Work Plans (Routings) — Basics and Use
A routing (work plan) defines the sequence of operations required to manufacture a product. It specifies which work centers or machine centers are used, the time required for each operation, and the order in which operations are performed. In Business Central, routings work together with Production BOMs to provide complete manufacturing instructions.
How the Product Configurator Uses Routings
The Product Configurator can automatically generate routings from Routing Calculation Templates. When a product is configured, the configurator evaluates the routing template formulas — which may use product dimensions and properties — to calculate operation-specific setup times, run times, and other parameters.
This allows routings to be dynamically adapted to each product variant. For example, a larger box may require longer machine run times, and the configurator calculates these values automatically based on the configured dimensions.
Benefits of Routings
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Process guidance | Clear instructions for each manufacturing step |
| Time management | Planning of operation durations and workstation schedules |
| Resource allocation | Assignment of machines and personnel to production steps |
| Cost calculation | Accurate calculation of manufacturing costs based on time and resource usage |
Production Routes
Production Routes define which Production BOM and Routing combination to use for a specific item, variant, location, and production type. This allows different manufacturing setups for the same product depending on where and how it is produced.
- Choose the
icon, enter Production Routes, and then choose the related link. - The list displays all configured production routes with the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Item No. | The item for which this production route applies |
| Variant Code | The specific item variant (optional) |
| Location Code | The production location (optional) |
| Production Type Code | The type of production process |
| Production BOM No. | The Production BOM to use |
| Routing No. | The routing to use |
| BOM Calculation Template Code | An optional override for the BOM Calculation Template used by the configurator |
The Configurator action on the Production Routes page opens the product configurator directly, allowing you to configure or reconfigure the package and automatically generate or update the Production BOM and Routing.
Production Types
Production Types classify different manufacturing processes. They are simple code-description pairs that can be used to distinguish between production methods.
- Choose the icon, enter Production Types, and then choose the related link.
- Each production type has a Code and a Description.
Tip
Use Production Routes to define location-specific or production-type-specific manufacturing setups. This is particularly useful when the same product is manufactured differently at different facilities.