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Time tracking

Time tracking contributes to the cost of producing an item for a work order. Tracking the actual time it takes to set up a resource for a specific operation sequence number and for the resource to run for the operation adds a processing cost to the work order production costs. For each operation sequence number you can track quantities processed in addition to tracking setup and run times. The cost of all tracked time is calculated from the resource record.

User type	Manager Employee
Permissions	Full rights: Admin, Manager, Employee
Prerequisites	Labour resource Machine resource Tool resource Resource group Work order
Tips	You can track time for a resource that was not originally assigned to an operation. Track operation times and quantities used in production automatically on the Production tracking page instead. With Production tracking you can backflush routing operations in proportion to the actual quantity of the finished items being tracked. You can import time trackings. The time tracking transaction generates automatically to update the work orders.
Restrictions	You can track time for a firm work order but not for a planned work order.

Create a time tracking

You can only enter and track time for firm work orders.

In the Criteria block, enter your work order selection criteria then select Search.

You can leave all fields blank to include all production operations for all work orders to track in the results. Enter or select the same value for a From nnn and To nnn range to filter for a single result.

Apply filters to refine your search results if you have a significant number of production operations to track.

Each work order included in the results references the operation sequence number, released item, the resource assigned to the production operation, and the minimum level of expertise needed to perform the production operation.
In the Work order operations grid, select the operation sequence number line to track.
The default Actual resource is the resource originally assigned to the production operation in the routing or in the work order.

Enter or select the Actual resource ID to track time for if a different resource was used for or performed the production operation.
Enter the Actual quantity processed during the Actual run time on the operation sequence number.

You can track more or fewer than the planned quantity.
Track actual worked time:
1. Actual setup time: Enter time taken to prepare the machine, tool, labour resource, or resource group assigned to perform the operation sequence number before production actually started.
2. Actual run time: Enter time the resource was used for or performed the operation sequence number.
Select the Completed checkbox if the resource completed the operation sequence number. This means that no more time should be tracked for the operation sequence number for any resource.

Import time trackings

You need to create an import template on the Import and export templates page before you can import time trackings recorded in a different product such as a time and attendance app.

Your import template needs to be based on the OperationTracking node.

Imported time trackings generate the tracking transaction and update work orders automatically.

Export

When you export the Work order operations grid, only those lines displayed in the search or filtered results are included in the export. This includes all lines across multiple pages if you have a large data set.

There are 2 export options: Excel or CSV. The default file name is Work order operations.

After exporting the data, you can rename the file and edit the Excel spreadsheet or CSV file if needed before uploading to your accounting solution.

Attributes and dimensions

You can add attributes and dimensions to the time tracking to manage business rules and to analyse and track labour costs for the production operations using analytical accounting data.

You can add and edit attributes and dimensions until the work order is closed.

To add attributes and dimensions as default values for all existing and for all new work order production operation lines or for new production operation lines only: From the Work order components grid select Set default dimensions.
To add attributes and dimensions to track individual work order production operation lines analytically: Select the Dimensions icon for the component line.

Add default attributes and dimensions to all existing and new work order production operation lines then change the values for individual lines.

Select each individual attribute or dimension to use to aggregate financial information for analytical purposes.
Select OK.

Add a new production operation

You can add new production operations to a work order and track the quantity completed for the operation.

From the Work order operations grid select Add operation.
In the panel that opens, enter or select the Work order number.
Enter the Operation description and the minimum level of expertise needed to perform the production operation.

The Capability level reflects the expected behaviours, practices and processes needed to reliably and sustainably perform the production operation.
Enter or select the Setup time unit and Run time unit for costing the operation.
Enter or select the actual Resource ID that was used for or performed the production operation for the work order.
Enter the Actual quantity processed during the Actual run time on the production operation number.
Enter the Actual setup time taken to prepare the machine, tool or labour resource before production actually started then the Actual run time the resource was used for or performed the production operation.
To add the new production operation to the work order, select OK.

The new production operation line defaults to the last line in the grid.

Update work orders

Imported time trackings generate the tracking transaction and update work orders automatically.

Before you generate the time tracking transaction, note the following:

Compare tracked time with the planned setup and run times. If there is an unexpected discrepancy, check the actual times are entered correctly and edit if necessary.
The work order operation sequence number is set to Completed status when you generate the time tracking if the operation is tracked in full. If you leave the Completed checkbox clear, it is selected by default for subsequent time trackings for the work order operation sequence number.
If the Status of the work order is In progress or Completed, you can track additional time for all production operations including unplanned operations.
A generated time tracking updates the provisional production process costs for the work order immediately.

To update the production operations for the selected work orders, select Generate.

Check your notifications. If there's an error in the figures or an operation number, errors are detailed on the Notification history page, or on the Import results tab on the Import data page if you imported the time trackings.

The Work order components grid is refreshed using the filters you originally entered in the Criteria block. Unplanned operations default to the top of the grid, set to Completed status. You can now track more time.

Working with time tracking

Refer to the list of questions in this section for guidance on how to use your Sage Distribution and Manufacturing Operations solution to carry out day-to-day production tasks.

Can I track preparation time only for a production operation?
The actual time defined in the routing to prepare the machine, tool, labour resource or resource group before production actually started was exceeded. Can I track the additional time?
Should I track the time I actually took to set up a machine or the setup time defined in the routing if I prepared a machine for production faster than expected?
Can I track time for an operation sequence number if the status is Completed?
How do I enter time for scrap quantities?
I am in a labour resource group but my labour resource ID is not showing by default for the operation sequence number in the Work order operations grid. Why?
Can I track my time if I worked on a production operation for a work order I was not assigned to?
A different workstation was used because the machine assigned to the production operation was faulty. How do I track the time?
A resource was not available so a different resource was used in production. Can I add the unplanned resource so the costs are tracked for the work order?
Can I track my time and the production quantities automatically?
Can I track time if the work order status is Completed?

Can I track preparation time only for a production operation?

Yes. Preparation time is referred to as Setup time. You can track setup time for a work order without tracking run time or quantities. Tracking setup time sets the status of the operation sequence number to In progress.

The work order status is only set to In progress when you track a quantity for a production operation.

The actual time defined in the routing to prepare the machine, tool, labour resource or resource group before production actually started was exceeded. Can I track the additional time?

Yes. If additional time is required to prepare a production operation for a work order, you can track the actual setup time even if it exceeded the actual setup time calculated for the routing. This will result in the actual production process cost for the work order being more than originally planned. Equally, you can track less than the calculated setup time if the production operation is prepared faster than planned. This will result in a lower than planned production process cost for the work order.

Should I track the time I actually took to set up a machine or the setup time defined in the routing if I prepared a machine for production faster than expected?

You should track your actual setup time. If a production operation is prepared faster than planned, you can track less than the setup time calculated for the routing. This will result in a lower than planned production process cost for the work order. Equally, you can exceed the calculated setup time if additional time is required to prepare a production operation for a work order. This will increase the operation cost, resulting in the actual production process cost for the work order being more than originally planned.

Can I track time for an operation sequence number if the status is Completed?

Yes. You can continue to track time for operation sequence numbers when their status is Completed. Changes to the work order are only blocked when the work order status is Closed.

How do I enter time for scrap quantities?

You can track time for scrap quantities from production with time spent for processed quantities from production that passed quality tests.

Component scrap quantities are controlled by the bill of material as a percentage of the fixed quantity. If production scrap occurs regularly, one option could be to increase the component Scrap factor %, then track the component issue as a quantity of the fixed unit.

Components or items processed for an operation are not tracked by the routing. If scrap from a production operation occurs infrequently, an option could to be create a stock adjustment for the scrap components or items and the processing cost for the scrap quantity.

All time tracked, whether for completed or scrapped quantities, increases the production process costs for the work order.

I am in a labour resource group but my labour resource ID is not showing by default for the operation sequence number in the Work order operations grid. Why?

The default Actual resource is the resource ID displayed in the first line of the Resources grid in the Resource group record. To track your time, select the work order operation sequence number line, then enter or select your labour resource ID as the Actual resource.

Can I track my time if I worked on a production operation for a work order I was not assigned to?

Yes. Select the work order operation sequence number line, then enter or select your labour resource ID as the Actual resource. Your labour resource ID will be added as a resource for the operation sequence number for the work order when you generate your time tracking. The Added checkbox will be selected in the work order resource grid.

A different workstation was used because the machine assigned to the production operation was faulty. How do I track the time?

To track time for an ad hoc machine:

Select the work order operation sequence number line.
The Actual resource defaults to the machine ID defined in the routing or added to the work order. Enter or select the machine ID used for the production operation.
Enter the Actual quantity processed, and the setup, and run times to track for the operation sequence number. See steps 4, 5 and 6 in Create a time tracking above.

If the setup and run costs for the alternative resource are different from the original resource setup and run costs, the actual production process cost for the work order could be significantly different to the planned costs. You should inform the production manager that there could potentially be a discrepancy in the production costs.

A resource was not available so a different resource was used in production. Can I add the unplanned resource so the costs are tracked for the work order?

Yes. You can enter or select the Actual resource ID used for the production operation and track the quantity processed for the production operation.

Can I track my time and the production quantities automatically?

Yes. On the Production tracking page you can backflush and consume the routing operations in proportion to the actual quantity of the finished item.

The operation quantities and resource operation times to backflush are based on the operation details defined in the routing.

Can I track time if the work order status is Completed?

Yes. Work orders are set to Completed status automatically when the components, operations and released items are tracked in full. Whilst the status is Completed you can continue to track time for work order production operations. Changes to the work order are only blocked when the work order status is Closed.