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If you run production in Business Central with work centers on your routings, you can check how much load each work center carries based on your calculated calendar entries. Business Central gives you two ways to do this: a Work Center Load report and a Work Center Load matrix on the work center card.
The Work Center Load report lets you set a starting date, the number of periods, and the period length, and you can filter to only show entries above a certain load percentage. It shows the capacity load on all your work centers, including effective capacity, allocated quantity, available capacity, and the load percentage per time slot.
The Work Center Load matrix is found under the Navigate panel on the work center card. It shows the load for a single, specific work center across the period you choose, displaying capacity, allocated quantity, and load percentage.
Why work center load matters in Business Central production
If you’re using production in Business Central, and you’re also using work centers on your routings, you’ll often need to know the load on each work center based on your calculated calendar entries. This tells you how much of the available capacity is already allocated, so you can plan accordingly and spot where you’re running tight on capacity.
There are two ways to get this information. One is a report, and the other is a matrix view on the work center itself.
The Work Center Load report
The first option is the Work Center Load report. There are actually two versions, but they are very much alike. In the report, you can set:
- A starting date, which determines what you calculate from
- How many periods you want to see
- The period length
- A filter so you only see entries with a load percentage above a chosen value
When you preview the report, it displays the capacity load on all your work centers. For example, the assembly department on work center 100 shows load percentages across the different time slots.
Take a four-week view as an example. In the last week, from March 22 to March 28, the work center is loaded at 47.1%. The effective capacity for that week is 7,200 minutes. Of that, 3,390 minutes are allocated and 3,800 minutes are still available.
The Work Center Load matrix on the work center card
The second option lets you look at the load directly from the work center list. Place yourself on a specific work center, and you’ll find a function on the Navigate panel called Work Center Load.
This shows the data in a matrix, and you can select whatever period you’d like to view. For example, on work center 400 in the machine department, the matrix displays the capacity in the month, the allocated quantity, and the load percentages.
These two options, the report and the matrix, give you a clear picture of your work center load in Business Central.
Q&A
How do I see the load on a work center in Business Central?
You have two options. Use the Work Center Load report to see the load across all work centers, or open a specific work center and use the Work Center Load function on the Navigate panel to see the load in a matrix.
What does the Work Center Load report show?
It shows the capacity load on all your work centers, including effective capacity, allocated quantity, available capacity, and the load percentage for each time slot.
Can I filter the Work Center Load report?
Yes. You can set a starting date, the number of periods, and the period length, and you can filter to only show entries with a load percentage above a value you choose.
Where do I find the Work Center Load matrix?
Go to the work center list, place yourself on a specific work center, and select Work Center Load on the Navigate panel. The matrix shows capacity, allocated quantity, and load percentage for the period you choose.
How is work center load calculated?
The load is based on your calculated calendar entries. It compares the allocated quantity against the effective capacity for each period to give you a load percentage.