Planned Order
The function of Planned Orders in the Fluentis system is a key component for managing production scheduling and purchasing. Planned orders can be generated automatically through general scheduling or through MRP (Manufacturing Resource Planning) processing, or created manually by the user. These orders are used to manage future resource and material needs in a proactive and organized manner.
In the Fluentis platform, planned orders can relate to different types: production, purchase, and subcontracting; these are displayed in different colors in the grid, depending on their type. The main purpose of using planned orders is to optimize production and procurement processes, ensuring that the necessary resources are available when required and that operations can proceed without interruptions.
Normally, planned orders are automatically generated by the General Planning procedure or by MRP Processing, but the user has the option to manually generate a planned order, whether it be for purchase, production, or subcontracting.
The form is accessed via:
- the path Planning > MS Master scheduling > Planned Orders > New Planned Order
or via
- the Insert Order button found in the Planned Orders Search form.
Planned Order Header
Specific button:
Complete order data: calls the procedure that allows you to enter and/or update all data related to materials, phases, setup, equipment, attributes, and various notes for the item entered in the planned order, retrieving them from the bill of materials and production cycle of the item.
Recalculate initial date: Calls the procedure that allows you to perform an update of the planned order's start date and potentially its processing phases following a change in the processing times and/or the quantity to be produced of the item subject to the planned order;
MRP Parameters: allows you to open the window related to the MRP parameters of the item;
Generate BOM: allows you to generate the bill of materials based on the data entered within the production order or to update the existing data with those entered in the order;
Generate Production Cycle: allows you to create the work cycle of the item based on the data entered in the order, or to update the existing data with those entered in the order;
Bill of materials: allows you to open the screen related to the bill of materials of the item;
Work cycles: allows you to view the work cycle and related production phases of the item.
Specific fields:
Planned Order Type: the default type is suggested as the default type;
Compulsory Order: if active, this flag indicates that the planned order assumes priority importance and does not allow the user to move the order by setting a date greater than the end date expected from general scheduling;
Order Priority: allows you to set the priority given to this order;
Generated from demand: this field displays Manual (if it is a manually created planned order), Dependent (if it is a planned order created from scheduling that depends on other higher-level planned orders), or Independent (if it is a planned order created from scheduling that does not depend on other higher-level planned orders, as it is already a level 1 order);
Prod. job order: in these 3 fields, the year, number, and description of the production job from which the planned order was generated are set. Obviously, if it was generated manually, it will not be possible to link it to any existing production job, and therefore this box will remain empty;
Job order Type: this box displays the type of the production job from which the planned order was generated. Obviously, if it was generated manually, it will not be possible to link it to any existing production job, and therefore this box will remain empty;
Project: a double click opens the help that allows linking a project to the planned order being entered;
Client: indicates the client of the job;
Vendor/Subcontractor: these boxes are active if the planned order is for purchase or subcontracting;
Item: indicates the class, code, and description of the item's job;
Variant*: this combo box specifies the item's variant;
Quantity to be prod.: indicates the quantity to produce;
Quantity to the UM Management Article: indicates the management unit of measure of the item;
Quantity used: this field sets the quantity to produce in the possible alternative unit of measure;
Use MU: indicates the alternative unit of measure of the item;
Start and End Dates: the expected start and end dates of the relevant processing are set. If, after completing the processing cycle data, the user modifies one of these 2 dates, the other is recalculated accordingly;
Audit trail: section that automatically reports the creation date of the order and the date of the last modification, reporting for both the user who performed the operation;
Notes: it is a free field where notes can be entered.
After saving at least the mandatory fields, press the Complete order data button to update all the tabs (Materials, Phases, etc.) that take data from the bill of materials and production cycle of the item subject to the Planned Order (only if of production).
Materials
This tab consists of a grid within which the user can manually enter the materials they want to be used for the production of the item subject to the planned order (only if of production). After manual entry, it is necessary to click the Complete order data button in the ribbon bar to import data from the bill of materials.
The grid is already populated if the planned order comes from General Scheduling or MRP Processing, but the user can modify the data and/or add additional materials to the planned order's component list.
If the planned order is for purchase, the Materials tab is inactive.
Specific buttons:
Insert Material: allows you to insert a new material into the grid;
Delete Materials: allows you to delete the materials entered in the grid.
Specific fields:
Priority: this displays the priority of the component, if present, entered in the bill of materials. It can be modified like all other data present in this grid;
Subc.: in this field, the flag from the item's MRP Parameters called Consider on subcon. is retrieved, indicating whether the item should be included as material in subcontracting orders;
Use MU: in this field, the possible alternative unit of measure of the item is entered;
Usage Date: coincides with the planned start date of the planned order (modifying the first automatically changes this one as well);
Qty. Used: represents the unitary quantity required for this item (as specified by the BOM) which can be modified;
Total Qty.: represents the quantity obtained by multiplying the Qty used by the Quantity to be prod;
% Scrap: this box contains or retrieves from the bill of materials the possible % of scrap for this item;
Phase/Subphase: it is possible to manually enter the relevant phase and subphase and thus assign the selected material to a particular phase of the item's processing; these are automatically proposed from the work cycle;
Available Qty.: this field shows the available quantity of the item at the employment date.
Phases
This tab consists of a grid within which the user can manually enter the phases they want to be used for the production of the item subject to the planned order (only if of production). After manual entry, it is necessary to click the Complete order data button in the ribbon bar to import data from the item's work cycle.
The grid is already filled if the planned order comes from General Scheduling or MRP Processing.
Specific buttons:
Insert Phase: allows you to add a new phase to the grid;
Delete Phase: allows you to delete the phases entered in the grid.
Specific fields:
Phase Code/Phase/Subphase: a double click opens the related processing phases help from which you can select the relevant phase and subphase;
Quality Control: this flag indicates whether the material should undergo quality control before its use;
Production Phase: if checked, this flag identifies that the phase in question is a production phase, and therefore must be reported;
Movable: if checked, this flag identifies that the phase is movable and will generate a warehouse movement once the production declaration is registered;
Work Center: the work center is set from this combo. It is automatically proposed, retrieved from the phase that was previously selected and entered in the grid;
Estimated Start/End Date: these are the estimated start and end dates for the relevant phase; changing the estimated start and end dates will also automatically modify these. They are calculated based on the times entered in the processing phases, specifically based on the greater time between the worker and total machine time for the selected phase;
Machine Time: the time taken by the machine to complete the phase, related to the quantity of pieces per phase;
Machine Number: indicates the number of machines involved in this phase;
Qty of Pieces for Phase: indicates the number of pieces per phase;
Worker Time: the time spent by the worker to complete this phase, related to the quantity of pieces per phase;
Workers Number: indicates the number of workers involved in this phase;
Income Subcontractor/Subcontractor Description: double clicking on the box opens help to select the account and sub-account of the relevant subcontractor. This box is only active if the phase is designated as an External phase. Note that the subcontractor is also retrieved from the phase of work included in the item's work cycle.
Work Center Description: indicates the description of the work center.
Phases - Properties
Contains the properties related to the selected phase.
Phase/Subphase Description: in this field, the description of the selected phase appears;
Type: this combo allows you to set the type of processing (internal or external);
Overlap: through this combo, the type of any overlap between phases is set. We can have Total overlap (in this case, the phase in question is completely overlapped by the following phase), Piece overlap (in this case, it is necessary to indicate after how many produced pieces from this phase the next phase will begin), Time overlap (in this case, it is necessary to indicate after how many minutes from when the phase in question started the next phase will start);
Times MU: in this combo box, the Time Unit of the Phase appears; you can decide to manage the phase times in seconds, minutes, hours, and days. Typically, internal phase times are managed in minutes and external phase times in days, but obviously, it varies greatly depending on the type of company for which the work is being set up;
Machine: in this combo, the code (and description) of the relevant machine can be selected. It is automatically proposed, retrieved from the work center that was previously entered in the grid;
Labour Group: in this combo, the code (and description) of the relevant workforce group can be selected. It is automatically proposed, retrieved from the work center that was previously entered in the grid;
Overlap reported to phase/subphase: here, the code of the phase and subphase that have an overlap with the phase in question is indicated. Usually, the next phase is indicated, but this is just a convention;
Value: here, the value of any overlap is indicated, using the criteria specified above;
Using: if the flag is activated, it means that the waiting queue time will increase the time commitment of the Work Center on that phase;
Wait/Queue Time: indicates the possible waiting/queue time expected for this machine.
Phases - Extra Data
Contains any extra data related to the selected phase.
Setup
In this tab, it is possible to define the times related to the setup of the selected phase in the previous tab.
Specific fields:
Phase/Subphase: these fields display the information related to the phase selected in the Phases tab;
Type: indicates the type of the phase (internal or external);
Overlay type: indicates the possible type of overlap;
Times MU: indicates the temporal unit of measure of the phase;
Work Center: in these fields, the code (and relative description) of the Work Center set for the setup is entered;
Machine: in these fields, the code (and relative description) of the machine for the setup is entered;
Labour group: in these fields, the code (and relative description) of the Worker Group for the setup is entered;
Value: indicates the value of any overlap;
WkC: in these fields, the code and description of the relevant Work Center of the selected phase are displayed;
Start Date: displays the start date of the phase selected in the Phases tab;
End Date: displays the end date of the phase selected in the Phases tab;
Setup Time: the setup time is entered. This is a fixed time that does not vary with the amount to be produced in the selected phase;
Retooling time: the re-setup time entered is added to the setup time;
Machines Number: indicates the number of machines used for the setup;
Workers number: indicates the number of workers used for the setup.
Equipment
In this tab, mainly consisting of a grid, it is possible to define which and how many equipment will need to be used in the production of the phase selected in the Phases tab.
Specific fields:
Sequence: in this field, it is possible to indicate the sequence in which the equipment should be used;
Equipments: with this combo box, it is possible to call the equipment code, retrieved from the appropriate Equipment table;
Item class/code: in these fields, it is possible to indicate the class and the code of the item (the help automatically filters only the items identified as Equipment in the Article Nature field of the warehouse registry);
Variant: represents the variant of the item;
Quantity: represents the quantity of the item.
Quality Control
In this tab, mainly consisting of a grid, it is possible to view the details of the planned testing for quality control for the phase/subphase.
Phase Note
In this tab, the note related to the selected processing phase in the Phases tab is displayed. It is editable by the user in conjunction with the planned order in question.
Operational Instructions
In this tab, the notes/documents related to the selected processing phase in the Phases tab are displayed. They are editable by the user in conjunction with the planned order in question. These documents are visible within the MES in the Documents and Operational Instructions tab.
Extra Data
For an in-depth description of extra data, refer to the article Extra data.
For details on the common functionality of forms, refer to the link Custom features, buttons, and fields.