The "Shop Floor Client Configuration Cards Recommendations" outlines best practices for setting up and managing client configuration cards within Shop Floor Insight, a feature of Dynamics 365 Business Central designed to optimize manufacturing floor operations. These configuration cards play a critical role in tailoring the software's functionality to meet the specific needs of different workstations or scanning stations on the shop floor. Let's delve into the recommendations with a detailed explanation and an example:
Key Recommendations:
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One Configuration Card per Scanning Station: It’s advised to create a separate Shop Floor client configuration card for each scanning station on the manufacturing floor. This ensures that each station can have settings tailored to its specific operations, such as unique consumption and output batches, which is particularly beneficial in larger manufacturing setups.
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Assign Client Cards by IP Address: Configuration cards should be linked to the scanning stations based on the local IP addresses of the stations. This requires the stations to have fixed IP addresses, enabling precise and consistent assignment of configuration settings.
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Unique Configurations for Work Centers: Client cards allow for the customization of various settings for different work centers, including output preferences and operation visibility on dispatch lists. This flexibility is crucial for efficient workflow management across diverse manufacturing processes.
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Ranking Order for Assignment: Each Shop Floor client card is assigned a ranking order. The system assigns the client cards starting from the lowest number (1), checking if the card's settings apply to the scanning station in question. This process continues in ascending order until an applicable card is found.
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Catch-all Client Card: As a fail-safe, it's recommended to have a "catch-all" client card with a wildcard IP address configuration (e.g., *). This ensures that any scanning station not specifically addressed by other client cards will still receive configuration settings.
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Wildcard in Filter Fields: For broader applicability, wildcards (*) can be used in the Filter field to group multiple IP addresses or to apply settings across a range of IPs. This method simplifies configuration for groups of stations.
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Override with Shop Floor Employee Cards: Specific settings on Shop Floor client cards can be overridden by configurations set directly on Shop Floor employee cards. This is useful for personalizing the system further for individual employees. The "Config No. Behavior" setting, introduced in version 7.9, should be set to "Change On Login" for these overrides to take effect.
Example:
Imagine a manufacturing facility with three scanning stations, each dedicated to different stages of the production process: Cutting, Assembly, and Packaging. The facility decides to implement Shop Floor Insight for better time tracking and operation management.
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Setup:
- Cutting Station: Assigned a fixed IP of 192.168.1.10. A Shop Floor client configuration card is created specifically for this station with settings optimized for cutting operations.
- Assembly Station: Assigned a fixed IP of 192.168.1.11, with its client card set up to display relevant assembly operations.
- Packaging Station: Assigned a fixed IP of 192.168.1.12, with a client card focusing on packaging tasks.
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Catch-all Configuration: An additional client card is created with an IP filter of *, serving as a backup for any station not covered by the specific configurations.
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Ranking and Assignment: Each station's client card is assigned a ranking, with the system automatically applying the correct settings based on the IP address of the scanning station.
By following these recommendations, the facility ensures that each scanning station operates with settings tailored to its specific tasks, enhancing efficiency and accuracy in operations management. The catch-all client card ensures that any new or unconfigured stations still receive baseline settings, maintaining operational continuity.
