Abakion has added a resource number field to the operation line in the Shop Floor mobile app for Business Central. This lets you assign one or more employees directly to a routing operation, even when the routing itself is built around machines or work centers.
The field solves the man-machine conflict. You plan production on machine centers and work centers because it is difficult to plan directly on individual employees, but you still need to record which person actually worked on an operation.
The assigned resources are stored in a new table called allocated resources. You can use this table in Gantt charts and in reporting to see who started or who was planned for each operation.
The man-machine conflict in production routings
When Abakion helps customers set up routings, the usual recommendation is to build routings that reflect the machinery or assembly lines rather than the personnel. The reason is practical: it is difficult to plan directly on employees.
Because of this, a new production order is normally created without names on each employee. Instead, it carries the names of machine centers or work centers. That keeps planning manageable, but it leaves a gap when you want to know which person handled a specific operation.
Adding a resource number on the operation line in Shop Floor mobile
To close that gap, Abakion added a resource number field on the operation line, meaning the routing line, in the Shop Floor mobile app. The field uses the standard routing resource functionality in Business Central, so you can add resources directly by entering them or picking them from a list.
You are not limited to a single person per operation. You can assign more than one resource to the same operation, and the app shows the number of allocated resources on the line.
When you add another resource on top of an existing one, the app asks whether the other resource should be removed and whether you want to delete it. If you say no, the new resource is added alongside the existing one. This way you can assign many resources to the same operation.
Using allocated resources in Gantt charts and reporting
The assignments are kept in a new table called allocated resources. You can use this table in your Gantt charts or for different reporting purposes.
You can also use it directly in the production picture to see that someone actually started an operation, or that a specific person was planned to handle it.
Q&A
What is the man-machine conflict in Business Central routings?
It is the gap that appears when you plan production on machines or work centers because planning directly on individual employees is difficult, but you still need to record which person worked on a given operation.
Can you assign more than one employee to a single operation?
Yes. The resource number field on the operation line lets you add multiple resources to the same operation. When you add another resource, the app asks whether you want to remove the existing one. If you say no, the new resource is added alongside it.
Where are the assigned resources stored?
They are stored in a new table called allocated resources, which you can use in Gantt charts and in reporting.
Why are routings built around machines instead of employees?
Abakion recommends building routings to reflect the machinery or assembly lines because it is difficult to plan directly on individual employees. Production orders therefore carry names of machine centers or work centers rather than employee names.