QW (IC) – IC130E processing E30 bar coded transactions with incorrect date

K2QX (AA) – Labor Requirements Maintenance not deleting all associated alternate operations

Full descriptions of these and other MAC-PAC XE enhancements and PTFs are available for download at www.tdci.com/macpac . Click ‘Support Login' at the top of the screen, then click either ‘Enhancements' or ‘Software Fixes' after logging in.

More enhancements and PTFs are always in the works, so check the MAC-PAC XE web site again soon!

MAC-PAC XE Online Support is available 24x7 to companies that are currently active on the TDCI MAC-PAC XE Maintenance & Support Service. 

Tip of the Month
Each MAC-PAC Tip of the Month is a selected Expert Reference Note (ERN) from the MAC-PAC ‘Helpful Hints' database in the MAC-PAC website. You can get the full text of this note or search the database by logging in to Support, then selecting ‘Helpful Hints' at www.tdci.com/macpac.

Q:   How significant is the Batch Quantity field on the part master for a part?

MAC-PAC XE User Advisory Board (UAB) Contacts
The MAC-PAC User Advisory Board (UAB) was formed in 1998 at the first TDCI MAC-PAC User Conference after TDCI took over support from Andersen Consulting. Today, the MAC-PAC XE UAB meets several times a year with TDCI management by phone and in person. In addition to acting as a sounding board and a direct 2-way link between TDCI and the MAC-PAC XE user base, the UAB has played an important role in the evolution of the MAC-PAC XE product and TDCI support services. The UAB also participates in planning for the annual MAC-PAC XE User Conference and runs a users-only session as part of the program.

UAB members are happy to act as a focal point for communication with other MAC-PAC XE users or with TDCI. Visit http://www.tdci.com/macpac/services/uab_members.htm for profiles and contact information for all UAB members.