Implementing Maximo® at Purdue University

Summary

WorkTech worked with Purdue University on a turnkey project to implement Maximo software in their facilities maintenance arena. Below are some of the innovative solutions that WorkTech consultants implemented at Purdue, specifically for the Purdue Stores.

Standardizing Item Costs Across Multiple Storerooms

Maximo software maintains different item prices for each storeroom. Purdue University specified that item prices must be standardized across all storerooms. WorkTech altered the standard Maximo behavior through a series of database triggers and procedures so that an item will always have the same price regardless of which storeroom it is being kept in.

Item Cost Markup

Purdue Stores operates as a competitive distribution center for all university supplies. This required a markup percentage to be applied to the item prices issued (i.e., sold). WorkTech developed and implemented a markup procedure whereby the issue price of any individual item can be inflated by a predefined percentage. The markup for each item is specified in a spare field and applied globally to all storerooms through a series of database triggers and procedures.

ARIBA Interface

Purdue used ARIBA as its inventory purchasing application. Maximo is used as the inventory control application for locally held inventory in Purdue Stores, a self maintained business unit. Maximo is also used for Stores replenishment against master Purchase Orders.

The Purdue Stores inventory catalog held and maintained in Maximo, is published to the ARIBA system through an SQR export procedure. This allows the ARIBA user to punch out to other external vendors for competitive pricing or use the online catalog to by directly from Maximo.

Item Detail Lookup Web Based Application

The version of ARIBA used by Purdue did not display current prices and items availability from the online Maximo catalog. Purdue and WorkTech considered various approaches including a complete punch-out option from ARIBA to Maximo using either a newly developed punch-out system, or the MRO provided Self Service Request application through MXServer. After much deliberation, it was decided to develop a dynamic Item Detail Lookup Web application where additional Maximo information could be exposed to the ARIBA user. With this innovation the ARIBA user can now search for an item and review the Maximo item number, description, long description, current balance per storeroom, price, and even a picture of the selected item!

XML Based Inventory Reservations

When users place an order against an item from Maximo in ARIBA, the ARIBA ACSN publishes the request. WorkTech consultants developed a procedure to intercept that traffic and to parse it through XML as an insert into the Maximo MR and MRLINE tables. The result is that the ARIBA order is now immediately available to the Maximo user as in Inventory Reservation. These items can thus be issued, distributed, and charged to the requesting departments.