1. Work Orders Implementation Guide
  2. (Release 9.2 Update) Work Order Activity Rules for Manufacturing

(Release 9.2 Update) Work Order Activity Rules for Manufacturing

You can set up activity rules for manufacturing work orders to establish a process flow and avoid erroneous status updates. A control in the Manufacturing Constants program (P3009) activates work order activity rules by branch/plant.

Use the Work Order Activity Rules program (P4826) to set up work order activity rules based on Order (Document) Type and Work Order Type that define the beginning status, next status, and other allowed statuses for a work order.

When enabled, activity rules for manufacturing work orders are triggered by any process that updates a manufacturing work order status. The system validates work order status updates against the defined activity rules and displays an error message when an invalid work order status is selected. To continue with the process, ensure that the specified work order status is valid and in accordance to the status flow setup in the Work Order Activity Rules program (P4826).

For any status in your activity rules, you can also activate entries into ledger tables when work order records are added, removed or changed (header, parts list, or routing) by entering Y in the Work Order Header Record, Work Order Parts List Record, or Work Order Routing Ledger Record fields.

These history records can be reviewed using the following inquiry programs:

  • Work Order Master Ledger (P48019)

  • Work Order Parts List Ledger (P31119)

  • Work Order Routing Ledger (P31129)

Note: For sales order management, you must use the P42101 program to trigger activity rules for related manufacturing work orders. The P4210 program does not fully provide the activity rules functionality for manufacturing work orders.

For each work order status defined in the activity rules, the Lock Flag setting determines whether work order details can be changed at that status. Locking prevents changes and freezing a work order sets the Freeze Code to 'Y', preventing MRP action messages. Transactions are not affected by this setting. Values are:

  • Blank - Do not lock the work order.

  • 1 - Freeze the work order (no lock).

  • 2 - Freeze and lock the work order (header only).

  • 3 - Freeze and lock the work order, parts list, and routing.