Process codes in Business Central let you group and filter production orders in the overview. You can assign a process code on the routing line so it carries over to the production order line, or you can add it directly in the overview to a specific order.
When you add a process code directly in the overview, Business Central asks whether you want to update the entire order or just the single line. If you choose to update the entire order, the code is applied to the production order line, the production order header, and the routing operations. If you choose No, only the selected line is updated.
The process code field is not validated against the underlying process code table. You can type free text into it, which is useful when you want to tag and bundle production orders together in your overview.
How process codes work on production orders
A process code can be added on the routing line and transferred to the production order line. From there you can filter on it in the overview. But the code does not have to originate on the routing line. You can also create it directly in the overview for a specific order.
Take order number 142 as an example. In this case there is no process code on the order because nobody added one. By scrolling to the right in the overview, you can add the process code directly. Say you set it to pre-assembly.
Updating the entire order versus a single line
When you add a process code in the overview, Business Central asks whether you want to update the entire order. Updating the entire order means the process code is added to the production order line, the production order header, and the routing operations.
If you click No, only that specific line is updated. So if the same production order number has another line further down, the process code will not be added there. You can confirm this by looking at the full order, where you will see it only has one process code on the line you updated.
If you instead choose to update the entire order, everything is updated, including the production order header. You could also have started from the production order header itself. If you know the code up front, you can enter it on the header, and it updates all the lines with that value.
Using free text in the process code field
You can add information that is not entered in the underlying process code table. The field is not validated, so you can type simple free text. This is helpful when you want to add ad hoc information or filter on specific production orders so you can bundle them together in your overview.
Q&A
Where can you add a process code to a production order in Business Central?
You can add it on the routing line so it transfers to the production order line, directly in the overview for a specific order, or on the production order header. A code on the header updates all the lines with that value.
What happens when you choose to update the entire order?
The process code is applied to the production order line, the production order header, and the routing operations. If you click No instead, only the selected line is updated and other lines on the same order keep their existing values.
Is the process code field validated against a table?
No. The process code field is not validated against the underlying process code table, so you can enter free text. This lets you tag and bundle production orders together in the overview.