Routing
Routing in ianaiERP defines the exact sequence of operations and resources required to manufacture a product. It is a critical component of Work Orders that maps out your production process flow from start to finish.
Overview
- Step-by-Step Workflow: Routing specifies the precise chronological operations needed to transform raw materials into finished goods.
- Resource Mapping: Each operation within a routing details the required work centers, labor, machines, setup times, and run times — and can carry more than one resource at once.
- Conditional Logic: Routing Rules let a routing adapt itself with if/then conditions, automatically inserting or overriding operations instead of requiring a separate routing for every variation.
- Production Optimization: Properly configured routings help optimize production scheduling, maximize resource allocation, and ensure accurate cost calculations.
Where to Access
- Users (admin / common) can access item via Manufacturing column (Manufacturing: Routing)
- Click Add New to initiate adding routings onto the ianaiERP system
See it in action below — click through the walkthrough to watch a routing get built from scratch.
Key Attributes
Header
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Internal name of the routing variant (e.g., "Std – 500ml"). |
| Item | Finished good this routing applies to. |
| Default (toggle) | When enabled, this routing will automatically populate for the item when creating new Work Orders. |
| Effective Start / End Date | The validity window for the routing; the scheduler will prevent its use outside of these dates. |
| Standard Lot Size | Spreads a step's setup time across this many units instead of charging it to a single unit; leave blank to use the cost version default. |
Operation Lines
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| # (Sequence) | The execution order of your production steps (drag to reorder; typically numbered as 10, 20, 30, etc.). |
| Operation Name | The step label displayed directly to operators on the shop floor (e.g., Cut, Drill, Pack). Fill from definition pulls the name and defaults straight from an existing Operation Definition instead of typing it manually. |
| Work Center | The specific line, cell, or department performing the operation (associated rates feed into scheduling and final costing). |
| Setup Time (m) | The one-time preparation time required per batch or run at this specific step (measured in minutes). |
| Run Time (m) / unit | The actual processing time per individual unit at this step (directly drives capacity planning and costing). |
| Send-ahead Qty | How much of a batch can move to the next operation before this one fully completes, allowing downstream steps to start early. |
| Record | Indicates whether time/quantity reporting is required at this step. |
| Print Template | The traveler, label, or Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to print automatically for this step, if required. |
Operation Settings
Click the gear icon on any operation line to configure how that step behaves:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Operation Type | Classifies the step (e.g., Manufacturing). |
| Count Point | When enabled, completed quantity is reported and backflushed material is consumed at this operation. |
| Completion Behavior | Manual closes the step on an explicit sign-off; Auto Complete closes it automatically once a later operation is recorded — useful for unattended steps like a machine running on its own. |
| Reporting Basis | Batch (one Start/Complete finishes the whole order quantity) or Unit (each recording is one piece, closing only once the count reaches the build quantity). |
Resources
Click Resources on any operation line to assign what's needed to run that step. An operation isn't limited to a single resource — labor and machines can be attached simultaneously and get scheduled together automatically (e.g., a machinist and the mill they're operating).
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Role | The resource category (e.g., Labor, Machine). |
| Target Type | Whether the requirement targets a Pool or a specific resource. |
| Target | The specific labor pool, individual, or machine required. |
| Units | How many of that resource the step needs. |
| Setup min / Run min per unit | Time contributed by this specific resource, in minutes. |
| Basis | How usage is calculated (e.g., per Item). |
| Posting | Whether usage posts automatically or requires manual entry. |
Operation Definitions
Operation Definitions are reusable operation templates — pre-built once, then pulled onto any routing instead of re-entering the same step from scratch each time.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Operation Name | The standardized label for this reusable step (e.g., Cut, Drill, Pack). |
| Default Work Center | The work center this operation is typically performed at, pre-filled when the definition is used. |
| Default Setup / Run Time | The standard setup and run time for this step, used as a starting point on any routing that references it. |
| Default Resources | The typical labor/machine requirements for this step, carried over automatically. |
Use Fill from definition on an operation line to copy these defaults in as a one-time starting point — the definition isn't referenced again after that, so editing it later won't change routings that already used it.
Routing Rules (conditional operations)
Routing Rules turn a routing from a single fixed sequence into one that adapts itself with if/then logic — for example, automatically inserting an inspection or packaging step when a customer requires a certification or a specific option is selected on the order, instead of maintaining a separate routing for every variation.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Variable Feature (x) | Ruleset that inserts/overrides operations based on item options/attributes. |
| Condition | Criteria that must be met (e.g., option = "Stainless") for the rule to apply. |
| Operation fields (Name, Setup, Run, Work Center) | Values to use when the condition is true. |
| Ordering | Sequence number to place the conditional operation in the flow. |
| Print Template | Document override for the conditional step. |
Notes & Files
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Notes | Free-form fields for special instructions, safety warnings, or operator cautions. |
| Attachments | Upload slots for SOPs, engineering drawings, checklists, or Quality Control (QC) forms used during production. |
Key Functions
| Task | Path | Steps |
|---|---|---|
| Create a routing | Manufacturing → Routing → Add New | Enter Name → select Item → set Effective Start Date → add operations |
| Add an operation | On the routing, click Add Lines | Fill Operation Name (or Fill from definition) → set Work Center → set Setup/Run Time → open Operation Settings → open Resources to attach labor/machines |
| Reuse a standard step | Manufacturing → Routing → Operation Definitions | Pull a predefined operation onto any routing via Fill from definition instead of building it from scratch |
| Add conditional logic | On the routing, expand Routing Rules | Set condition (variable/operator/value) → define the operation to insert or override if met → set sequence → Save |
| Assign to a work order | Manufacturing → Work Orders → New/Select | Choose Routing → operations auto-populate → adjust as needed |
The routing build flow, at a glance:
Create Routing
│
▼
Add Operation Lines
│
├──▶ Set Work Center + Setup/Run Time
│
├──▶ Operation Settings (Type, Count Point, Completion Behavior, Reporting Basis)
│
├──▶ Resources (Labor + Machine, simultaneously)
│
└──▶ Need a standard step? ──▶ Fill from Operation Definitions
│
▼
Need a conditional step? ──▶ Routing Rules (if/then: insert or override operation)
│
▼
Save Routing
│
▼
Assign to Work Order
Related Features
For more detailed information on advanced routing techniques and optimization, please refer to the specific sections in this documentation.