In Shop Floor for Business Central, you can start and stop production operations directly from the Start-Stop Operation action. You do not need to be allocated to an operation in My Operations, and you do not need to open Time Collectors or the Shop Floor Overview first.
When you start an operation this way, the system creates a Time Collector that runs immediately. The Time Collector tracks elapsed time, so after 10 seconds it shows 10 seconds once you refresh the view with F5.
Starting an operation from the Start-Stop Operation action
The Start-Stop Operation action lets you register time on an operation without going through the usual setup steps. You do not have to be allocated to the operation in My Operations beforehand, and you can skip both the Time Collectors view and the Shop Floor Overview.
To register an operation, open the Start-Stop Operation action and scroll through the list of open production orders. Select the production order you want, then pick the specific operation you want to register time on. When you press Start, the system begins tracking.
How the Time Collector tracks elapsed time
Pressing Start creates a Time Collector that runs from that moment. It is the running entry you see at the bottom of your list. The Time Collector keeps counting in the background, so if you wait 10 seconds and then press F5 to refresh, the view updates and shows the 10 seconds that have passed.
Two ways to register operation time
You have flexibility in how you register time. You can start operations directly, enter them, and finish them straight from the Start-Stop Operation action. You can also do the same registrations from inside the relevant production order view if that fits your workflow better.
Q&A
Do I need to be allocated to an operation before I can start it?
No. You can start and stop operations directly from the Start-Stop Operation action without being allocated to an operation in My Operations and without opening Time Collectors or the Shop Floor Overview.
What happens when I press Start on an operation?
The system creates a Time Collector that starts running immediately. It tracks the elapsed time, so after 10 seconds it shows 10 seconds once you refresh the view.
How do I update the displayed time on a running operation?
Press F5 to refresh the view. The Time Collector then updates to show the time that has passed since you started.
Can I register operations somewhere other than the Start-Stop Operation action?
Yes. You can start, enter, and finish operations directly from the Start-Stop Operation action, and you can also perform the same registrations from inside the production order view.