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Manufacturing companies use routings to visualize and direct the manufacturing process. The routing is the basis of process scheduling, capacity scheduling, scheduled assignment of material needs, and manufacturing documents.
As for production bills of material (BOMs), routings are assigned to the manufacturing end item. A routing holds master data that captures the process requirements of a given produced item. After a production order is created for an item, its routing governs the scheduling of operations as represented on the Prod. Order Routing page under the production order.
Before you can create a routing, the following setups must be in place:
- Item cards are created for parent items that take part in manufacturing. To learn more, go to Register New Items.
- Production resources are set up. To learn more, go to Set Up Work Centers and Machine Centers.
To create a routing
Select Search (Alt+Q)
in the upper-right corner, enter Routings, and then choose the related link.Choose the New action.
Fill in the fields as necessary. Hover over a field to read a short description.
In the Type field, select one of the following options:
- Serial to calculate the production routing according to the value in the Operation No. field.
- Select Parallel to calculate the operations according to the value in the Next Operation No. field. To learn more, go to Set up parallel operations in a routing.
To edit the routing, set the Status field to New or Under Development.
Proceed to fill in the routing lines.
In the Operation No. field, enter the number of the first operation, for example, 10.
In the Type field, specify which kind of resource is used, for example, Work Center.
In the No. field, select the resource to be used, or type it in the field.
In the Routing Link Code field, enter a code to connect the component to a specific operation. For more information, see To create routing links.
In the Run Time and Setup Time fields, enter the process times needed to perform the operation.
Note
Setup time is calculated per production order, whereas run time is calculated per produced item.
In the Concurrent Capacities field, specify how many units of the selected resource are used to perform the operation. For example, allocating two people to one packing operation halves the run time.
Continue to fill in lines for all operations involved in producing the item in question.
To copy lines from an existing routing, choose the Copy Routing action to select existing lines.
To activate the routing, in the Status field, choose Certified.
You can now attach the new routing to the card of the production item in question, by filling in the Routing No. field. To learn more, go to Register New Items.
Note
Remember to recalculate the item's standard cost from the Item card. Choose the Production action, the Calc. Production Std. Cost action, and then choose the All Levels action. You can also calculate and update the standard cost for one or many items on the Standard Cost Worksheet page. Learn more at Updating standard costs with the Standard Cost Worksheet.
To create routing links
You can create routing links to connect components to specific operations to retain their relationship even though the production BOM or routing is modified. Routing links also facilitate just-in-time flushing of components, namely when the specific linked operation starts, not when the complete production order is released. To learn more, go to Flush Components According to Operation Output.
Another important benefit is that linked components and operations display in a logical process structure when you use the Production Journal page to post output and consumption.
Select Search (Alt+Q)
in the upper-right corner, enter Routings, and then choose the related link.Open the routing that contains the operations that you want to link.
Make sure the routing status is Under Development.
On the relevant routing line, in the Routing Link Code field, select a code.
Add different routing link codes to other operations in the routing, if relevant.
Note
You shouldn't use the same routing link code in different operations on a routing because you might incorrectly link a component to two different operations, so that it is consumed two times.
It's a good idea to name the routing link code after the operation to ensure operation-specific routing links.
Set the routing status to Certified.
Tip
Certifying the routing is optional, though we do recommend it if it's ready to use. For example, if you're in the design phase, you can work with the routing in a uncertified state. Learn more at Work with uncertified production BOMs and routings.
Routing link codes are now assigned to operations. Next, you must create the actual link by assigning the same codes to specific components in the relevant production BOM.
Open the Production BOM that contains the components that you want to link to the above operations. To learn more, go to Create Production BOMs.
Make sure the BOM status is Under Development.
On the relevant production BOM line, in the Routing Link Code field, select the code that you assigned to the operation.
Proceed to add routing link codes to other components according to the unique operations where they're used.
Set the production BOM status to Certified.
Note
To enable the routing links on an existing production order, you must refresh the production order. To learn more, go to Create Production Orders.
The selected components are now linked to the selected operations when you create or refresh a production order using the production BOM and routing. This link is visible on the Prod. Order Components page under the production order. You can remove and add the routing link codes at any time.
To assign personnel, tools, and quality measures to routing operations
If you require personnel with qualifications, special knowledge, or special authorization for an operation, you can assign these personnel to the operation. In addition, you can assign tools and quality requirements to the operation. This procedure describes how to assign personnel. The steps are similar for other types of operation information.
- Select Search (Alt+Q)
in the upper-right corner, enter Routings, and then choose the related link.
- Open the relevant routing.
- On the Lines FastTab, select the line that you want to process, choose the Operations action, and then choose the Personnel action.
- Fill in the fields on the Routing Personnel page.
- Choose the OK button to exit the page. The entered values are copied and assigned to the operation.
To create a new version of a routing
The version principle enables you to manage several versions of a routing. The structure of the routing version corresponds to the structure of the routing consisting of the routing version header and the routing version lines. The starting date defines the basic difference.
Select Search (Alt+Q)
in the upper-right corner, enter Routings, and then choose the related link.Select the routing to copy, and then choose the Versions action.
On the Routing Versions page, choose the New action.
In the Version Code field, enter the unique identification of the version. You can use any combination of numbers and letters.
The newly created version is automatically assigned the status New.
Fill in the fields as necessary. Hover over a field to read a short description.
To create operation lines, select the first blank line, and then fill in the Operation No. field according to the sequence of operations.
The operation lines are in ascending order by operation numbers. To be able to make changes later, we recommend that you select adequate step widths. The Next Operation No. field refers to the next operation in the routing.
When you're done setting up the routing version, in the Status field, choose Certified.
Time fields on routing lines
Each routing operation has four time fields that together determine the total duration of the operation and the production lead time. All time fields use the unit of measure specified in the corresponding Unit of Measure Code field (for example, Setup Time Unit of Meas. Code).
| Time field | Purpose | Scaling |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Time | One-time preparation before work starts (for example, tool changes, machine calibration). | Fixed per operation. Doesn't scale with quantity. |
| Run Time | Processing time per unit produced. | Scales with quantity and lot size. |
| Wait Time | Queue or curing time after run time completes (for example, drying, cooling). | Fixed per operation. Doesn't consume work center capacity. |
| Move Time | Transit time to move parts to the next work center. | Fixed per operation. Doesn't consume work center capacity. |
The scheduling sequence for each operation is:
- Setup Time
- Run Time
- Wait Time
- Move Time
Wait time and move time don't consume capacity on the work center calendar, so they extend the elapsed duration but not the work center load.
Note
The Queue Time field on the work center card adds a buffer before an operation starts. Together with the four routing line fields, queue time helps provide an accurate overall production lead time.
Send-ahead quantity
The Send-Ahead Quantity field on a routing line enables lot overlapping between operations. When you specify a send-ahead quantity, the next operation can start processing a partial lot before the current operation finishes the full quantity.
For example, if operation 10 processes 100 units with a send-ahead quantity of 25, operation 20 can begin after operation 10 finishes the first 25 units. This approach reduces the total production lead time because operations run partially in parallel.
How send-ahead quantity works
- If the send-ahead quantity is greater than or equal to the total quantity, each operation must finish before the next one starts (standard sequential processing).
- If the send-ahead quantity is less than the total quantity, the scheduler calculates when the next operation can start based on the partial lot completion time.
- Send-ahead quantity works together with the time fields (setup, run, wait, and move) to determine exact overlapping schedules.
Tip
Use send-ahead quantity when consecutive operations use different work centers and the partial lot can physically move to the next station. If both operations share the same work center, overlapping might not be practical.
Routing scrap
Routing lines include two scrap fields that affect both scheduling and costing:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Scrap Factor % | A percentage of extra quantity that must be processed at this operation to compensate for expected scrap. |
| Fixed Scrap Quantity | An absolute number of extra units to process at this operation, regardless of lot size. |
How routing scrap differs from BOM scrap
- BOM scrap (on production BOM lines) increases the component quantity needed. It answers: How much more material do I need?
- Routing scrap (on routing lines) increases the quantity processed at each operation. It answers: How many extra units must I run through this operation?
Both scrap types are cumulative across operations. The formula for calculating the input quantity at an operation is:
$$\text{Input Qty} = \text{Output Qty} \times (1 + \text{Scrap Factor %}) + \text{Fixed Scrap Qty}$$
Business Central accumulates routing scrap from the last operation backward to the first. The Scrap Factor % (Accumulated) and Fixed Scrap Qty. (Accum.) fields on the production order routing line show the combined scrap across all subsequent operations.
Note
Routing scrap also affects standard cost calculations. The capacity cost for each operation is scaled by the accumulated scrap factor, which increases the standard cost of the produced item.
Work with uncertified production BOMs and routings
When you design or maintain production BOMs and routings, you might work with uncertified structures for extended periods. When you try to close an uncertified production BOM or version, Business Central shows a message such as:
- The Production BOM has not been certified. Are you sure you want to exit?
The notification is useful, but it can also become noise if it displays many times per day. If you're comfortable not being reminded that the BOM or routing isn't certified, you can turn off the notification. The setting applies only to you, and doesn't stop the notification from displaying for others.
To turn off the notification:
- Choose the Settings icon
, and select My Settings. - Choose My Notifications.
- Search for “Warn about non-certified production BOMs and routings”.
- Clear the Enabled checkbox.
Set up parallel operations in a routing
When you set a routing's Type to Parallel, you use the Next Operation No. field to define how operations flow. This arrangement lets multiple operations run at the same time, converging at a later operation. Use parallel routings when independent tasks can happen simultaneously, such as preparing different subcomponents before a final assembly step.
How the Next Operation No. field controls the flow
In a parallel routing, the Next Operation No. field on each routing line tells Business Central which operation to schedule after the current one completes. If you leave Next Operation No. blank, the operation is treated as the last step in the routing.
For example, consider a routing where operation 10 splits into two parallel branches (operations 20 and 30 in the following table) that merge at operation 40:
| Operation No. | Description | Next Operation No. |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Prepare raw material | 20|30 |
| 20 | Machine part A | 40 |
| 30 | Machine part B | 40 |
| 40 | Final assembly | (blank) |
In this example:
- Operation 10 has Next Operation No. set to 20|30, which means that both operations 20 and 30 can start after operation 10 finishes.
- Operations 20 and 30 each point to operation 40, so operation 40 starts only after both branches complete.
- Operation 40 has a blank Next Operation No. because it's the last operation.
Use the pipe character (|) in the Next Operation No. field to specify multiple subsequent operations that start in parallel.
Scheduling and capacity
When Business Central schedules a parallel routing, it determines the start time of a converging operation based on the latest finishing time of all preceding operations. The total production lead time therefore depends on the longest parallel branch, not the sum of all operations.
Tip
Use the Send-Ahead Quantity field on routing lines to start a downstream operation before the upstream operation is fully complete. This arrangement can further reduce lead times, though it works with both serial and parallel routing types.
Related information
Create Production BOMs
Setting Up Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Planning
Inventory
Purchasing
Work with Business Central