A computer implemented Availability Checking Tool enabling tool users to
execute within a common work environment, from common enterprise data, and
considering assets and demands across multiple order management systems
and manufacturing facilities within boundaries established by
manufacturing specifications and process flows and business policies. The
tool receives orders from multiple demand sources or ordering systems.
Tool users can easily maintain a synergistic relationship between multiple
ordering systems. A demand configurator coordinates product requests based
on information from the demand source according to certain rules and
priorities assigned to the product requests. A material resource engine
manipulates data from the demand configurator and the rules to provide
material supply information. A solver manipulates the material supply
information from the resource engine and the rules to provide optimized
product availability information. Thus, customer business rule level
definitions are supported to provide the tool users with the power to
micro-manage, optimally, enterprise assets and demands.