This guide explains how to use the Alternative Solution feature in Buymanager to efficiently search for and manage WebQuote pricing information for your components. This feature provides enhanced readability and filtering capabilities compared to traditional WebQuote searches.
What is the Alternative Solution feature (for WebQuote)?
The Alternative Solution feature is designed to help you efficiently manage parts that may have pricing or stock information challenges. When used for WebQuote pricing, it offers:
- Highlighting Differences: Visually indicates (in orange) any discrepancies between your searched MPN and the MPN found in the results.
- Advanced Filters: Allows you to quickly narrow down results by lead time, stock availability, and packaging.
- Enhanced Search: Effectively replaces the "Search prices for MPN without prices" function previously found in the classic WebQuote window.
Why Do You Need It?
This feature helps you:
- Efficiently Find Prices: Quickly locate WebQuote prices for components, especially those that are hard to price or have uncertain stock.
- Make Informed Decisions: Analyze combined pricing, stock, and lead time data in one view to select the best options.
Prerequisites
Access to the Buymanager application and the WebQuote functionality.
Note: This version of the Alternative Solution feature *does not* require the optional Risk Management module or a SiliconExpert license. If you *do* have the Risk Management module, you can access even more advanced alternative search capabilities, including cross-references from SiliconExpert. For more information on that, please refer to: Using the Alternative Solution with the Risk Module
How It Works: Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps to effectively use the Alternative Solution feature for WebQuote pricing:
Part 1: Initiating the Alternative Solution Search
1. Select Components: In your Buymanager Costing or BOM, select the specific lines (components) for which you want to find alternative solutions.
2. Open Alternative Solution
3. Review Initial View: The Alternative Solution window will open, displaying the selected parts. For each part, you will see its current sources.
At this stage, you can:
- Tick sources: Select which existing sources you want to include in the costing.
- Use filters: Refine the displayed results (explained in Part 2).
- Switch parts: Navigate between different parts you've selected for the search.
Part 2: Refining and Confirming Selections
1. Use Filters to Refine Results: Filters help you efficiently narrow down the search results in real-time. You can filter by:
- Suppliers: Limit results to specific suppliers.
- Packaging: Filter by component packaging type.
- MPN Relevance: Set a minimum percentage for the relevance of the cross-reference.
- Stock Availability: Specify a minimum percentage of stock required.
- Lead Time: Set a maximum lead time (e.g., in weeks)
Filter option detailed:
- By Priority: Select the maximum priority level for suppliers and packaging
`1` is the highest priority.
`0` means the supplier/packaging will not be considered - By Quota: Define a numerical quota for MPN and stock relevance.
- By Maximum Lead Time: Set a maximum number of weeks for lead time.
2. Manual MPN Search: You can also manually search for a specific MPN within the same window. Any new results found will be added to the existing list.
3. Update Alternative Solution Data (Refresh): To get the most up-to-date WebQuote results within the Alternative Solution" window:
For the currently displayed part, click "Refresh Part Results"
To refresh results for all parts in your search, use "Refresh all parts results".
4. Select and Confirm: Once you have reviewed and filtered the results, tick the checkboxes next to the desired cross-references or alternative sources you wish to integrate into your costing.
Click "Confirm and close".
Part 3: How to Read WebQuote Results within the Alternative Solution
The results table provides a consolidated and visually enhanced view of WebQuote data:
- Highlighted MPN Differences: In the "MPN (Result)" column, any differences between your originally searched MPN and the MPN found in the WebQuote result are highlighted in orange. The highlight starts from the first differing character. This helps you quickly identify exact matches versus close alternatives.
- Aggregated Stock: The displayed stock quantity represents the total stock available from all listed suppliers.
Important Note: If you have both a "direct" supplier (e.g., "Digikey (Direct)") and its equivalent from a data aggregator like Findchips (e.g., "Digikey" from Findchips), their stock might be counted twice. To avoid this, use the supplier filters (explained below). - Maximum Lead Time: The displayed lead time is the highest lead time among the listed suppliers for that component