Process codes in Business Central let you group and filter production order operations in the shop floor overview, even when the same work center, machinery, and people handle several different operations. You set up the process code on the routing line, and it transfers automatically to the production order when you refresh it.
You can change the process code manually on each routing line. When you do, Business Central asks whether you want to update the entire production order with the same process code on the header, or just the single line.
You can use process codes for anything that helps you organize work. Examples include marking an order as urgent or adding a customer name to the full order.
How process codes work on the routing line
You set up the process code on the routing line, and from there it transfers to your open orders. Once it is in place, you can see it in the shop floor overview and use it to filter your operations.
Here is a concrete example. On the routing for a front wheel, the process code sits on the right hand side of the routing line. Work center number 100 performs three operations using the same people and the same machinery, but each is a different process. With process codes added, you can filter the shop floor view by those three different process codes, even though everything physically happens at the same work center.
Transferring the process code to a production order
After adding the process code to the routing line, you create a production order on the item. It can be firm planned, released, or whatever status fits your situation. You add the quantity, and when you refresh the production order, the routing lines are refreshed and the process code is brought in along with them.
Updating process codes on individual lines or the full order
You can change the process code manually on each routing line. For a specific order, if you want to add a process code to one line, Business Central asks whether you want to update the entire production order, meaning all the lines with the same process code on the header.
If the process code only relates to that one operation line, say no and update just the single line. That is the normal approach when the code is tied to a specific operation.
Sometimes you want the code to apply to the whole order instead. You might create a process code called “urgent,” or use it to carry other important information such as a customer name. In those cases, choose to update the full order and the process code is applied to every line.
Q&A
Where do you set up a process code in Business Central?
You set up the process code on the routing line. From there it transfers to your open orders and appears in the shop floor overview.
How does the process code get onto a production order?
When you create a production order on the item and refresh it, the routing lines are refreshed and the process code is added to them automatically.
Can you use the same work center for different process codes?
Yes. The same work center, with the same people and machinery, can perform several operations that each carry a different process code. This lets you filter those operations separately in the shop floor view.
What happens when you change a process code on a single routing line?
Business Central asks whether you want to update the entire production order with the same process code on the header. You can say no to update only that one line, or yes to apply the code across all lines.
What can you use process codes for besides operations?
You can use them to carry any useful information on an order. Examples include marking an order as urgent or adding a customer name to the full order.