Respect physical conditions during automatic reporting as finished

Michał Wasiewicz Updated by Michał Wasiewicz

Summary

The Automatic reporting as finished for sub-productions functionality has been enhanced to support production scenarios in which bulk production or batch orders must be started according to the physical availability of production equipment.

The Respect physical conditions option determines whether the system may automatically start a released bulk order or may use only an eligible bulk order that has already been started. This supports scenarios in which multiple bulk orders are created because of physical equipment constraints, such as limited mixer capacity.

Business Requirement

In process manufacturing, a finished product order can consume bulk material produced by one or more bulk batch orders. These orders can be connected through the same mix pool, which represents the related production campaign.

In some production scenarios, multiple bulk orders are created because the required quantity exceeds the physical capacity of the production equipment. For example, a requirement for 4,000 liters may be divided into two bulk orders of 2,000 liters because the mixer can process only 2,000 liters at a time.

When the finished product is reported as finished, the system must automatically report the required bulk quantity as finished from the order that represents the bulk production currently being physically processed. It must not automatically start another released bulk order while a different bulk order is being processed.

However, not every production environment has this physical dependency. For example, two mixers can supply the same filling line, allowing production to consume from either mixer without requiring a strict sequence. The system must therefore support both operating models.

Example

A paint manufacturer must produce 4,000 liters of bulk paint for a finished product filling order. The available mixer has a maximum capacity of 2,000 liters. The production planner creates:

  1. one finished product batch order for the packed paint,
  2. bulk batch order BULK-001 for 2,000 liters,
  3. bulk batch order BULK-002 for 2,000 liters.

All three orders are assigned to the same mix pool. The applicable formula is configured for automatic reporting as finished and Respect physical conditions is set to Yes. The production operator loads the mixer and starts BULK-001. BULK-002 remains in the Released status because it cannot be physically processed until the first mixer cycle is completed and the mixer has been cleaned.

When the operator reports the first finished product quantity:

  1. The system calculates the required bulk paint quantity.
  2. The system identifies BULK-001 as the started bulk order in the mix pool.
  3. The corresponding quantity is automatically reported as finished from BULK-001.
  4. The bulk quantity is consumed by the finished product order.
  5. BULK-002 remains released and is not automatically started.

After BULK-001 is completed and the mixer is cleaned, the operator starts BULK-002. Further finished product reporting can then automatically use the quantity produced by BULK-002.

If the manufacturer instead used two mixers that could operate simultaneously and supply the same filling line, Respect physical conditions could remain set to No, allowing the existing automatic-start behavior.

Automatic Report as Finished Logic Considerations

By default, when a finished product is reported as finished and its BOM or formula contains a bulk item configured for Automatic reporting as finished, the system searches for all related bulk production or batch orders within the same mix pool.

When the Respect physical conditions option is disabled, the system applies the FIFO principle. It selects the oldest eligible bulk production or batch order, based on the order creation sequence. If the selected order has the status Released, the system starts it automatically and uses it to report the required bulk quantity as finished.

This behavior does not consider whether another bulk order in the same mix pool has already been physically started. Consequently, the system may automatically start an older released order even though a different order is currently being processed on the production equipment.

When the Respect physical conditions option is enabled, the system changes the order-selection logic. Only a bulk production or batch order that has already been started can be selected for automatic reporting as finished and consumption. The system does not automatically start a released order.

If no eligible started bulk production or batch order is available in the mix pool, the automatic reporting process is stopped, and the system displays an error.

Configuration

The Respect physical conditions option can be configured on the BOM or formula definition. The setting can also be reviewed or changed on the production BOM or production formula for an individual production order or batch order.

To configure the default value, go to one of the following pages:

  • Product information management > Bills of materials and formulas > Bills of materials
  • Product information management > Bills of materials and formulas > Formulas.

Open the applicable BOM or formula, and set Respect physical conditions as required.

When a production order or batch order is created, the setting is copied to the corresponding production BOM or production formula. You can review or change the inherited value for an individual production order or batch order. This allows the order-specific setting to reflect the actual physical production conditions. It means that for an individual production order or batch order, the setting can also be reviewed or changed directly on the related production BOM or production formula.

The setting controls how the system selects bulk production or batch orders during automatic reporting as finished:

  • Set Respect physical conditions to No to apply the standard FIFO selection logic. The system selects the oldest eligible bulk production or batch order within the same mix pool, based on the order creation sequence. If the selected order has the status Released, the system starts it automatically.
  • Set Respect physical conditions to Yes to restrict automatic reporting as finished to an eligible bulk production or batch order that has already been started. The system does not automatically start a released order. If no eligible started order exists within the mix pool, the process stops and the system displays an error.

Process Description

The following process applies when automatic reporting as finished is used for a bulk item and the Respect physical conditions option is configured on the applicable BOM or formula:

  1. Production orders or batch orders are created for the finished product and the required bulk product.
  2. The related orders are assigned to the same mix pool. The mix pool connects the orders that belong to the same production campaign or production flow.
  3. The BOM or formula line for the bulk item is configured for Automatic reporting as finished, and the flushing principle is set to Finish.
  4. If Respect physical conditions is set to Yes, a production user starts the bulk production or batch order that represents the bulk production currently being physically processed.
  5. The user reports a quantity as finished for the finished product. Reporting can be performed directly from the production order or batch order, through the production floor execution interface, or by using the Warehouse Management mobile app.
  6. The system calculates the required bulk quantity based on the quantity reported for the finished product and the consumption defined on the BOM or formula.
  7. The system checks the Respect physical conditions setting:
    • If the option is set to No, the system applies the standard FIFO selection logic. It selects the oldest eligible bulk production or batch order within the same mix pool, based on the order creation sequence. If the selected order has the status Released, the system starts it automatically.
    • If the option is set to Yes, the system selects only an eligible bulk production or batch order that has already been started. The system does not automatically start a released order.
  8. If Respect physical conditions is set to Yes and no eligible started bulk order is available, the automatic reporting process stops and the system displays an error.
  9. If an eligible bulk order is found, the required bulk quantity is automatically reported as finished from the selected order.
  10. The reported bulk quantity becomes available for consumption by the finished product order. The related consumption is posted according to the existing automatic reporting as finished process.
  11. When the next bulk order becomes physically available, the production user starts that order. Subsequent finished product reporting can then use the newly started bulk order.

Benefits

  1. Alignment with physical production: Production order statuses correspond more closely to the actual use of mixers, tanks, and other production resources.
  2. Improved production control: Released bulk orders are not started automatically when the production process requires an explicit physical start.
  3. Support for equipment capacity constraints: Multiple bulk orders can be processed sequentially when a single resource cannot produce the full required quantity.
  4. Reduced risk of incorrect reporting: Bulk output is reported against an order that represents the production currently being executed.
  5. Flexible configuration: Companies without strict physical dependencies can retain the existing automatic-start behavior.
  6. Backward compatibility: The default value of Respect physical conditions is No. Therefore, existing BOMs, formulas, production orders, and batch orders continue to use the standard automatic-start behavior unless the option is explicitly enabled.
  7. Improved traceability: Production order statuses and reported quantities provide a more accurate representation of the physical production sequence.

Additional notes

  1. Enabling Respect physical conditions introduces an operational dependency on starting the correct bulk production or batch order before finished product reporting is performed.
  2. If no eligible bulk order has been started, the system will not automatically start a released bulk order when the option is enabled.
  3. All orders participating in automatic reporting as finished must continue to belong to the same mix pool.
  4. The option should be enabled only for formulas or BOMs where a genuine physical dependency exists between the bulk production orders.
  5. The setting does not replace production planning, scheduling, resource capacity management, or the manual confirmation that a mixer or other production resource is ready.
  6. Existing requirements related to batch tracking, flushing principles, reservations, inventory availability, and Warehouse Management processes remain applicable.
  7. Automatic reporting as finished is not compatible with a dispensing process that requires controlled, manual confirmation before material consumption is posted.
  8. When multiple started bulk production or batch orders are eligible within the same mix pool, the system applies the FIFO principle and selects the oldest eligible order based on the order creation sequence (If Respect physical conditions is set to No).

How did we do?

Automatic reporting as finished for sub-productions

Ending productions from finished product production

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