Managing and Executing Production Runs

For an introduction to Production Runs, and a guide through the various preparations leading up to the actual production event, refer to Production Runs.

When all of the documentation is in place, the Production Run has been created and approved by any reviewers who may have authority to revise plans, and the editing is finished, it is time to start execution of the Product Run by scheduling it according to it's official date and time.

In the following section of the User Guide, we will describe how a Production Run is executed, which includes these steps:

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Executing the Routing of a Production Run

As we discussed in the section on Production Routings when a Routing is specified in a Production Run the manufacturing process will follow the list of tasks it contains, and each Routing Task will be executed in the sequence specified, using the relevant Bill of Materials identified by the Product ID, of course.

Implementing the Production Routing is accomplished when the Production Run is advanced through its various stages as indicated by the Production Run "Status" value. In addition to implementing all of the steps of the Routing, the Production Run also accomplishes many other things as indicated by the Status Indicators for the Production Run.

Production Run Status

• Created -- The Production Run has been created and saved.
• Scheduled -- The finalized Production Run has been scheduled on the Manufacturing Calender which can be accessed at [Warehouse] Icon > [Manufacturing] Tab > [Manufacturing Calender] button.
• Canceled -- The Production Run which was Created but not yet Started has been Canceled.
• Confirmed -- The Production Run which was Created has been Confirmed (approved) for Start of execution. At this Status the run can no longer be Canceled, but it can still be Reverted.
• PO Pending -- A Production Run with one or more Outsourced Tasks has the Outsourcing purchase orders Pending action to place those orders.
• Outsourced -- A Production Run with one or more Outsourced Tasks has the purchase orders placed for the relevant outsourced services.
• Running -- A Routing Task is currently running according the the Production Routing list of Routing Tasks.
• Reverted -- A Production Run that was Confirmed or Started has been stopped and has been processed according to the Reverting a Production Run processing.
• Completed -- The Production Run has been fully executed, the results captured in the data from the task declarations (using the [Declare] button, and the products that were produced have been claimed for transfer into inventory, or to fulfill pending orders.
• Closed -- The Production Run is closed and is archived in the database, it can no longer be modified.

In the following sections we will proceed through the steps and the various status conditions of the Production Run.

Scheduling the Production Run

The first step in implementing a Production Run is to schedule it, making it visible to the organization on the Manufacturing Calender, and scheduling resources you will need.

* To begin implementing the Production Run, open the View Production Run screen 
     as follows, 
* From the Main Navigation Screen, Click: [Warehouse] Icon > [Manufacturing] Tab >
    [Find Production Run] button.
* Provide search criteria in some of the four boxes, or just leave them blank if there
     aren't too many runs pending, and Click: [Find] to view a list Production Runs that
     includes the one you want to run.
* Click: The production run name [and ID] to open the "View Production Run" screen.
* Click: [Schedule] in the header of the top box.

Your Production Run will be scheduled and displayed on the Manufacturing Calender screen.

Now with the scheduling accomplished, you can open this View Production Run screen by clicking on the Production Run Name in the Manufacturing Calender.

Note that the Status of this Production Run will have changed from Created to Scheduled following the scheduling action.

Confirming Start of the Production Run

When the Production Run has been scheduled, the system is ready for your final signal that the run is ready to start. The [Confirm] button which is visible at the top of the View Production Run screen is used to provide this signal. Before using [Confirm], all of the needed management reviews, discussions, or adjustments regarding the Production Run should be completed. Once "confirmed" the run cannot be canceled, but it can be stopped.

Confirm the Production Run

Click: [Confirm] to indicate that the Production Run is started, and that the first Routing Task will be executed, next. At this point the Production Run has passed the point where cancellation is not possible. The run can however be stopped and this is called "reverting" the Production Run.

Stop the Production Run

You can use the [Revert] process to Stop a Production Run, refer to Reverting a Production Run for details on this option.

In the next section of the User Guide we will discuss the steps involved in executing all of the Routing Tasks, including those that may be outsourced to a service supplier.

Running the List of Tasks

Once the Production Run is "Confirmed" as previously discussed, the Routing Tasks are run. Each of the Routing Tasks listed in the Production Run (following the top general information box) will be run in the order they are listed and using the following Scenario One if it is an internally executed task, or following the Scenario Two of it is an outsourced task, as follows. (We will step through each scenario in more detail later.)

Scenario One - Internal Tasks:

When the Routing Task is internally executed the work flows like this.

• Start -- The next Routing Task in the ordered sequence has a status of "Scheduled" and a line item [Start] button. Now it is started using the line item [Start] button. The status changes to "Running" and a [Declare] button appears on the Routing Task line item.
• Issue Components -- The components and materials for this task will be issued now, if they have not already been issued earlier in the sequence (depending upon the Routing Task specifications. An [Issue Additional Materials] button appears on the Materials box to provide for the need for additional items.
• Declare the Routing Task -- The data about results of the Routing Task are captured in detail at this step, using the [Declare] button and data entry screen that opens.
• Complete the Routing Task -- Mark the Routing Task "Completed" at the appropriate time, and then continue with the scenario we started by running any additional Routing Tasks in order.

Scenario Two - Outsourced Tasks: When the next Routing Task is an outsourced task the work is purchased from a service provider, and the internal work flow is like this.

• New Open Requirement -- When the Production Run is in "Created" status a new requirement for purchasing the outsourced task (which is a manufacturing service) is listed in purchasing at this location: [Purchasing] Icon > [Planning] Tab > [Open Requirements] button, Open Requirements Screen.
• Issue Components -- When the Production Run is in "Confirmed" status the outsourced task(s) will show a status of "PO Pending". The purchasing requirement created for outsourcing is now moved into the Approved Requirements Screen.
  • When the outsourced Routing Task is next for execution, the routing task line item will display an [Issue] button if the parts have not already been issued earlier (according to the Routing Task specifications). The [Issue] button is clicked.
• Purchasing -- The "Approved Requirement" for purchase of the outsourced service is processed into a purchase order, the PO is approved, and the Routing Task being outsource will now show a status of "Outsourced".
• Receive Outsourced PO] -- The outsourced PO is "received", meaning that the service and any associated materials are completed and received into the Production Run processing stream, which is accounted for in "Work In Process Inventory".
• Vendor Invoice -- the Vendor Invoice is recorded in the system.
• Completed -- the outsourced routing task is marked "Completed", and the next Routing Task in the list can now be started.

In the following sub-sections we will the scenarios in step-by-step fashion.