We are planning to install MSP9 (we are currently on V10 - MSP5) sometime around the May-June time frame of this year. In looking at the release notes for MSP9 - it appears that the file layout for RQ500 is changing (and Infor has confirmed this for me). The record length itself is changing (additional spaces in filler at the end of each record type) and also there are some new fields added. I see in the header there is PO-CODE and LOCATION-RULE. I haven't gone through the RQ500 Line record yet - but I see the length of that has changed as well. Our current record length is 2000 characters - the new length after MSP9 is 2330.
Has anybody else run into this? We have at least 2 vendors that are creating RQ500 files for us that we pull in from the vendor via Globalscape. These files, in turn, create critical orders so I need to make sure these are going to work correctly after the MSP9 is installed. RQ500 files are currently fixed-length records - that is what we are getting from both vendors. Our job parameters for the RQ500 are both set to "F" (Flat File). I know we have the option to use a CSV file - but these were never set up that way and have been like this for a long time.
I believe now I am going to have to reach out to both vendors to modify their programs to add the additional fields and increase the record length (because of the fixed format and it has no carriage returns so it is that ridiculous 1 LONG line if you look at it in an editor without adding the CR/LF). I could go the route of having the vendors make them CSV files as long as they have to make these other changes, but I'm not sure it's worth it. The LOCATION-RULE is in the middle of the Header Record - so I only see 2 options - Have the vendors make changes (which could be a nightmare with whatever lead time they need and whether or not they will charge us for change) or I write something on my end that takes the file and translates it into the new file layout.
I'm looking for your thoughts on the best way to handle this and if you've dealt with this already maybe?
Thanks in advance, Laura
