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Allocation Question


Denao_53

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I found out (sadly) from my dealer that there are 9 orders ahead of me. I do have COVP and I'm a priority 2, but the dealer has no allocation for the rest of this month. Is there a typical allocation for a large volume dealer?  I don't want to keep bugging the dealer, but like many, I've been waiting a long time and trying to figure out if I need to drop some of my options. Do the options have to do with how an order is in the allocation?  In other words, if someone else has fewer options are they likely to jump over my order? He said they will know more about the next round later in the month and then see what gets scheduled in January. Hopefully they get more allocation in January. Maybe I will have a truck by March. 

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31 minutes ago, Denao_53 said:

I found out (sadly) from my dealer that there are 9 orders ahead of me. I do have COVP and I'm a priority 2, but the dealer has no allocation for the rest of this month. Is there a typical allocation for a large volume dealer?  I don't want to keep bugging the dealer, but like many, I've been waiting a long time and trying to figure out if I need to drop some of my options. Do the options have to do with how an order is in the allocation?  In other words, if someone else has fewer options are they likely to jump over my order? He said they will know more about the next round later in the month and then see what gets scheduled in January. Hopefully they get more allocation in January. Maybe I will have a truck by March. 

 

There is no typical allocation, but allocation is based on the dealership's sales history, inventory and days' supply but starts with the allocation that the Region receives from Dearborn. The Dealer can accept the allocation offered, take fewer units or make a supplemental request for additional allocation. All of this is for regular production vehicles and does not apply to specialty vehicles such as Shelby's, etc. 

 

Vehicle specifications have nothing to do with allocation. The first priority is an order's priority code which determines the order in which orders are reviewed for possible scheduling. An order must meet the commodity restraints in effect for the week that the order is being reviewed for scheduling that Thursday. 

 

Retail orders verified via the COVP (Customer Order Verification Program) qualify for incremental allocation and priority scheduling. Dealers must submit/upload a copy of the signed Buyer's Order and the customer's Driver's License. 

 

Retail orders submitted via the WBDO (Web Based Dealer Ordering) system default to priority code 19 requiring Dealer to manually assign a lower 10-18 priority code. Priority codes 01 and 02 are assigned by Ford and its Regional offices only. Making changes to vehicle specifications on an order with a 01 or 02 priority code require assistance from the Regional Scheduler otherwise the priority code will change to 10. 

 

Priority codes apply only to unscheduled orders. Once the order is scheduled, priority codes no longer apply.   

Edited by ice-capades
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So let's say a dealer has in his hand 100 open customer orders for Super Duties. The oldest one is 6 weeks old and the newest  one is 6 hours old.  He's entered them all into the COVP system since has the customer's DL & deposit.  The customer has received the order email from Ford. 

 

The dealer gets notification that this month they are being allocated 50 Super Duties.  He looks at his order stack.  What would be the typical or logical process for the dealer to fill those 50 available allocations? 

  • Look at the commodity restraints & enter in those that don't have any based on the oldest order date? Then prioritize them from 10's to 19's based on order date? 
  • Allocate them based on just the oldest order date regardless of the commodity restraints, knowing that these fluctuate week to week? 

I think from all of my research, those are some of the granular details that are causing a lot of frustration on - is it my dealer, or is it the factory or is it both that are picking the "build lottery winners".  For me anyway, it's obvious that once a build date is determined, then it comes down to commodity restraints that may cause the date to bounce around.  But failing to get a build date is where the lack of visibility induces the continuous frustration. 

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1 hour ago, FloralIndustries said:

So let's say a dealer has in his hand 100 open customer orders for Super Duties. The oldest one is 6 weeks old and the newest  one is 6 hours old.  He's entered them all into the COVP system since has the customer's DL & deposit.  The customer has received the order email from Ford. 

 

The dealer gets notification that this month they are being allocated 50 Super Duties.  He looks at his order stack.  What would be the typical or logical process for the dealer to fill those 50 available allocations? 

  • Look at the commodity restraints & enter in those that don't have any based on the oldest order date? Then prioritize them from 10's to 19's based on order date? 
  • Allocate them based on just the oldest order date regardless of the commodity restraints, knowing that these fluctuate week to week? 

I think from all of my research, those are some of the granular details that are causing a lot of frustration on - is it my dealer, or is it the factory or is it both that are picking the "build lottery winners".  For me anyway, it's obvious that once a build date is determined, then it comes down to commodity restraints that may cause the date to bounce around.  But failing to get a build date is where the lack of visibility induces the continuous frustration. 


The orders are already in with assigned priorities.  The system chooses which ones to build based on what can be built then priority and then order date.

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11 minutes ago, FloralIndustries said:

 

 

So once a dealer puts them into the COVP system, it is out of their control and the allocations are automatically determine by Ford's system?


Not COVP - that’s just the verification program.  It’s the normal order bank and yes once the order is input and assigned a priority it’s up to Ford.  The dealer uses priority to say build this one before that one but the final scheduling is dependent on that and other factors.

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Ok, that clears up 90% of my confusion. Thanks in advance!  But.. :)

 

The last little bit is - a dealer still only has 50 allocations for this month, but 100 orders.  How would a typical dealer determine which of his 100 orders get into those 50 allocation slots?  By the already assigned priority?  Re-juggling the priorities?  or Reviewing the commodity restraints themselves and improving the priorities on only those orders that can be built?

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44 minutes ago, FloralIndustries said:

Ok, that clears up 90% of my confusion. Thanks in advance!  But.. :)

 

The last little bit is - a dealer still only has 50 allocations for this month, but 100 orders.  How would a typical dealer determine which of his 100 orders get into those 50 allocation slots?  By the already assigned priority?  Re-juggling the priorities?  or Reviewing the commodity restraints themselves and improving the priorities on only those orders that can be built?


Dealer doesn’t do anything.  Ford picks the 50 trucks that get built starting with lowest (numerically) priority (out of thos that can be built).

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Perfect!  Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.  I think that's one of the big misunderstands for most people with pending orders - once the dealer sets the priority, the factory decides what gets scheduled to build & when.  The dealer is somewhat out of the equation.

Edited by FloralIndustries
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3 hours ago, FloralIndustries said:

So let's say a dealer has in his hand 100 open customer orders for Super Duties. The oldest one is 6 weeks old and the newest  one is 6 hours old.  He's entered them all into the COVP system since has the customer's DL & deposit.  The customer has received the order email from Ford. 

 

The dealer gets notification that this month they are being allocated 50 Super Duties.  He looks at his order stack.  What would be the typical or logical process for the dealer to fill those 50 available allocations? 

  • Look at the commodity restraints & enter in those that don't have any based on the oldest order date? Then prioritize them from 10's to 19's based on order date? 
  • Allocate them based on just the oldest order date regardless of the commodity restraints, knowing that these fluctuate week to week? 

I think from all of my research, those are some of the granular details that are causing a lot of frustration on - is it my dealer, or is it the factory or is it both that are picking the "build lottery winners".  For me anyway, it's obvious that once a build date is determined, then it comes down to commodity restraints that may cause the date to bounce around.  But failing to get a build date is where the lack of visibility induces the continuous frustration. 

 

This sounds like an SAT question :).  Everyone else has answered your questions, but to sum it up, allocation is irrelevant on COVP orders.  Just the dealer priority code might matter, if commodity constraints aren't at play.  And the dealer has no control other than the priority code they give you, which may not matter to Ford.

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4 hours ago, FloralIndustries said:

So let's say a dealer has in his hand 100 open customer orders for Super Duties. The oldest one is 6 weeks old and the newest  one is 6 hours old.  He's entered them all into the COVP system since has the customer's DL & deposit.  The customer has received the order email from Ford. 

 

The dealer gets notification that this month they are being allocated 50 Super Duties.  He looks at his order stack.  What would be the typical or logical process for the dealer to fill those 50 available allocations? 

  • Look at the commodity restraints & enter in those that don't have any based on the oldest order date? Then prioritize them from 10's to 19's based on order date? 
  • Allocate them based on just the oldest order date regardless of the commodity restraints, knowing that these fluctuate week to week? 

I think from all of my research, those are some of the granular details that are causing a lot of frustration on - is it my dealer, or is it the factory or is it both that are picking the "build lottery winners".  For me anyway, it's obvious that once a build date is determined, then it comes down to commodity restraints that may cause the date to bounce around.  But failing to get a build date is where the lack of visibility induces the continuous frustration. 

 

The priority code comes first, then compliance with commodity restraints. The order date can be the tie breaker if all other factors are equal. Ford decides which orders get scheduled based on priority codes, commodity compliance, etc. You're making this much more complicated than it is, or at least more so. There are a number of factors involved but it is not a lottery. The scheduled build date isn't assigned until an order is scheduled. Scheduling isn't considered if there are applicable commodity restraints preventing scheduling and, if so, potential build dates have little if any consideration.   

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3 hours ago, FloralIndustries said:

So once a dealer puts them into the COVP system, it is out of their control and the allocations are automatically determine by Ford's system?

 

The retail order is still subject to commodity restraints, but the COVP verification generates incremental allocation and priority scheduling for orders that qualify and meet the scheduling criteria in effect at the time. 

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5 hours ago, ice-capades said:

 

There is no typical allocation, but allocation is based on the dealership's sales history, inventory and days' supply but starts with the allocation that the Region receives from Dearborn. The Dealer can accept the allocation offered, take fewer units or make a supplemental request for additional allocation. All of this is for regular production vehicles and does not apply to specialty vehicles such as Shelby's, etc. 

 

Vehicle specifications have nothing to do with allocation. The first priority is an order's priority code which determines the order in which orders are reviewed for possible scheduling. An order must meet the commodity restraints in effect for the week that the order is being reviewed for scheduling that Thursday. 

 

Retail orders verified via the COVP (Customer Order Verification Program) qualify for incremental allocation and priority scheduling. Dealers must submit/upload a copy of the signed Buyer's Order and the customer's Driver's License. 

 

Retail orders submitted via the WBDO (Web Based Dealer Ordering) system default to priority code 19 requiring Dealer to manually assign a lower 10-18 priority code. Priority codes 01 and 02 are assigned by Ford and its Regional offices only. Making changes to vehicle specifications on an order with a 01 or 02 priority code require assistance from the Regional Scheduler otherwise the priority code will change to 10. 

 

Priority codes apply only to unscheduled orders. Once the order is scheduled, priority codes no longer apply.   

 

 

Thanks for all the information.  Hopefully after the first of the year, the commodity restraints will begin to free up.  I know I speak for many, thanks for all your hard work and information.

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1 hour ago, FloralIndustries said:

Perfect!  Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.  I think that's one of the big misunderstands for most people with pending orders - once the dealer sets the priority, the factory decides what gets scheduled to build & when.  The dealer is somewhat out of the equation.

 

Strong recommendation... try spending a little time exploring the resources available here at BOF and the subjects of interest before expecting members and/or moderators to spend a lot of time explaining how Ford systems work and answering your questions when those questions have already been answered countless times.    

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13 minutes ago, ice-capades said:

 

Strong recommendation... try spending a little time exploring the resources available here at BOF and the subjects of interest before expecting members and/or moderators to spend a lot of time explaining how Ford systems work and answering your questions when those questions have already been answered countless times.    

 

Thanks for the advice.  I've been researching on numerous forums.  Here, FTE, Tremor, etc.  All the forums have pinned topics on the ordering process.  I've read them all. I'll admit that I haven't read the 1000's of posts in the threads are are attached to those pinned topics.  I've searched the buzzword terms and read the results.  I apologize for wasting the moderator's time here.  Given that the ordering threads are by far the most active on any forum site, it seems kind of odd, that this information is so "transparent" yet everybody struggles to wonder why they aren't getting their orders picked up.

 

Anyway, once again my apologies.  I'll shut and go away.  Have a great weekend.

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28 minutes ago, FloralIndustries said:

 

Thanks for the advice.  I've been researching on numerous forums.  Here, FTE, Tremor, etc.  All the forums have pinned topics on the ordering process.  I've read them all. I'll admit that I haven't read the 1000's of posts in the threads are are attached to those pinned topics.  I've searched the buzzword terms and read the results.  I apologize for wasting the moderator's time here.  Given that the ordering threads are by far the most active on any forum site, it seems kind of odd, that this information is so "transparent" yet everybody struggles to wonder why they aren't getting their orders picked up.

 

Anyway, once again my apologies.  I'll shut and go away.  Have a great weekend.

Dude- the moderators enjoy answering questions, or they wouldn't be here.  Don't feel bad.  I've been here for a year and still learn from them.  I even made a mistake myself recently.  I think it's important to realize BOV is not your typical truck forum.  Most of the responders work for Ford or Ford dealers and they are sick of complaints about Ford.    Understandable these past two years.  Anyone who comes into your place of business and complains, gets less respect by default.  You haven't done anything wrong.

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12 minutes ago, ScottK1 said:

Dude- the moderators enjoy answering questions, or they wouldn't be here.  Don't feel bad.  I've been here for a year and still learn from them.  I even made a mistake myself recently.  I think it's important to realize BOV is not your typical truck forum.  Most of the responders work for Ford or Ford dealers and they are sick of complaints about Ford.    Understandable these past two years.  Anyone who comes into your place of business and complains, gets less respect by default.  You haven't done anything wrong.


Actually Ice-Capades is the only one who works for a dealer and none of us work for Ford.  We’re just Ford enthusiasts and owners.

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15 hours ago, FloralIndustries said:

 

Thanks for the advice.  I've been researching on numerous forums.  Here, FTE, Tremor, etc.  All the forums have pinned topics on the ordering process.  I've read them all. I'll admit that I haven't read the 1000's of posts in the threads are are attached to those pinned topics.  I've searched the buzzword terms and read the results.  I apologize for wasting the moderator's time here.  Given that the ordering threads are by far the most active on any forum site, it seems kind of odd, that this information is so "transparent" yet everybody struggles to wonder why they aren't getting their orders picked up.

 

Anyway, once again my apologies.  I'll shut and go away.  Have a great weekend.

 

It's not a problem and I appreciate your feedback. It just gets frustrating and time consuming to keep answering the same questions over and over again. 

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21 hours ago, ice-capades said:

Retail orders verified via the COVP (Customer Order Verification Program) qualify for incremental allocation and priority scheduling. Dealers must submit/upload a copy of the signed Buyer's Order and the customer's Driver's License. 


Ice, I likewise really appreciate the service you and the other moderators provide here on a volunteer basis.  And I can imagine the frustration that arises from repetitive and possibly dumb questions. And if this is one of either, please accept my apology in advance.

 

You have used the term “incremental allocation” on a number of instances.  I think I know what it means, but I would appreciate confirmation.  When I requested my dealer delete unavailable options from my build, I was told “No allocations this week for super duties so won’t get scheduled this week.”  I didn’t respond.  As I understand what I have learned here, the fact that they have no allocations is immaterial as my retail order doesn’t go against that allowance and Ford schedulers can and do drop in customer orders as available components and priorities allow.   Am I close to correct?

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11 minutes ago, marinerjoe said:


Ice, I likewise really appreciate the service you and the other moderators provide here on a volunteer basis.  And I can imagine the frustration that arises from repetitive and possibly dumb questions. And if this is one of either, please accept my apology in advance.

 

You have used the term “incremental allocation” on a number of instances.  I think I know what it means, but I would appreciate confirmation.  When I requested my dealer delete unavailable options from my build, I was told “No allocations this week for super duties so won’t get scheduled this week.”  I didn’t respond.  As I understand what I have learned here, the fact that they have no allocations is immaterial as my retail order doesn’t go against that allowance and Ford schedulers can and do drop in customer orders as available components and priorities allow.   Am I close to correct?

 

No problem! Thanks for the feedback. 

 

Allocation really has nothing to do with vehicle specifications or making changes to an order. Specialty or limited production models (Shelby, etc.) have special allocation that is granted by Ford based on specific criteria, usually based on very specific sales history. 

 

Allocation is determined via a "wholesale" allocation process on a monthly basis. The exception is the first allocation of the new Model Year and the "Balance Out" allocation at the end of the Model Year, each of which covers a two-month period. All orders require allocation in order to get scheduled. The regular allocation can be used to schedule any stock or retail orders. The "incremental allocation" is additional allocation generated by the COVP (Customer Order Verification Program) for verified retail orders that qualify for the incremental allocation and priority scheduling. 

 

All orders reviewed for scheduling each week must meet the existing commodity restraints. Orders are sorted for review based on the order priority codes but orders with 01 or 02 priority codes, assigned by Ford or a Ford regional office, receive additional attention in order to expedite scheduling which includes making exceptions to commodity restraints when possible. Vehicle specifications can be changed at any time for unscheduled orders regardless of whether the dealership has available allocation or not for that week. Specification changes for unscheduled retail orders with 01 or 02 priority codes need to be done with the Regional Scheduler as making changes at the dealership level alone will cause the priority code to change to 10.

 

Hope this helps!    

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14 minutes ago, GAP338 said:

Ok I still have a question on the incremental allocation. Is that a true 1:1 or is it still possible for a dealer to have more COVP orders in than they do incremental allocation at a given time? Thanks for the clarification and all the info you provide. 

 

The incremental allocation isn't related at all to the regular allocation. There's no limit to the incremental allocation via the COVP program as long has the ability to grant the incremental allocation based on plant capacity and commodity compliance. 

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