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Order Management

Order Management

Published:
September 25, 2024
Updated:
August 20, 2024
From:
Waldemar

Table of Content

Order management enables simple and efficient centralised management of production orders in ELAM Administration.

The feature includes the following functions:

  • Create, block, release or delete production orders
  • Control the sequence of production orders via drag & drop
  • Activate or deactivate central order control for individual stations
  • Automatic start function of products in the ELAM Assistant as long as a production order has not been completed
  • Set authorizations for order management

This article explains the supported order management functions and shows how production orders can be started in the ELAM Assistant.

Explanations

Before you start reading the next sections, we will briefly explain the terminology:

  1. What is a production order? A production order defines which product/ which variant is to be produced. A production order has at least one lot size >= 1.
  2. What is a serial number? A serial number is an alphanumeric identifier specified by the manufacturer for an individual product.
  3. What is a product? The word product in relation to production generally refers to a manufactured good. A product has different characteristics and is referred to as a variant in ELAM.
  4. What is a variant? A variant is a specific version of a product.

Order Overview

The order overview can be found in ELAM Administration on the Orders page. This is the place where you can schedule and manage your production orders.

Note: The order overview page is only displayed to users if the necessary rights for the user group are active. Authorizations are managed in group details.

The following information is displayed in the order overview:

  1. Filter for lines: This filter setting can be used to display production orders that are active on specific lines. If no line is selected, all production orders that have not yet been completed are displayed. As each variant is assigned to one or more stations, the line affiliation is automatically taken from the assigned station of the variant.
  2. Group and individual view: This filter setting can be used to display production orders in a grouped or individual view.
  3. Create new order: Production orders can be created manually here.
  4. Context menu: This menu can be used to import production orders into the system via a csv file.
  5. List view: In the list, production orders are displayed in a grouped or individual view.
Overview of active orders

Create Production Orders

This section explains how production orders can be created manually or via a csv-file import.

Create production orders manually

A production order can be created using the New order button. The following information is displayed in the details:

  1. Production order: The production order is entered here.
  2. Variant: The variant or product for the production order for production is selected here.
  3. Batch size: The quantity of products to be produced is specified here.
  4. New template: Serial number templates for the products can be created and managed here.
  5. Template list: In this list, all serial number templates created are displayed, which can be selected, managed or deleted.
  6. Preview of serial numbers: In this list, the serial numbers are displayed live in a preview depending on the specified lot size.
Overview of order details

The following data must always be entered in order to create a new production order:

  1. Production Order - The Production Order is unique and can only exist once in the system.
  2. Variant - The product to be produced.
  3. Serial Number - A serial number for products is unique and can only exist once in the system. This includes created products that have not yet started or are actively in progress, as well as products that have been completed and are displayed in the report.

Once a production order has been created, it appears in last place in the order overview list.

Created production order

The sequence of the production orders can be changed. This allows you to control which production orders are to be started first at the stations.

Note: Changes such as creating, blocking, releasing and deleting production orders are updated live in the ELAM assistant. If a product is blocked that is actively being processed, the flowchart is canceled and the employee would see the start form. We plan to improve this function so that the user can see in the assistant the reason why the product was blocked.

One or more production orders can be imported via a csv file.

  1. Click on the button on the context menu
  2. Download a template file
Download Template CSV File

Create production orders via a csv file import

In this example, we want to create a production order with a batch size of 20. To do this, we enter the following information in the file:

  1. In the "Assembly Order" column, we enter the production order number "FA100500" 20 times. (Explanation: Since we want to produce a total of 20 products for the same Production Order, we enter this information. It is also possible to enter different production order numbers. The system will split the production orders individually during the import.)
  2. In the "VariantID" column, we enter a variant ID "Variant 1" 20 times. (Explanation: Since we want to produce the same variant 20 times, we enter this variant. During import, the system checks if the variant ID already exists. If it does, additional information about the variant, such as station assignments, is automatically linked to the production order. If the variant ID is unknown, the system automatically creates the variant during the import. In the end, all you have to do is assign the variant to stations so that it can be started at the intended stations.)
  3. In the "SerialNumber" column, we enter 20 unique serial numbers. (Explanation: Each product must have a unique serial number. During import, the system checks if this serial number already exists in the system. This applies to product serial numbers with the status Blocked, Released, In Process and Completed.)
  4. We then save the CSV file.
CSV data

The saved csv file is imported at the end on the orders page.

  1. On the Orders page, click the context menu again
  2. Drag and drop the csv file into the field or select the file manually
  3. Click on import
Import data via csv-file

Change the sequence of production orders

The sequence of production orders can be changed at any time using drag & drop. This allows you to specify which production orders can be started first and last at the stations.

To do this, drag a production order with the mouse to the desired position in the sequence.

Note: If you change the order, the list in the start form of the assistant is updated live.

Finished. The production order has been successfully imported and created in the last position in the list.

Imported Production Order

Lock and releasing products of a production order

Open products of a production order can be blocked or released at any time using a multi-select function. Products with the following statuses count as open products:

  1. Released
  2. In progress
  3. Locked
Overview of product status inside a production order
Warning: Open products can be deleted. Please note that deleted products can no longer be restored. We recommend only assigning this function to certain groups of people in the system via the rights so that your data is not deleted by mistake.
Note: Completed products are no longer displayed in the order management list and can no longer be changed.

Create and manage serial number templates

Every production order with a batch size >= 1 contains at least one product that must be produced. The products must be traceable via serial numbers as standard. A serial number may only occur once in the system and is therefore always unique. This prevents errors in the scheduling of production orders from the outset, and products can be traced without errors.

You can define n-serial numbers according to your requirements and change them at any time.

Click on "+ New template" on the interface to create a new template. The following information is required to create a template.

  1. Name of the template
  2. Structure of the template
Template editor for serial numbers

A number of different shortcodes are available to define the structure of the serial number. To do this, enter the @ symbol in the field and select a shortcode. Free text and separators can also be entered to create an individual serial number structure.

Activate and deactivate authorizations

As an administrator, you can assign authorizations to certain user groups so that users can use order management in ELAM Administration.

To activate or deactivate the authorization:

  1. Click on the Groups menu in ELAM Administration
  2. Select group
  3. Under Authorizations > Click on Orders
  4. Activate or deactivate the View orders authorization (Explanation: If the authorization is activated, users can open the Order management page and only view information)
  5. Activate or deactivate the Manage orders authorization (Explanation: If the authorization is activated, users can open the Order management page and edit orders)
  6. Save settings

Settings for authorization of order management

Activate central job control at a station

You can activate or deactivate central order control for each station. If this function is active, the start form in the ELAM assistant changes and shows a list of production orders that can be started.

  1. Click on Stations in the menu
  2. Select a station
  3. Activate the central order control function
  4. Click on Save
Activate central order control

Start the production order in ELAM Assistant

Open the ELAM assistant and select the station at which central job control was previously activated.

The start form displays a list of production orders that can be started. The production orders are displayed individually and always correspond to the batch size created in the order management. Operators can either select and start production orders manually or scan a production order, serial number or variant.

When data is scanned and found, a single product is automatically started, and a flow chart is displayed.

When a flowchart is completed, the next pending product in a production order automatically continues until the last product is completed.

When the production order is completed, the operator must start a new production order.

ELAM Assistant Start form for production orders