How You Manage a Work Order Header

A work order header stores some of key attributes of the work order business object. The work order header uniquely identifies the work order, describes the nature of work being carried out, and captures the details of the item being manufactured, the required quantity, the work definition to be used, and the start and completion dates.

The header attributes are displayed in the General Information tab of a work order.

The following table summarizes the attributes present in a work order header:

Name	Description
Work Order Number	A work order number identifies the work order and is unique within a plant. During creation of the work order, a unique number is automatically assigned from the numbering scheme defined per the plant parameters (Work Order Prefix, Work Order Starting Number). You can also manually enter a work order number during creation. Once a work order is created, the work order number can't be updated.
Status	This represents the status of the work order during its lifecycle. The predefined statuses supported are Unreleased, Released, On Hold, Completed, Closed, and Canceled. In addition, you can update work order status work order status to predefined or user-defined statuses.
Start Date	Planned start date and time of the work order.
Completion Date	Planned completion date and time of the work order.
Description	Description of the work order.
Work Order Priority	Represents the work order execution priority.
Item	Also referred as product or assembly. It represents the primary item that's to be manufactured. The item attributes Build in WIP and Transactable indicators must be enabled to create a work order. After the work order is created, the item can't be updated. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Quantity	Quantity of the work order that's planned for and started with. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Undercompleted	Represents that the work is undercompleted based on the undercompletion tolerance value.
UOM	Represents the unit of measure of the quantity being manufactured. It is always the primary unit of measure of the item. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Process Name	It is a unique identifier for a specific process manufacturing work definition that can produce multiple outputs. It can't be updated after the work order is released This is applicable to only process manufacturing work orders.
Batch Quantity	It is the batch quantity of the process manufacturing work order. During work order creation, this is defaulted from the work definition and can be scaled up or down. The batch quantity moves through operations until work order completion. This is applicable to only process manufacturing work orders.
Batch Quantity UOM	Represents the unit of measure of the batch quantity being processed. It is defaulted from the work definition and can't be updated on the work order. This is applicable to only process manufacturing work orders.
Primary Output	The Primary Output item is the most intended output for the process name specified in the process work order. The item attributes Build in WIP and Transactable Indicators must be enabled to create a process manufacturing work order. Once the work order is created, the primary output item can't be updated. This is applicable to only process manufacturing work orders.
Version	Represents the version of the primary output item. This is applicable to only process manufacturing work orders.
Primary Output Quantity	It is the quantity of the primary output item. The primary output item and its quantity are displayed in both work order header and work order output items. Any change in quantity in one place will automatically update the other. The primary output quantity can't be updated in the work order header when the work order is released. This is applicable to only process manufacturing work orders.
Primary Output UOM	Represents the unit of measure of the quantity of the primary output item. It is referred from the work definition and can't be updated. This is applicable to only process manufacturing work orders.
Work Definition Name	Work definition name of the item being manufactured. In a discrete manufacturing work order, the work definition is exploded to determine the operation, resource, and material requirements in the work order. It can't be updated after the work order is released. In a process work order, the work definition is exploded to determine the operation, resource requirements, material requirements, and expected outputs. It can't be updated in the work order.
Work Definition Date	Work definition date represents the effective date used to derive the work definition version.
Work Definition Version	Represents the version of the work definition. It is derived and displayed based on the work definition name and date specified.
Production Priority	Production priority identifies the primary and alternate work definitions of an item. A production priority of 1 indicates the primary work definition. The production priority is derived and displayed based on the work definition name specified.
Preassign Lots	This indicates if the output lot numbers can be preassigned to the work order. This is derived from the work definition and you can't edit this attribute.
Serial-Tracked Production	This indicates if serial-tracking is enforced for the work order. This is derived from the work definition and you can't edit this attribute. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Item Structure Name	Represents the item structure name that's referenced on the work definition selected on the work order. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Item Structure Revision	Represents the revision of the item whose item structure is referenced on the work definition selected on the work order. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Item Structure Version	Represents the version of the item whose item structure is referenced on the work definition selected on the work order. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Work Order Type	Indicates whether the type of work order selected during creation is Standard, Nonstandard, Rework, or Transform. For process manufacturing work orders, only the standard work order type is supported.
Work Order Subtype	Represents the specific nature of work being performed such as Standard Production, Prototyping, or Repair. Costing can derive work order accounts based on this attribute.
Work Method	Refers whether the work order is Discrete Manufacturing and Process Manufacturing. If an organization is enabled for process manufacturing, then both the work methods are available during the creation of work orders. If the organization is enabled for only discrete manufacturing, then the work method is discrete by default.
Firm	Indicator to enable or prevent Planning from suggesting rescheduling recommendations for the work order.
Back-to-Back	Indicator that this work order is created as a supply for a back-to-back sales order. You can't edit this attribute. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Contract Manufacturing	Indicates a contract manufacturing work order. You can't edit this attribute. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Released Date	Indicates the date when the work order is released.
Closed Date	Indicates the date when the work order is closed.
Scheduling Method	Indicates the scheduling method (User or external scheduling, or Default scheduling) to schedule or reschedule work orders.
Supply Type	Represents the default supply types to be considered in the work order for operation items.
Completion Subinventory	Represents the default completion subinventory to be considered in the work order for product completion. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Completion Locator	Represents the default completion locator of the subinventory to be considered in the work order for product completion. This is applicable to only discrete manufacturing work orders.
Overcompletion Tolerance Type	Indicates the tolerance type (percent or quantity) for overcompletion of the work order quantity. The Overcompletion tolerance in a discrete work order is supported / calculated based on product quantity. The overcompletion tolerance is supported for the process manufacturing work order batch quantity only. The overcompletion tolerance isn't applicable for Transform and Rework work orders.
Overcompletion Tolerance Value	Indicates the editable field that displays the percent or quantity that's allowed to be completed over the work order quantity.
Undercompletion Tolerance Type	Indicates the undercompletion tolerance type (percent or quantity) that's allowed for the work order quantity. The undercompletion tolerance in a discrete work order is supported / calculated based on product quantity. The undercompletion tolerance is supported for the process manufacturing work order batch quantity only. The undercompletion tolerance isn't applicable for Transform, Rework, and Contract Manufacturing work orders.
Undercompletion Tolerance Value	Indicates the editable field that displays the percent or quantity of the selected tolerance type that's allowed to be completed lesser than the work order quantity.

Update Work Order Status

You can use status of a work order to manage the work order through its entire lifecycle. Work orders are generally created in the Unreleased status. You can then update the status to Released once the work order is ready for execution. On executing the work order, when the last operation is complete, the work order is automatically updated to Completed status. You then update the status of the work order to Closed. You can also update the work order status to On Hold or Canceled.

Note: You can query work orders using the available predefined and user-defined statuses using a REST API.

The following table lists the valid status transitions allowed for a work order:

From Status	To Status Unreleased	To Status Released	To Status On Hold	To Status Completed	To Status Closed	To Status Canceled
From Status Unreleased	Not applicable	Allowed	Allowed	Not allowed	Allowed	Allowed
From Status Released	Conditionally allowed Updating the work order status from Released to Unreleased isn't allowed when transactions or pending transactions against the work order exist.	Not applicable	Allowed	Allowed only by application	Conditionally allowed Updating the work order status from Released to Closed isn't allowed when pending transactions against the work order exist.	Allowed
From Status On Hold	Conditionally allowed Updating the work order status from On Hold to Unreleased isn't allowed when transactions or pending transactions against the work order exist.	Allowed	Not applicable	Not allowed	Conditionally allowed Updating the work order status from Released to Closed isn't allowed when pending transactions against the work order exist.	Allowed
From Status Completed	Not allowed	Allowed only by application	Not allowed	Not applicable	Allowed	Not allowed
From Status Closed	Conditionally allowed Updating the work order status from Closed to Unreleased is only allowed when any of the Released, Completed, or Canceled dates weren't available on the work order.	Conditionally allowed Updating the work order status from Closed status to Released is only allowed if there is a Released Date but no Completion or Canceled date on the work order.	Not allowed	Conditionally allowed Updating the work order status from Closed to Completed status isn't allowed when the completion date isn't available on the work order.	Not applicable	Conditionally allowed Updating the work order status from Closed to Canceled isn't allowed when the canceled date isn't available on the work order.
From Status Canceled	Conditionally allowed Updating the work order status from Canceled to Unreleased isn't allowed when transactions or pending transactions against the work order exist.	Allowed	Allowed	Not allowed	Conditionally allowed Updating the work order status from Canceled to Closed isn't allowed if any pending transactions against work order exist.	Not applicable

The following table summarizes the work order status change rules specific to supplier operations::

From Status	To Status Unreleased	To Status Released	To Status On Hold	To Status Completed	To Status Closed	To Status Canceled
From Status Unreleased	Not applicable	Purchase requisition creation initiated, if eligible as per plant parameter setting.	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
From Status Released	Not allowed if purchase requisitions exist.	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Change Management Action: Attempt canceling any associated purchasing documents as appropriate.	Change Management Action: Attempt canceling any associated purchasing documents as appropriate.
From Status On Hold	Not allowed if purchase requisitions exist.	Purchase requisition creation initiated, if eligible as per plant parameter setting if the work wasn't released before.	Not applicable	Not applicable	Change Management Action: Attempt canceling any associated purchasing documents as appropriate.	Change Management Action: Attempt canceling any associated purchasing documents as appropriate.
From Status Completed	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not allowed
From Status Closed	Not applicable	Purchase requisition creation initiated, if eligible as per plant parameter settling.	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
From Status Canceled	Not applicable	Purchase requisition creation initiated, if eligible as per plant parameter setting.	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable

Note:

All the status change validations including the user-defined statuses are as per the predefined status to which the user-defined status is mapped.

Update Work Order Quantity

If you update the work order quantity of a work order, the required quantities of operation items and required usage of operation resources are recalculated. You are prompted to make a selection to either forward schedule from the start date or backward schedule from the completion date to schedule the work order based on the new quantity.

The work order quantity can be reduced to the extent of the ready quantity available in the first count point operation. If the updated work order quantity equals the sum of the completed quantity at the last operation and scrapped quantities across all operations, then the work order is automatically set to Completed status.

When the work order quantity is increased, and if the work order is in Completed status, then the work order status is automatically updated to Released status. In the case of process work orders, the batch quantity will be considered as the work order quantity.

Note: If the work order quantity is reduced to the extent of completed quantity for a partially completed work order, then the work order status will be automatically set to Completed.

Update Work Definition

You can update the work definition name or work definition date only when the work order is in Unreleased status. When you update these two attributes, all the existing operations, operation items, and operation resources of the work order are deleted, and a re-explosion of the updated work definition is triggered. In the case of process work orders, the work definition name can't be updated. Instead, you can update the process name to achieve the same behavior.

Update Work Order Date

Update the following attributes in order to reschedule and calculate new dates of the work order:

• Start Date

• Completion Date

• Quantity

• Work Definition Name (applicable to only discrete work orders)

• Work Definition Date

• Process Name (applicable to only process work orders)

• Scaling Action (applicable to only process work orders)

Note: Performing scaling action by updating batch quantity, primary output quantity, input item quantity, or output item quantity can reschedule process work orders. Refer to the Scheduling of Work Orders section for more details.