Supply User Manual ENG -> 1. General Supply -> LU-GE 0101 UniField: an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System
LU-GE 0101 UniField: an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System
How to Explain the Architecture of UniField?
UniField is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool which facilitates the integration of the work of the supply and finance departments into one system. It is a complex task to build a single software which meets the needs of each user, whether they are in finance, supply or warehouse. UniField combines these into a single, integrated software. This program runs off a single instance (project database) and allows each department to share information and communicate with each other.
UniField has various business applications which link with a variety of sub modules. It facilitates interaction between users in field offices and the mission and vice versa, and offers benefits in time savings, paper work and efficiency. The application is managed via user access control, so each user has access to a specific part of the process e.g. a supply officer creates an order, this same order is validated by a supply team member, received by a supply logistician and paid for by finance staff. All users interact with the order at different levels in the system.
UniField is a web based application. Provided there is sufficient internet connectivity, users will exchange data via an Internet connection. When not exchanging data with another instance (project database) UniField works via an offline network.
One of the key needs for all MSF Operational Centers is to improve and accelerate the flow of information between the various operational and functional levels. One of UniField’s main benefits is providing a common international tool for Coordination and Projects across all sections. The management of MSF operations requires numerous interactions, especially between Projects and Coordination, and between Supply and Finance departments. Before UniField, the coordination between Supply and Finance was almost exclusively restricted to manual data checking and time-consuming meetings, which can lead to misunderstandings between finance and supply. The operational scope of the UniField project is to provide a common international tool for Coordination and Projects.
In addition, UniField provides automated links between supply and finance operations leading to improved efficiency, consistency, reliability and precision in the management of MSF resources. Integrating Supply and Finance into one tool allows information to be shared and retrieved easily by all departments. UniField will reduce manual data checking and miscommunication between the Supply and Finance departments.
Business Application Model
An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system offers a high number of available features. Most users of the system will only need selected features, depending on their role in the organization. In order to remain easy to use, the different features are split into business applications.
All users will usually work in a particular context (e.g. in a supply warehouse or recording accounting entries). Within this role UniField will provide business applications in which they will be able to directly see all features related to their individual role. The business applications were developed according to user roles in the organisation: coordinators, purchasers, accountants, etc.
These business applications define a context of work and all terminology used in an application are relative to this context e.g. a purchaser sees screens adapted to purchasing operations. An accountant may see the same data, but from an accounting perspective (adapted terminology, adapted menus, adapted default values in each screen).
Transversal Features, Used by All Applications
The user can perform most of their tasks using only one business application. They do not have to switch to another application to perform the tasks of the same role e.g. an accountant is not forced to go to one of the supply applications to see a supplier invoice. They can do it from the accounting application and can also pay the invoice from this application.
Some features are accessible by all users, irrespective of the application they usually work in. The direct menu can be found in the application that uses the feature most regularly. Shortcuts to this feature are found in other applications that need less regular access. For example, many users need access to {Partners} and {Products} modules. The menu is inserted into the applications that need these features most regularly e.g. the address book is in the {Order}, {Purchases} and {Accounting} business applications. However, inside the Accounting Application certain finance team members will have shortcut buttons in order to reach the {Partners} and {Products} modules.
Access Rights
The roles defined in each module are directly related to each business application. This means that for a given application, all roles within this application must be relevant to this process. For example the {Accounting} application will be used by financial staff members: Financial Coordinators, Financial Managers, and Finance Assistants. For supply, the permissions / access rights given will correspond to the tasks of a Warehouse Officer, Logistic Coordinator, Supply Manager, etc. In some cases users will have read only access. For example, a Financial Manager or Supply Manager may be able to access all screens for information purposes but certain actions may only be completed by the Financial Coordinator or the Logistic Coordinator.
Instance Synchronization in UniField
An instance is an installation of UniField. It could be a Project, Coordination or an HQ. In simplified terms, one instance reflects one MSF office. The instances exchange data through the synchronization server, which has been designed to work with bad or unreliable internet connections. However, an internet connection is necessary when sending data between two different instances. Synchronization is performed regularly, either on an automatic or manual basis.
When working within one instance then users can work offline, i.e. not connected to the internet or synchronization server. For example, when coordination supply department adds data, the coordination finance department will automatically see the data without need for synchronization. When the project instance adds data, they will need to connect online via the synchronization server in order for coordination to access the data.
In order to cut down on high internet usage, the synchronization server replicates only the necessary data for sending/pushing data and receiving/pulling data. The synchronization server does this by receiving/sending/routing messages from all other instances. For example, invoices and register lines created at project level are sent to the synchronization server and sync completely to the Coordination, but at the HQ level only the related accounting entries are replicated because this is all the information the HQ database requires. A synchronization rule is defined and applied for each type of data.
