This chapter covers the following topics:
Following is a requirement that customers have for a simple graphical navigation tool to manage their production processes:
Yes. The Operator Workbench guides you through a set of predefined instructions created to complete operations required for a production batch. Use the Operator Workbench to navigate and manage the whole production process. This simple tool provides rapid access to every part of your production process.
Operator Workbench Simplifies Navigation
Use the Operator Workbench to identify incomplete tasks. Simple queries help find batches on a wide variety of search criteria such as product, resource, date range, and entity. Simplified, single-click navigation lets you act on an instruction and enter data against it based on the requirement.
Batch records are work orders that provide a detailed step-by-step course of action to steer production operators through the batch manufacturing process. Depending on individual work instructions, some batch steps can be done at any time, while other steps must be completed before batch production can proceed. Steps can require one or more signatures to indicate the formal approval to proceed. Entry of production data such as the actual quantity of material added, temperature and pressure observed at various batch steps, or collection of quality samples for in-process testing all add to the complexity of completing the tasks that complete the batch, and must also be archived in the batch record. Oracle Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for Process Manufacturing simplifies this work by putting all the information that the production schedulers, supervisors, and operators need to manage a batch into a single application that virtually eliminates the complexity of paper record keeping. As part of the recipe development process, you can create instructions individually, or in unitized sets that can be organized into reusable procedures. Instructions can be enhanced with images, data files, and paperless attachments that assist in completing batch processing. Associate procedures to the recipe or to major components of the recipe, including its materials, resources, operations, and activities. Clearance instructions can remind or ensure that you clean, clear, or perform checks before starting a batch or operation. Processing instructions can have associated tasks that require specific actions. Actionable tasks and each instruction can require one or more electronic signatures for completion. For example, in the runtime activity for a blending operation, one instruction can require the operator to take the temperature of the blender before material addition. A task is designed to access the process parameter for blender temperature, and another task consumes material into the blender hopper. If either task requires a sign off before the runtime activity can proceed, then an electronic e-signature is mandated. When e-signature permission is granted, the runtime activity can proceed. Both supervisors and production schedulers have top-to-bottom access to real-time production batch status. They can determine batch status immediately using a flexible search engine that displays instruction-level batch details. This provides the agility to take rapid corrective action that is fully documented in the batch audit trail.
The Operator Workbench offers capabilities to:
Identify tasks to complete. The search window lets you search the batches on a wide variety of search criteria such as product, resource, date range, and entity.
Lock operations. Take ownership of an operation step by locking it while completing the task. Unlock the step after the task is completed.
View instructions interactively. View the instructions at material level that are associated to the task such as a recipe, operation, activity, or resource.
Acknowledge instructions. Acknowledge the instructions and enter comments during the process and indicate to the application that the instruction is completed.
Navigate to transactional tasks in one click. During batch execution, a single click lets you act on an instruction and enter data against it based on the requirement.
For example, in an instruction to measure the temperature of a liquid and enter it as a resource process parameter, you create the resource process parameter entry as a task that can be accessed directly from its related instruction.
View the batch summary and navigate to related actions. Navigate to different related actions in an operation, activity, or resource such as quality, resource transaction, and so on.
Operator Workbench Process
Using the Operator Workbench
Create the batch.
Complete clearance instructions for the batch, if any.
Release the batch.
Complete step clearance instructions, if any.
Release batch steps.
Retrieve the worklist of released steps.
Lock each step as it will be processed. See: Locking Batch Steps
Complete process instructions and related tasks.
Note: Log nonconformances through the OPM Process Execution window interfaces. Refer to the Oracle Process Manufacturing Process Execution User's Guide for additional information.
Use the Operator Workbench to search for and lock a batch step to claim ownership of it.
Prerequisites
Determine that the desired batch operation or step has a status of WIP.
Verify your permission to access and lock the batch and its batch steps.
To lock a batch step
Navigate to the Operator Workbench window.
Select an Organization code. Required.
Click Go.
Enter any of the following to narrow your search:
Search and select the Batch.
Search and select the code for the primary Product used in the batch by Product or Description.
Search and select the Resource associated with the batch steps by the Resource name or Description.
Search and select the Lock Owner by User Display Name or User Name.
Select the Status of the batch. Enter any of the following to narrow your search in the context organization entered:
Select All to find all the available batches listed.
Select Closed to find the batches that are closed.
Select Complete to find the batches that are completed.
Select New to find the new batches.
Select Pending to find the batches that are scheduled.
Select WIP to find batches that are in process. Oracle Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for Process Manufacturing acts on batches with this status.
Select Canceled to find the canceled batches.
Important: The following batch and batch step statuses cannot be processed in the Operator Workbench: New, Pending, Complete, Closed, and Canceled.
Select a Planned Start Date from the calendar. It is the planned start date and time of the batch.
Select a Planned Completion Date from the calendar. It is the planned completion date and time of the batch.
To refine the search, click Show More Search Options, then search and select by name or description the:
Formula
Recipe
Routing
Operation
Activity
Ingredient
Actual Start Date and time of the batch.
Actual Completion Date and time of the batch.
Click Go.
Select one or multiple batch steps to lock or unlock. The batch steps display in a tabular format. Status displays the current batch step statuses as:
Locked indicates the batch steps that are locked. You cannot lock the batch steps already locked by others. Lock Owner displays the locked by information.
Lock Disabled indicates the batch steps that cannot be locked because the step is not in WIP status.
Lock Enabled indicates the batch steps that are available to lock.
Note: You can only lock batch steps that are lock enabled.
Click Lock to lock each batch step.
Take appropriate action on each locked step.
Click Unlock to release batch step ownership.
Use the Operator Workbench to:
View the instructions.
Perform actions associated with each instruction.
Complete instructions and their associated tasks.
Tip: Users with an administrator role who are working on a pending step can also:
Create new instructions.
Add existing instructions.
Add a new instruction set if no instruction set exists.
Update existing instructions.
Reorder instructions.
Following is an example of how to act on instructions that are associated with a batch. You can also act on instructions that are associated with other entities.
Prerequisites
Create instruction sets.
Create instructions.
(Optional) Associate tasks with instructions.
Determine that the desired batch is in the correct status:
To execute batch-level clearance instructions, the status must be Pending.
To execute step-level clearance instructions, the batch status must be WIP, and the step status must be Pending.
To execute process instructions, the batch status must be WIP.
Verify your permission to access and lock the batch and its batch steps. You must release and lock a batch step before executing process instructions on the step operation.
To act on clearance instructions
You can only execute clearance instructions for batches and batch steps that are in the Pending status. You must complete mandatory clearance instructions for a batch before releasing the batch. Similarly, after releasing the batch, but before releasing a batch step, you must complete all mandatory clearance instructions for the step.
Navigate to the Operator Workbench.
Search for a batch.
Tip: If a search results row lists a batch number but no corresponding batch steps, then the batch number has batch clearance instructions. If a search results row lists a batch number and a step operation, then the batch step operation has batch step instructions. Steps can have both Clearance and Process instructions, organized under the Clearance tab and the Process tab.
Select the batch number link.
Alternatively, for step instructions, you can select the step operation link.
The clearance instructions for the batch or step operation appear on the Clearance tab. For a step operation, any process instructions appear on the Process tab.
Click Execute Instructions.
The first instruction in the instruction set appears.
After completing an instruction, select Instruction Completed, then click Continue to view the next instruction or click Finish to stop acting on instructions.
Alternatively, click Skip to skip this instruction and view the next instruction.
If an electronic signature is required then complete it and click Close.
Click Apply to proceed.
Click Finish.
Perform all pending mandatory instructions and mark them as complete.
(Optional) Perform pending optional instructions and mark as them as complete.
Conditional Action: If you choose not to complete every pending optional instruction, you have the option to click Mark Instruction Set as Complete. This marks the instruction set with a status of Complete, but gives the incomplete optional instructions a status of Excluded. Once optional instructions are excluded, you no longer have the option to execute them. Alternatively, you can click Mark All Instructions as Complete. This marks each optional instruction and the instruction set as complete. This option is not available if one or more of the pending optional instructions requires an e-record and e-signature approval.
To act on process instructions
Navigate to the Operator Workbench.
Search for a batch.
Tip: A batch row that is returned without a step listed contains batch clearance instructions. A row that contains a batch number and a step operation contains step instructions. Steps can potentially have both clearance and process instructions, organized under the Clearance tab and the Process tab.
Select the batch number link.
Alternatively, for step instructions, you can select the step operation link.
The clearance instructions for the batch or step operation appear in the Clearance tab. For a step operation, process instructions appear in the Process tab.
Click Execute Instructions.
Note: You can only execute process instructions for steps that you locked. If you have not locked a step, then process instructions are read-only.
Click Batch Details.
Review the batch information details such as batch number, batch material, operations, and activities; and the dispense details such as dispense required, dispensed quantity, and WIP plan quantity.
Important: Refer to the Oracle Process Manufacturing Process Execution User's Guide for definitions of all fields displayed.
Perform actions such as batch update, material update, reservation, nonconformance tracking, and material dispensing.
Click Operation Execution.
Click Lock.
Display the instruction label.
Click Task to open the relevant application window.
Perform the transaction.
Click Save.
If an electronic signature is required, then complete it and click Close.
Click Apply to proceed.
Perform all pending mandatory instructions and mark them as complete.
(Optional) If any instruction attributes exist, enter the attribute values.
(Optional) Add attachments to instructions.
(Optional) Perform all pending optional instructions and mark them as complete.
Conditional Action: If you choose not to complete every pending optional instruction, you have the option to click Mark Instruction Set as Complete. This marks the instruction set with a status of Complete, but gives the incomplete optional instructions a status of Excluded. Once optional instructions are excluded, you no longer have the option to execute them. Alternatively, you can click Mark All Instructions as Complete. This marks each optional instruction as complete as well as the instruction set as complete. This option is not available if one or more of the pending optional instructions requires an e-record and e-signature approval.
Click Apply.