How You Manage Work Definitions in the User Interface
You can use the Manage Work Definitions page in the Work Definition work area as a starting point to create a new work definition and manage the existing work definitions. You can have your key work definitions shown automatically by creating a saved search and setting it as a default. The Search Results region shows the work definitions matching the search criteria.
Search for a Work Definition
You can use the basic search or the advanced search to search for the existing work definitions on the Manage Work Definitions page. Advanced search enables you to use search operators other than equal to, and add additional search fields. You have the option of saving the search criteria and it will be shown in the Saved Search list.
Create a Work Definition
You can create a new work definition or copy an existing work definition.
The reasons for copying a discrete work definition can be:
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To define the same manufacturing process to make a different product
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To define the same manufacturing process for an alternate item structure that makes the same product (the product is the same, but the structure name is different
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To define an alternative manufacturing process to make the same product (the product and structure name are the same, but the work definition name is different
The reasons for copying a process work definition can be:
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To define the same manufacturing process to make the same primary output for a different batch quantity
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To define the same or similar manufacturing process to make a different primary output with variations in materials and other products or by-products
Edit a Work Definition
You can edit a work definition by clicking on the work definition name link in the search results table to take you to the details page of the work definition. You can update some attributes of the work definition header, operations, operation outputs (applicable to process manufacturing), operation items, and operation resources.
Delete a Work Definition
You can delete a work definition that you created by mistake. You can use the Manage Work Definitions page to delete either manual or automatic work definitions. It will delete all versions of the work definition name for an item. You can't delete a work definition, which is referenced by work orders or is used in published cost scenarios. Deleting a work definition removes its visibility in planning, work execution, and costing.
Deactivate a Work Definition
You can deactivate a work definition as a mechanism to make it obsolete. For example, you must deactivate a work definition if the manufacturing process it represents is no longer valid. You can deactivate a specific work definition from the Manage Work Definitions page, using file-based data import, or a REST service.
Deactivating a work definition deactivates all the versions of the work definition and it becomes inactive immediately. The end date for the last version of the work definition is left as null. The work definition status changes from Active to Inactive. The Inactive On date is populated with the system date when you deactivate the work definition, or when the import work definitions scheduled process is completed. You can't update an inactive work definition, including the work definition version end date, and inactive on date.
You can search and view an inactive work definition, and create a new work definition by copying an inactive work definition. However, inactive work definitions aren't available for use by consuming applications. You can't create a work order using an inactive work definition in Manufacturing. However, any existing work orders using an inactive work definition can continue. Planning wouldn't create planned orders using inactive work definitions. Costing wouldn't use inactive work definitions in cost rollup if the cost scenario effective date is greater than the inactive on date. In the event that a work definition that has been used in an existing unpublished cost scenario is deactivated, the status of the cost scenario will be updated to indicate to the user that cost rollup has to be re-run.
If E-Signature for the Work Definition Management transaction is enabled, you can deactivate only approved work definitions. Deactivating a work definition initiates the approval process and updates the work definition status to Pending Inactivation. After the last required approver approves, the work definition status becomes Inactive. Inactive On date is the date on which the last required approver approves.
Reactivate a Work Definition
You can reactivate a work definition to make it available again for use in work order creation, supply chain planning, and costing. You can reactivate a specific work definition from the Manage Work Definitions page. You can also reactivate inactive work definitions using file-based data import (FBDI) or a REST service, by specifying the action as UPDATE, and the work definition status as Active.
Reactivating a work definition reactivates all the versions of an inactive work definition. The work definition status is updated from Inactive to Active, and the Inactive On date is cleared. You can’t update the inactive on date.
For a given item, if a work definition that's reactivated has the same production priority and/or costing priority as an active work definition, then the reactivated work definition will be automatically assigned the next highest production priority and/or costing priority. For example, initially you had work definition Production for an item. You deactivated it, and created work definition Main to replace it. As a result, both Production and Main have production priority 1. Because production priority must be unique, when you reactivate work definition Production, the system will automatically update its production priority from 1 to 2.
If E-Signature for the Work Definition Management transaction is enabled, reactivating a work definition initiates an approval process and updates the work definition status from Inactive to Pending Reactivation. Upon approval, the work definition status is updated to Active, and the Inactive On date is cleared. If it’s rejected, the work definition status goes back to Inactive. If the system automatically updates the production priority and/or costing priority, the updated priority will be reflected in the electronic record.