Works Order Processing Help and User Guide

1. Unconfirmed costs

Pop-Up Message

The v22 release includes a new warning screen that will open at start-up for specific Sage 200 settings that cause issues for BP’s and customers. The warning recommends that unconfirmed costs is not used unless really necessary, and that the update stock at invoice setting is not used if you use barcoding. There are links to the website for further advice on why Sicon suggest these settings are avoided. We are not saying they cannot be used, but if you do use them, it is important that you and your customers fully understand the implications of these settings, and you will deal with any nominal reconciliation queries that occur as a result of them.

What are Unconfirmed Costs?

If you have clients who are raising purchase orders for goods or services and it is likely that the invoices will be received after the products have been consumed or sold, and that the prices are often likely to be different from the order, then you may have the option for un-confirmed cost switched on.

To make sure goods can be used while invoices are outstanding Sage 200 gives the stock item in question an ‘Un-Confirmed’ cost price. When the invoice is recorded the system then updates various adjustments based on the ‘Confirmed/Invoiced’ cost.

This is a very clever feature and incredibly useful in certain circumstances. Each stock movement balance transaction is flagged to state that it is either confirmed or unconfirmed. It sounds straightforward but should you ever need to work out what happened and reconcile the transactions it is very complex.

Where should it be used?

This is a very clever feature and incredibly useful in certain circumstances. Each stock movement balance transaction is flagged to state that it is either confirmed or unconfirmed. It sounds straightforward but should you ever need to work out what happened and reconcile the transactions it is very complex.

The setting to allow this functionality can be found in Purchase Order Processing Settings and is in actually the Default setting.

When can problems occur?

When using ‘Integrate stock management with the nominal Ledger’, nominal transactions are only made at the point of invoices being recorded, there can be months between goods being received and invoiced.

Sage 200 will try to value the goods while they are un-confirmed. Valuations will be based on the costing method of the product group. Historical cost price errors can then have an effect on the ‘Sage 200’ value of the stock causing variances. This makes reconciling the Stock Valuation report to the Stock Nominal incredibly time consuming and prone to error.

Built items (via Sicon Works Orders) can be booked into stock and consumed but can’t be completed with un-confirmed values in place. A utility is available to assist with this to allow ‘Estimated’ built item costs to be posted as a reversible journal. Confirmed values for WIP and Finished Goods Stock still won’t post to the nominal until Completion.

Once confirmed, costs will ripple through the transactions and update them, including the sales order and realised profit figures. Cost of sales postings will be adjusted using the same URN as the original transaction. There can be gaps of months between the original transaction and the updated version.

If you are using Sicon Barcoding and Warehousing, you will have noticed how easy it is to move stock around the warehouse even if it is allocated. This may be moving from goods into a warehouse bin or moving from bulk storage to the pick bin. It’s so easy to do it is likely to happen quite a lot. This is not an issue for bins that are used for this stock item all the time, but if you ever want to delete a bin you must ensure that there is no ‘unconfirmed cost’ transaction in that bin. That means that if a Purchase Order is raised, received and booked into stock but the invoice is not yet posted you will not be able to delete ANY bin’s that this stock item has moved through.

The solution is to match the invoice to the purchase order and allow Sage 200 to clean up the transactions, but some clients choose to enter invoices directly to the Purchase Ledger and leave the order open. The implications are significant if you ever want to ‘clean-up’ bins for stock items in the warehouse.

Where the client may be using Unconfirmed Costs to manage bespoke product invoice variances it may be worth considering using traceable items instead to control the cost of each ‘batch’ of a generic item instead of implementing unconfirmed costs.

What is the alternative?

If Purchase Order and Invoice costs are usually the same, then we would recommend the setting to update at goods received. This will use the cost on the purchase order to book in the stock item and any variance when the invoice arrives will be posted to the ‘Differences’ nominal account. In this example we have created an account called ‘Purchase Invoice Variance’ which is available on the Profit and Loss. At month end any material variances can be reviewed and dealt with by adjusting or revaluing stock (where possible) or accepting the variances as a cost of sale.

2. WOP MENU 1. Works Order List

The Works order list displays all Works Orders that have been created. From this screen, filters can be applied to WOs using many different fields, as well as the option to create new WOs along with amending existing WOs.

The WO list can be customised, select the desired columns by clicking on the list. A number of columns will be set as defaults, however these can all be changed.

How to customise the WO list view

Open the Works Order List

Right click anywhere on the list, select ‘Columns’

A box will now appear, all the columns that will have a blue box and tick next to them. The columns not showing will have nothing next to them. Simply click on any given column name to select that they are either shown or hidden.

3. WOP MENU 2. Works Orders

This section can be used to create, amend and process works orders. There are different ways to create new works orders, including using a BoM as a template, starting from blank and adding components and finished items, copying existing WOs or generating WOs from sales orders. WOs can also be generated for kits if the Sicon kitting module is being used and the option to process WOs manually once they are finished is enabled, this option can be found here too.

3.1. Create Works Order

The new Works Order screen is used to create a new WO based on a sage BoM.

To create a works order, do the following:

• Select a BOM from the drop-down list
• Select warehouses for the finished product(s) and the components
• Enter the quantity to be made
• If Sicon Projects integration is enabled, select a project from the project drop down
• Click the Create button in the bottom left corner

The works order will now be populated with details from the BOM.  Components, labour, machine, subcontractor and comment lines will be loaded.  An Average total cost for the works order will be shown in the header section.

How to select a warehouse for works order component lines

The warehouse used for component lines on works orders when they are created are either taken from the default component warehouse entered on a works order or can be overridden by setting default warehouses against that component stock item code.
Step 1: Check default warehouse settings on stock item
In the Settings screen on the Warehouse tab, there is a setting that specifies whether to check the default warehouse on the stock item:

If this is selected, the default component warehouse set on the stock item is used (this is found on the WOP/MRP area of the Sicon tab on the stock item record).

If the component works order line is to represent a sub assembly, then there is a setting on the Warehouse tab to check if the default component warehouse or the default finished item warehouse should be used:

Based on this setting, the default finished item warehouse may be used instead of the default component warehouse.  The reason for this is that the works order finished items may be built into a finished items warehouse, and therefore the component line representing the sub assembly should pick up the stock from the finished items warehouse, not the component warehouse.

Step 2: Use a manually set warehouse if there is one.

A manually set warehouse may be provided. For example:

When creating a works order manually, then the default warehouses are set on the works order screen before creating the works order. These are initially set from the default user settings or the global defaults setup in settings (further details in Step 3), but can be overridden if desired:

Step 3: Global settings are checked.  Global warehouse defaults are the last check to obtain a warehouse:

Please Note: If the warehouse found from the above steps does not exist against the stock item for the works order line, then the warehouse is not set. When the works order is opened, the user will have to set the warehouses on works order lines that have not been set.

How to ensure sub-assemblies are created when a WO is created

Sub-assembly Works Orders will be automatically created if the Create separate works order for each sub assembly option is ticked on the Options tab within the Settings screen.

When a works order is created (either manually or from a sales order line) and the setting ‘Always ask before creating sub assembly’ is enabled, then a box will appear for each sub-assembly displaying any free stock and asking if you want to use this free stock or create a sub-assembly works order. Alternatively, if there are any existing works orders or purchase orders for this sub-assembly for the relevant warehouse, there is the option of selecting to use some on that purchase order. Only items that are not already pre-allocated to something else will be presented.

Quantities can be combined quantities from all of the four options – create subassembly, from stock, use existing sub assembly or use existing purchase order. The Total required is displayed in the bottom left-hand corner of this window, and the total selected from the four sources is displayed in the bottom right-hand corner.

If this option is not ticked, then the system will always generate a sub-assembly works order.

Once the works order is created, component lines that link to a sub assembly will be shown in blue. As seen below.

Works Order sub-assemblies will have slash’s (\) in the works order number. These help to identify the order and priority of the sub-assemblies within the finished goods.

3.2. Create New Empty Works Order

The Create new empty works order screen is used to create a new works order with no components, finished items or operations. All details of the works order will be entered manually.

The name of the works order must be entered, followed by the default warehouse for components and finished items. The quantity of how many items is to be made should also be entered.

Once the Create button is selected, the empty works order is created and displayed; the required fields can now be completed. It is possible to have a works order with no finished items at all, to reflect what components have been issued as part of some other process (i.e., research and development).

3.3. Process Works Order

The Process Works Order screen is used to search for, and process works orders.  From here you can amend the works order, change the dates of the works order, delete the works order, bulk allocate or bulk issue stock to the selected works orders.

By default, the search criteria at the top of the screen will default to the Due Dates being 1 month before today, and 1 month after today. The default criteria can be changed using the setting Months to display in process screen (each way from today) within the Options tab of WOP Settings.

If there are subassemblies linked to a works order, a plus symbol (shown below) will be displayed to the left of the works order number and clicking on this will expand the structure to show the next level of subassemblies.

There is a button at the bottom of the screen that gives the option to Send to Excel, this displays the list of works orders in a format that can be right clicked and sent to excel.

The list of works orders can be filtered by using the Search criteria at the top of the screen.  The status dropdown defaults to All Current works orders but can be changed to display completed works orders in addition to searching for a single status.

A works order can be edited by selecting the works order and then clicking the Edit button.

The other buttons available at the bottom of the screen are:

• Link to Sales Order: Creates a pre-allocation connection between the works order and a sales order line. This will make a button available when viewing or editing the works order that will open the view sales order screen. The works order will also be viewable from within the sales order, as it will be displayed on the Works Order tab that is available there. Finally, the finished item will be pre-allocated to the sales order line so that when it is booked into stock, it will allocate to the sales order line.
• Print: This opens up a dropdown where six displayed reports can be selected from (Works Order Detail, Works Order Detail with Subassemblies, Picking List, Picking List with Subassemblies, Expediting and Print Labels) for the selected works orders.
• Batch Print: Once the relevant works orders have been selected via ticking the box to the left of their works order numbers, there is the option to print one or more reports for all of them. A screen will appear that offers a choice of the reports available via the Print button, the Route Card report can also be selected.

• Allocate/Unallocate/Issue/Book: These buttons enable stock transactions to be processed on the components for the selected works orders. This is a good option if lots of work’s orders need to be processed in a quicker fashion. If booking via this screen, there is the option to change the value in the Qty to Book column if you only wanted to part book the works order. This will open the Back Flush routine, which will allocate and issue the required component quantities for the quantity being booked in.
• Send to Excel: This button is to display the current list of works orders in this screen in a format that enables you to right click in this new window and choose to export the information to Excel. (Because the main window has some functionality within it to allow for works orders to be expanded to show the structure of the subassemblies within their parent works orders, it’s not possible to right click in this window and send it to Excel as can be done throughout Sage 200.)
• Delete: This will delete the selected works orders. It is not possible to delete a works order that has components that have been allocated or issued, so the works order would need to be amended first in order to reverse these transactions.
• On Hold: This button can be used to either put a works order on hold, or to take it off hold. Works orders that are on hold cannot be processed until they are taken off hold, and their demand is also ignored by Material Planning.

The tick box to the left of the works order number can be used in conjunction with the Print, Batch Print, Allocate, Unallocate, Issue, Book, Delete and On Hold buttons, in order to use these for multiple works orders in one click. This effectively selects multiple WOs at once.

The works order name, start and due dates, and area can also be edited in the list itself.

Other columns displayed in this screen are:

• Generated Date: To record when the works order was created.
• SO, Line Promised Date: If the works order is pre-allocated to a sales order line, then the promised date of that line will be displayed here.
• Overtime: A checkbox that simply allows planners to see if they have decided that overtime is needed for this works order.
• Printed: A checkbox that can be manually set to indicate that all necessary paperwork has been generated for this works order.
• Finished Item Qty: Showing how many of the finished product this works order will produce.
• Qty Completed: Showing how many have been booked in up to this point.
• Qty Remaining: Showing the difference between the two previous columns.
• Qty to Book: Allows a quantity to be entered in conjunction with the Book button.

3.4. Works Order Screen Details

When a WO is double clicked or when amend WO is clicked, this will bring up the WO screen details.

The works order screen is divided into a number of sections:

Header section: Contains details about the works order.

Finished products section: Lists the finished products as well as transactions for each finished item, seen to the right of the screen.

Tabs sections/detailed information: Tabs are provided to display operations, components, non-stock items, labour, machine, subcontract, comments, history, finished products, attachments, pre-allocations and scrap log.

Buttons in footer section: The buttons in this section remain available, regardless of which tab is clicked into.

Text within the Works Order screen will display in different colours, as default, these colours are.

Dark blue – the part is a Sub Assembly

Light blue – the part is a phantom.

Red – there is not enough stock to allocate this item.

Works Order Details Tab

The header section is made up of the following fields:

Additional Information tab

This tab displays any information that may have been recorded on the sales order.

Works Order Summary tab

This tab is made up of two parts – a Sale Summary and a Cost Summary. The sale summary can be used to enter a desired margin against each element of a works order, and a suggested sales price can then be applied to the linked sales order line. The cost summary gives a breakdown of the costs incurred on the works order.

Sale Summary

The Sale Summary tab displays the component stock cost price (from any relevant information on the stock item supplier record, i.e., list price or last order price) and selling price (from Price Book).

You can manually amend the unit cost price, the margin percentage and the unit selling price in order to arrive at a new total suggested selling price for that component. Alternatively, you can use the Discount % or Increase % fields to decrease or increase the selling price by that percentage. You can do this per component, use the Update Sales Order button in the bottom right-hand corner to amend the selling price on any linked sales order line.

If the sales order is in a foreign currency, then additional columns are displayed in both that currency and base currency.

Note that any changes to unit cost prices here are just for the purposes of this screen, they will not affect stock issue costs as the works order is processed, as these will be done with the usual Sage stock costing rules.

Also note that although this tab also appears on sub-assembly works orders, changes to it will not automatically update any costs on parent works orders, so it is intended that this tab is generally only edited on the top-level works order.

Other tabs display Non-Stock, Labour, Machine or Subcontract entries, allowing you to set selling prices against those. When you click the Update Sales Order button, it will combine the selling prices from all of the elements across these tabs to give you a combined sales price.

Cost Summary

This tab shows cost information split by the types of costs on that works order (i.e., Materials, Labour etc.). You can use the Margin %, Margin and Total Selling Price fields to recalculate the others if desired.

A budget figure is displayed which reflects the original estimated costs of the works order when created (or reset to a later point via the Reset Budgets button). You can drill into the budget costs and actual costs via the appropriate buttons.

Footer Section Buttons

The following buttons reside in this section of the screen.

Create

This button is only available when creating a new works order.

Dates

Clicking this button displays the Assembly Dates window. In here, you can amend the Start and Due dates. The Days Available figure is the difference between the Start Date and Due Date.  The Estimate Req. Days is calculated based on your operations on the works order.

Delete

This button deletes the works order (only if no components have been allocated or issued). This button can be disabled via an option in WOP Settings.

Split

This button can be used to split your existing works order across multiple new works orders. When you click this button, a screen is displayed where you add extra works orders each time you click the Split button. You can then allocate your finished item quantity across these works’ orders in the desired quantities.

If the quantities that you entered differ from the original finished item quantity, then you will receive a prompt asking you to confirm that this is what you intended. Once you confirm this, then a new works order will be generated for each new entry in the above screen, and the quantities on the original works order will be reduced to match the first entry.

Print

This button displays a list of pre-determined reports that can then be printed for the current works order. Alternatively, if you click the Browse option then the WOP folder will be displayed within the Sage\reporting\default\reports folder on the Sage server, enabling you to choose from one of the reports in here.

Create POs/Approvals Reqs 

This button enables you to generate purchase orders for any components that need ordering for this works order. Alternatively, if you are using the Sicon Approvals module to authorise requisitions before they become purchase orders, then it can create requisitions in Approvals instead.

Clicking on this button gives you the following two choices.

Clicking on Create Purchase Orders will open the following window displaying outstanding quantities required against all components.

The Supplier column will display the preferred supplier for this stock item, but a different supplier can be selected from the drop down if desired. The quantity to order will default to the quantity required on the works order, but this can be changed, as can the cost price.

Check the box on the left-hand side of the required components and click Create Selected Purchase Orders. These purchase orders will be created with the relevant quantities preallocated to the works order line.

If you had clicked Create Approval Requisitions instead, then the same window would have appeared but with a Create Selected Approval Requisitions button at the bottom. There is a setting called Only allow Approval requisitions to be generated for works orders near the bottom of the page of the Options tab within Works Order Processing Settings that will force this process to only generate Approval requisitions.

Templates

This button enables you to either Copy from Template to overwrite the existing works order with the information specified on a template or Add Template to add that information from a template to this works order.

Update from BOM

If the Works Order has a status of New or Allocated, this button can be used to update any components on the works order to reflect any amendments that have been made to the bill of material after the works order was created.

Please Note: Update from BOM does not work with operations, only material items.

Why use this feature

This feature is useful if a Works Order has been created, then later the BOM is amended and users want their changes to be reflected on the Works Order already created.  With this button, new components will be added, quantities will be amended and if settings have been enabled then components can be removed from the works order. The version of the bill of material is displayed at the top of the works order screen for reference so that users can see what version the information was taken from. The status of the Works Order will determine what can and can’t be updated.

From version 221.0.60 it is possible to update Works Orders with a status of New, Allocated, Issued and Part-issued, if certain criteria is met;

• If the component quantity has been increased on the BOM – increases will be reflected in line with what has already occurred on the Works Order.
• If the component quantity has been decreased on the BOM – decreases will only be allowed down to the already-allocated/issued quantity on the Works Order.
• If component lines have been removed on the BOM – component lines will only be removed on the Works order if they have not already been allocated/issued, and the WO setting to allow removal of lines is turned on.

Refresh

This button refreshes any columns that need updating based on changes made to the works order.

Create BOM

This allows you to create a BOM for a finished item that doesn’t already have a BOM. So, you will have created an empty works order and then manually added a non-BOM stock item as the finished item, or alternatively clicked the button without a finished item at which point you will be presented with the Enter New Stock Item screen to create a new finished product stock code. Either the newly created stock code, or an existing non-BOM item will then be changed to being a Built Item to reflect that the BOM exists.

Close

This button exits the works order screen.

Finished Products

The Finished Products box displays the items that will be booked into stock from the works order. Generally, there is only one stock code displayed in this box (the stock code from the bill of material), but there could be more added to reflect byproducts if applicable.

There is also a list of booking transactions that are filtered for each finished item. Booking transactions record when finished items are booked into stock, and at what cost:

The finished products window is used to amend the finished item.  The stock item can be changed if no stock has been booked in.  Also, the quantity to book in and the location to book stock into can be amended, as well as the Book in date and time.  If the finished item is a traceable item, the batch or serial number will have to be entered but can default to the works order number if configured to in the settings.

If some of the finished products need to be scrapped, then this can be reflected using the Quantity to scrap field. There is a field available to record the Scrap reason. Entries in these two fields are then reflected on the Scrap Log tab. The quantity that is expected to be booked in to complete the works order will be reduced by the scrapped quantity, and the cost of the actual quantity booked in will include all costs of the scrapped quantity. You don’t need to be booking in anything else to scrap a quantity. A write off category is specified in WOP Settings that captures the nominal code that the cost of the scrap should be posted to. If you book in anything at the same time as scrapping something, then the write off category is not used, instead the booked in product will contain the entire cost.

It is possible to add additional finished items, but this requires the Finished Products tab to be enabled in order to ensure that the costs are split correctly, which is within settings and detailed in the Finished Products Tab section of this user guide. Any byproducts pulled through from the bill of material will always be booked in at zero cost.

Operations Tab

This section lists any operations that have been created from the BOM (including any subcontract operations). Operations are created within the Sage Manufacturing System Manager module and can then be added to bills of material. Within the Operations defined there, you can assign multiple resources to them. When the operations are then created on the works order, there will be one operation per resource.

In the screenshot below, the BOM has four operations on it, each operation is using two resources (one Machine and one Labour). This will translate into eight operations on the works order, so that we can track the progress independently and the resource utilization for capacity planning purposes.

Please Note: If a resource has not been added to the BOM operation, it will not pull through to the WO operation. Only operations where resources have been assigned will be pulled through.

The columns displayed in this area are:

• Sequence No.: A numerical sequence for the Works Order operations, the order of which will match the order of the sequence number of the original operations on the BOM. You can use the Move Up and Move Down buttons at the bottom of the screen to change the sequence by highlighting an operation and then moving it.
• Operation ID: A unique identifier for each operation on this works order. The numerical element is derived from the sequence number on the BOM. For example, on the BOM we have an operation with sequence number 12, with labour and machine resources. The machine resource has been set as occurring within the Setup phase, while the labour resource has been set as occurring within the Runtime phase. This then leads to operation ID numbers of ‘OP 012.1 – Setup’ and ‘OP 012.2 – Runtime’. The phase is significant, as when rescheduling the operation via the Capacity Planning screen in Material Planning, then the Setup operations need to happen prior to the Runtime operations of a particular operation.
• Area: The area that the operation has been assigned to. The works order will move to the area on the next operation when this operation is completed.
• Resource Type: This identifies whether the resource being used for the operation is either a Machine or Labour type resource.
• Name: The Name of the operation is taken from the Reference field of the operation on the BOM. So works order operations that are for multiple resources on the same operation on the BOM will all share the same value in this field.
• Description: The Description of the operation is taken from the Description field of the operation on the BOM. So works order operations that are for multiple resources on the same operation on the BOM will all share the same value in this field.
• Completed Qty: You can update this field to indicate how many of the finished product quantity have now had this operation finished.
• Total Qty: This field is set to match the finished item quantity on the works order.
• Start Date: The start date and time of the operation. The delay fields on the Details tab of the Operation Record against the BOM will be applied to the start and end time of the operation on the works order. Time entered as a Delay will be applied from the end of the previous operation in the sequence. There is also a new field added to the Operation Record screen within Sage 200 to enable you to record Delay days. This can be used instead of the normal Delay fields. It just means in terms of calendar days, so if an operation finishes at 4pm with a single day delay on the next operation, then the next operation can start at 9am the following day.
• End Date: The scheduled end date and time of the operation.
• Status: The status of the operation. This currently only displays ‘Live’, but in future versions this will be amendable.

It is possible to manually add new operations in this screen via the Add Operation button at the bottom. When you click this button, you will be presented with a list of all of the defined operations setup in Manufacturing System Manager to select from, which will then be split into multiple operations on the works order if they have multiple resources defined against them. See the Sage documentation if you require any details on how to create operations in that module.

This is the only way to add new labour or machines cost onto the works order once created, it is not possible to add them directly onto the Labour or Machines tab.

Operations can be edited via the Edit Operation button. This will open up the following screen:

In this screen you can change the start date of the operation, this will automatically update the due date and time of the operation, based on the calculation of how much time is required for this operation (i.e., time against resource on Operation on BOM multiplied by finished item quantity, unless it has been tagged as being fixed length). You can also edit the description of the operation, and the comment field. Note that this is a shared screen with our Sicon Projects module, so other fields displayed here (including the Stock Items tab) are only relevant to Sicon Projects, and not used by Works Order Processing.

Any attachments setup on the Operation record in Manufacturing System Manager will be viewable on the Attachments tab here. If the Operation has been tagged as being an Inspection Operation, then a Passed Inspection checkbox is then available in this screen.

You can also use the Comments button at the bottom of the Operations screen to edit the comment field on the operation or use the Delete button to delete an operation.

Materials Tab

The components section is found on the materials tab.  This section lists the components required to build the finished item(s) and is the default tab when you open the works order screen. Subassembly items are displayed in blue if there is a link to a subassembly works order, or green if no link exists. Items appearing in orange have been defined as being bulk issue items, meaning that they will not actually be issued to the works order. Red text in the ‘free stock’ column shows there is not enough free stock available to completer the WO. Red text in the allocated tab is warning the user that at present that item has not been allocated, meaning stock levels could change if another WO is allocated in the meantime. See the section regarding the WOP/MRP area settings on the stock item for more details.

Any components that have been linked to operations on the BOMs will have that operation listed in the first column. All components are processed via this screen independently of the operations, i.e., operations can still be processed regardless of whether the stock linked to them has been allocated or issued.

Add Component

To add a component, click the Add button and the following screen will appear:

Select a stock item code. Enter the quantity required and the warehouse from where the stock is going to be used from.  If the stock code has multiple units of measure defined against it, then you can enter the quantity in the desired unit of measure and select the unit of measure. The component line on the works order will then convert the quantity back to the stock unit of measure quantity, and all subsequent transactions for this component will be in the base stock quantity. The screen will display the expected cost of this item in the Future buy price field and will display some text explaining how it has arrived at this cost (i.e., taking the price from a current purchase order, as in the screenshot above). You can enter text into any of the Comment, Line Text and Instructions fields, and a checkbox is available to indicate whether any entered comments will appear on any generated Subcontractor purchase orders. The line text field is the description that appears when viewing the component on the Materials tab.

If you have Attributes enabled in the Works Order Processing Settings screen, then you will see an Attributes tab where you can edit the attributes for this component (with the option of clicking a button to update all other component and finished product lines to have the same attributes)

Then click Save.

If the component item is a BOM, then the user will be asked whether they would like to add a sub assembly for this line.

If Yes is selected, a sub assembly with all the components will be created and linked to the component line added.  The number of the works order for the sub assembly will be the parent’s works order number followed by a /#, where # is the sub assembly number.

If No is selected, the stock item will be added as a component, but there won’t be a subassembly works order created for it. This would be suitable if the item was held in stock so was available for allocation without further production needed for it.

Edit Component

All lines that have not been fully issued can be edited. If the quantity required is reduced to the issued quantity on the line, then the line will automatically be marked as ‘Issued’ and therefore cannot be further edited. You can also change the warehouse that a component will be taken from in this screen.

If the quantity on the component is increased, then you will be prompted to choose a reason as to why this is happening. These reasons are maintained in the Component Change Reasons screen.

Remove Component

To remove a component, select the line to remove and then select the Remove button.  The following message will appear:

Select Yes and the component line will be removed. Only lines that have not been allocated or issued can be removed.

Allocating a Component Line

To allocate a component line, select the component line to allocate and then select the Allocate button.  When the line is allocated, the quantity in the allocated column will increase by the amount allocated. All lines can be allocated at once if no line is selected and the Allocate button is selected. This will allocate every line possible in the component list and provide a warning at the end of the process for those lines where allocation was not possible.

If the Amend Alloc. button is available (activated via the Enable amend allocations option within WOP Settings), then this button enables you to reduce an existing allocation, without having to unallocate all of it.

A component line can be part allocated by select the line and then selecting the Part Allocate button.  The Part Allocate screen will appear and the user can enter the amount to allocate. The normal allocation routine will only allocate a line if it can allocate the full quantity, so this part allocate button would need to be used if you wished to part allocate.

A bin location can be selected, provided that the Component Line Allocations section of the Works Order Settings has been set to Select bin during allocation. This will allow the user to select a bin during the allocation process by changing the Bin location dropdown.

If the stock item on the component line is a traceable item, and you have the setting within Stock Control to select batch and serial numbers when allocating stock, then the Works Order Allocation screen will appear during allocation to enable you to confirm the relevant batch/serial numbers for the allocation. If you have the radio button within the Component Lines Allocations section of the Works Order Settings set to Use Sage SOP fulfilment settings or Auto allocate across multiple bins, then the allocation of batch/serial numbers will happen automatically, so this window will not appear.

Select the batch/serial number to allocate against by double clicking on the line.  The quantity to allocate can be changed in the allocation box.  Next select the Apply button and the total allocated quantity will increase.  Once the whole line is allocated (the allocated quantity matches the required quantity), the OK button can be selected, and the allocation will commence.

If the component has a preallocation outstanding against it, then the following warning message would be displayed if you attempted to manually allocate it. Clicking OK will allow you to continue, and that preallocation will be deleted. If you don’t ever want this to happen, then you can enable a setting called Do not ask to allocate preallocated lines and to remove the preallocations in WOP Settings, which will prevent preallocated lines from being allocated by other means.

Once a component has been allocated, if that stock is then moved in Sage (such as via the Sage Transfer Stock option), then the line on the works order will be updated to reflect the new warehouse/bin that the stock has been transferred to.

See the section in the Options tab of Works Orders Settings for settings that give choices as to how allocations work and select the location and bin.

Issuing a Component Line

Normally only lines that have been allocated can be issued, but you can enable the setting called Allocate on issue in WOP Settings.  With this setting enabled, you can issue component lines without needing to have allocated them first.

To issue a component line, select the line and then select the Issue button.  All allocated lines can be issued simultaneously if no line is selected, and the Issue button is selected.  This will issue every allocated line possible in the component list.

If the Allow part issue of components lines setting is enabled within the Component Line Issues section in Works Order Settings then the Issue Allocations screen will appear, where the user can select the quantity to issue based on the amount allocated (note that this screen appears for each component line during the issue process). If this setting is not enabled, then the allocated quantity will be automatically issued.

Once the user selects the Issue Allocations button, the component line will issue.  If all allocated amounts have been issued and there is no outstanding quantity on the line, the allocated quantity column will be marked as Issued.

If the component line is a traceable item, then the Sage Batch/Serial Detail screen will appear during the issue process.  Here the user can select the quantity to issue, as well at which batch or serial number to use. This assumes that you have not already had to select the batch/serial number during allocation (if you have the setting in Stock Control set to select numbers when allocating stock).

Sub-Assemblies

Component lines can link to sub-assembly works orders.  Line representing a sub assembly are shown in blue.

To view the sub-assemblies, right click the component line and then select Show Works Order for Sub Assembly. If a component is a built item, but not linked to a sub-assembly works order, then it will appear in green.

Bulk Issue Items

Components that appear in orange have been set as being bulk issue items. This is a setting found in the WOP/MRP area of the Sicon tab on the Stock Item, intended to identify components that you don’t want to be included on any picking lists and that get issued from stock outside of Works Order Processing (i.e. via an Internal Issue in Stock Control). These are items that do not get issued to the works order (so the cost of them will not be in your finished item costs) but are included as components in order to drive demand in Material Planning. When you allocate and issue the components en masse, any components that are bulk issue items will not be allocated or issued.  If you decide that you do want to allocate/issue these to the works order, then you can still do so by clicking on the specific component line before using the Allocate or Issue button. When you then book the finished items in, you will receive the following prompt:

If you click Yes to continue, then the finished items will be booked in, and the quantity against the bulk issue component(s) will be set to zero.

An alternative method of processing for bulk issue items is also available in the WOP Settings. With the setting enabled called ‘Issue bulk items at book’, then instead of having their quantities set to zero on booking the finished products the bulk issue items are then issued to the works order. This means that their cost would now be included in the cost of the finished items. This would also mean that their stock level is updated at this time, so the separate Internal Issue transaction in Stock Control would not be necessary.

Right Click Menu on Component List

The following menu appears when the user right clicks on the component list.

Linking to existing works orders to create sub-assemblies.

It is possible to link an existing works order component to a finished item on a different works order that has already been created.  This can be linked on any component line in the works order. This should be done via the Preallocations tab.

To link a component line to an existing works order, right click the component line and then select the Works Order Links option at the bottom.

Picking Components

To allow picking of works order lines, the ShowPickedColumn setting has to be set to Yes. This is done within the All Settings button within Works Order Settings.

A column will appear in the list of components specifying whether a line has been picked or not.  A Pick button will also appear below the list of components to allow the user to pick the line selected.

Non-Stock Items Tab

Here non-stock items can be added to the works order for the purpose of potentially adding to the cost of the finished item(s).  Non-stock items can be added, edited and removed on this tab.  When added or editing a non-stock item, instructions, description, quantity, unit price and supplier can be entered and amended.

The value of the non-stock item can be added to the total cost of the works order if the Add non stock items to cost of works order option is selected on the Calculations tab in Works Order Settings. A nominal code will also have to be selected and will be used when booking in the finished item.  For more on nominal posting in works order processing, please visit the Nominal Postings section of this Help and User Guide.

Labour Tab

The labour tab is used to display labour costs on a works order.  The top list will provide estimated totals for each labour item which are read from the operations. It is not possible to add additional labour items here, this should be done via the Operations tab.

An estimated labour time for an operation has to be entered before actual labour time can be entered.  The bottom list displays actual time entries for each labour operation selected in the top list. These times can either be added here, via the Timesheet Entry screen  within the Processing menu folder, via timesheets in the Sicon Approvals application or via entries in the Sicon Shop Floor Data Capture application. Entries only appear in the Actual Transactions window if you click on the relevant Labour item in the top window.

When editing an estimated labour entry, the cost item, description, unit cost and estimate quantity in hours, minutes and seconds can be amended. The drop down of cost items is read from the defined labour records in the Sage Manufacturing System Manager/Labour Register menu folder.

When entering an actual labour entry in this tab, select the labour item from the top list and then select the bottom Add button to access the timesheet screen for the relevant employee. You can choose the employee, choose the relevant week (either by start date or week number) and then enter the number of hours against the relevant days for that operation. There will be a line added to the timesheet to reflect the operation that has been selected on the works order.

How the costs of labour items contribute to the finished item(s) depend upon settings on the Calculations tab in Works Order Settings. Estimated labour costs are derived from the Teams, while actual costs (if used) are taken from the selected employee record on the labour entry.

Machines Tab

Machine items work in much the same way as labour items, except that all items are filtered for machine items instead of labour items. So, the machine records are defined in the Sage 200 Manufacturing System Manager/Machine Register menu folder. If you wanted to report on actual time spent on each machine, then you would need to create the machine as an employee record, and then record the time entries against this employee.

Subcontract Tab

This tab allows you to record subcontractor operations against the works order. You can tag which stock items are needed by the subcontractor (either components or the finished item), create the purchase order and then reflect which parts have been sent or received to them.

Sub Contract operations will be read from the bill of materials, or can be manually added via this tab. Dependent upon settings on the Calculations tab in the Works Order Settings, the cost of these can be added to the cost of the finished item(s) on the works order.

Use the Add button to create a new SubContract entry, or the Edit or Remove buttons to update existing entries. You can enter an order reference and a description of the work that the subcontractor will be performing on this operation.

You can then use the Add button in the middle of the Subcontract screen to start selecting stock items on the works order that the subcontractor will be working with. These can either be components on the works order, or the finished item itself.

When you click the Add button, you are presented with the following screen to select the relevant parts (Components and Finished Item). You can tick the relevant items to select the full line quantity or enter manual quantities and then click Save.

There is also a setting that enables you to indicate if you wish to override the usual subcontractor nominal code specified on the Calculations tab of Works Order Settings. If you check this box, then it will take the nominal account specified against the purchase ledger account that has been specified instead. Whichever nominal code has been specified; this account will be credited with the value of the subcontract costs when the finished item is booked in. If the finished item is booked in via multiple bookings, then this subcontract cost will be split across these bookings.

Once you have added subcontractor lines, you can then allocate those items to this subcontractor order. Note that this is not an actual stock allocation in Sage 200 and is not related to whether the components have been allocated to the works order itself, you are merely updating this subcontractor order to reflect that these parts are going to be used on this order.

You can also generate the purchase order at this point via the Generate Purchase Order button. This is dependent on the items being allocated, so could not be done prior to that step. The generated purchase order will reflect the items selected on the Subcontractor order, but will create them as free text lines, with a description that reflects the stock item code, name, weight (as set on the stock item) and the works order number. You can then amend the purchase order to update the costs.

To Despatch or Receive from this screen, you need to click on the relevant stock item line, at which point the bottom window will then show the relevant purchase order for that one selected line. The Despatch or Receive buttons will then just work for that selected line. If you wish to despatch or receive multiple items, you may prefer to use the Subcontract Management screen via the Processing menu within the menu structure.

As with allocations, either of these buttons will not generate a stock history transaction or change any balances, they are merely updating this subcontractor order to reflect whether the stock has been sent to or received back from the subcontractor.

When you receive the items back from the subcontractor, the system will display the regular POP Confirm Goods Received window to confirm the receipt but remember that the lines on the purchase order are free text lines, so what you are doing is reflecting the receipt of these – not updating stock.

Note that once the purchase order is generated from these items, any changes made to this screen will not update the existing purchase order automatically. Cost prices shown on the main SubContract tab are drawn from the purchase order, so if the invoice received differs in value, the purchase order lines should be updated with the correct costs before posting the invoice.

In the scenario where additional information needs to be added to a subcontract purchase order, this cannot be done through the subcontract module.  Instead, it is recommended to add a new SubContract operation for the additional items and generate a new Purchase Order (or at this stage, if a new PO is not required, update the existing PO in the standard Sage PO screen).

Comments Tab

The comments tab is used to add comments to a works order. There are separate Comment, Line Text and Instructions fields, and each of these can then be used within Sage reports. The Line Text field is the text that appears against the component item when looking at the Materials tab in the main works order window.

When adding a comment line, ensure that the radio button at the top is on the Comment choice as this screen is also shared for adding components to the works order.

History Tab

The history tab will show certain changes to the works order for historical purposes.  These changes could include labour items been added, works order status changes or nominal posting entries.

Finished Products Tab

The finished products tab is used to add more than one finished item to a works order.  This tab will list the finished items and allow the user to add the cost of each finished item.  The Enable finished items tab setting (in WOP Settings – Options tab) needs to be set in order to use the Finished Products tab.  This is a global setting and will be applied to all works orders.

More than one finished item can now be added to the works order using the Amend Works Order screen as the Add button in the Finished Products section will now be enabled, even after adding one finished item.

When adding extra finished items, the following message may appear:

This warning means that the quantity of the finished items is more than the quantity originally entered for the works order.  Simply click Yes to add the extra finished item. Note that this does not change the quantity on the works order header, or of any of the components.

When amending the works order, the Finished Products tab will also now be visible.  On this tab, a list of the finished items for the works order is listed.

On each line, the portion of the total cost can be entered.  The percent of the total cost is shown next to the cost amount entered.  It is advisable to have all components issued before entering the costs for each line, as the total issued cost of the works order may change if there are some outstanding components. The initial ratio of costs is determined based on the average buying price of that stock item as tracked by Sage.

Once all the costs for each line have been entered, the finished items can be booked in.  If the total costs entered against the finished items on the finished products tab does not match the total cost of the works order, then no finished items will be allowed to be booked in and a message will appear when trying to book in a finished item.

Once a finished item is booked in, the finished item will be marked as booked and a booking transaction line will appear for that particular finished item line.

Attachments Tab

This tab works in a similar way to other Attachments tabs throughout Sage 200 in enabling you to attach documents to the works order. This is done via the Add button, which will then display a browse window for you to find the file in the relevant folder. The file attached is then copied into the Sage attachments folder for your company, as setup in Sage System Administration.

Once a document is attached, it can then be opened either via the Open button or deleted via the Delete button. The Icons button replaces the list style displayed on this tab with icons reflecting the attached document types, can the default view can be returned to via the Details button that then appears.

Preallocations Tab

This tab will display any Preallocations that exist, either for components on this works order, or for any finished items. Typically, any sub-assemblies that are linked to a parent works order will have that parent work order(s) displayed here. So in the screenshot below, PM/SINK/PACK is a subassembly item that it being built on works order WO00000157/1/1, while the finished item on this works order (CA\ARIZONA SINK UNIT) is preallocated to works order WO00000157 where it will be a component. These preallocations will result in the items being allocated automatically to the relevant works orders when the items are built.

You can also have preallocations for component lines that link them to incoming purchase orders. So when these purchase orders were goods received in the normal manner, the user will be prompted if they want to instantly allocate those items to this works order.

New preallocations can be created from this tab via the New button (with the relevant component or finished item highlighted), or existing preallocations can be edited via the Amend button or deleted via the Delete button.

In the first dropdown, you can select from Purchase Order Line or Works Order. Then the document no. drop down would display any relevant outstanding purchase/works orders for the desired stock item. The Required quantity is displayed, and you can choose how many to preallocate via the Quantity to preallocate field. It is possible to create preallocations from the same works order component to multiple purchase/works orders.

When amending a preallocation, the same window is displayed, but you can change the quantity to preallocate if desired.

Scrap Log Tab

This tab will display any finished product quantity that was indicated as having been scrapped during the booking in step. A notional cost is displayed to reflect the value of the items that were scrapped, but this won’t have generated any nominal postings as the cost of the items that were booked in will include all of the costs on the works order. Alternatively, if you have scrapped a finished product without booking anything in at the same time, then nominal postings will have happened as the cost of the scrapped product will have been posted to the write off category specified for Scrap.

3.5. Generate Works Orders from Sales Orders

This screen can be used to create works orders for live sales order lines. The sales order line must also have an outstanding quantity to allocate – so if an order line is not appearing then it could be down to it already being allocated.

When searching for sales order lines, promised date, sales order numbers and warehouse can be used as filters. The Find button will look for outstanding sales order lines (i.e., unallocated).

A list of items will appear.  Once a line is selected and a default warehouse for components is selected, the works orders can be created by selecting the Create Selected Works Orders button. The Qty To Make field can be updated first, if you would like to create a works order with a different quantity to that required by the sales order line. The Economical Batch Size is read from the stock item but can be overridden in the column displayed.

The works order number used for the generated works orders will match the sales order document number and sales order line.  For example, 5178-001, where the first part of the number is the sales order document number, and the second part is the sales order line.

The generated works orders will also be preallocated to the sales order lines.

Some reasons why a sales order line did not appear in the list could be one of the following:

• The item on the sales order line is not a BOM item.
• The item on the sales order line is fully allocated.
• The sales order is complete.
• A works order already exists for the sales order line.
• The BOM is not active or is on hold.

3.6. Generate Works Orders for Non-Built Items

This screen allows a works order to be generated for a sales order line that is not a BOM item (if it was then use the Generate Works Orders from Sales Orders screen above). This is used on works orders to track subcontract costs that relate to a non BOM item on the sales order, or to manually issue component codes against an item that is either a free text line or a non BOM item.

Relevant sales order can be searched for using the drop down at the top of the window. This will then display the lines on the sales order, enabling relevant one (the works order to be linked to) to be selected.

The option of adding a stock code as the finished item on the works order is available. This can be done using the Finished Item fields at the bottom. This may not be required, works orders can be created without a finished item if desired.

Click the Create Works Order button when ready.

3.7. Generate Works Orders for Kits

In a similar fashion to Generate Works Orders from Sales Orders, this screen can be used to generate works orders that are required as components on kits. Although it is unusual for a site to be using both works orders and kits, it is possible – in the screenshot below we are using the example where the head of a watch is a built item (with a defined BOM), but is then combined on a kit with other items like the strap, buckle etc. to make the finished watch that is then sold on a sales order.

Filters can be applied to this screen to search for specific kit references or built item kit component codes. Then tick the relevant lines and click the Create Works Order button to generate the works order(s), where the finished item will be preallocated to the relevant kit.

3.8. Copy Works Order

This option is used to copy an existing works order.  The works order to copy is selected and the number of copies to make. If desired, the Due date of the created works order(s) can be specified along with if sub-assembly works orders should also be copied.

Once the Create Copies button is selected, the works order is copied the specified number of times and the resultant works orders are shown.

3.9. Complete Works Order

The Complete Works Order screen can be used in two scenarios:

Scenario 1: To complete a works order that does not have a finished item; all components will have to be issued resulting in the status of the works order being issued.

Scenario 2: To complete all works orders where the setting is enabled to allow booking in without issuing all components. Alternatively, unconfirmed costs are being used.

Scenario 1

In this scenario, the works order has no finished item and the components have been issued, thus giving the works order a status of Issued.

To complete the works order, select Complete Works Order. The works order can be searched for using the W/O number search filter.

Tick the works order(s) to complete and then select the Complete button at the bottom.  A message will appear asking ‘are you sure you want to complete the works order’.

This will now complete this works order.  The works order status will be set to Complete.

Scenario 2

If the setting is enabled to Allow booking in stock before issuing all components (on the Bookings tab in Works Order Settings) then  then when you finish a works order by booking in the final item, you will see this message:

If you continue with the booking, then the works order will remain on a status of Booked, so will need completing via the Complete Works Order screen. Note that this will have to be done on all works orders with this setting enabled.

If the setting of Use unconfirmed costs is enabled then the finished items will be booked in with unconfirmed costs; then while the works order remains on a status of Booked, continue to update any labour entries on the works order, and have Sage update any unconfirmed costs against components as purchase invoices are recorded against the purchase orders. When the works order is completed, the cost of the finished items is then confirmed using the component and labour costs at this time. Once a works order has been completed, the costs on the works order can no longer be updated and impact the costs of the finished items further.

In the Complete Works Order screen, use the filters at the top to search for the works order, tick the works order and click the Complete button.

When this is done, a prompt will be presented to confirm that the user wants to complete this works order. This will then change the status of the works order to Completed.

Sicon Works Order Processing – Works Orders – Complete Works Order – Complete Part Booked Works Orders

Why use this setting?

Within the standard Works Order booking screens, the system doesn’t allow users to reduce the quantity on the Finished item to below what has been booked in, as the cost of the components will never be consumed.

Prior to this feature, the way to complete a partially booked works order was to create a final booking for the remainder instead.  This is because the actual Works Order costs may not match the booked in value, and that could leave a balance in the Work In Progress (WIP) nominal.  Forcing this final booking would instead do a reconciliation of WIP and ensure the final item is booked in at a value that will bring the WIP back to zero.  If this booking wasn’t wanted, users would need to scrap or write off the final item just built.

By using this feature, users can now use the Complete Works Order screen to complete a part-booked works order. Any balance will be written off to the Variance nominal configured in the Works Order settings.

Overview of Process

Examples of this setting in practice

Using two examples of a works order for 10 items, where the estimated cost is £100.

Example One – Components have been part-issued in relation to a part-booked finished item.

In this example, the component lines needed 100 of each in total, but as only 9 have been made, only 90 have been consumed.  The 9 built have been booked in and issued with the estimated costs and there is no WIP outstanding at this stage:

It is determined that only 9 will be booked in and no further components need to be consumed.  Because the components have not all been issued, it would not be possible to complete this works order without checking and updating the component quantities to match the issued quantity, 90, first.  Amending the component quantities can still be done manually in the Works Order screen.

Alternatively, once confirmed that the correct components have been consumed for the quantity built, it is now possible to use the Complete Works Order screen to assist with this.  Or, if using the Works Order Setting to “Reduce Line Quantity when booking” setting, this will be honoured with the new feature.

Sicon Works Order Processing – Works Orders – Complete Works Orders

The Complete Works Order screen will show the order as having unissued lines (only 90 out of 100 components have been issued on each line).

If the Works Order setting to “Reduce Line Quantity when booking” is enabled, users will be able to complete part-booked Works Orders with unissued lines (the component line quantity will be reduced to match the issued quantity at point of booking), using the Complete Part Booked button.

If that setting is not in use, before the user can select Complete Part Booked, they will need to ensure all lines show as a status of issued. This can be done manually on the works order as mentioned previously.

Or alternatively, use the “Reduce Lines to Issued Quantity” button on this screen:

In the example above, this will reduce the line quantities from 100 to 90, updating the line status on each to “Issued”.

The Works Order can now be completed using the “Complete Part Booked” button:

The Works Order status will be completed, and the quantity reduced on the completed Works Order. No variance postings will be required as the WIP was already reduced to 0.

Example Two – Components have been fully consumed but fewer finished items were made from them than expected.

In this example, although all components were consumed, only 9 finished products were produced.  The 9 built have been booked in with the estimated costs for 10 items (e.g. £10 per item.  10 items = £100), so those 9 have been booked in at £90, leaving £10 in WIP:

In this example, no further finished goods will be produced.  Either a final booking can be made to scrap to write the £10 off. Or, once confirmed that the correct components have been consumed for the quantity built, the Complete Works Order screen can be used to complete the part-booked works order and post a variance for the difference in WIP.

Sicon Works Order Processing – Works Orders – Complete Works Orders

The Complete Works Order screen will show the order as having no unissued lines (100 out of 100 components have been issued on each line).

As there are no unissued lines, the Works Order can now be completed using the “Complete Part Booked” button.

The Works Order status will be completed, and the quantity reduced on the completed Works Order. Variance postings will made to reduce the WIP to 0.

4. WOP MENU 3. Templates

Works Order templates can be used in environments without Bill of Materials, so that templates can be designed and re-used on subsequent works orders.

4.1. New Template

Creating a New Template

The new template screen is used to create a new works order template.  Components can be added to the template to form a starting point to works orders generated from the template.

Once the Create button is selected, the new empty template is shown. All elements can be added to this template in the same way as when creating/amending a works order. If automatic template numbering is turned off in the settings, a prompt will appear for a template number. The formatting applied to this number is also controlled within the settings.

To generate a works order from the template, first amend or view the template via the Amend Template menu option. After clicking Search, select the relevant template and click Edit. The option to use the Create Works Order button at the bottom of the Amend Template screen to generate the new works order is also available.

4.2. Amend Template

This screen can be used to change templates already created. If the user wishes to search by template reference number, the WO number field can be used to enter that reference number.

4.3. Copy Template

This screen can be used to create a new template copying all details from an existing way, in a similar manner to the Copy Works Order (2.4) screen.

5. WOP MENU 4. Estimates

5.1. New Estimate

Creating a New Estimate from within Works Order Processing

The New Estimate screen is used to create a new estimate.  An estimate is used to calculate an estimated cost of a works order.  An estimate can be converted into a works order using the Create Works Order button when amending the estimate. An estimate can also be linked to a line on a Sage Sales Order Processing Quotation, and then when the Quotation is converted into a Sales Order, the estimate will be converted into a works order.

When creating an estimate, the name of the estimate is entered, as well as the default warehouse for finished products and components.  The quantity to estimate on is also entered.  A BOM can be selected as a template, and therefore will pre-populate the estimate with the components and operations on the BOM.

Once the Create button is selected, the new estimate will be shown.

Creating a New Estimate from Sales Order Processing

From within a line on a SOP Quotation, the Create Estimate button at the bottom of the screen can be used to create an estimate that is then linked to this Quotation line.

If an estimate has already been created and needs to be linked it to a Quotation line, highlight the quotation line while on the Quotation Details tab of the quote header, and use the Link to Existing Estimate button at the bottom of the screen to link them.

If the Copy Quotation button is used as part of the Enter New Quotation screen, then this will also copy any estimates that were on the original quotation as new estimates linked to the new quotation.

When working with an Estimate linked to a Quotation line, use the Works Order Sale Summary tab within the Works Order Summary tab to manipulate expected costs and desired margins to arrive at a suggested quote price, and the Update Quotation button to update the quote line with this selling price. See the section on the Sale Summary tab earlier in this guide for further details.

In order for an estimate to be converted to a works order when a quotation is converted to a sales order, ensure the Convert estimates to works orders when converting linked quotes to sales orders setting is enabled on the Sales Order Workflow Options tab of WOP Settings.

When converting quotations to sales orders, after the Conversion Summary, Sales Order Confirmation and the Sales Order number has been confirmed, the following window will appear, this enables selection of which estimates you would like to convert to sales orders.

Note that this is the only opportunity to convert these estimates if they need to have the right format works order number (i.e., one containing the sales order). The estimates could still be converted manually later and then manually linked to the relevant sales order lines, but their works order number will not match those that have been converted.

5.2. Amend Estimate

This screen allows changes to be made to an estimate in the same way as amending a works order. An estimate can be converted into a works order by clicking the Edit button, and then click the Create Works Order button at the bottom when editing the desired estimate.

5.3. Copy Estimate

This screen will copy an existing estimate, in the same way as the Copy Works Order screen.

6. WOP MENU 5. Processing

6.1. Back Flush

Completing Works Orders using the Back Flush Utility

The back flush utility is used to complete works orders quickly.  There are 5 stages, the flow on the backflush screen allows for visibility of the steps, it’s possible to back flush multiple works orders at the same time. This screen is also opened if works orders are being part booked, either via the Process Works Order screen or within Amend Works Order.

The first step is to select the works order to process from the drop-down menu and then select which works orders are to be back flushed. If the Search button is pressed without selecting a works order or populating any of the other filter fields, then all current works order will be displayed, ready to select which ones you want to back flush.

After selecting the desired works orders and clicking the Next button, component lines will be validated to see if there is enough available stock.  From here, other options on the Works Order can be used, such as, Amend, Set Missing Warehouses for components that don’t exist in the warehouse where the works order is expecting them to be, or Add Stock for items that don’t have enough stock. Although it might seem strange to allow access to Add Stock from here, the idea behind back flushing is that these works orders have been built, so they either had enough stock or the components on the works order are incorrect. This Add Stock button can be hidden via the WOP Settings if there is no requirement for it to be available to users at this point.

On the next screen, component lines are allocated and issued. The batch/serial details for any traceable components needs to be confirmed here.

Following allocation and issuing, the finished item(s) are booked into stock.

The last screen completes the back flush process.

6.2. Bulk Issue

This screen allows searching with a component stock code and review all outstanding works orders that require this item.

From this screen, either Allocate the stock to the selected works orders, or Allocate and Issue it. Once a line is ticked, the quantity in the Quantity to Process column can be changed to only part allocate a component if desired.

The Add button can be used to add the selected stock code to any current works order and immediately then allocate it (or allocate and issue it) using that button. Note that the item is only added to the works order when either the Allocate and Issue or Allocate button is pressed.

6.3. Expediting

Expediting Works Orders

The expediting function is used to examine outstanding component lines on a works order.  Incoming purchase order lines can be viewed for each potentially problem component line.  The expediting report can be filtered by date or by works order number and can include allocated and issued works order lines.

Component lines with potential problems are shown in red, lines in orange can be fulfilled by purchase orders that will arrive before the works order start date. Lines in green will have enough free stock at the time it is required.  Please note that the term Free Stock here refers to the stock levels at the point when the stock is required for the works order, not current free stock levels.

E.g. there may not be current free stock, but future purchase orders coming in may increase future free stock quantities. Please note that the date range specified in the criteria in this screen is important, as purchase orders that fall outside of this date range will not be reflected as a line that is orange or not. If a purchase order is due to arrive outside of the date range and there is not enough free stock, then the line will be coloured red instead of orange. This is because there could also be other works orders outside of the date range, so it isn’t possible to assume that the purchase order will be available for the works orders within the date range.

By default, allocated and issued component lines are not displayed in this screen, but this can be changed via checking the checkbox near the top of the screen.

When a component line is selected in the top list, the bottom list is populated with corresponding purchase order lines.  The user can view these purchase orders and can therefore chase the supplier for stock.

Using the buttons in this screen give access to the View Stock Item Balances screen, the Supplier Enquiry screen for the preferred supplier and the Future Stock Movements screen for the selected component line.

A printout of the entire component line list, with the respective purchase order lines, can be obtained by using the Print All button.

6.4. Pick Components

Selecting Components to Pick

This option can be used if picking component lines is required.  Once a works order is selected, a list of allocated component lines to pick is displayed.

To pick the component select, select the Pick button.  At this point, the selected components will disappear from this list, as they have now been picked. If the Picked column is activated on the works order, that component line will now show as being picked.

6.5. Work List

Entering Actual Times and Moving Areas

The work list screen is used to show a list of works order in the area selected.  Areas can be setup from the Areas menu option and the routes are setup against the stock item, or a default route is used.  This screen was initially designed for an environment where the user may not want the supervisor of that area to have full access to Amend Works Orders, but they need to be able to progress works orders in their area.

The area against a works order can also be set on the Process Works Order screen in the Area column.

On the Work List screen, the works order can be moved into another area and actual times for labour and machine items can be entered against the works order.

The works order can be moved to the next area by selecting the Next Area drop down in the grid.  Once an area has been chosen, selecting the Move select works order to next area button will move the works order to the selected area.

6.6. Subcontract Management

This screen allows quick management of subcontractor orders that have been setup within the subcontract tabs of works orders. From within this screen, the same functions can be performed as within that tab for existing subcontractor orders (i.e., allocate or unallocate them, despatch, receive etc.). By using the relevant tab on this screen, these orders can be search for, either via the supplier account, or by the purchase orders themselves. This can be particularly useful if there is a scenario where a single subcontractor purchase order could apply to multiple works orders.

Start by searching for the relevant subcontractor account using the boxes in the top left-hand corner. By default, only purchase orders not marked as fully received will be displayed, but this can be overridden using the tick box at the top of the window.

When an entry in the top window is highlighted, the bottom window will display any purchase orders that have been raised for that works order and item combination. If they were raised together, it is possible that the same purchase order could apply to multiple entries in the top window.

Using the buttons displayed, the following actions can be completed:

Select All: Ticks all of the entries displayed in the top window.

Unselect All: Unticks any ticked entries displayed in the top window.

Edit: Displays the Subcontract window for that works order, see the Subcontract tab section within the Process Work Order section of this guide.

Allocate: Marks the ticked items as being allocated to the subcontractor operation. This is not a Sage stock allocation, so this does not affect stock balances, it’s just for the purpose of managing this subcontract operation.

Unallocate: Resets the allocated quantity of the ticked items back to zero.

Generate Purchase Order: Displays the Subcontract Line Purchase Order Generation screen for the ticked items to enable a new purchase order to be created for this item. This will move the Allocated Qty figure into the On-PO Qty column.

Add to Existing Purchase Order: Displays a Select Purchase Order window that enables an existing purchase order to be searched for to add this item, instead of creating a new one.

Amend Works Order: Displays the works order selected if any amendments need to be made to it.

Using the buttons beneath the bottom window, the following actions can be carried out:

Amend Purchase Order: Amend the highlighted purchase order.

Despatch: Tag the PO quantity as having been despatched. This is not a Sage stock despatch, so does not affect stock balances, it’s just for the purpose of managing this subcontract purchase order.

Receive: Tag the PO quantity as having been received. This is not a Sage stock receipt, so does not affect stock balances, it’s just for the purpose of managing this subcontract purchase order.

Alternatively, the subcontract operations can be managed from the starting point of the purchase orders via the Purchase Orders tab.

The buttons on this tab work in a similar fashion to the Subcontracts tab, but there are a couple of extra buttons on this screen:

Un-Despatch: Resets the Despatched Qty back to zero for the selected lines.

Export to CSV: Creates the subcontractor despatch information in an EDI format if there is a need to send it to the subcontractor.

6.7. Timesheet Entry

This screen allows recording of an employee times spent on different operations, which will then record as actual labour on the relevant works orders.

Select the employee from the drop down at the top of the window. The employees are setup within the Employees screen in the Maintenance menu.

Then select the week to record the timesheet for, either by the Start date or the week number. Use the Add Line button to add a new entry into the main window.

The first column allows selection what type of entry being recorded. As the timesheet screen is a common Sicon screen used by various modules, the Works Order will need to be chosen if.

recording time against an operation on a works order. The Holiday or Absence options will need to be chosen if looking to record time in which the employee is not available (which can be done in advance). This would then reduce the capacity of the relevant team for Capacity Planning in MRP. Any time booked in advance against any rate will have the same effect.

After selecting the type, the works order can be selected in the Code column, followed by the operation in the Item column. The Rate can then be selected, which will affect the cost of the transaction when it posts to the works order.

The Quantity field is optional and can be used to reflect the quantity of the operation that was worked on in the time that is being logged. This can be useful for tracking the progress of an operation, as quantities recorded here will then display as a percentage on the operation. i.e., If the operation was to work on a quantity of 5, quantity of 3 is indicated on the timesheet, then the operation will be updated to indicate that it is 60% completed.

Against each day the time in hours is then recorded (or fractions thereof); these are then totaled near the end of the row. The final field is a Notes field if any comments need to be recorded against the timesheet entry.

6.8. Process Operations

This screen enables quick updating of operations as being completed. This will update the Status of the operation to Completed, set the Completed Quantity to the total operation quantity and set their % Completed to 100. Only works orders with operations on them are presented as options in the Document no. field.

Searches for operations can be carried out either via the works order number (in the Document no. field using the include completed checkbox to include works orders where all the operations are already completed in the list), or via the Operation Start date, click the Search button to display the matching operations. Use the tick box to the left of the operations to indicate which ones should be updated, and then click the Complete button to update them as completed. The Maintain Operation screen can also be accessed via the Edit button.

7. WOP MENU 6. Enquiries

7.1. View Works Order

This screen is used to view works orders without the ability to amend them.  The search filters and other buttons work in a similar fashion to the Process Works Orders screen.

Select the desired works order and click the View button to open it. This will open the Works Order, but with most buttons greyed out – so the user can only view & not process the order in any way:

7.2. Build Time

This screen enables one or more BOMs to be specified, it will then calculate the next date at which the BOMs and quantities specified could be built.

Add the desired BOMs and quantities at the top of the screen, and then click the Calculate button. This will the calculate the next build date displayed at the bottom of the screen, which will dhow when the works orders can be started for these items.

Note that this is only considering component stock availability – i.e., current available stock, and supplier lead times for when free stock isn’t sufficient to meet the components required to build the selected BOMs. It does not consider either production lead time or any operation times on the BOMs.

This enquiry screen is therefore best used to determine the earliest date that production could start (i.e., the date that all components’ items could be available), rather than the date that production would be complete.

7.3. Unconfirmed Lines

As explained further in the Unconfirmed Cost Section, it is possible to set up Sage 200 to use Unconfirmed Cost – by configuring the below Purchase Order Processing setting to update stock cost prices when the invoice is recorded.

Please Note: Use of unconfirmed costs in this way is no longer supported by Sicon Works Order Processing. It is strongly suggested to turn this setting off (i.e., change it to update stock cost prices when goods are received).

When configured in this way (to update stock cost prices when invoice is received), the cost of a purchase stock item is “unconfirmed” when it is first received – and only becoming confirmed when the invoice is recorded.

With unconfirmed costs is use, booking in finished items on a works order will not complete the works order – instead the works order will remain open & need to be manually completed. The reason for this is that certain costs on the works order – stock issues – may not yet have a confirmed cost, and therefore the correct cost for the works order (and therefore the finished items produced) is not yet known.

This enquiry screen will identify all components issued on works order for which the cost is still considered to be unconfirmed.

This screen will display all of the works order lines that are in this situation either displayed by works order number or by stock item using the relevant tab. A works order should not be completed until all the costs on it have been confirmed, to ensure that the finished items have been costed correctly. This can happen after the finished product is booked in, or even used, as Sage will update the relevant nominal postings after the event.

7.4. Traceable Item Enquiry

This screen enables the eventual destination of all usage of a stock item for a particular batch/serial number to be viewed. If the item was used in a traceable finished item on either a kit or a works order, the step can be expanded to see where that traceable item was used. This screen can be used to trace the final destination of everything that the batch/serial fed into.

Search via entering the stock code or name in the fields at the top of the screen and then clicking Search. The option of searching for a specific batch/serial number is also available using the Identification no. field, once the stock item has first been selected. Click on the plus symbol to the left of the batch/serial number in question, all its destinations will be displayed.

Component Traceable Enquiry

The traceable item enquiry is limited by having to search by stock item or by identification number (i.e., batch or serial number). It is not possible to – for example – search for a purchase order number & trace onwards to see where the components were used; or search for a works order number & trace backwards to see where the components came from.

The style of searching should be provided by the Component Traceable Enquiry option.

This enquiry screen will allow a search on any piece of information, from this display the related traceable items can be viewed. Any of these options can be searched for:

• Batch Attribute Value
• Customers Order Number
• Customers Return Number
• Purchase Invoice Number
• Purchase Order
• Purchase Return
• Sales Invoice Number
• Sales Order
• Sales Return
• Stock Item
• Suppliers GRN Number
• Suppliers Order Number
• Suppliers Return Number
• Traceable Item Identification Number
• Sage Works Order Number
• Sicon Works Order

Note: There are options for both Sicon Works Orders (being works orders created within this module) and Sage Works Orders (being any works orders created previously from the Sage Manufacturing, which may have been in use prior to Sicon Works Orders being implemented).

The search box is by default a “contains” search – though can be changed to an exact match search by ticking the “Exact Match” checkbox. Filters on dates can also be applied to limit the results (i.e., if searching on something as broad as a stock item, a filter could be applied between specific dates to get most meaningful results).

The Traceable Item info window will display the ins & outs of traceable items associated with what has been selected. The section below will display further details about the movement selected.

For example, in the below example, Stock Item “AT-Batch” has been searched for.

This screen shows there are 4 batches (numbers 1-4). Selecting batch 3 shows it was received by a Stock Addition of 5 on 18/5:

It also shows batch 3 was used as a component on WO62 on 18/5 (and another issue to WO90):

At any stage of an enquiry, particular movements can be looked further into. In above example to see more information about WO62 – right click on the movement & press Focus on this item.

In this example, the enquiry screen refreshes with focus on WO62. It can now be seen; this was to manufacture item AT-BOM-Trace.

8. WOP MENU 7. Reports

8.1. General

Works Order Detail with Subassemblies

Works Order

Works Order (Exploded)

Works Order Stock Issues

Works Order Hours

Works Order Labour Analysis

Allocated Not Issued

Unallocated Component Lines

Expediting Report

8.2. Picking Lists

Picking List Report

Picking List Report (No Page Breaks)

Picking List with Subassemblies (Full)

SOP Works Order Picking List

SOP Exploded Works Order Picking List

8.3. Financial

Works Order (Detail)

Works Order (Detail) Export

Costed Works Order

Work In Progress (Detail)

Work In Progress (Summary)

Works Order Finished Items

Works Order Estimate

Exploded Works Order Costs (Detail)

Exploded Works Order Costs (Summary)

8.4. Sales Orders

Sales Orders Linked to Works Orders

Sales Order Works Order Listing

8.5. Route Documents

Works Order Route Card

Single Works Orders Route Card

Batch Works Order Route Card

Job Card

8.6. Traceable Items

Traceable Items Enquiry (Allocated Items)

Traceable Items Enquiry (Issued Items)

Works Order Detail With Traceable Items

WO Finished Items with Traceable Items

9. WOP MENU 8. Continuous Improvement

This section is designed to allow operation times on BOMs to be continuously made more accurate – as more experience of building the BOMs is obtained. It allows selection of an operation on a BOM and will calculate the average time it has taken to perform that operation each time the BOM has been built on a Works Order. Where the average time taken is different from the estimated time on the BOM, it can be updated with the average time – therefore giving it a more accurate costing.

First, select the BOM, Operation and Operation Resource for the times to be updated on.

Each WO on which this BOM was built on – and for which actual times were entered – will be listed in the grid.

The average time of manufacture across each build will be calculated. In the screenshot below, a quantity of 11 have been manufactured across a total time of 14 hours 30 minutes – 14.5 / 11 = 1.5 (1 hour 30 minutes).

The current estimated time for this operation on the BOM will be displayed immediately above the calculated average.

Note: It is possible manually overtype the calculated average if desired.

Pressing the Update BOM Operation button will then replace the estimated time for this operation on the BOM with the figure in the average fields (which may have been made manually) – therefore making that costing of that BOM more accurate.

10. WOP MENU 9. Labels

10.1. Finished Item Label

This menu option runs the Works Order Finished Item Label report, which has available criteria of Finished Item Stock Code, Works Order Number and Booked In Date. This generates a single label for a works order or one per serial number for traceable finished items, displaying the works order number and stock code as barcodes. This label layout can be amended in the Sage Report Designer if desired.

10.2. Print Labels

This screen enables printing of multiple labels for a specified finished stock item or works order, and then specify how many copies to print.

In order for this screen to work, the label it should be using against the finished stock item needs to be indicated via the Label template field within the WOP/MRP tab of the Sicon tab of the stock item.

11. WOP MENU 10. Maintenance

11.1. Inspection

Inspections are a particular type of operation that can be applied to a built stock item – allowing questions on the operation to be set, that have to be answered each time the item is built on a works order.

For items with inspections added, the works order is not able to be completed until it is specifically confirmed that the inspection has been completed (and the item “passed”).

Inspections can be created manually on a stock item by creating a list of questions to be answered – alternatively inspection templates can be created that can later be selected as the inspection format for a built item.

Maintain Inspection Templates

Inspection templates created here can selected when creating inspection operations on a built stock item.

Press New Template to create a new inspection template, then enter a name in the template name field.

Press Add Question to begin adding questions to the template. For each question, enter the text for the question itself, then define the data type of the answer. Answers can be defined as:

• Yes/No, Free Text, Date/Time, Number
• Time Period (i.e., X to Y)
• Selection (where the drop-down options to choose from can be defined)
• File / Photo – the user will be prompted to save a file or photo as the answer.

Additionally, the following can be done:

• Mark question as mandatory – meaning inspection cannot be completed until an answer has been given.
• Provide a default answer – which will be pre-populated against the question on an inspection operation.
• Hide from customer reports – automatically filter this question from any reports of inspection results.

Maintain Inspection Status

On completion of an inspection operation, a result will need to be selected – essentially whether the item(s) passed or failed the inspection. The results to select from can be created here.

A number of default results will already be listed, these cannot be amended. However bespoke results/statues can be added by pressing Add. For each inspection status the following can be set:

• Status Name & Description – descriptive text to describe the result.
• Pass – whether this result constitutes a pass (only when inspections receive a “pass” result can the finished items be booked).
• Stock Setting Scrap – for “fail” results only. Selecting scrap will enforce that the finished items on the works order are scrapped rather than booked into stock.
• Stock Setting Quarantine – for “fail” results only. Selecting quarantine will allow booking finished items on the works order but will enforce them to be booked into a Quarantine stock location.

How to use Inspections – Setting inspection on stock item

Inspections should be added on the stock record of the built item – on the Sicon > Inspection tab. Here, questions can be added, &/or an inspection template to use can be selected.

When manufacturing an item that has inspection questions defined, as above, finished items will not be able to be booked in on the works order until the inspection has been completed. Attempting to book the finished items first without having completed the inspection will cause the below prompt to appear.

To perform the inspection, click into the Inspection tab on the finished product booking window.

From here, answer the inspection questions as required (Note – any Mandatory questions will be marked with a red cross), and then press Complete Inspection a prompt will then appear to select the result (as defined in the list of Inspection Statuses).

The next step will be dependent on the status selected:

• Result with pass flag ticked – can proceed with booking in finished items as normal.
• Result with scrap flag ticked – a prompt will appear advising that the items have to be scrapped. Booking in can proceed, however the “quantity to book in” field will be set to zero & greyed out so you can’t manually amend it – therefore enforcing finished items to be scrapped.

• Result with “quarantine” flag ticked – a prompt will appear advising that the items have to be booked into a quarantine location. Booking in can still go ahead, however the Location field will be blank, and will be filtered so that only Quarantine locations are available.

How to use Inspections – Setting inspection on operation

The method described above enforces the inspection process, however, does not create an operation for the inspection. Inspection won’t appear on the route card therefore, nor can time be booked against the inspection process. As an alternative, inspections can also be created at the operation level.

When creating an operation in the Operations Register, there is a check box for Inspection Operation.

Ticking this will enable the Inspection tab on the operation record – here the inspection questions can be set (&/or select an inspection template).

This operation can then be added to a BOM or Works Order in the same way as any other operation. Once added, the inspection will need to be completed before the finished items on the works order can be booked in.

To complete inspection operations:

• Go to the Operations tab of the works order.
• Select the inspection operation & press Edit Operation
• Go to the Inspection tab – Here the inspection questions can be answered & mark the inspection as complete.

View Completed Inspections

The results of all completed inspection are listed here. The result/status of each inspection can be viewed from the list view, and press View to open the inspection detail, here the answers given to the inspection questions can be viewed.

11.2. Areas

Setting Up An Area

System areas, which can be used to track at what point in the process a works order is at, are setup using the Areas menu option. The area code and description can be specified. The Delete button at the bottom can be used to delete areas that are no longer needed.

Beneath these is the Default Route, which is applied to each works order, unless an override route is specified on a stock item. Areas can be added to this by clicking beneath the last area in the route or use the Remove button to delete entries.

Creating Routes for a Stock Item

Routing from one area to the next can be setup against the stock item.  On the WOP area within the Sicon tab when amending a stock item, a routing list is displayed at the bottom of the screen – where a specific route for that item can be defined.

Assigning Areas to Operations

Areas can also be assigned to Operations in Manufacturing System Manager, which will then cause the area on the works order to change to that of the next operation in sequence when completing an operation.

How Routes are used

On creation of a works order for a BOM, it will be marked as starting in the first Area of its routing (either a specific routing on the finished item stock record, or the default routing).

The Work List (see section 5.5) can be used to view all works orders in a particular area.

A works order can be advanced through the routing to another area by any of:

• Manually amending the Area on the Amend Works Order form.
• Using the Move Selected Works Order(s) to Next Area button on the Work List function.

• If Operations are assigned to areas – and there is more than 1 operation on a works order – then marking an operation as complete (either while entering a timesheet, or via the Process Operations option (see section 5.8), will automatically move the works order to the area assigned to the next operation in the sequence.

11.3. Manufacturing Attributes

To use manufacturing attributes, first enable the setting in WOP settings, general tab.

Once enabled, on the Manufacturing Attributes tab in WOP Maintenance, a list of pre-defined attributes can be enabled or disabled, these can then be selected on stock items &/or works orders. Note that these fields are used for informational / reporting purposes only – they don’t feed anywhere else in the program.

Length, Width, Surface area and Weight are all held as numerical values, while Colour and Gloss Level are selection fields with hardcoded options to select from. Finish is also a selection field, and the options available can be defined in this screen via the square button containing the three dots to the right of the Finishes button. The Finishes button itself exists to view the options that have been defined, notes can also be entered against the finish and a token number of days that this finish will require (this information can then be overridden on each works order when it is selected).

Once the attributes have been enabled, they can be on an items stock record – on the Sicon tab, Manufacturing Attributes section.

Attributes entered against a finished item / built stock item will then be pulled through onto any works order created to build that item. Manufacturing attributes can be over-typed on the works order (if populated from the stock item) or entered manually here if no attributes had been entered against the stock item.

Within the works order, the option to Add to Operations is available – which will copy the colour (Note: Only the colour, other attributes aren’t copied) selected into the description of each operation.

You also have the option to Update Other Lines, which will copy all the attributes entered on the works order header onto each component line (which you can see by Editing a component line & going to the Attributes tab).

How Manufacturing Attributes are used

Manufacturing attributes are designed to be used for informational & reporting purposes only. Fields like Length / Width etc. can be added to any reports or layouts generated for the works order – such as the route card or works order detail.

Colour & Finish are intended to be used in instances where a manufactured product can be created in multiple different versions with only very slight differences – for a single product in different colours. A separate BOMs for each different colour may not be desirable – primarily because there would be a need to drive demand by colour, and colour may not be known at the point of entering sales orders, forecasts, or making make to stock decisions. Manufacturing attributes would instead allow a single BOM, but at the point of manufacture the colour & finish details can be selected – which can then be fed through to all work instructions (including through to the Shop Floor Data Capture app, by way of adding the colour into the description of the operation).

11.4. Employees

The Employees maintenance function is used to create a register of all Employees against to record labour costs and monitor their availability and capacity.

Note that employee records are “shared” across a number of Sicon modules (Sicon Service, Sicon Projects, Sicon Approvals) – and as such many of the options that can be set on an employee record impact only those other modules & have no relevance in a Manufacturing context. As such, only those options relevant to Manufacturing will be detailed here.

Details Tab

Employee number: This is for reporting and is not used by the Payroll Extract function. When importing employees, each record needs a unique number for this field, and is used for duplicate checking.

Payroll reference: Option to identify the employee’s Payroll reference number and is used by the Payroll Extract function to identify the employee to Sage Payroll.

Team: Employees are linked to a team (as defined in Teams) which will link through to Material Planning for Capacity Planning. Multiple employees can be added to a team. When selecting the team, a prompt will appear to copy through any of the work pattern, default job header, and any cost/charge/pay rates from the team onto this employee record.

Team Leader:  Each team can have a single team leader. Employees enabled as Team Leaders are able to create transactions on timesheets submitted through the Sicon Approvals module on behalf of the other employees in the same team.

Start Date: This field can be used to record the start date of the employee’s employment.

Leaver: If the employee no longer works for the company, then they can be marked as leavers instead of deleting them. This will exclude the employee from the selection list in other screens.

Cost Work Pattern: Works patterns allow an employee’s working hours in a week to be defined. These are defined in the Work Patterns screen (refer to section 10.6). Here there is also the option to allocate the work pattern this employee works – which will in turn be used for the purposes of costing & scheduling of works orders when an operation is assigned to this employee. Note that Charge Work Patterns are not used in the Manufacturing module.

Shop Floor User: Whether this employee is a user within the Sicon Shop Floor Data Capture application.

PIN: Used by the Sicon Shop Floor Data Capture application to allow access for this employee.

Contact Details Tab

This tab can be used to store the contact information of the employees. If using the Sicon Service module, then the email address stored here will be used to notify employees of scheduled appointments etc.

Cost Rates

The Cost Rates tab allows hourly cost rates to be entered against each Rate Type (as defined in the Rates tab – see section 10.7). These define the cost rates that will be posted as actual cost against a works order when a labour timesheet for this employee is entered.

Note that the Cost A/C and WIP A/C nominal code section fields here have no impact in the manufacturing module. When actual labour time is posted to works orders:

• The Debit code will be defined by the labour resource or labour resource group selected on the operation.

Labour resource selected on the operation.

Nominal code defined on Labour resource.

• The Credit code will be defined by the Internal Area selected to use for WIP (refer to WOP Settings > Costs & Nominal tab).

Unused Tabs

Charge/Pay Rates/Self Billing Hourly Rates/Other/Qualifications/Linked Plant tabs.

The other tabs are not relevant to the Sicon Manufacturing module. They still exist on the employee record when opened in Manufacturing as this is a shared screen between different Sicon modules.

Memo Tab

This tab stores memos entered against this employee. Memos entered are date and time stamped, and the user is also recorded. If there are memos recorded against the employee, then the number of them will appear within the tab heading (eg. Memo (1)).

Attachments Tab

As elsewhere in a document can be added with attachments via this tab onto the job, either individually or an entire folder at a time. Alternatively, add a shortcut to an existing folder on a network.

History Tab

This tab will display an audit trail of changes made to this employee – including of timesheets posted. These history records are also date and time stamped and record the relevant username.

11.5. Teams

This screen enables teams to be maintained, which are then selectable against each Employee record in the Maintain Employees screen. When teams are created, the ability to schedule production against Teams in MRP Capacity Planning is active.

Teams also enjoy a direct relationship with Labour Resource Groups defined in Manufacturing System Manager, when a new team is created, a prompt will appear to create a Labour Resource Group with the same name. It is strongly recommended that this prompt is accepted. If not, you will not be able to select or use teams in the BOM module – although manually scheduling Operations against teams in MRP capacity planning will still work; however, will not be cost BOMs using team cost rates.

When creating a new team, you can define:

• Name & Description
• Work Patterns
• Project Cost Header (used when integrating with Sicon Projects)
• Cost & Charge Rates

Any information entered at the team level will be used as default values when adding a new employee. When creating a new employee record, once the team has been selected on the new employee record, it will then prompt you if you want to populate the same fields on that employee with the values defined on the team. Accepting this prompt will cost work patterns & cost rates to be copied across from the team.

Note that changing any of the fields on the team record will not update existing employee records, i.e., future changes made to the team will not be automatically pushed out to linked employees.

It is not recommended to change the Team Name once configured as some Sicon modules use this as a unique identifier in the background.  Changing the Team Description is possible however, and will push changes through to the Labour Resource Group Description within Manufacturing System Manager.

11.6. Work Patterns

This enables you to define work patterns, which allow Capacity Planning to know how many hours on which days each team (or individual employee) work – thus allowing Works Order operations to be properly scheduled.

Note that like employees & teams, work patterns are another feature that is “shared” across a number of Sicon modules – and as such has uses not relevant to the Manufacturing module. Examples being charge rate work patterns (which are used by Sicon Projects); and having work patterns define which cost rate should be used when posting actual labour time.

Work Patterns are defined as either being applicable for costs, or charge out rates, but not for both. Charge work patterns are not relevant for the Manufacturing module, so the only one that is required is the cost work pattern.

As many work patterns as required can be defined. You can’t delete work patterns that are currently in use against employees or teams.

Against each work pattern, you can select whether it is a Cost Rate type, or a Charge Rate type.

Entries in this screen are entered either via Hours, or Time. This can be chosen via the radio button to the right of the Rate Type drop down. You can also select the appropriate Project Costing Rate description, as defined in the Rates screen. I.e., a “Standard” work pattern of 7.5 hours per day could be defined, then add an “Overtime” work pattern of a further 2 hours per day.

However, only work patterns for the “Standard” rate are used by Manufacturing Capacity planning. Additional rates can be added to the work pattern and will be used by other Sicon Modules, however they will not be used by Works Order Processing or MRP.

11.7. Rates

The Rate Descriptions entered here will be available when entering timesheets for analysis if an employee was working as part of their normal hours, or working in overtime etc. Any rates created then here will then appear on the Employee & Team cost rates tab.

The Rate Type is a drop-down field where either Hours, Absence or Holiday can be selected (among other options now used by Manufacturing). Any that are set as a type of Holiday or Absence can then be selected in the Timesheet Entry screen in advance to reflect an employee not being available at that time, in order to reduce the capacity of the relevant team accordingly.

There is an option to copy rates over from Sage 50 Payroll, i.e., to import Sage Payroll pay elements here as Rates. To do so, you must first configure the connection settings at the Payroll Settings button.

Once connection settings have been entered, the import pay elements via the Get rate numbers from Payroll button can be used.

11.8. Auto Print Maintenance

This screen allows selection of the reports you would like to generate immediately when creating a works order.

Any number of the seven report options can be selected as desired, and then these will print every time you generate a works order.

11.9. Bank Holidays

This screen enables you to maintain bank holidays for the purposes of updating Capacity Planning to reflect when bank holidays occur. You can use the Set UK defaults button to populate the holidays for the default UK country groups. You can then use the Edit button if you wish to amend any of them or add new ones. You can add a new country group via the Add button and choose the relevant Sage country code and start adding their bank holidays.

Although functionality is here to create multiple bank holiday groups, it is not currently possible to link a team or employee to only one group. All bank holiday groups will be applied to all employees – therefore it is important that you only enter bank holidays for which you want manufacturing capacity to be constrained (i.e., for countries in which production actually happens).

Bank holidays are then used by work patterns in capacity planning. When creating work patterns there was an option to enter a number of hours (or start-end time) for bank holidays. This the number of hours that an employee / team will be treated as being available for by Capacity Planning on all bank holidays, of all bank holiday groups.

11.10. Component Change Reasons

This screen enables you to maintain a list of reasons that can be selected from when increasing component quantities on works orders.

When editing a component on the Materials tab of a works order & you increase the quantity required, you will not be able to save the change until you have selected a reason for change.

11.11. Maintain Warehouse Hierarchy

Allows component warehouses to be linked to warehouse to dictate what warehouse can used to replenish other warehouses. Each warehouse should as a minimum have itself as a component warehouse.  Where there is multiple warehouse that can replenish a demand warehouse, a priority can be set to dictate which warehouse should be used first. A warehouse can also be flagged as a default purchasing/production warehouse that will impact on MRP suggestions.

11.12. Maintain Machines

Allows you to create machine records, which can then be used for scheduling works order operations against. Each new machine created lets you define a name & description, a machine group that the machine is in (refer to section 10.13), and a work pattern – which determines how many hours each day the machine is in operation for, and therefore how many hours works order operation can/will be scheduled against it each day.

However, where you have the Sage 200 Bill of Materials module installed it is generally practiced to instead create new Machine records in the Manufacturing System Manager > Machine Register > Records > New Machine Resource. Creating machine records here also lets you define:

• Cost rate – the rate per hour that actual or estimated time on a works order will be costed at.
• Overhead recovery – the percentage for which any overhead recovery postings should be made it.
• Nominal codes – for both the machine time, and any overhead recovery.

Actual machine time posted to a works order will cause the following nominal posting:

• Debit to the “Nominal Code” as defined on the machine resource – # hours * cost rate.
• Debit to the “Overhead nominal code” as defined on the machine resource – # hours * cost * Overhead Recovery %
• Credit to the WIP Internal area (refer to WOP Settings > Costs & Nominal tab).

For an existing machine resources, maintenance time can be scheduled which will result in that machine not being available to schedule operations against during the maintenance downtime. To schedule maintenance time, click on the Activity tab on the machine record, then press Add. For each maintenance activity, you are able to define the maintenance type (refer to section 10.14), start & end time of the activity.

11.13. Maintain Machine Groups

Machines groups are to machines what teams are to employees, they allow you to put machines into a group, and thereafter you are able to schedule works order operations to machine groups.

When creating a new machine group, you can define:

• Name & Description
• Work Pattern

Machine groups also enjoy a direct relationship with Machine Resource Groups defined in Manufacturing System Manager, so when you create a new machine group, you are prompted to create a Machine Resource Group with the same name. It is strongly recommended to accept this prompt. If not, then you will not be able to select / use machines groups in the BOM module – you will still be able to manually schedule Operations against machine groups in MRP capacity planning; however, will not be cost your BOMs using machine group cost rates.

11.14. Maintenance Activity Types

Allows you to create maintenance activity types, which can then be selected from when adding maintenance time to a machine resource (refer to section 10.12). As well as giving a name to each activity type, you can assign a colour, which is how the maintenance activity will appear on the capacity planner for that machine.

12. WOP MENU 11. Utilities

This section has screens to add BOM lines to a works order, disassemble works orders, import works order lines, update stock items, import Subcontract purchase orders, create a journal for unconfirmed costs and lastly to import stock item settings or areas.

The settings for works order processing are also contained in this menu, but are documented in the next section.

12.1. Add Outstanding BOM Lines

This screen allows the current works orders to be updated en-masse to reflect additional components that have been added to the BOM. Enter the finished item (BOM) stock code, a list of all current works orders that could be updated with these new components will now appear.

Select the desired works orders and use the Update button to add the new components to them.

Any changes to existing component quantities will also be updated, and if you have the setting enabled to allow items to be deleted when updating from BOM, then these components will be removed from the works order. If you have the setting enabled to ask before deleting, then you will see the following message:

If the component that has been deleted from the BOM has either been allocated or issued to the selected works order, the below message will appear to confirm that the component cannot be removed from the works order. If the component quantity has been reduced on the BOM, then the component quantity will be reduced on the works order, which can lead to situations where you have either allocated or issued a higher quantity than the works order component quantity should be. In these situations, it is expected that you would either un-issue or un-allocate the relevant component line on the works order, and then allocate and issue it again with the revised quantity.

If the selected works orders have any sub-assemblies, then you would be prompted if you wish to also update those sub-assemblies if there were changes to their BOMs that would affect them.

12.2. Create Works Order to Disassemble

A completed works can be created for disassembly. The completed works order will have all components marked as issued and all finished items set as booked in.

Before creating a works order to disassemble, the stock items, default warehouses and the quantity to disassemble needs to be selected.

Once the Create button is selected, a completed works order is shown. The process of disassembly involves unbooking the finished item, followed by un-issuing the component lines.

When you click the Un-Book button underneath the finished item on the new works order, you may see the following warning message.

This message means that the anticipated total component cost of the works order varies from the current average cost price of the finished item in stock control. As the unbooking process will take one of these out of stock, then we need to post a corrective journal for this difference. This journal will credit the finished product stock nominal code, and debit the work in progress nominal code against the internal area specified for the Internal area to use when booking in within WOP Settings.

After unbooking the finished item, you will see the following message:

You need to close the works order at this point so that it can refresh the works order status correctly, otherwise the component Un-Issue button will not become available. This disassembly works order can now be found in the Process Works Order screen or Works Order list, with a status of Issued.

The components will be returned to stock at either the last buy price for the item, or the current average cost price for that item if the last buy price is zero. If you click the View button at the bottom of the screen, when the selected component line opens, it will show you where the component cost has come from.

Once all of the components have been un-issued, the status of the works order will reset to New, and at this point the works order can be deleted.

12.3. Import Works Order Lines

Creating New Works Orders via the Import

The import facility is used to import works orders into works order processing. This can either be used to create new works orders from the import (this will require a manual works order number to be assigned in the import file), or to add new components or labour or machine operations to existing works orders.

When the Import Works Order Lines menu option is selected, an open dialog window is displayed asking for the location of the import file. Click the File button to open a window to browse and select the relevant file. This file needs to be in csv format.

The Template button will open an example file in Excel, with examples of the columns populated and clarification as to what type of values are expected.

Once the import file is selected, the lines in the file are validated.

Following successful validation, the Import button becomes available to import the lines into works order processing.

Finally, a message is displayed stating whether the import was successful or not. At this point, the csv file used for the import will be renamed to being a .bak file to avoid accidental reimporting.

12.4. Enable Module

This screen is used to enter module enable string to allow use of the system for Works Order Processing and any other Sicon modules that you have installed. These are not Sage company specific, so you only need to enter these into one of your Sage companies if you have multiple ones.

When a new module enable string is provided enter (paste) into the Sicon Projects Enable String field, then click Apply to apply the string.

12.5. Subcontract PO Import

This screen provides an import routine for Subcontract purchase orders.

You can use the Example Import File button to generate two Excel files to assist in this process. The first is an example import file in with some example data in the rows, while the second provides clarifications on which columns are compulsory and the types of data that are valid within them.

12.6. Works Order Accruals

If you are using the setting to Use unconfirmed costs then this screen can be used to generate a self-reversing journal for the current unconfirmed costs to ensure you get the costs into the accounting period that you want them to appear in, without having to complete the works order first. This screen will display all of the unconfirmed costs, and prompt you to enter a Journal date, and a Reversal date. Typically, you could use the last day of a month as the journal date, and then reverse it on the first day of the following month (or account period if not using calendar months for your accounting periods). This reversing journal will post to the relevant stock nominal codes for the components, and the nominal code specified against your internal area set as the Internal area to use for components within Works Order Processing settings.

12.7. Stock Item Settings Import

This screen enables you to import the information that makes up the WOP/MRP section of the Sicon tab on a stock item record. The import file needs to be in csv format.

Information that can be imported via this screen is:

• Stock Item Code
• Default Supplier Lead Time
• Economical Batch Size
• Split By Economical Batch Size
• Supplier Account Number
• Usual Order Quantity
• Minimum Order Quantity

You can use the Example Import File button to generate two Excel files to assist in this process. The first is an example import file in with some example data in the rows, while the second provides clarifications on which columns are compulsory and the types of data that are valid within them.

Use the Find button to browse and select your csv file, and then the Check File button to validate the file. Once it has passed validation, then the Import button will become available and is then used to perform the import.

This routine will not add new suppliers to a stock item, any combination of supplier and stock item will need to be valid beforehand.

12.8. Import Areas

This screen enables you to import areas against stock items from a csv file, if you want to use routes against the items other than the default route defined within the Areas screen. This import will overwrite any routing previously entered for the stock codes contained in your import file. The areas don’t need to exist in the Sage database already, new ones will be created by this routine.

You can use the Example Import File button to generate two Excel files to assist in this process. The first is an example import file in with some example data in the rows, while the second provides clarifications on which columns are compulsory and the types of data that are valid within them.

Use the Find button to browse and select your csv file, and then the Check File button to validate the file. Once it has passed validation, then the Import button will become available and is then used to perform the import.

12.9. Import Works Orders to Generate

This screen allows you to import works order suggestions from an external Material Planning system. As with other Sicon import routines, the file needs to be in csv file format, and an example csv import file format can be generated. The outcome of this import is that new works orders will be generated.

You can use the Example Import File button to generate two Excel files to assist in this process. The first is an example import file in with some example data in the rows, while the second provides clarifications on which columns are compulsory and the types of data that are valid within them.

Use the Find button to browse and select your csv file, and then the Check File button to validate the file. Once it has passed validation, then the Import button will become available and is then used to perform the import.

13. WOP SETTINGS

This screen is used to alter various settings for Works Order Processing.

Unconfirmed Costs can be found at the top of this Help and User Guide.

13.1. WOP SETTINGS 1. Numbering & Document

These settings control WO & Estimate numbering options; plus, the creation of reports at certain stages of the WO workflow.

Auto Generate & Number Formats

• Auto generate works order number
  • Automatically generate a sequential works order number for each new manually created works order. Works Orders generated from Sales Orders will instead have a works order number that reflects their sales order number and line number.

• Reset next WO Number
  • When using the option above, manually enter the number that you would like to be used in the sequence for the next and subsequent works orders.

• Works Order number format
  • A string used to format the works order number. Only works in conjunction with automatic numbering, or when manually entered numbers are purely numeric. To allow free format entry of works order numbers, set this setting to blank.

• Estimate number format.
  • As with preceding setting but relating to estimates.

• Auto generate template number
  • Automatically generate a sequential template number for each template.

• Template number format
  • Formatting for template numbers, see works order document number format above.

WO Report Generation

• Run a report when booking in finished item.
  • You can browse to a report that you would like to be printed each time you book in finished items.

• Print labels when booking in finished item.
  • Used for setting a label report to print when booking in finished items.

• Print labels when items are reserved serials.
  • Used for setting a label report to print when booking in finished items.

13.2. WOP SETTINGS 2. Costs & Nominal

Internal area to use for WIP

This is the internal areas to be used when issuing components and booking in finished items. Please Note: You will not be able to process a works order without specifying these.

Internal areas in Sage 200 are set in Stock Control settings – and on the internal area you set a nominal code:

This is the nominal code that will be used for Work in Progress postings.

When issuing a component, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is credited and the nominal on the internal area is debited (WiP nominal).

When booking in finished items the first internal area nominal code is used again, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is debited and the nominal on the internal area is credited (WIP nominal account).

The value of these journals will include component costs and labour and machine, non-stock item costs and subcontract costs.

For further information, please see the Nominal Postings section of the Works Order Processing Help and User Guide.

Using Unconfirmed Costs (set in POP Settings)

This isn’t a WO setting in itself – it has purely been added here to make it immediately clear when Unconfirmed Costs are turned on.

It is our strong recommendation that unconfirmed costs (and by this we mean the “Allow Stock Prices to be updated when invoice is recorded” setting in POP settings) is turned off.

Refer to the Unconfirmed Costs Section in this user guide for more information on why we recommend this setting be turned off.

Component Issue when using Production Issues Internal Area

If this setting is turned on, then this internal area is used instead of the components internal area if there are no finished items on the works order.  In this example, the internal area called Production Issues is used and is setup as below:

In this case, when issuing a component, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is credited and the nominal on the Production Issues Internal Area is debited (probably Profit and Loss and in the region of cost of sales).

Scrap

There are two distinct levels at which scrap can be applied on a Works Order:

• Components
  • To scrap components, you must have the Enable Scrap Components setting enabled.
  • Additionally, you must select a scrap write-off category (set up in Stock Control settings)
  • With these options enabled, a Scrap button will be available on the Amend Works Order.
  • This will allow you to scrap components that have already been allocated or issued.
  • The result of doing so will be:
    • Allocated / issued quantity will be reduced by the number of components scrapped.
    • A stock writes off posting will be made for the scrapped components (using the “scrap write off” category).
    • Nominal posting made at this point will be Dr NL code of write off category / Cr Stock NL code of the component item.

• Finished Items
  • At the booking stage of a Works Order, you are able to enter a quantity of finished items to build, and a quantity to scrap.

• The result of doing so is:
  • If only booked in a scrapped item, i.e., if Quantity to Book in is zero; then the “scrap write off” category will be used. Similar to when writing off component stock, a stock writes off posting will be made. The nominal posting made at this point will be Dr NL code of write off category / Cr WIP.
  • If, however scrap is being recorded at the same time as booking in finished items, i.e., Quantity to book in & Quantity to scrap fields are both greater than zero; then the scrap writes off category will not be used. Instead, the cost of the scrapped items will be capitalised into the cost of the completed items.
• You can achieve different results therefore depending on the timing of when you record scrap. Consider illustrative example of a WO for 10 finished goods, with total cost issued to the WO of £100.
  • If 3 FGs are scrapped initially (as one “book” transaction); and then later 7 “good” finished goods are booked (as a separate book transaction), then:
    • Dr Scrap; Cr WIP – £30 (for the scrapped goods).
    • Dr FG Stock: Cr WIP £70 (for the “good” finished items, 7 items at cost of £10 each).
  • Alternatively, if the 3 scrap & 7 finished items are recorded in the same book transaction:
    • Dr FG Stock; Cr WIP £100 (7 items at cost of £14.29 each).

Finished Good Cost Variances

If the finished item on a Works Order uses Standard costing, then it must be booked into stock at that standard cost price. If there is a variance between this price and the total cost of the works order, then the variance will be posted to the nominal code specified here.

I.e., Standard cost of finished good item is £100. Built item on WO, with £110 of cost issued to the WO. When booking the finished good into stock, the following postings will be made:

• Dr Finished Good Stock             £100
• Dr Cost Variance                         £10
• Cr WIP                                   (£110)

This setting also applies for any kind of corrective posting needs to be posted as an adjustment. If Unconfirmed Costs are being used, then the nominal code defined here is the code for which adjustment postings will be made.

I.e., Using unconfirmed costs. Buy £100 of components for a works order. Book in finished goods – posting will be Dr FG Stock £100, Cr WIP £100. Later, you receive the invoice for the component goods, and invoice is for £115. This is the point at which costs become “confirmed”. When WO is completed, an adjustment will need to be posted:

• Dr Finished Good Stock             £15
• Cr Cost Variance                          £15

“Other” cost types on works orders

• Add subcontract items to cost of works order.
  • This setting is used to determine whether the cost of any sub-contract operations is capitalised into finished goods build on works orders.
  • If this setting is enabled, then you must select a nominal code for the contra posting at the point of booking in the finished good.
  • You would typically set this to the NL Code that you use for the sub-contractor’s invoice.
  • Consider example of a WO to build 1 finished item. £100 of components, £50 sub-contract operation.
    • Sub-contractor will have invoiced you for the service. You book this to a “sub-contractor cost” code on the P&L
    • You issue the components – Dr WIP; Cr Stock £100
    • You book in the finished good – Dr Finished Good Stock £150; Cr WIP
    • At this point you’d have £50 credit in WIP, so need a contra posting to balance out.
    • Posting will be Dr WIP; Cr “sub-contractor cost” £50.
    • Thus, end result is that there is no sub-contractor cost on your P&L as it has been fully capitalised into the finished items manufactured.

• Add nonstock items to cost of works order.
  • Similar to sub-contractor items discussed above.
  • If you add nonstock items to a works order, it doesn’t make any nominal postings.
  • If the cost of those items is then to be included into the cost of the finished items produced, a contra posting is required to zero out WIP.
  • Consider example of a WO to build 1 finished item. £100 of components, £20 nonstock cost.
    • You issue the components – Dr WIP; Cr Stock £100
    • You book in the finished good – Dr Finished Good Stock £120; Cr WIP
    • At this point you’d have £20 credit in WIP, so need a contra posting to balance out.
    • Posting will be Dr WIP; Cr Non-Stock Items NL code (as defined in this setting) £20.

• Add miscellaneous stock items to cost of works order.
  • By default, this setting is not enabled.
  • When issuing component items to works orders, a posting will be made to transfer the cost of that item out of stock & into WIP – Dr WIP, Cr Stock NL Code of stock item.
  • For stock items in a “Miscellaneous” Product Group, you might not want this posting to occur. Miscellaneous stock items are often set with a P&L code as the Stock NL code.

• • If this is the case, then you will have already expensed the cost of this miscellaneous item when it was purchased, so you won’t want the cost to be capitalised into the finished goods being manufactured.
  • As a general rule of thumb, we would suggest:
    • If Misc items have a Balance Sheet NL Code as their “stock” code – enable this setting.
    • If Misc items have a P&L NL Code as their “stock” code – disable this setting.

Labour & Machine costs on works orders

• Add labour cost items to cost of works order.
  • Similar to the sub-contract costs setting.
  • Labour costs are posted to the P&L via payroll / salary journals.
  • Without this setting enabled, no labour will be capitalised into finished goods produced on a Works Order. I.e., WO with £100 component cost, £50 labour cost – finished item will be booked into stock at £100.
  • If this setting is enabled however, then labour cost will be included in the cost of the finished item, and a contra posting will be required for the labour cost.
  • Consider example of WO for 1 finished item – £100 component cost, £50 labour.
    • When components are issued – Dr WIP; Cr Stock £100
    • When labour time is booked – no posting.
    • When finished item is booked in?
      • Labour posting is made at this point – Dr WIP; Cr Labour Recovery £50
      • Then Finished Item is recognised – Dr Finished Good Stock £150; Cr WIP £150
    • Note the “Labour Recovery” NL code is the NL code as defined on the labour register. This will typically be a P&L code, contra to the Payroll Costs NL code.

• Add machine cost items to cost of works order.
  • Setting does exactly the same as the labour cost setting – though for machine time on operations (and nominal code posted to is set on the machine register).

• Cost rates for estimated cost.
  • This setting will only have any effect if the “add labour cost” &/or the “add machine cost” setting is enabled.
  • This will determine which cost rate will be used for the labour / machine postings.
  • Cost rates can be set in the following places:
    • On Teams / Machine groups. Prior to creating labour or machine resources, you must first create a team (for labour) or a machine group (for machines). You can set default rates at this level.
    • On the labour / machine register (when first creating the resources). The rate will default to the rate per the team / machine group that the resource is in, but it is possible to override the rate.
    • On the operations register. The rate will default to the rate per the labour/machine register, but it is possible to override the rate.
    • On the BOM. When adding an operation to a BOM, the cost rate will default to the rate per the operations register, but it is possible to override the rate.

• Use Actual or Estimate for quantity when calculating cost of cost items.
  • If set to Actual, then the labour / machine cost added to the works order will be driven by the actual hours booked to the WO (via Operation times or SFDC).
  • If set to Estimate, then irrespective of actual hours booked, the labour / machine cost added to the works order will be equal to the estimated time on the WO (which itself will have been populated by the times on the BOM).

• If no actual times entered, use estimate times.
  • Only available to select if “Actual” is chosen in the setting above.
  • With this setting flagged, the Works Order will use actual labour/machine times if actuals have been booked to WO operations – else it will use the estimated times.
  • If this setting is not flagged, and no actual labour/machine times are booked to WO operations, then no labour/machine cost will be added to the WO.

• Allow booking in finished items before all actuals for labour and machines are entered.
  • Only available to select if “Actual” is chosen as labour/machine quantity, and the If no actual times entered, use estimate setting is not enabled.
  • With settings like this, then as described above, if no actual labour/machine times are booked to a WO, then the WO will be completed with zero labour/machine costs.
  • This setting therefore acts as a control – unless this setting is enabled, you will be prevented from booking in finished items until some labour/machine time is entered (to prevent accidental booking in items before operation times have been entered).

Estimating Stock Item Cost

When creating works orders, an estimated cost is calculated.  This cost is used on component lines on works orders.

This option should be selected if the average buying price should be used first when there is available stock, otherwise the estimated cost will be taken from another source (i.e., Last purchase order price).

For details on how the cost of component lines is estimated or how the unit price on suggested purchase orders is calculated, please refer to the Costs section of the Works Order Processing Help and User Guide.

13.3. WOP SETTINGS 3. Warehouse

Default Warehouses

• Default finished item warehouse.
  • When creating a new works, this will set the default stock location into which the finished item will be booked.
  • Note that this is only a default – the actual location that finished goods are to be booked into can be changed on the WO header – or at the point of actually booking in finished items.

• Default component warehouse.
  • As per the default finished item warehouse – this will set the default stock location from which components will be picked for new works orders (again can be changed after the WO is created).
  • Note that this is only a default location – the actual location that components are to be picked from can be changed on the WO header, or per component by pressing “Edit” on the component line.
  • This setting would however be over-ridden by all the following settings…

Default warehouses will show on a Works Order here:

• User finished item warehouse as component warehouse when creating works orders.
  • When enabled, this will over-ride the default component warehouse setting.
  • If set to “Always” – then the default component warehouse will be set to equal the default finished item warehouse (potentially overriding the “default component warehouse” above).
  • If set to “Ask” then a pop-up will appear on WO creation for user to select the component warehouse.

• Use default warehouses from stock item if they exist.
  • On the “Sicon > WOP” tab on stock items, you are able to select the default warehouse that should be allocated/issued from if the item is a component on a WO; or the default warehouse into which it should be booked if the finished item on a WO.
  • If this setting is enabled, then this default will be used, over-riding the global default setting above.

• When creating component lines that are sub-assemblies.
  • Similar to the setting above, though specifically relating to sub-assembly items.
  • As noted above, the stock item record of the sub-assembly will hold a default component location, and default finished item location.
  • This setting allows you to over-ride the default for sub-assembly items. Ticking “use default finished item warehouse” will set the location that this item should be allocated/issued from on a parent WO as the default finished item location on the stock item.
  • The reason you may choose to do this is it is likely that sub-assembly items will have been built by Works Orders. Those works orders will likely have booked the completed sub-assemblies into the default finished item warehouse. If this is different from the default component warehouse, then you would need to transfer these stock items to the default component warehouse before they could be allocated / issued to a works order.

• Use warehouse hierarchy.
  • This setting will over-ride the “Warehouse Selection” options above.
  • A warehouse hierarchy can be set at Sicon Works Order Processing > Maintenance > Maintain Warehouse Hierarchy.
  • By setting a warehouse hierarchy, you are selecting a list of warehouses from which it is possible to pick component items.
  • For each warehouse (the “demand warehouse” – i.e., the warehouse at which production is taking place”), you can tick the other locations from which it is possible to pick component stock from.
  • At a minimum, you would usually tick the demand warehouse itself (i.e., if building a finished item at “FACTORY”, I would presumably want to be able to pick component items from “FACTORY” also.
  • It is possible to select multiple component warehouses for each demand warehouse – and if so, you can set a priority number for each.

• If using the warehouse hierarchy, then the warehouse to select each component will be set as the highest priority component/replenishment warehouse for the finished item warehouse – at which there is free stock.

Quarantine Warehouse

Warehouses can be set as quarantine warehouses.  These warehouses will be excluded from works order allocations and from material planning.

13.4. WOP SETTINGS 4. General

General Usage and Functionality

These settings refer to general usage when processing works orders.

• Disable Update from BOM
  • Selecting this option will remove the Update from BOM button from the Works Order screen.

• This button when enabled lets you update the components of a works order from the BOM (useful if you have created a WO, then later amended the BOM and want your changes to be reflected on the WO already created)
• Delete lines when updating from BOM.
  • Only relevant if the Disable Update from BOM setting is not selected.
  • If enabled, then if a component has been removed from a BOM, the same component will be deleted from the works order when either using the Update from BOM button in the works order, or the Add Outstanding BOM Lines screen (if not allocated or issued). By default, this option is not enabled so items being removed from BOMs will not affect works orders where these processes are applied.

• Enable Manufacturing Attributes.
  • When enabled, a new tab will appear within the stock item – at Sicon > Manufacturing Attributes?

• Note that these attributes have no impact on the processing of Works Orders or MRP, the data entered here is for informational / reporting purposes only.
• The manufacturing attributes of a finished item can be viewed & amended on a Works Order in the Additional Information tab. They will default to the attributes set on the stock record but can be amended here.

• And can be viewed / amended for components by editing the component, and going to the Attributes tab. They will default to the attributes set on the stock record but can be amended here.

• Show delete button on Works Orders.
  • Enabling this setting will add a Delete button to the bottom of the Amend Works Order screen.
  • You may want to consider leaving this option disabled if you want to prevent users from having the ability to delete.
  • Please note: Deleted works order can still be seen on the process works orders screen.

• Show delete button on Process Works Order.
  • Similar to the above setting – a separate setting to enable / hide the delete button from the Process Works Orders form.

• Enable supplier stock code selection on stock items.
  • This setting enables a field on the Amend Stock Item screen.
  • By default, on this screen you can select a stock item by selecting or searching on the item code or item name.
  • Enabling this setting adds a third field you can select / search from the supplier stock code field.

• Hide Sage Manufacturing tab on stock items.
  • Historically, Sage had their own Manufacturing module (that you could have as an alternative to Sicon Manufacturing).
  • There is a tab on the stock record that displays some fields that Sage’s old manufacturing module used to use.
  • These fields are not used by Sicon Manufacturing, so enabling this setting will hide off this tab on the stock item record to avoid confusion.

• Show picked column.
  • The default workflow for issuing materials to works orders is to 1) allocate them; then 2) issue them (though note, this can be turned into a single step process – issue only – with another setting).
  • Enable the “picked” column essentially adds a step to the workflow – where you are able to 1) allocate components; then 2) mark them as picked, and lastly 3) issue them.

• Set Default Routing on Stock Item
  • Works Order Processing allows you to create “Areas” which can then be used to track a works order across production.
  • Areas are created at Sicon Works Order Processing > Maintenance > Areas.

• With Areas, you can set a routing for finished items, tracking how production will flow across the shop floor. You can create a default routing in the “Areas” screen also:

• Without this setting enabled, routings are essentially not used.
• Enabling this setting allows you to enter different routes for individual stock items (on the Stock Record > Sicon > WOP tab).

• Default Works Orders to be Continuous.
  • When unconfirmed costs are turned off, the default workflow of a works order is for the WO to be automatically completed when the final finished item on the works order is booked in.
  • When using unconfirmed costs however, there is an additional step in the workflow – after booking in the final finished item, the WO status will stay at “booked”, and you will need to manually mark the WO as completed. The purpose of this is to leave the WO open (so that the cost of the finished item can still be adjusted), until all costs are confirmed.
  • This setting enables this extra step in the workflow even when not using unconfirmed costs – i.e., will require all WOs to be manually completed, rather than automatically complete when the final finished item is booked in.
  • Note that this setting will set the default for all new works orders (i.e., will set all new works order to be “Continuous” – but it can be overridden for individual works orders on the Additional Information tab of the amend works order screen:

• WOs can be manually completed at Sicon Works Order Processing > Works Orders > Complete Works Orders.

• Default Timesheet Linetype is Works Order.
  • Timesheets can be used across a number of Sicon modules they can, for example, be used to book time to a project or job rather than a Works Order (if you have the relevant modules).
  • When entering a timesheet therefore (at Processing > Timesheet Entry), there is a “Type” field where you have to select what you are entering the time against.
  • Triggering this setting will default this field to “Works Order” so the user doesn’t need to manually select each time.

• Use hours instead of start and end time on timesheets.
  • The default option when entering timesheets (at Processing > Timesheet Entry) is to enter a start time & end time for each timesheet line.
  • Enabling this setting will amend the timesheet entry form to instead all the user to simply enter a quantity of hours for each timesheet line.

Without setting ticked:

With setting ticked:

• Enable Sales Summary Tab on Works Orders.
  • Enabling this setting will add a tab to the new/amend Works Order screen – Works Order Summary.
  • This tab is made up of two parts a Sale Summary and a Cost Summary. The sale summary can be used to allow you to enter a desired margin against each element of your works order, and a suggested sales price can then be applied to the linked sales order line. The cost summary gives you a breakdown of the costs incurred on the works order.
  • Note the purpose of this being a setting that you can turn off is that the Summary tab on the WO can take a significant time to load. It pulls data from a large number of sources, and as such has a number of large SQL queries behind it. Having this setting enabled can have a significant impact on the speed of opening a Works Order, therefore if not being actively used we’d suggest disabling this tab to improve performance.

13.5. WOP SETTINGS 5. Stock and Warehouse Tab

Internal Area Settings

These are the internal areas to be used when issuing components and booking in finished items. Please Note: You will not be able to process a works order without specifying these.

When issuing a component, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is credited and the nominal on the internal area is debited (WiP nominal).

When booking in finished items the first internal area nominal code is used again, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is debited and the nominal on the internal area is credited (WIP nominal account). The second internal area can be used to choose a different internal area if it is desired that you get different text appearing against the nominal postings as a narrative when booking in, but the nominal account on this internal area is not used.

The value of these journals will include component costs and labour and machine, non-stock item costs and subcontract costs.

For further information, please see the Nominal Postings section of the Works Order Processing Help and User Guide

Component Issue when using Production Issues Internal Area

If this setting is turned on, then this internal area is used instead of the components internal area if there are no finished items on the works order.  In this example, the internal area called Production Issues is used and is setup as below:

In this case, when issuing a component, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is credited and the nominal on the Production Issues Internal Area is debited (probably Profit and Loss and in the region of cost of sales).

Scrap Write Off Category

A write off category can be selected to reflect where the costs of the finished product being scrapped will be posted to. This is only used if you are not booking in any finished products at the same time as scrapping something. If you are booking in any finished product at the same time, then the cost of the scrapped products will be included in the cost of the finished products being booked in. If you are just scrapping without booking in anything else at the same time, then the cost of that scrapped product will be posted to this write off category.

Default Warehouses

These settings allow for warehouse defaults and how to select which warehouse a component should be in.

Quarantine Warehouse

Warehouses can be set as quarantine warehouses. These warehouses will be excluded from works order allocations and from material planning.

13.6. WOP SETTINGS 6. Dates

WO Due Dates

The Due Date of a works order indicates when the WO is expected to be completed. For manually created Works Orders, this will be determined as the start date + production time. For automatically created Works Order (either created back-to-back from a Sales Order, or via MRP) this may work in reverse – where due date is determined based on the demand date, and the start date reverse calculated from this using the production time.

• Update Sales Order Line Promised Date when changing Works Order Due Date.

• • Where WOs are linked to SOs, with this setting enabled, any changes made to the WO due date will also update the SO line promised date.

• Add an extra day when creating sub-assemblies.
  • When a Works Order is created for a BOM that has a sub-assembly, depending on settings (refer to Sub Assembly settings section 11.9), then a works order may be created for the sub-assembly also.
  • With this setting enabled, the sub-assembly WO will always be set with a Due Date as 1 day before it is required for the parent WO (whereas without this setting, it will be given a due date equal to the date is it required for the parent WO.
  • e. If a BOM has a production time of 2 hours and includes a sub-assembly with production time of 2 hours. Parent WO created with start date & due date of 31/5.
    • Without extra day setting – sub assembly WO also created with due date of 31/5.
    • With extra day setting enabled – sub assembly WO created with due date of 30/5 (i.e., an extra day earlier)..

• Months to display in process screens (each way from today).
  • The “Process Works Orders” and “Complete Works Orders” screens have a default date filter applied – from X months in the past, to X months in the future.
  • This setting defines the length of this filter.
  • Note it is simply a default – the filter can be manually changed on the process works order screens.

• Only use Production Lead time for Works Orders.
  • The due date of a works order will be calculated based on the start date of the order & the expected production / manufacturing time (or; depending on how works order is created; this could operate in reverse, with due date determined based on the demand, and start date reverse engineered based on production / manufacturing time).
  • By default, production/manufacturing is determined by the Operations on the Works Order.
  • Enabled this setting however results in Operations essentially being ignored by works orders for the purpose of calculating due dates. Instead, the due date would be calculated as the start date + the number of days entered in the “Default production lead time” field on the Stock Item record of the item being manufactured (Amend Stock Item > Sicon tab > WOP tab).

WO Issue Dates

• Component Issue Date – setting controls the date on which the “works order issue” transaction is posted when issuing components. I.e., the date the components are marked as booked out of stock.
  • Use current date: stock will be marked as issued on the current system date.
  • Use Works Order start date: stock will be marked as issued on the works order start date.
  • Enter date manually: when issuing components, a pop-up window will appear to manually enter the date to use.

Planning Dates

• Number of hours in a day
  • The number of hours in a day that is used in date calculations.

• Start Time
  • If work patters have been specified as a number of hours as opposed to a start and finish time, then the time specified here will be used as the start time for all such works orders.

• Appointment calculation interval
  • When calculating the operation times, Sicon Manufacturing iterates over this number to determine how many people are working within that time period.
  • For example – if it is 60 minutes then it will determine what the manning level of the team is at the beginning of the 60-minute interval to figure out how many people are working for that 60-minute interval.
  • It can be set to 15, 30 or 60 minutes. By default, this will be set to 60. Setting lower will affect the performance of calculating intervals.

13.7. WOP SETTINGS 7. Materials

• Group like Components when creating Works Order.
  • On a BOM it is possible to have a single component listed multiple times.
  • With this setting enabled, when you create a WO for this BOM, then the component requirement will be consolidated into a single line.

• Check Customer Credit limit when allocating / issuing.
  • The purpose of this setting is to warn whether a customer is over their credit limit at the point of allocating or issuing components to a works order.
  • e. you may have accepted a sale / created a sales order to a customer, but not want to commence manufacture of their items until they have dropped below their credit limit.
  • If enabled, a pop-up warning will appear at the point of component allocation / issue if the customer is over their credit limit.
  • Setting will only impact works orders that are linked to sales orders (and therefore customers).

• Hide the add stock button in Back Flush.
  • In the back-flush routine, by default there is an Add Stock button on the Validation screen. The routine will validate whether you have sufficient component stock to be able to back flush the WO, and if not pressing the Add Stock button will result in stock additions posted for all the components where there is a shortfall.
  • Enabling this setting will hide / remove this option.

• Show options when adding components.
  • The Materials tab of a Works Order will list the component items required for the order, which initially will be populated from the BOM.
  • There is an Add button on this form where you can add new components onto the Works Order.
  • With this setting enabled, pressing Add will bring up an option to select where in the list of components the new item should be inserted.

• Only allow Approval requisitions to be generated for works orders.
  • Only relevant when Sicon Approval Requisitions is installed alongside Sicon Manufacturing.
  • Without Approvals installed, the Amend Works Order form has a Create POs button that will generate purchase orders for all components on the WO for which there is a shortfall (free stock available at the component picking location is less than the quantity required).
  • With Approvals installed, this button changes to Create POs / Approval Reqs – and when you press it, you are given the option of whether you want to create POs or Requisitions.
  • This setting removes the option of being able to create POs, so the button can only be used to create Requisitions in Approvals.

Without setting ticked:

With setting ticked:

• Do not include scrap percentage in Works Order Quantity.
  • Within Sage Bill of Materials, you are able to define a ‘scrap percentage’ against each component.
  • By default, this percentage is taken into consideration when calculating quantities required for a works order. I.e., if a BOM requires 10 of component A, and component A has 50% scrap percentage, then the WO would be created with a required quantity of 15 for component A (being 10 + the scrap %).
  • Ticking this setting will result in scrap % being ignored when calculating required component quantity (i.e., in above example, WO would be created with quantity of 10 of component A).

• Issue bulk issue items at book.
  • Stock items can be set as “bulk issue” items – on the Sicon > WOP tab on the stock record.

• Bulk issue items are intended to be high volume, low value items, for which you don’t rely on Sage managing stock levels. Typical example would be a bucket of screws, where you would buy more when they level in the bucket got low, but you wouldn’t particularly care exactly how many you had.
• Bulk issue items will appear on the list of required components on a works order (so they will appear on the picking list). By default, however, no allocate or issue transaction takes place and the cost of the bulk issue items won’t be capitalised into the cost of the manufactured item.
• e. if manufacturing an item with 2 components – 1 * A (costing £100) and 1 * B (a bulk issue item, costing £5). Stock levels before processing the WO is 1 of each item. After allocating, issuing & booking the WO:
  • The finished item will have been booked into stock at £100 (i.e., excludes the bulk issue item).
  • Stock item A will now have zero in stock (because it was issued to the WO).
  • Stock item B (the bulk issue item) will still have 1 in stock.
• Enabling this setting changes this to that bulk issue items are issued & costed to works orders in the same way as “normal” items. The only difference is that the issue of bulk issue items will be posted at the “booking” stage (rather than at “issue”).
• Show message to allocate/issue bulk issue items.
  • Only relevant when the setting above (issue bulk issue items at book) is not ticked.
  • If this setting is unticked, then as explained above, bulk issue items won’t actually be issued to works orders or costs to the finished item.
  • With the “show message” setting enabled – a pop-up warning will appear at the point of booking in a Works Order that has bulk issue items, to stress the fact that these items won’t actually be issued.

• Add extra quantity on Works Order.
  • This setting can be used – for certain built items – to force manufacture of more items than are required. This would typically be used for testing purposes – i.e., to create additional item(s) purely for testing that won’t be booked into stock.
  • e. if extra quantity is set to “2”, and you have demand for 10 of a finished item, the WO will be created:
    • Finished product quantity will be 10.
    • Component quantity however will be equal to the required components to make 12.
    • The cost of the 2 “extra” items made but not booked into stock will be capitalised into the cost of the 10 finished products booked.

• • The extra quantity entered here will be applied to all works orders for products where the “add extra quantity setting activated” flag has been enabled on the stock item, Sicon > WOP tab.

• • The quantity set in this setting will be the “extra” quantity for all items where this feature is enabled – it is not possible to set a different “extra” quantity at the stock item level.

Allocations

• Show allocations screen to split allocations across multiple warehouses.
  • This will display an allocation screen when component lines are allocated. This screen allows the user to select a location and quantity when allocating for each selected component, with the warehouse defaulted to the warehouse on the component line, and the bin defaulting to the highest priority bin.
  • Even if allocating all from a single warehouse, this setting is required if you want the option to manually select the bin that stock is allocated from. If not enabled, then the allocation bin will instead be determined by Sage Stock fulfilment settings.
  • If this setting is selected, then Use Sage Stock fulfilment settings are all disabled / greyed out.

• Allow over allocations.
  • Selecting this option will also enable the “show allocations screen” setting. Then, when allocating in the window that appears, you can enter a larger quantity than is on the line to over-allocate it. This will then allow you to issue more than the line quantity.

• Enable amend allocations.
  • By default, you have options to allocate, part allocate & un-allocate (which performs a full un-allocation).
  • This setting adds a Amend Allocations button – which can be used to reduce the allocation quantity (including for when only un-allocating some of the quantity).

• Allocate Batch Numbers against all Works Orders.
  • This setting only has an impact when allocating multiple works orders at once from the Process Works Orders screen.
  • When allocating a single works order which has a component that is batch traceable, a pop-up will appear asking you to select the batch to allocate from.

• • When allocating multiple works orders at one time – and say 3 of them had the same batch traceable component – then this pop-up would appear 3 times (one for each works order).
  • With this setting enabled however, then this pop-up would appear only once – and the batch you select would allocate to all 3 works orders.

• Use Sage Stock fulfilment settings.
  • For each component item, it will be allocated on the basis of the “Fulfilment Sequence” setting on the stock record (set at Stock Control > Stock Records > Stock Order Fulfilment).
  • Options are Bin Priority, Smallest bin quantity, Largest bin quantity, Sell By Date, Use By Date or FIFO.
  • Note that the fulfilment sequence setting is set at the stock item level – so different allocation sequences are available for different items.

Issues

• Allow part issue of component lines.
  • If this is enabled, then a screen will be shown when issuing component lines allowing the user to part issue the allocated quantity on a component line. Note that this screen pops up separately for each component line being issued.

• • Without this setting enabled, it will always issue the allocated quantity (which might not be the full component line quantity).

• Show traceable issue adjustment screen.
  • When allocating traceable items to a works order, you are always prompted to select the batch/serial numbers to allocate.

• Without the “show traceable issue adjustment screen” setting enabled; the traceable items allocated will automatically be issued – the user won’t be given the option to select new batch / serials.
• With this setting enabled however, a pop-up will appear when issuing to re-select / confirm the batch or serial numbers to be issued.

• Allow part un-issue of component lines.
  • If this is enabled, then a screen will be shown when un-issuing component lines allowing the user to select the quantity to un-issue.

• Without this setting enabled, it will always un-issue the full previously issued quantity.

• Allocate on issue.
  • By default, the workflow for issuing component items to works orders is to first allocate the items, and then secondly issue them. If items have not been allocated, then it would not be possible to issue them.
  • Enabling this setting bypasses the requirement to allocate a line before issuing it – essentially removing the need to allocate from the workflow.

• When unissuing.
  • Radio buttons here give the choice of whether to unissue the component back to the bin it originally came from, prompt the user to select a bin to return it to or have a specific bin specified, which will be created if it doesn’t exist on that stock item.

13.8. WOP SETTINGS 8. Pre-allocations

“Pre-allocation” is the concept of allocating stock before you physically have it. With standard Sage 200 this isn’t possible – you can only allocate stock when you have taken receipt of it. This presents a risk that stock bought or made for a specific purpose might not actually be used for that purpose.

With pre-allocations, you can essentially allocate stock before I have even been received – can pre-allocate stock ordered on a PO, or items still in production on a WO. In scenarios where the PO or WO has been created for a specific purpose a pre-allocation will be applied – and when those goods are received/built then they will be automatically allocated immediately on receipt (depending on the “do not ask” setting below…)

• Show all purchase orders when linking to a component.
  • While amending a works order, you can right click on a component line and choose to ‘Link to Purchase Order’ to create a pre-allocation from the purchase order to this component. Ordinarily, you would only see Live purchase orders in the list of purchase orders displayed, but if you enable this setting then all purchase orders (including completed ones) would appear. This enables you to link works order components to completed purchase orders to reflect where they came from.

• Do not ask to allocate preallocated lines.
  • This setting refers exclusively to the pre-allocation of sub-assembly works orders to a parent works order.
  • In this scenario, the expected process would be for you to complete the sub-assembly works order – which would automatically allocate the completed items onto the parent works order.
  • However, if you have some of the sub-assembly in free stock (i.e., over & above those being created on the sub-assembly works order), then you may choose to allocate the line on the parent works order from free stock.

• Doing so (selecting to manually allocate a sub-assembly item which is already has a preallocation) will result in:
  • Setting not enabled – nothing will happen. Line will not be allocated.
  • Setting enabled – a pop-up will advise that since the line is pre-allocated, if you proceed with the manual allocation then the pre-allocation must first be deleted.

• Issue after pre-allocation received.
  • The workflow for issuing component items to works orders is to first allocate them, then issue them.
  • For items pre-allocated (either to a linked PO, or linked WO for sub-assembly items), the allocation will take place automatically when the linked PO is received / WO booked – you will be default however still need to issue the item.
  • With this setting enabled, then once any preallocation has been received (i.e., from a purchase order receipt, or a works order being booked), then the component that the preallocation was linked to will be automatically issued.

13.9. WOP SETTINGS 9. Sub Assembly

• Expand BOMs to include sub-assembly components.
  • When creating a works order, if this setting is enabled, then any sub-assembly items will be “exploded” to show their component parts.
  • If enabled – and the next setting (Create works order for each sub assembly) is turned off – then subassembly components will be listed as normal components of the parent item works order.
  • For example:
    • Header BOM = 1 * part A, 1 * part B, 1 * subassembly C
    • Sub-assembly C BOM = 1* part D, 1 * part E
    • When a WO was created for created for the header BOM, then the list of components will be a simple flat list, with the sub-assembly components exploded out:
      • 1 * part A, 1 * part B, 1 * part E, 1 * part E
    • Note that if this setting is disabled, then all the below settings will be of no relevance / will be greyed out.

Top level BOM

Sub-assembly BOM

Works Order for top level BOM – with sub-assembly exploded to components.

• Create separate works orders for each sub assembly.
  • With this setting enabled, then instead of sub-assembly components being exploded into a flat last alongside the parent item components, instead separate works orders will be created for each sub-assembly.
  • e. in example given above.
    • Create WO 001 for 1 * Header BOM
    • Component parts of this WO 001 with be – 1 * part A, 1 * part B, 1 * subassembly C
    • Separately a WO will be created for the sub-assembly – WO 001/1 – with components – 1* part D, 1 * part E.
  • The sub-assembly WO will be pre-allocated to the parent WO.

• Always ask before creating sub assembly.
  • On creating a works order which has a sub-assembly item, a pop-up will be presented with options on how you’d like to proceed.
  • Note that you must select at least one option – it’s not possible to proceed with all options ‘unticked’.
  • It is however to select multiple options – i.e., if 5 of the sub assembly are required then you can pick 2 of option 1, and 3 of option 2.
  • Options are:
    • Create a sub assembly. This will create a new works order to build the sub assembly and pre-allocate the finished items on that sub assembly WO to the parent WO.
    • Pick from stock. If you have some of the sub assembly items in stock, you can select to use those items.
    • Use existing sub-assembly. If you have live WOs for the sub assembly item that haven’t already been pre-allocated to other orders, then you can select to apply a pre-allocation to the existing WO.
    • Use existing purchase order. If the sub assembly is a ‘Buy or Build’ item, then you may have open purchase orders for the sub assembly item. Similar to option 3, you can choose to apply a pre-allocation to that existing PO.

• Allocate sub assembly item from free stock if available.
  • If this setting is not enabled, then a WO to build sub assembly items will always be created when creating a WO for a BOM that has sub assemblies – irrespective of whether you actually have some of the sub assembly item in stock.
  • If “always ask” is turned on, then:
    • If “allocate from free stock” is turned on – then the ask form will default to trying to take from free stock if available (but user will still need to confirm / have option to change).

• If “allocate from free stock” is turned off – then the ask form will default to trying to create a new sub assembly works order (but user will still need to confirm / have option to change).

• Show creation screen if no free stock but purchase order available.
  • The workflow for issuing component items to works orders is to first allocate them, then issue them.

Note that all the above sub assembly settings are system defaults that can be over-ridden at the stock item level.

On the Sicon > WOP tab on the stock item record, you have the option to select the sub assembly option – and the selection here will override the system default:

13.10. WOP SETTINGS 10. Sub Contract

• Book Finished Item when receiving Subcontract.
  • When a Works Order has a sub-contract operation, you’ll be able to see & process that operation from the Subcontract tab of the Works Order

• From here you can raise a PO for the sub-contract operation, mark the goods as despatched to the sub contractor; and mark as received back when sub contractor has completed their work (Note – all can also be done from the Processing > Subcontract Management menu option).
• With this setting enabled, when you mark the sub-contract PO as being received back, then – so long as all other component items have been issued, and all other operations marked as complete – then the system will automatically prompt you to book in the completed WO at the same time.
• For example, the Book screen will automatically open after receipting the subcontract PO.

On receipting subcontract PO:

WO Book screen will automatically open to prompt you to book the finished items on the WO (only when all component lines issues / all other operations complete).

• Exclude Subcontract Component Lines.
  • This setting determines the text that will appear as the item description for sub-contract POs created.

On a BOM, it is possible to link individual components to an operation.

• If this is the case with a subcontract operation, then you’ll see the linked components against the subcontract operation (on the sub-contract tab of the WO) and be able to allocate the components to the operation.

• With this setting enabled, the PO raised to the sub-contractor will have a single item – referencing the WO number and the code/name of the item being manufactured.

• Whereas with this setting disabled, the PO created will be separate line items for each component item linked to the operation:

13.11. WOP SETTINGS 11. Booking

• Allow Book before issuing all components.
  • The final quantity of finished items on a works order cannot be booked until sufficient component items have been issued. I.e., if manufacturing 5 items, then you will not be able to book in the 5^th finished item until all components have been issued.
  • This setting does not impact that – even when enabled, you will not be able to book the final quantity of finished items until all components have been issued. If trying to do so, you’ll get this error:

• Instead, this setting relates only to partial bookings on Works Orders.
• With this setting disabled, when you book in a partial number of finished items, the “Back Flush” routine will automatically be triggered.
• This will essentially force you to have issued sufficient components to have build the finished items (or – if you don’t have sufficient component items – will potentially prevent you from booking in the finished items).

• With this setting enabled however…
  • No back-flush routine will be triggered when part booking in the finished items.
  • An estimated unit cost will be applied to those items, based on the expected cost of the works order (i.e., if expected total cost of WO is £1,000 for 5 items, and you book in 2, then they will be given a unit cost of £200 each).
  • On final booking – i.e., when you book in the final finished item – a balancing transaction may be required to ensure the total cost of the WO has been spread across the finished items completed. I.e., in above example of 2 items having been part booked for £200 each, if components on the WO are then fully issued, and but costs are less than expected, so total cost of the WO is £900, then:
    • First 2 items will have been booked in at cost of £200 each.
    • Final 3 items booked in at £175 each (being £900 total cost, less already absorbed by part booked items £400 = £500, divided by 3 finished items).
  • You must be aware therefore that this setting may result in finished items on a single Works Order being booked in at different unit costs (if not all booked at the same time).
  • Due to the increased complexity of postings required for this scenario, manual completion of the WO is forced when there has been a part booking – i.e., booking in the final item on the WO won’t automatically complete the WO. It will change the status to “Booked”, and you will need to manually complete the WO (from the Works Orders > Complete Works Order menu option).

• Never ask to continue with booking if not completing (just book).
  • Linked to the above setting.
  • If you have “allow book before issuing all component” enabled and have performed a part-booking – then as described above, the WO will require to be manually completed.
  • By default, a pop-up warning appears when doing the final booking advising you of this fact.

• • Enabling this setting will stop this prompt from appearing.

• Default Batch Number to Works Order Number.
  • Only relevant for when manufacturing items that are in a traceable product group.
  • If the finished item on a works order is batch traceable, then the batch number created will default to the works order number.

• Only applicable for stock items that do not auto generate their batch numbers (if auto generation is turned on, that batch number will set to the next automatic number).

• Finished item variance warning.
  • This setting enables you to specify a threshold which will trigger a message advising the user that they have changed the finished item quantity on a works order by a greater percentage than specified here.
  • On a works order, you can amend the quantity of finished items being manufactured, by pressing “Edit” on the Finished Products section of the works order.
  • If you set a variance of anything other than 0 (if zero, then the setting is essentially disabled) then changing the quantity by greater than that variance percentage will trigger a warning prompt.

• • Note that this setting relates to when changing the finished item quantity of a works order, but not the quantity of component items. I.e., does not refer to when changing the quantity on the header of the WO (at which point you will get a prompt asking if you want to update all the component quantities & operation times for the new finished item quantity).

• • Instead, this setting is really to be used when manufacturing items where yields will vary – and it’s not possible to determine the exact finished item quantity in advance.
• Reduce Line Quantity when booking.
  • When booking in the finished item on a works order, if any component lines have not been fully issued then reduce the quantities of them to the amount issued.
  • This setting essentially overrides the rule that requires 100% of components to have been issued before the final finished item on a WO is booked in (technically rule still applies, but is circumnavigated by reducing the component quantity required so it is 100% issued).

• Remove unused lines when booking.
  • When booking in the finished item on a works order, if any component lines have not had any quantity issued, then remove the component lines from the works order.
  • This setting essentially overrides the rule that requires 100% of components to have been issued before the final finished item on a WO is booked in (technically rule still applies but is circumnavigated by removing components not issued from the list of requirements).
  • This setting has an “either or” relationship with the next setting – “zero unneeded lines” – if this setting is enabled, the “zero unneeded lines” setting cannot be enabled (and vice versa).

• Zero unneeded lines when booking.
  • When booking in the finished item on a works order, if any component lines have not had any quantity issued, then zero the quantities on those component lines.
  • This setting essentially overrides the rule that requires 100% of components to have been issued before the final finished item on a WO is booked in (technically rule still applies but is circumnavigated by zeroing the required quantity of components not issued – thus zero required, zero issued = 100% issued).
  • This setting has an “either or” relationship with the previous setting – “remove unused lines” – if this setting is enabled, the “remove unused lines” setting cannot be enabled (and vice versa).

• Use by date on finished item is the earliest component use by date.
  • Relevant only for finished items in a traceable product group, where Use by dates have been enabled on the stock item.

• • Also, only relevant where the works order has components which are traceable items (with use by dates).
  • When allocating traceable component items (and depending on settings optionally when issuing), you have to select the batch/serial numbers of the component item to allocate:

• Then when booking in finished items on the works order, the module will automatically set the use by date of the finished items as the earliest use by date of all traceable component items issued.
• E.g. if WO has 2 batches of traceable component issued to it – one with a use by date of 30/9/22, and the other with a use by date of 31/5/22 – then the finished item batch would be given a use by date of the earlier of these, 31/5/22.

• Sell by date on finished item is the earliest component sell by date.
  • Same functionality as the setting above (use by dates) – but this time for sell by dates.

• Enable finished item tab.
  • Enabling this setting will activate the “Finished Products” tab on the create/amend Works Order screen.
  • This tab is only required when a single works order creates multiple finished items – i.e., one works order create X item A, and Y item B – which you can do by pressing Add on the Finished Products section of the create/amend Works Order screen.

• This is the only scenario where this setting should be enabled.
• The Finished Item tab on the Works Order will then allow you to enter how the total cost of the Works Order is to be split across the two finished items.

• Note that there is one other scenario where you will have 2 (or more) finished products on a Works Order – where you are using By Products. By Products can be added to the BOM Record – such that when you build the BOM, it will also add into the stock the specified By Products. By Products are always booked into stock at zero cost, therefore will not appear on the Finished Products tab for you to allocate cost to them.

Please also note, it is not possible to book works orders with multiple finished items through the Process Works Order screen (used for processing multiple works orders at once).  Instead, these need to be booked in on the individual works order.

• Allow time entry on completed Works Orders.
  • By default, labour/machine time can be entered for open Works Orders – i.e., before they are complete.
  • Enabling this setting will allow labour/machine times to be entered against a Works Order even after it has been completed.
  • However – the cost of these late posted time entries will not be included in the cost of works order, or the cost applied to the finished item(s).

• Use short dates on serial numbers.
  • When the finished product on a Works Order is set to use serial numbers, and set to automatically generate the serial number, then when booking in finished items on a works order the serial numbers will be automatically populated.

• If the automatic generation option (on the stock item record) is one of the options that uses date, then the serial numbers generated will be in the form of YYYYMMDD.
• Enabling this setting changes this such that serial numbers generated when booking in finished items on Works Orders (note – and only in this instance. Doesn’t have any impact for example on manually adding stock), the automatically generated serial numbers will be in the format YYMM.

• Allow changing the finished item quantity when booking.
  • The finished good quantity field is by default locked when booking in finished items on a works order.
  • The recommended method for changing the quantity of finished items being manufactured on a works order is to do so on the header of the WO – as doing so will give a prompt for you to re-calculate the component quantities & operation times to match the new finished item quantity.

• Enabling this setting allows you to amend the finished goods quantity field when booking in. Note that doing so at this stage has no impact on component quantities.

13.12. WOP SETTINGS 12. Quotations & Sales Orders

General Sales Order / Quotation Settings

• Always use standard works numbering
  • With this setting disabled (default), Works Orders generated from a Sales Orders (via any method, workflow options, Generate WO from SO) will be given the SO number by default as the WO number also (in the format of SOnumber/SOLineSequenceNumber – i.e. WO for the 3rd item on SO 0000000123 would be given WO number 123/3).
  • With this setting enabled, instead the standard Works Order Number format set on the Numbering & Document tab will be applied.

• Update Works Order Number to Sales Order Number
  • Works in conjunction with the above setting. If that is disabled, the Works Order generated from a Sales Orders will always be given the SO number as the WO number also. This setting doesn’t change this – i.e., disabling this setting doesn’t stop the SO number being used as the WO in these circumstances.
  • Instead, this setting applies only to where a works order is pre-allocated to a sales order after original WO creation. When you create this pre-allocation, a prompt will appear asking if you want to change the WO number to match the SO number.
  • This setting is disabled if standard Works Order Numbering is being used.”

• Use sales order line requested date instead of promised date.
  • When a Works Order is generated from a Sales Orders (via any method, workflow options, Generate WO from SO, or via MRP suggestions), by default the Due Date of the WO will be set to be one day before the Promised Delivery Date of the SO Line.
  • With this setting enabled, it will instead use the Requested Delivery Date.

• Copy linked Works Orders when copying Sales Orders and Quotes.
  • With this setting enabled, if you use the Sales Order Copy Order button to copy an existing Sales Order – if that Sales Order is linked to a Works Order (i.e. has a preallocation from a Works Order), then that Works Order will be copied also (and the new WO preallocated to the new SO).

• Update Works Order Due Date when changing Sales Order Promised Dates.
  • When a Works Order is pre-allocated to a Sales Order – with this setting enabled if subsequently change the SO line promised date, you will be prompted to also update the WO due date to match.

• Convert Estimates to Works Orders when converting Quotes to Sales Orders.
  • When enabled, when you convert a SOP Quotation (that has an Estimate linked to it) to a Sales Order using the SOP > Quotations > Convert Quotation to Sales Order menu option, you will also be prompted to convert the linked estimate into a works order (which will be pre-allocated to the new sales order).

• Set Converted Works Order Project to the Sales Order Line Project.
  • Only applicable when Sicon Projects is also installed, the “Enable.
  • With this setting enabled, when you generate a Works Order from a Sales Order (either via the Generate WO from SO menu option; using workflow settings; or creating suggested WOs in MRP), then the WO generated will be linked to the same projects as the SO.

Sales Order Line

Works Order

• Update quote cost when closing estimate.
  • Estimates can be created from (and linked to) Sales Order quotations – via the “Create Estimate” button on the New/Amend Quotations form.
  • With this setting enabled, each time the Estimate opened/amended & then closed, the total cost of the estimate will be written into the unit / kit cost of the quotation line.

Estimate

Quotation Unit Cost

Sales Order Workflow Settings

• Activate workflow options.
  • This option activates the sales order workflow when sales orders are saved/closed. To enable this option, select the tick box below and choose the appropriate further option with the radio buttons. Once enabled, when users save a sales order, an additional window will be displayed prompting them to create whichever options have been selected in these settings.

• Create Works Order for Sales Order.
  • Prompts to create a single empty works order for the entire sales order. Note that even if the Sales Order has multiple lines, only a single Works Order will be created.
  • If this option is enabled, the user will be asked whether they would like to create a works order for a sales order when closing the sales order.  This will create an empty works order and link the works order to the sales order.
  • NB: This option works best when auto numbering for sales order processing is turned off, as the process will then match the works order number and sales order number together.
  • The following steps are followed if this option is on:
  • When saving/closing the new sales order, the user will be asked whether they would like to create a works order for the sales order or not.

• • If Yes is selected, a screen will appear asking for the works order / sales order number, as well as the works order name and default warehouse.

• • After this, the works order is created and linked to the sales order; the works order number should match the sales order number.
  • Importantly, the Works Order created will be empty – it will not have exploded out the component parts of any BOMs on the Sales Order.

• If the user views or amends the sales order, the linked works order will be listed in the Works Orders tab of the Sales Order.

• Create Works Order and Project for Sales Order.
  • Only applicable where you have Sicon Projects also installed, and the “Enable Project Integration” setting is turned on.
  • Prompts to create a single empty works order and a single project in Sicon Projects for the entire sales order.
  • This will create an empty works order (as described in setting above) and will also create a new project. The works order will be linked to the new project.
  • The following steps are followed if this option is on:
  • When saving/closing the new sales order, the user will be asked whether they would like to create a works order and project for the sales order.

• If Yes is selected, a screen will appear confirming the works order / sales order number, as well as prompting for the works order name and default warehouse.  In addition, some extra Project fields are available that will be recorded on the Project.

• This screen displays the status for each line on the sales order whether a works order (and, where relevant project) has been created.
• Tick the lines that you want to create WOs (and Project, depending on specific setting), optionally change the quantity that you would like to build, then then click the Create Works Orders/Create Works Order and Projects to create works orders (and projects) for the selected lines.
• If the sales order line is a built stock item line that is not fully allocated, then the stock item on the line will be added as a finished item on the works order, the works order will be populated with the components and cost items from the BOM.
• If projects are created as well, then the works orders will be linked to the job.
• If not, all lines are selected, then this form will appear again if amending & saving the Sales Order – giving you the option to create WOs for the remaining lines on the SO. Selecting the Close (don’t ask again) button will stop this prompt appearing again in future for this Sales Order.

13.13. WOP SETTINGS 13. User Settings

Disable Works Order Modification

• It is possible to control which users will not be able to amend works orders.
• For any user selected, the Add, Remove & Edit buttons on the Materials tab will be disabled.

Available Warehouses **NEW FEATURE**

• It is also possible to limit the warehouses individual users can select when creating works orders.
• Users will need to come out of Sage and re-open before changes will take effect.

13.14. WOP SETTINGS 14. Projects

• Enable Project Integration.
  • Enables Sicon Projects integration with Works Order Processing – allowing Works Orders to be linked to Projects.

• • When linked, on completion of the Works Order, a single cost transaction will have posted to the Project (type = Stock) for the full cost of the Works Order.
• Default project number.
  • If you wanted to link all works orders to the same job, then you can select that job number here.

• Use cost header nominal when issuing.
  • With this setting enabled, the component stock item will be checked to see if it has an Issues job header specified. The job number will then be checked to see if a job header nominal override has been specified for this job header on this job, and if so, the stock will use that nominal code instead of the usual one specified by the internal area that Works Order Processing would normally use.

13.15. WOP SETTINGS 15. Sheet Calculations

The sheet calculator is a tool (at Sicon Works Order Processing > Utilities > Sheet Usage Calculator) designed to let you calculate the number of two-dimensional parts that could be cut from a single sheet.

This tool lets you select the stock code being ‘cut’ (and enter dimensions & the quantity required) and the stock code of the sheet being cut from (and the dimensions of the sheet).

Lastly, you are able to enter the spacing required between each item being cut, and the trim at each edge of the sheet.

With this information, you can then calculate the number of parts that can be cut from a sheet (or the number of sheets required to cut a defined number of parts).

The settings here allow you to set the default values for this calculator.

13.16. WOP SETTINGS 16. Stock Transfers

These settings control how the Stock Transfers option works – at Sicon Works Order Processing > Utilities > Stock Transfers. It is designed as an enhanced stock transfer feature, allowing stock transfers to be separately despatched & received, rather than being a simple one step process like the Sage transfer stock feature.

• Last transfer number.
  • Each stock transfer created is given a sequential transfer number.
  • This setting determines the last (and therefore the next) transfer number.
  • Pressing Unlock will allow you to manually change this number.

• Default origin warehouse.
  • For any stock transfer you have to select which warehouse you are transferring from; and which warehouse you are transferring to. The “from” warehouse will default to that set here.

• Enable courier selection.
  • Enabling this setting will add a “Courier” field to the stock transfer form.
  • User will be able to select from the couriers created in the Maintain Couriers button.

• Enable delivery code selection.
  • Enabling this setting will add a “Delivery Code” field to the stock transfer form.
  • User will be able to select from the couriers created in the Maintain Delivery Codes button.

• Stock transfer transit warehouse.
  • The whole purpose of the Sicon Stock Transfer routine is to replace the simple one step stock transfer routine in the Stock Control module with a two-step process (despatch, then later receive) that more closely mirrors real life stock transfers.
  • After creating a stock transfer, you are able to first despatch it from the “From Warehouse”; and then later receive it into the “To Warehouse”.
  • The stock transit warehouse defined here is the middle step – stock will be transferred from the From warehouse to the Transit warehouse, and then from the Transit warehouse to the To warehouse.
  • The Transit warehouse therefore should be a stock location created (in Stock Control Settings) purely to track transfers that are in transit.

• Stock transfer internal area.
  • Similar to the concept of the transit warehouse described above, but for allocations.
  • The full process for Sicon stock transfers is actually:
    • Select the items to be transferred.
    • Allocate those items.
    • Print a picking list.
    • Despatch the items from the From location.
    • Receive the items at the To location.
  • At the allocation stage, an “internal allocation” is performed – and the internal area set here is the internal area used for the allocation.

• Enable bin selection.
  • With this setting enabled, as well as selecting the From & To warehouses, you are also able to select the bin locations at each that the stock should be transferred from / to.

Without bin selection enabled:

With bin selection enabled:

• Set default “To Bin” to the highest priority bin.
  • If enabled, then the “To” bin will default to the bin with the highest priority (i.e., 2 being the highest, 9 the lowest), as set in the stock record, locations tab.

• Internal area to use when auto issue items on receipt.
  • On the stock record, Sicon > Stock Transfers tab, it is possible to set an item as “auto issue when received”.

• • With this setting on the stock record enabled, immediately on receipt of a stock transfer, the item will immediately be issued again to an internal area. I.e., workflow of transfer will be:
    • Transfer from Warehouse 1
    • Receive into Warehouse 2
    • Issue to internal area (which essentially removes the item from free stock)
  • The “Internal Area to use” setting defines which Internal Area that the stock items are issued to.

• Ready to pick.
  • The stock transfers screen has a column indicating whether a transfer is ready to pick.

• This can be set to Yes either:
  • Automatically when the picking list is printed.
  • Automatically when stock is fully allocated.
  • Manually – using this flag on the stock transfer form:

13.17. WOP SETTINGS 17. Stock Control Settings

The following settings in the standard Sage 200 Stock Control module will affect the functionality of works order processing.

• Integrate Stock Management with the Nominal Ledger.
  • If integration is turned off, then no nominal postings are made for stock movements.
  • As such, the nominal postings described herein won’t actually take place.
  • This includes:
    • Stock issues
    • Labour & machine time postings
    • Nonstock items
    • Booking in finished goods

• Batch & Serial Numbered Items.
  • The “Number specified when goods issued” setting determines whether you have to select traceable items when allocating stock to a sales order; or whether selection is deferred until the point that items are despatched.
  • This same setting controls the point at which traceable component items need to be selected – at allocation, or at issue (if setting is set to “despatching”).

• Internal Areas.
  • Works Order Processing uses stock internal areas when making stock transactions to works orders. For example, component issues to works orders are performed by doing “internal issues”.
  • Internal areas created in Stock Control settings each have a nominal code and it is this nominal code that it is used for the debit posting of any stock issues (the credit going to the stock nominal code).

13.18. WOP SETTINGS 18. WOP settings on Stock Item

Within the Sicon tab on the stock record is a WOP area that can be selected by clicking on it within the vertical bar to the left.

From here you can set Works Order related settings specific to this stock item (which will often over-ride the global settings).

• Default Production Lead Time.
  • By default, production time for built items is calculated based on the operations on the works order. I.e., if a works order has a single operation with estimated time of 10 hours, then expected completion time of works order will be 10 hours after the start time (taking into consideration # of working hours in the day to calculate start & end dates).
  • If, however the “Only use Production Lead time for Works Orders” setting is enabled (see 11.6 Date Settings), then then instead manufacturing time will be deemed to be the number of days entered here.
  • If default production lead time is entered as 3 days – then when creating a Works Order, then expected due date will be calculated as 3 days after the start date.
  • Field will be greyed out for component items (i.e., items that don’t have a BOM).

• Min batch size.
  • If a value is entered here, AND the below “Split by max batch size” setting is enabled, then a prompt will appear if trying to create a works order for a quantity less than the minimum, suggesting that you increase the WO quantity.

• Max batch size.
  • If a value is entered here, AND the below “Split by max batch size” setting is enabled, a prompt will appear if trying to create a works order for a quantity greater than the maximum, suggesting that you split the total quantity across multiple works orders.
  • By default, the total quantity will be rounded up to be a round multiple of the maximum batch size (i.e., if total quantity required is 48, with max batch size of 10 – five WOs for 10 each will be created).

• • Additionally, this will be honoured by suggested works orders created by MRP (if you have a demand for 50 with a max batch size of 10, then MRP will create five works orders for 10 each).
• Split by max batch size.
  • This setting has to be enabled for the Min & Max build size settings to work.

Further information on batch sizes is available in the Additional Manufacturing Information, Economical Batch Sizes section here: https://www.sicon.co.uk/user-guide/additional-manufacturing-information/

• Do not round up.
  • In conjunction with the Max build size setting, any works order generated would not be rounded up to the max batch size if this setting was enabled. I.e., if total quantity required is 48, with max batch size of 10 – then four WOs for 10 each; and one WO for 8 will be created.

• Add exta quantity setting activated.
  • This setting can be used for certain built items to force manufacture of more items than are required. This would typically be used for testing purposes i.e., to create additional item(s) purely for testing that won’t be booked into stock.
  • e. if extra quantity is set to “2”, and you have demand for 10 of a finished item, the WO will be created:
    • Finished product quantity will be 10.
    • Component quantity however will be equal to the required components to make 12.
    • The cost of the 2 “extra” items made but not booked into stock will be capitalised into the cost of the 10 finished products booked.
  • The extra quantity to add is set in the Works Order Settings > Materials tab (refer to section 11.7) and is the same for all items – it’s not possible to have different extra quantities for different stock items.

• Bulk issue item.
  • This will mark the item as a bulk issue item, and it will be processed accordingly. Bulk issue items are intended to be high volume, low value items – for which you don’t rely on Sage managing stock levels. Typical example would be a bucket of screws – where you would buy more when they level in the bucket got low, but you wouldn’t particularly care exactly how many you had.
  • Bulk issue items will appear on the list of required components on a works order (so they will appear on the picking list). By default, however, no allocate or issue transaction takes place – and the cost of the bulk issue items won’t be capitalised into the cost of the manufactured item.
  • E.g. if manufacturing an item with 2 components – 1 * A (costing £100) and 1 * B (a bulk issue item, costing £5). Stock levels before processing the WO is 1 of each item. After allocating, issuing & booking the WO:
    • The finished item will have been booked into stock at £100 (i.e., excludes the bulk issue item).
    • Stock item A will now have zero in stock (because it was issued to the WO).
    • Stock item B (the bulk issue item) will still have 1 in stock.
  • Note that there is a setting which will change how bulk issue items are treated – causing them to be issued & costed to works orders in the same way as “normal” items. Refer to 11.7 Materials settings.

• Do not included in subcontract lists.
  • When a works order has a sub-contract operation, you can use the Subcontract Management tool to manage the full process. Refer to section 5.6 for full details.
  • This process involves:
    • Assign component parts to send to the sub-contractor.
    • Create PO.
    • Allocate any assigned component parts.
    • Despatch to sub-contractor.
    • Receive back from sub-contractor.
  • Ticking this setting on a component stock item will result in this item not being selectable in the first step of this, i.e., not being shown in the list of component parts able to be selected to send to the sub-contractor.
  • E.g. in the below screenshot, component AT2 is on the WO as a required material but has the “do not include in sub-contract lists” setting ticked. The WO has a sub-contract operation and when adding the components to send to the sub-contractor, component AT2 is not listed.

• Issue full batch.
  • Only selected when traceable items are set to be selected at despatch/issue (in Stock Control Settings).

• • This setting allows you to issue an entire batch of a component to a works order – where batch quantity is greater than the requirement quantity. When used, you are then prompted at WO booking to confirm how many of the batch you are returning to stock.
  • I.e., a food manufacturer may issue ingredients to a works order by carrying a full container of something over to the production line, issue, then weight the container when finished to weigh how much is left (and therefore exactly how much was issued). This setting will allow this.
  • When issuing the component, a further pop-up will appear which will let you select a batch to issue from – and enter a quantity to issue greater than the requirement.

• • That amount will then be issued to the works order.

• • When you book in the completed finished items on the Works Order, you’ll then be prompted for how much of that component you’d like to return to stock.

• Auto Select Traceable Items.
  • This setting is used exclusively in conjunction with the preceding setting (issue full batch). I.e., if the issue full batch setting isn’t enabled, then this setting will do nothing.
  • Enabling this setting will amend the ‘issue full batch’ process such that the user won’t be prompted to select the batch that should be issued. Instead, the system will automatically select the oldest batch (that has sufficient quantity to meet the requirement)

• When adding this item to a Works Order.
  • If this item is a subassembly, then you can specify an override to the system defaults set on the Sub Assembly tab of Works Order Processing settings (see section 11.9), as to whether this item should either create a sub assembly, take from stock or always ask.

• Default warehouse when component.
  • This setting would override the system default re which warehouse component items should be picked from on the Warehouse tab (see section 11.3) in Works Order Processing settings for this stock item code when it is a component on a Works Order.

• Default warehouse when finished item.
  • This setting would override the system default re which warehouse finished items should be booked into on the Warehouse tab (see section 11.3) in Works Order Processing settings for this stock item code when it is a finished item on a Works Order.

• On adding line to works order round quantity up to.
  • When this stock item is a component on the works order, this setting controls how many decimal places the quantity will be rounded to.

• Round up purchase quantity to.
  • When MRP makes a purchase order recommendation, this setting controls how many decimal places the suggested quantity will be rounded to.

• Label Printing
  • Allows you to select a default label report template that you would like printed whenever you book in any finished items for this stock code. The label report files selected here will override those selected in the Numbering & Documents tab of Works Order Processing Settings (refer to section 11.1).

Routing for WOP

• • Requires the “set default routing on stock item” setting in Works Order Processing settings,
  • In Works Order Processing > Maintenance > Areas, you can create a list of workshop areas. These are designed to be used for tracking works orders – so you can track them across the different areas of the workshop.
  • With areas created, you can then create a routing – that is create the sequence that each works order will travel through each area (i.e., the route).
  • You can also specify a Routing for this stock item, which will override the default routing specified in the Areas screen for this stock item.

Set Default Routing on Stock Item

• • Works Order Processing allows you to create “Areas” which can then be used to track a works order across production.
  • Areas are created at Sicon Works Order Processing > Maintenance > Areas.

• • With Areas, you can set a routing for finished items – tracking how production will flow across the shop floor.
  • The route here on the stock record will define the route that any Works Orders for this item will take.
  • Works Orders can then be tracked (and progressed) across their route on the header of the WO.

• • Or using the Work List feature (refer to section 5.5).

14. Nominal Postings

Introduction

This document serves as a reminder of which nominal postings and which nominal accounts are involved in certain processing within works order processing.  These examples are using the ACS/TOASTER for a component.

The works order internal area is setup as follows:

The Plumber was used as the labour item and is setup as follows:

The following diagram shows a summary of nominal movements for a general setup.

NB: Some settings in works order processing will alter which nominals to use, these are mentioned below.

Dates on Nominal Entries

All dates on nominal entries are based on which date the stock transactions are using. See the setting regarding Component Issue date on the Options tab in Works Order Processing settings.

Component Issue

In Settings, the internal area to use for components has to be set.  This internal area is used when issuing components.

When issuing a component, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is credited and the Nominal on the internal area is debited (WIP nominal).

Component Issue when using Production Issues Internal Area

If this setting is turned on, then this internal area is used instead of the components internal area if there are no finished items on the works order.  In this example, the internal area called Production Mat Issue is used and is setup as below.

In this case, when issuing a component, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is credited and the nominal on the Production Issues Internal Area is debited (probably Profit and Loss and in the region of cost of sales).

14.1. Un Issue

An Unissue transaction uses the same technique as an Add Stock, so that the correct cost price can be added.  When unissuing, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is debited and the nominal on the internal area used is credited.

14.2. Book In

The internal area to use when booking in finished items has to be setup in Works Order Processing Settings.  This internal area will not affect nominal postings (WOP always uses the nominal code associated with the first internal area specified for the WIP nominal account).

14.3. When using Finished Item Internal Area Nominal

When booking in finished items using the finished item internal area nominal code, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is debited (13101 in this example) and the nominal on the finished item internal area is credited (WIP nominal).  The value of this journal will include component costs and labour, and machine costs.

A journal for each labour and machine item will also be created.  In this case, 1 hours’ worth of labour at a cost of 10 pounds was on the works order.  Therefore, the nominal on the finished item internal area will have a positive value (debit WIP nominal) while the nominal on the cost item (plumber) will have a negative value (credit):

14.4. When NOT using Finished Item Internal Area Nominal

When booking in finished items and NOT using the finished item internal area nominal code, the stock nominal (Balance Sheet) on the stock item is debited and the issues nominal on the stock item is credited (44100 SAL COM in this example).  The value of this journal will include component costs and labour, and machine costs.

A journal for each labour and machine item will also be created.  In this case, 1 hours’ worth of labour at a cost of 10 pounds was on the works order.  Therefore, the issues nominal on the stock item will have a positive value (debit) while the nominal on the cost item (plumber) will have a negative value (credit).

14.5. Labour/Machine

The nominal journals to represent the cost items are only generated if the cost of the labour and machine items is added to the works order. This is setup in Settings:

Therefore, the nominal postings for booking in when labour and machine is excluded on cost of works order will only include the cost of the issued components.

14.6. Non-Stock Items

Non-stock items can also be added to the cost of a works order. This is done by selecting the option button Add nonstock items to the cost of works order.  A nominal code for the non-stock items has to be selected.

When the finished item is booked in, a journal entry for the non-stock item is represented by a positive value on the nominal of the finished item internal area (debit WIP nominal) * and a negative value on the non-stock item nominal set above (credit).

*This depends on the whether the internal area nominal code is used when booking in finished items.

14.7. Values on Nominal’s for Multiple Book Ins

The values on each of the previously mentioned nominal postings are equally divided according to the quantity booked into stock.  Therefore, if a finished item is partially booked in, then the values on the nominal postings will reflect this.

14.8. Un-Book a Finished Item of an existing Works Order

When doing an un-book of a finished item that is booked in, the nominal code used is based on the Use internal area nominal code when book in setting.  Therefore, the journal posting is the reverse of when booking in the finished item.

NB: The value of the journal is determined by Sage based on the costing method used and therefore may not be the same value as when the item was booked in.

Nominal entries for labour and machine items will be reversed:

Nominal entries for non-stock items will also be reversed.

15. Sicon Projects Integration

Works Order Processing can integrate with the Sicon Projects module, providing Sicon Projects is installed.  The integration has to be enabled via the Settings screen on the Projects Tab.

Once Sicon Projects integration is enabled, a project dropdown selection is available on the Amend Works Order screen to link the works order to a project.

The entire works order will appear as a single transaction on the project, within the Stock window in the Project Enquiry screen. The estimated cost will start out as a Committed cost on the project, and when the works order is completed, then this will be updated as an Actual cost on the project, reflecting the final cost of the works order.

Also on the Project Enquiry screen, a Works Orders tab is available to view the linked works orders to the selected project.

16. Costs

16.1. Estimate and Future Buying Prices

When a new works order is created, each component line is given a future buy price (estimated cost).  This value is calculated using the following algorithm and the value is always in the base currency.

The first decision step is based upon the setting below on the Estimate Costs tab within the settings screen in works order processing.

If the setting is off and the step therefore ignored, then the process of obtaining a cost value will simply move to the Is there a preferred supplier step.

16.2. View Costs on a Works Order

On a works order, the header field called Total cost for WO provides the estimate, average or actual cost of the works order.  By double clicking on this field, a summary screen will provide a break down of how this cost is calculated.

By double clicking further on the Cost of components field, a further break down of the components is provided, with details of how each cost has been derived.

The future buying price can also be viewed when editing a component line and can also be changed by the user when editing the component line.

17. Project integration

Sicon Works Order Processing can link to the Sicon Projects module, for integration between the two modules. With project integration enabled, there are a few additional things to note.

Project posting for booked in items.

If the setting Enable Project Integration is ticked along with the project Issue finished product to project. If the works order has been linked to the project, when booking in the finished item the WO will be booked to the Project and not to free stock, as would usually be expected.

In this example, the 1 finished product has been booked to project P00001.

In the stock list, the quantity of free stock will remain at 0 as the works order that was just created has been booked straight into the project and allocated accordingly.

18. Changes to Sage 200 screens

18.1. Receiving Purchase Orders

When receiving purchase orders in the regular POP Confirm Goods Received screen with Works Order Processing installed, there is an extra button at the bottom of the screen.

If you click this button when receiving a stock item, it will then display a list of works orders that are waiting for this item, in order for you to be able to immediately allocate the stock you are receiving to these works’ orders.

18.2. View Stock Balances

With Works Order Processing installed, two extra columns have been added to the View Stock Item Balances screen.

Both of these columns can be drilled into, and will show:

Quantity on WO: A list of works orders where this stock code is the finished product.

Allocated on WO: A list of works orders where this stock code is an allocated component.

The works orders can be viewed through these lists using the Show Details button.

18.3. Sales Orders

A Works Order tab has been added to sales orders which lists all works orders linked to lines on the sales order. This tab provides at a glance information relating to this sales order by displaying the status, area (if applicable) and due date of the works order.

From this tab, all of these work’s orders can be edited. A works order text field can be amended which will copy this text into the Sales order text field found on the Additional Information tab of any works orders created from this sales order.

There is also an Edit Works Order button on the sales order line itself, once the link exists.

Next to the Despatch Note button on the sales order line is a WO Comments button, which enables you to enter some comments that will be copied onto the Sales order line text field, found within the Additional Information tab of the works order.

When copying a sales order, via the Copy Order button in the Enter New Order screen, any works orders linked to the sales order that you are copying will also be copied onto the new order. After you save the new sales order, you will receive the following prompt asking if you would like the newly created works orders to have their numbers changed to reflect the new sales order number (generated at time of saving).

18.4. Sales Quotations

Sales Quotations link to Estimates, in the same way that Sales Orders link to Works Orders. When you copy a quotation (in the same way as copying a sales order above), then any linked estimates will also be copied onto the new quotation. When converting quotations to sales orders, any linked estimates can be converted into works orders. See the Estimates section previously in this guide for further information.

18.5. Amend Bill of Materials

A Byproducts tab has been added to the Amend Bill of Materials screen (and also Amend Bill of Materials (Elevated Privileges)). This enables you to specify one or more additional finished items that are produced when a works order for this bill of materials is booked in. These byproducts are always booked in at zero cost, the cost of the works order will be reflected in the normal finished products.

18.6. Create Sicon Works Orders from BOM Trial Kitting Screen

For sites who are using Trial Kitting within the Sage Bill of Materials Screen, there is an option to create the related Sicon Works Orders from directly within this screen.

After running trial kitting as required, from the Create button at the bottom of the screen the user can choose to create the related Sicon Works Orders.

This will display the next works order number and allow the user to specify the default due date.  Then the screen will show the works orders that will be created.

The due dates and warehouses can be changed per works order on this screen as required.  In the example above, stock is required to make the items, so the users can still use this screen to create purchase orders for the missing stock, in addition to the other options within Sage and Sicon Works Orders screens.

18.7. Amend Operation Record

An Attachments tab has been added to the Operation record screen, as well as an Inspection Operation checkbox. Any attachments added to the operation will then be copied onto new works orders that include that operation and can be viewed via the Attachments tab on that operation on the works order.

If the operation has been marked as being an Inspection Operation via that checkbox, then when viewing an operation on a works order, a Passed Inspection checkbox will be available that can be used to reflect this status.

An Area dropdown has also been added to the operation record in this screen. This enables you to tag each operation with an Area (as defined in Areas). As you then complete the operations on the works orders, this would then change the area on the works order to be that of the next operation in the sequence.

18.8. Amend Stock Item Details

In addition to the fields set on the WOP/MRP section of the Sicon tab, there is also a Works Order Cost Summary section. This shows the history of works orders where this stock item was a finished product, giving you cost breakdowns across the different elements that contribute to the total cost. Any works orders where elements cost more than the expected budget will be highlighted in red, otherwise they are displayed in green.

19. Release Notes

The release notes page shows which release of the system includes new features or issues resolved.

At the release of Sicon v21 we announced that going forward, we will only be supporting Sage 200c and as such we are able to drop the year from our version numbers. We moved from 201.201.0.0 to 210.0.0.

New features detailed in the Release Notes relating to Pre-Release versions will not be detailed in the current Help and User Guide until the end of development phase.

20. Help and User Guide Archive

21. New Features & Important Information