APS Instructions

Resource and Capabilities

Audience: ERP users who are familiar with Action Target's system but are new to PlanetTogether. Scope: Phase 1 — resource master data, capabilities, and capability assignments. Related stories: US-003 (Resource Maintenance Matrix), US-004 (Resource, Capability, and Attribute Maintenance Tools).

1. How PlanetTogether Organizes the Factory

Before you can understand resources and capabilities, it helps to understand how PlanetTogether structures the physical world. PT uses a three-level hierarchy:

Plant
 └── Department(s)
      └── Resource(s)

Plant

A Plant represents an entire facility or production location — in PlanetTogether terms, a single physical factory. For Action Target's Phase 1 integration, there is exactly one plant: Action Target Inc. (mapped from base.ent.id = 1).

The Plant is also the scope of a PT optimization run. When PT schedules jobs, it optimizes within the boundaries of a plant.

Department

A Department is PlanetTogether's way of grouping resources that belong together. In most ERP systems, departments map closely to work centers. In Action Target's case, the four PT departments correspond to four vendor-organization rows in the ERP:

PT Department ERP vend_org.org_id ERP org_name
Fabrication 1196 AcTarg Fabrication
Assembly 1445 AcTarg Assembly
Electronics 1544 AcTarg Electronics
Wood Shop 1628 AcTarg Wood Shop

What departments do in PT scheduling: Departments have one scheduling effect — each department can have its own frozen zone (a window of time near the current clock where PT will not automatically move scheduled work). Otherwise, departments are organizational groupings, not scheduling constraints.

Important limitation: Once a resource is assigned to a department in PT, it cannot be reassigned. Similarly, a department cannot be reassigned to a different plant. If a reassignment is ever needed, the resource or department must be deleted and recreated under the correct parent. Keep this in mind when setting up the initial data.

Department setup and maintenance is managed by IT and is read-only context for the Planning Resources tools. You will see departments when setting up resources, but you will not edit them there.

Resource

A Resource is the central scheduling object in PlanetTogether. A resource represents anything on the factory floor that performs work: a machine, a workstation, a labor pool, a tool, or any other entity that jobs must be scheduled on.

Key things to understand about resources:

Action Target's Phase 1 resource pattern:

Resources are created at three granularities:

Resource type One record per... PT Resource Type
Machine Individual machine on the floor Machine
Work Center Work center (grouping of related machines or stations) WorkCenter
Labor pool Pool of workers with a shared skill set Labor

The current list of resources is maintained in aps.resource_source and managed through the Planning Resources screen. Do not rely on any static list in this document — the screen is always current.

2. Capabilities: Matching Resources to Work

What a Capability Is

A Capability defines a type of work — a skill or process that a resource is qualified to perform. Think of it as a tag or classification. Examples might be "Welding," "Painting," "Assembly," or "CNC Machining."

Capabilities are the bridge between a job operation and the resources that can perform it. Here's how they connect:

  1. A capability is created (e.g., "Welding").
  2. That capability is assigned to one or more resources (e.g., the Weld resource and the PT Weld resource both receive the "Welding" capability).
  3. A job operation declares that it requires the "Welding" capability.
  4. PT's scheduler then knows which resources are eligible to schedule that operation on.

In ERP terms: Capabilities typically correspond to work centers in traditional ERP systems. But they are more flexible — a capability can also represent a special material type, a process constraint, or any other qualifying characteristic that limits which resources can do the work.

Action Target's Phase 1 Capability Structure

Phase 1 uses three distinct capability types, each following a consistent naming convention that signals both intent and scheduling behavior at a glance:

Type Naming pattern What it means Notes field value
Labor Labor - [Skill] Ties a labor resource to the type of work it performs. One labor capability per skill, assigned to exactly one labor resource. (empty)
Pool Pool - [Process] Groups interchangeable resources. Any resource in the pool can satisfy the requirement. Jobs can run on any resource in the pool.
Machine Machine - [Machine Name] Pins a requirement to a specific machine (or a very small set of equivalent machines). Jobs can only run on specific resources.

The Notes field on a capability conveys intent to planners and reviewers. Pool capabilities say "Jobs can run on any resource in the pool," and Machine capabilities say "Jobs can only run on specific resources." Labor capabilities leave notes empty — the prefix makes the constraint self-evident.

Why individual machines carry two capability types:

A machine like the Brake 400T is typically assigned both a Pool capability and a Machine-specific capability:

An operation routes to whichever capability matches its requirement: generic work links to the Pool, tonnage-specific work links to the Machine capability.

Capability Assignments

A Capability Assignment is the record that links a specific capability to a specific resource. It requires:

A resource can have many capabilities. A capability can be assigned to many resources. When a job operation requires multiple capabilities, a resource must have all of the required capabilities to be eligible — not just one of them.

Example: Suppose an operation requires both "Welding" and "Certified Inspection." Only a resource that has both capabilities assigned will be considered eligible to run that operation.

Capability-Operation Links

The third piece of the capability picture is the Capability-Operation Link: a record that declares which capability a given ERP routing operation requires.

Think of it this way:

PT's scheduler matches them: an operation can only land on a resource when the resource has all the capabilities the operation's links require.

The sequence values recorded here are the authoritative source for which resource slots an operation uses. When jobs are exported to PT, one resource requirement row is created per distinct seq found in this table for the operation — not a fixed number. An operation that has only Seq 1 and Seq 3 links gets exactly two resource requirements. Among all of an operation's slots, the one with the lowest seq is marked as the primary requirement — the anchor slot PT treats as its scheduling driver. Action Target's Phase 1 design uses up to three slots per operation: the specific machine (Seq = 1), the pool the machine belongs to (Seq = 2), and a labor resource (Seq = 3).

How Capabilities Affect Scheduling

PT will not schedule an operation on a resource unless that resource has all the capabilities the operation's links require. This means:

3. Our ERP Data Model: The aps.*_source Tables

All resource and capability data that flows to PlanetTogether is owned and maintained in the aps schema of the ERP database. PT is a consumer of this data — the ERP is the authoritative source of record.

The data lives in source tables (aps.*_source). PT-facing export views (aps.*_v) read from those source tables and present the data in the exact shape PT expects.

Source Tables

Table What it holds PT object it feeds
aps.plant_source The single Action Target plant record. Plants
aps.department_source The four production departments, linked to public.vend_org. Departments
aps.resource_source Resource master records; each belongs to a department/plant. Work area resources carry workcenter (display name) and workcenter_id (the associated ati_pool id from work_order.ati_pools, stored as varchar; no FK enforced). Resources
aps.capability_source Capability definitions (name, description, notes). Capabilities
aps.capability_assignment_source Which capabilities are assigned to which resources. CapabilityAssignments
aps.capability_operation_link Links ERP routing operations to capabilities, each with a requirement_seq. This is the authoritative source for which resource slots an operation requires. Only operations with active rows here will have resource requirements generated on export. JobResourceCapabilities
aps.workcell_department_link Legacy lookup: maps workcell names to departments. Used for context; not a PT export. (Internal reference)

Export Views

The export views are the data layer PT reads from. You do not need to interact with them directly, but understanding what they filter is useful:

View Filters / shape
aps.plants_v Active plants only. Columns: external_id, name, description.
aps.departments_v Active departments joined to the active plant.
aps.resources_v Active resources only. Includes default batch_type = 'None', capacity_type, resource_type. Exposes workcenter and workcenter_external_id (sourced from workcenter_id on aps.resource_source) for work area resources; null for machines and labor.
aps.capabilities_v Active capabilities only.
aps.capability_assignments_v Active assignments where both the capability and resource are also active.

4. How Data Flows to PlanetTogether

Once your source tables are populated, the data flows to PT through export views:

aps.*_source tables  →  aps.*_v export views  →  PlanetTogether import

PT reads from the export views — it never reads directly from the source tables. The views:

The ERP is authoritative. PT consumes what the ERP sends. For Phase 1, changes made inside PT to resource data are not written back to the ERP source tables.

5. Using the Planning Resources Screen

The Planning Resources tab is located inside the Product Information app. It is the central place to maintain all resource and capability data before it is exported to PlanetTogether.

Access to create, edit, and retire records requires the Manufacturing Engineering, Product Data Manager, or IT Admin role. Planning and scheduling leads have view-only access.

The screen contains five data grids. Three of them interact with each other dynamically based on what row you select, which is explained at the end of this section.

Main Toolbar

At the top of the screen, three toggle buttons control which grids are visible:

Button What it does
Hide / Show Resources Collapses or expands the Resources grid. Hiding the grid also clears any active resource selection, which resets the Resource Capabilities filter back to showing all assignments.
Hide / Show Capabilities Collapses or expands the Capabilities grid. Hiding it clears any active capability selection, resetting both the Resource Capabilities filter and the Operation Links filter.
Hide / Show Operation Links Collapses or expands the Capability-Operation Links grid. The other grids are unaffected.

Readiness Issues

This grid runs a live validation check every time you open the screen or save a change. It shows problems that would prevent a successful export to PlanetTogether.

Columns displayed:

Column What it shows
Severity How serious the issue is (e.g., Error, Warning).
Code A short code identifying the type of issue.
Message A plain-language description of the problem.
Resource The Resource ID involved, if applicable.
Capability The Capability ID involved, if applicable.

This grid is read-only. You resolve issues by correcting the underlying data in the Resources, Capabilities, Resource Capabilities, or Operation Links grids below, then the Readiness Issues grid will refresh automatically.

Resources Grid

This grid shows all APS resources from aps.resource_source. It is the starting point for managing everything the factory floor can do.

Columns displayed by default: Resource ID, Resource Name, Plant, Department, Resource Type, Capacity Type, Active. (A Notes column is also available but hidden by default.)

Toolbar actions:

Action Behavior
Add Opens the resource form in create mode. All required fields must be filled before saving.
Edit Opens the resource form loaded with the selected row's data. Select exactly one row first.
Retire Prompts for confirmation, then marks the resource inactive (is_active = false). The resource is never physically deleted. It will be excluded from PT exports and cannot be scheduled on new jobs, but any historical references remain intact.
Show Inactive / Hide Inactive Toggles whether inactive (retired) resources appear in the list. Defaults to hiding inactive records. Toggling this clears the current resource selection.
Show Only Unmapped / Show All Resources Filters the list to resources that have no capability assignments at all. These resources cannot be scheduled by PT. Use this to quickly identify gaps before exporting. Toggling this also clears the current selection.

Resource form fields:

Field Required Notes
Resource Name ✅ The display name in PT. Use properly-cased names ("Powder Coat," not "powder coat").
Plant ✅ Defaults to the existing plant. Phase 1 always uses plant 1.
Department ✅ Must match one of the four active departments. Pick from the dropdown.
Resource Type ✅ Loaded live from the database schema. Choose Machine for individual machines, WorkCenter for work centers, or Labor for labor pools.
Capacity Type ✅ Loaded live from the database schema. Defaults to Infinite for Phase 1. See Section 1 for what each value means in PT.
Notes Optional free-text for internal use. Not sent to PT.

Resource Type and Capacity Type dropdown values are loaded directly from the database schema's CHECK constraint via the API. This means the options always reflect what the schema allows — no UI change is needed if the constraint is ever updated.

Selecting a resource row: Clicking a row in this grid selects that resource and filters the Resource Capabilities grid to show only that resource's capability assignments. Any capability selection is cleared at the same time.

Capabilities Grid

This grid shows all APS capability definitions from aps.capability_source.

Columns displayed by default: Capability ID, Name, Description, Active. (A Notes column is also available but hidden by default.)

Toolbar actions:

Action Behavior
Add Opens the capability form in create mode.
Edit Opens the capability form for the selected row.
Retire Prompts for confirmation, then marks the capability inactive. Never physically deleted.
Show Inactive / Hide Inactive Toggles visibility of inactive capabilities. Defaults to hiding them. Clearing this also clears the current capability selection.
Show Only Unmapped / Show All Capabilities Filters to capabilities that are not assigned to any resource. A capability with no resource assignments cannot be used to schedule anything. Use this to find capabilities that need to be assigned before exporting.

Capability form fields:

Field Required Notes
Capability ID Read-only Shown on the edit form for reference. On a new capability, the ID is generated automatically by the system — you do not supply it.
Name ✅ The display name in PT. This is what planners see when reviewing job requirements in PlanetTogether.
Description Optional. Describe the type of work this capability covers, which resources it applies to, or any constraints.
Notes Optional internal notes.

Capability IDs are system-generated when you add a new capability. You do not choose the ID. The generated ID flows to PT as the Capabilities.ExternalId and will be referenced by resource-capability assignments and operation links — so once created, a capability ID is permanent. Retire and recreate if a significant change is needed.

Selecting a capability row: Clicking a row selects that capability and simultaneously filters two grids:

  1. Resource Capabilities — shows only assignments that include this capability (i.e., which resources can do this type of work).
  2. Capability-Operation Links — shows only operation links for this capability (i.e., which operations require this type of work).

Any resource selection is cleared at the same time.

Resource Capabilities Grid

This grid shows resource-to-capability assignments from aps.capability_assignment_source. It is the link that tells PT which resources are eligible to perform which types of work.

Columns displayed by default: Resource, Capability, Plant, Department, Active. (Notes is available but hidden.)

Toolbar actions:

Action Behavior
Add Opens the assignment form. Choose the resource and capability; Plant and Department are filled in automatically from the selected resource.
Edit Opens the assignment form for the selected row. The Resource and Capability fields are locked because they form the composite primary key and cannot be changed after creation. Only Notes can be edited.
Retire Prompts for confirmation, then removes or inactivates the assignment.

Assignment form fields:

Field Add Edit Notes
Resource ✅ editable 🔒 locked Dropdown shows only active resources. When a resource is selected, Plant and Department are filled in automatically.
Capability ✅ editable 🔒 locked Dropdown shows only active capabilities.
Notes editable editable Optional internal notes.

How the filter works:

This makes the Resource Capabilities grid a two-direction lookup depending on what you click first.

Capability-Operation Links Grid

This grid links ERP routing operations to the capabilities they require. It lives in a separate source table and is the mechanism that tells PT what kind of work each operation step needs, so PT can find eligible resources.

Every routing operation that will be scheduled in PT must have at least one link here. Without it, PT cannot find a resource for the operation and it will not schedule.

Columns displayed by default: Operation, Capability, Capability Name, Seq (Requirement Sequence), Active. (Operation ID and Notes are also available.)

Toolbar actions:

Action Behavior
Add Opens the operation link form. Choose the operation and capability. If a capability is currently selected in the Capabilities grid, the form pre-fills that capability.
Edit Opens the form for the selected row. The Operation and Capability fields are locked (they identify the link). Only Requirement Sequence and Notes are editable.
Retire Prompts for confirmation, then retires the link.

Operation link form fields:

Field Add Edit Notes
Operation ✅ editable 🔒 locked Dropdown populated from active ERP routing operations.
Capability ✅ editable 🔒 locked Dropdown shows active capabilities. Pre-filled if a capability is selected.
Requirement Sequence ✅ editable editable A positive integer (minimum 1). Determines the resource requirement slot in PT — see explanation below.
Notes editable editable Optional internal notes.

Understanding Requirement Sequence:

The Requirement Sequence (Seq) identifies which resource slot a capability requirement belongs to. PT must find a separate, simultaneously available resource to fill each slot. Action Target's Phase 1 design uses up to three slots per operation:

Seq Capability type What PT finds
1 Machine (Machine - …) The specific machine (or machine class) the operation runs on. Drives the operation's run time and scheduling window.
2 Pool (Pool - …) A resource from the pool the machine belongs to. Constrains eligibility to machines within the defined group.
3 Labor (Labor - …) The labor resource required to run the operation. Must be available at the same time as the machine.

Not every operation has all three slots — for example, operations without a machine-specific requirement omit Seq = 1, and blast has only Seq = 1 (no pool or labor link in Phase 1).

How the filter works:

How the Tables Work Together

The three middle grids — Resources, Capabilities, and Resource Capabilities — plus the Operation Links grid are all connected through row selections. Here is a summary of what happens when you click in each grid:

You click... Resource Capabilities shows... Operation Links shows...
A row in Resources Only that resource's capability assignments All links (unchanged)
A row in Capabilities Only assignments for that capability Only links for that capability
Empty space / deselect All assignments All links

Clicking in Resources clears any capability selection, and clicking in Capabilities clears any resource selection. The two grids are mutually exclusive — you are always viewing the assignments from one direction at a time.

This design lets you quickly answer two common questions:

6. Phase 1 Scope: What's Used and What's Not

Some PlanetTogether resource features are available in the software but are not being configured for Phase 1. This is intentional — start simple and add complexity as needed.

PT Feature Phase 1 Status Notes
Plants ✅ Used Single plant (Action Target).
Departments ✅ Used Four departments from ERP vend_org. Read-only in Phase 1 tools.
Resources ✅ Used Maintained in aps.resource_source. One per machine, one per work center, one per labor pool.
Capabilities ✅ Used Maintained in aps.capability_source.
Capability Assignments ✅ Used Maintained in aps.capability_assignment_source.
Capability-Operation Links ✅ Used Maintained in the operation capability link table. Required for job export.
Capacity Intervals / Calendars ❌ Not used PT will use default shift definitions; no ERP-driven calendar import in Phase 1.
Helper Resources (Seq > 1) ✅ Used Each operation links to up to three capability slots: Seq 1 = Machine, Seq 2 = Pool, Seq 3 = Labor. All three resources must be simultaneously available for PT to schedule the operation.
Cells ❌ Not used Cell scheduling not needed initially.
Product Rules ❌ Not used Confirmed not used for Phase 1.
Compatibility Code Tables ❌ Not used Not needed for Phase 1.
Cleanout Trigger Tables ❌ Not used Not needed for Phase 1.

7. Summary: The Minimum You Need Before Jobs Can Schedule

Before PlanetTogether can schedule a job, the following must be in place:

  1. ✅ Plant record exists (aps.plant_source).
  2. ✅ Department records exist (aps.department_source) for all departments referenced by resources.
  3. ✅ Resource records exist and are active (aps.resource_source).
  4. ✅ Capability records exist and are active (aps.capability_source).
  5. ✅ Every resource that will carry job operations has at least one capability assigned (aps.capability_assignment_source).
  6. ✅ Every routing operation that will be scheduled in PT has at least one Capability-Operation Link pointing to a capability that is assigned to at least one active resource.

Missing any of these means PT either cannot find an eligible resource for an operation, or the operation will fail to schedule.

Attributes

Audience: ERP users who are familiar with Action Target's system but are new to PlanetTogether. Scope: Phase 1 — attribute definitions, attribute codes, and operation attribute links. Related stories: US-004 (Resource, Capability, and Attribute Maintenance Tools).

1. What Attributes Do in PlanetTogether

Attributes are custom data properties that can be attached to job operations. They give the scheduler a way to describe what kind of work an operation is — beyond which machine and labor pool it needs — so PlanetTogether can group, sequence, and schedule setup or cleanout time intelligently.

Phase 1 uses attributes for two purposes:

Sequence optimization (batching): When PT builds a schedule, it can minimize the number of setup changeovers by grouping consecutive operations that share the same attribute value on the same resource. An attribute with UseInSequencing = true becomes available to the PT Sequence Planning board's optimize factors. Schedulers can weight each attribute and configure how many optimization points to award for grouping similar work together.

Setup and cleanout time: When an attribute value changes between two consecutive operations on the same resource, PT can automatically schedule a setup or cleanout block between them. The AttributeTrigger property controls when the timer fires (e.g., always, when the code changes, when a numeric value rises), and AttributeType controls whether the time is counted as Setup or Clean time.

An attribute can serve both purposes at the same time, or just one, or purely as informational metadata visualized in the Gantt and scheduling grids.

2. The Three Layers: Attributes, Codes, and Operation Links

Working with attributes in the ERP involves three layers that build on each other:

Layer 1 — Attribute Definition

An Attribute is the property type itself — a named, configurable object that describes a characteristic of work. Examples: "Steel Grade," "Coating Type," "Product Family." The attribute definition sets all the defaults: how PT should visualize it, whether it drives sequencing or setup calculations, and what duration or cost to use when it fires.

Layer 2 — Attribute Codes

An Attribute Code is one allowed value for an attribute. Each attribute has a list of codes representing the discrete values it can take. For example, the "Steel Grade" attribute might have codes A36, A500-B, AR200, and HRPO.

Codes are the strings that get attached to individual operations. When two consecutive operations on the same resource carry different codes for the same attribute, PT can recognize the code change and trigger a setup or sequencing decision.

Layer 3 — Operation Attribute Links

An Operation Attribute Link is the record that ties a specific code to a specific routing operation. It says: "When this operation runs, it should carry this attribute value."

3. The aps.*_source Tables

Table What it holds PT object it feeds
aps.attribute_source Attribute definitions (one row per attribute). Attributes
aps.attribute_code_source Allowed code values per attribute. Referenced by Operation Attributes
aps.bom_operations_attributes Operation attribute/code links for workbench and production routers. (join source for template generation)
aps.job_operation_attribute_source Generated per-operation attribute rows for template MOs. OperationAttributes

aps.attribute_code_table_source exists in the schema but is not used in Phase 1.

4. How Data Flows to PlanetTogether

aps.attribute_source            →  PT Attributes import
aps.attribute_code_source       →  (read at template generation time)
aps.bom_operations_attributes   →  (read at template generation time)
        ↓  GenerateRouterTemplate
aps.job_operation_attribute_source  →  PT Operation Attributes import

Attribute definitions are imported into PT as Attribute objects. The code values assigned to specific operations are carried in the template's Operation Attributes rows, generated each time a template is created or regenerated for a router. PT reads both when building a scenario.

The ERP is authoritative. Changes made inside PT to attribute data are not written back to the ERP source tables.

5. Using the Planning Attributes Screen

The Planning Attributes tab is located inside the Product Information app. It is where you define attributes and manage their allowed code values before linking them to router operations.

Access to create, edit, and retire records requires the Manufacturing Engineering, Product Data Manager, or IT Admin role. Planning and scheduling leads have view-only access.

The screen contains two side-by-side grids. The Codes grid is filtered by whatever attribute is selected in the Attributes grid.

Main Toolbar

Button What it does
Hide / Show Attributes Collapses or expands the Attributes grid.
Hide / Show Codes Collapses or expands the Codes grid.
Show Inactive / Hide Inactive Toggles visibility of inactive attributes. Defaults to hiding them.

Attributes Grid

This grid shows all APS attribute definitions from aps.attribute_source.

Columns displayed by default: Attribute ID, Name, Description, Use in Sequencing, Active.

Toolbar actions:

Action Behavior
Add Opens the attribute form in create mode.
Edit Opens the attribute form loaded with the selected row's data. Select exactly one row first.
Retire Prompts for confirmation, then marks the attribute inactive. Never physically deleted.

Attribute form fields:

Identity

Field Required Notes
Attribute ID ✅ Must match the ID used in PT imports. Convention: ATTR-[ShortName] (e.g., ATTR-SteelGrade). Locked after creation — retire and recreate if a change is needed.
Name ✅ Display name in PT and in ERP grids.
Description Describe what characteristic this attribute classifies.

PT Setup Behavior

Field Notes
Trigger Controls when a setup or cleanout fires. See the trigger table below. Leave blank when using the attribute for sequencing only.
Type Setup or Clean. Defines whether the incurred time counts as setup or cleanout. Leave blank for informational or sequencing-only attributes.
Cleanout Grade Integer priority for simultaneous cleanout scheduling. When multiple cleanouts fire at the same time, the highest grade wins. A cleanout also resets all triggers at or below its own grade. Only relevant when Type = Clean.
Color Code Hex color (#RRGGBB) for Gantt attribute segments.

AttributeTrigger accepted values:

Trigger value When the setup or clean fires
Always Every time this operation is scheduled, regardless of what comes before it.
CodeChanges When this attribute's code changes from one scheduled operation to the next on the same resource.
NumberChanges When this attribute's number value changes from the previous operation to the next on the same resource.
NumberHigher When this attribute's number value increases from the previous operation to the next.
NumberLower When this attribute's number value decreases from the previous operation to the next.
LookupByCode Duration is determined by an Attribute Code Table (Phase 2 only).
LookupByRange Duration is determined by an Attribute Range Table (Setup only; Phase 2 only).
Never This attribute is not used for setup or clean calculations.

Defaults

Field Notes
Default Cost Cost incurred per setup or cleanout event triggered by this attribute. Not used with lookup table triggers.
Default Duration (hrs) Hours incurred per event. Not used with lookup table triggers.

Flags

Flag Default What it controls in PT
Consecutive Setup false When true, multiple setup steps for the operation must run sequentially rather than concurrently. Total setup time = max non-consecutive time + sum of all consecutive times.
Incur Resource Setup false When true, the sequenced setup fires even if the resource's UseSequencedSetup flag is false.
Show in Gantt false When true, this attribute's name and code appear in the Gantt activity block when the Attribute Segment is enabled on the label.
Hide in Grids false When true, this attribute's columns are hidden from the Activities board scheduling grids.
Use in Sequencing false When true, this attribute is available to the Sequence Planning board's optimize factors for schedule batching and grouping.

Selecting an attribute row: Clicking a row selects that attribute and filters the Codes grid to show only that attribute's allowed code values.

Codes Grid

This grid shows the allowed code values for the currently selected attribute, from aps.attribute_code_source. When no attribute is selected, this grid is empty — select an attribute row first.

Columns displayed by default: Code, Display Name, Description, Active.

Toolbar actions:

Action Behavior
Add Opens the code form. The Attribute field is pre-filled and read-only. Disabled when no attribute is selected.
Edit Opens the code form for the selected row.
Retire Prompts for confirmation, then retires the code. Existing operation attribute links referencing a retired code remain historically valid — they are not automatically removed.
Show Inactive / Hide Inactive Toggles visibility of inactive codes.

Code form fields:

Field Required Notes
Attribute Read-only Pre-filled from the currently selected attribute.
Code ✅ The short code string (e.g., A36, COAT-POWDER). Must be unique within the attribute. This is the value PT carries on job operations.
Display Name A longer, readable label shown in ERP dropdowns and grids.
Description Optional explanation of what this code represents.
Notes Optional internal notes.

Code uniqueness: Codes are unique within an attribute. The same code string can appear under two different attributes without conflict.

6. Linking Attributes to Operations (Routers Tab)

Attribute definitions and codes are only useful once they are attached to specific routing operations. This is done in the Routers tab, not the Attributes tab.

Where to Find the Operation Attribute Links

In the Routers tab, select a workbench or production router and then select a BOM operation row. The Operation Attributes sub-grid below the operations grid shows the attribute/code links for that operation.

Workbench vs. Production

Side What it holds When it updates
Workbench Draft attribute links configured before publishing. Add/edit/retire any time the router is being edited.
Production Published links that feed template generation. Replaced automatically when the workbench router is published.

Do not edit production operation attribute links directly for normal maintenance. Make changes on the workbench side, then publish.

Operation Attribute Links Grid

Columns displayed by default: Attribute, Code, Active.

Toolbar actions:

Action Behavior
Add Opens the link form. Disabled when no BOM operation is selected or the router is not in an editable state.
Edit Opens the link form for the selected row.
Retire Prompts for confirmation, then retires the link. The operation will no longer carry this attribute when the next template is generated.
Field Required Notes
Attribute ✅ Dropdown showing active attributes.
Code ✅ Dropdown showing active codes for the selected attribute.

Multiple codes per operation: An operation can have more than one attribute link, and can have multiple links for the same attribute with different codes. All active links are exported as separate rows in aps.job_operation_attribute_source.

How Publishing Propagates Attribute Links

When a workbench router is published:

  1. All existing production operation attribute links for that router are cleared.
  2. The workbench links are copied to the production side, translated through the workbench-to-production BOM operation ID map.
  3. The production links are now the authoritative source for the next template generation.

After publishing, regenerate the template so PT receives the updated attribute rows.

7. Phase 1 Scope: What's Used and What's Not

PT Feature Phase 1 Status Notes
Attribute definitions ✅ Used Maintained in aps.attribute_source.
Attribute codes (ERP-owned allowed values) ✅ Used Maintained in aps.attribute_code_source.
Operation attribute links ✅ Used Configured per BOM operation in the Routers tab; propagated on publish; generated into templates.
UseInSequencing ✅ Used Attributes with this flag true are eligible for sequence optimization in PT.
AttributeType / AttributeTrigger (Setup or Clean) ✅ Supported Can be configured; actual scheduling of setup/clean time also requires the resource to have SetupIncluded = UseOperationAttributes (for Setup) or UseAttributeCleanouts = true (for Clean).
ShowInGantt / HideInGrids / ColorCode ✅ Supported PT will respect these flags once attribute data is imported.
Attribute Code Tables (LookupByCode trigger) ❌ Not used Code Table data is not exported in Phase 1.
Attribute Range Tables (LookupByRange trigger) ❌ Not used Range Table data is not exported in Phase 1.
Number-based attribute values on operations ❌ Not used Phase 1 operation links carry a code (string) value only. Triggers that depend on a numeric value (NumberChanges, NumberHigher, NumberLower) have no effect.

8. Summary: The Minimum You Need Before Attribute Data Can Influence Scheduling

For PT to use an attribute during scheduling:

  1. ✅ An attribute definition exists and is active (aps.attribute_source).
  2. ✅ At least one code is defined and active for that attribute (aps.attribute_code_source).
  3. ✅ At least one BOM operation on the production router has an active link to that attribute and code (aps.bom_operations_attributes, is_workbench = false).
  4. ✅ The template has been generated (or regenerated) after the production links were set — attribute rows must exist in aps.job_operation_attribute_source.
  5. ✅ For sequence optimization: UseInSequencing = true on the attribute, and the attribute must be selected in the applicable optimize factor on the PT Sequence Planning board.
  6. ✅ For setup time: AttributeType = Setup, a trigger configured, a default duration set, and the resource must have SetupIncluded = UseOperationAttributes.
  7. ✅ For cleanout time: AttributeType = Clean, a trigger configured, a default duration set, and the resource must have UseAttributeCleanouts = true.

Missing any of these means the attribute is defined but has no scheduling effect in PT.

Routing Templates

Audience: ERP users who are familiar with Action Target's system but are new to PlanetTogether. Scope: Phase 1 — router-to-template linking and template generation. Related stories: US-014 (Routing Maintenance Tools), US-015 (Router Template Generation).

1. What Is a Template?

PlanetTogether schedules jobs by matching job operations to eligible resources. To do that efficiently, PT uses templates — pre-built representations of how a part is manufactured — that it holds in memory and applies each time a new job for that part arrives.

In Action Target's integration, a template is derived directly from an ERP router. The router already defines the sequence of operations, setup and run times, and the materials consumed at each step. Template generation reads that router and produces a standardized PT job structure from it — without touching native work order tables.

Key things to understand:

2. Routers and the Concept of "Current"

An ERP router defines the manufacturing process for a part: the sequence of operations, the time each step takes, and the materials consumed. Routers are version-controlled — when a process changes, a new router revision is published for that part.

At any point in time, exactly one router revision is current for each part. A router is current when today's date falls within its effective date range (Effective From through Effective To). Older revisions are archived but remain visible in the system.

Why this matters for templates:

3. What Gets Generated

When you generate a template from a router, the system produces a complete PT job structure covering:

Generated object What it represents
Template Job The top-level PT job anchor for this router/part.
Manufacturing Order One synthetic MO for the template — no sub-assembly expansion.
Operations One PT operation per router BOM operation, in sequence order.
Resource Requirements The machine, pool, and labor slots each operation needs (from Resource Management capability mappings).
Resource Capabilities The specific capabilities required at each resource slot.
Activities One internal activity per operation, used by PT for scheduling granularity.
Materials Material consumption rows derived from the router's BOM.
Products Output items for each operation, including phantom WIP items between steps.
Operation Attributes Attribute/code pairs assigned to each operation, used by the PT Optimizer to group or sequence compatible operations (e.g., same burn material class or paint color).
Path / Path Nodes The linear operation sequence that PT follows when scheduling.

Resource requirement rows are only generated for operations that have active capability mappings in Resource Management. An operation with no capability mapping will still appear in the template (with its activity, time, and BOM rows), but PT will not be able to assign a resource to it until a mapping is configured.

Operation attribute rows are only generated for operations that have active attribute links configured on the router. Operations without attribute links will not have attribute rows — PT will not use them for grouping or sequencing until links are added and the template is regenerated.

4. The ERP Data Model

All template data lives in the aps schema alongside job and resource data, using source_type = 'TEMPLATE' to distinguish template rows from live work order rows.

Table What it holds
aps.template_router_link The anchor record tying one router revision to its generated template. Holds the canonical link_id that drives all generated IDs.
Generated ID Pattern Example
Template Job ID template-{link_id} template-42
Template MO ID template-{link_id}-mo template-42-mo
Template Operation ID template-{link_id}-op-{bom_op_id} template-42-op-68664

Template Source Tables

Template rows share the same source tables as live job data — they are distinguished by source_type = 'TEMPLATE':

Table Template content
aps.job_source One template job per router link.
aps.manufacturing_order_source One template MO per router link.
aps.job_operation_source One row per BOM operation.
aps.job_resource_source Resource requirement slots (machine, pool, labor).
aps.job_resource_capability_source Capability requirements per resource slot.
aps.job_activity_source One activity per operation.
aps.job_material_source Material consumption rows.
aps.job_product_source Output items, including phantom WIP.
aps.job_path_source The single default path for the template MO.
aps.job_path_node_source Predecessor/successor pairs defining operation sequence.
aps.job_operation_attribute_source Attribute/code pairs per operation, generated from active attribute links on the router.

5. Using the Templates Screen

The Templates tab is located inside the Product Information app. It is the central place to view router status, generate templates, and inspect what was generated.

Access to generate templates requires the Manufacturing Engineering, Product Data Manager, or IT Admin role.

Main Toolbar

Three buttons appear at the top of the screen:

Button Behavior
Generate Template Generates or regenerates the APS template for the selected router. Disabled unless exactly one current router is selected. Prompts for confirmation before running.
Router Details Opens the Router Details panel for the selected router. Shows the operation list plus any blocking errors or warnings, without committing any data.
Show / Hide Template Details Expands or collapses the Template Details panel below the Routers grid (see Section 5.4).

Routers Grid

This grid lists all routers and their current template status.

Columns displayed by default: Router Name, Part, Rev, Description, Effective From, Effective To, Current, Template Status, Template Job ID, Last Generated.

Row colors:

Color Meaning
Yellow Router is not current (archived). Template generation is blocked.
Red Router is current but has no template — it has never been generated.
No color Router is current and has a generated template.

Routers grid toolbar:

Button Behavior
Show / Hide Archived Toggles visibility of non-current (archived) routers. Defaults to hidden — only current routers are shown on load.
Show Only Unmapped / Show All Filters to routers with no template at all (Template Status = none). Use this to find gaps before a PT go-live.

Template Status values:

Status Meaning
none No template has ever been generated for this router.
generated A template exists and was generated from this router. Check Last Generated to see when.

Router Details Panel

Clicking Router Details opens a modal for the selected router without modifying any data. It shows:

Use the Router Details panel to check readiness before generating, especially for routers whose operations have recently changed or whose capability mappings are new.

Generation Result Panel

After clicking Generate Template and confirming, a result panel appears showing:

Field What it means
Template Job ID The PT job ID that was created or reused for this template.
Template MO ID The PT manufacturing order ID for this template.
Created Number of new rows inserted across all template tables.
Updated Number of existing rows refreshed.
Skipped Rows that were already up to date and required no change.
Errors Count of rows that failed. Any errors trigger a rollback — nothing is partially committed.
Warnings Non-blocking notices, such as operations skipped due to missing capability mappings.

A green success banner also appears at the top of the screen summarizing the result. The Routers grid refreshes automatically after generation to reflect the updated Last Generated date and Template Status.

Template Details Panel

Clicking Show Template Details expands a set of read-only inspection tables below the Routers grid. These tables show the raw APS source rows that were generated for a template — useful for verifying what PT will receive.

Selecting a router row (when the panel is visible) automatically loads that router's template data across all tables:

A Load All Templates button on the Template Job table loads every template job in the system for comparison.

This panel is primarily a diagnostic tool for verifying generation output and troubleshooting scheduling issues. Normal template maintenance does not require using it.

6. When to Generate or Regenerate

Situation Action
A new current router has no template (red row). Select it and click Generate Template.
A router revision was superseded by a new revision. Select the new current router row and generate. The old revision's template remains but will no longer be used for new jobs.
Capability mappings were added or changed for an operation. Regenerate the template for any affected router so the new resource requirement rows are picked up.
Generation produced warnings about unmapped operations. Configure the missing capability mappings in Resource Management, then regenerate.
Attribute links were added or changed for an operation. Regenerate the template for any affected router so the updated attribute rows are picked up by PT.
Generation produced warnings about operations with no attribute mapping. Add attribute links for those operations in the Routers tab, then regenerate.
Troubleshooting a scheduling issue in PT for a specific part. Use Router Details to check readiness flags, then use Show Template Details to inspect the generated rows.

7. Phase 1 Scope: What's Used and What's Not

Feature Phase 1 Status Notes
Template generation from current routers ✅ Used One template per current router. Non-current routers are blocked.
Resource requirement generation ✅ Used Driven by capability mappings in Resource Management. Operations without mappings are skipped.
Material and product generation ✅ Used Derived from the router's BOM. Phantom WIP items are generated automatically.
Path and path node generation ✅ Used Single linear path per template MO.
Operation attribute generation ✅ Used Generated from active attribute links on the router's BOM operations. Operations without attribute links produce no attribute rows and will not be used by the PT Optimizer for grouping or sequencing.
Sub-assembly MO expansion ❌ Not used One MO per template; no recursive sub-assembly expansion.
Automatic regeneration on router publish ❌ Not used Manual regeneration only in Phase 1. Automation is a future enhancement.
Template deletion / deactivation ❌ Not used Old templates from archived routers are not automatically retired.

Storage Areas

Audience: ERP users who are familiar with Action Target's system but are new to PlanetTogether. Scope: Phase 1 — storage area management, cell groups, and the item storage coverage requirement. Related stories: US-005 (Inventory and Warehouse Maintenance Matrix), US-006 (Inventory and Warehouse Maintenance Tools).

1. How PlanetTogether Uses Storage Areas

PlanetTogether requires three objects before it will accept an item during import:

  1. An Items row — the item master record.
  2. An Inventories row — the item's inventory definition for a warehouse.
  3. At least one ItemStorage row — a mapping from that item/warehouse pair to a specific storage area.

If any of the three is missing for an exported item, PT will reject the item and any sales orders, work orders, shop jobs, or job materials that reference it. Storage areas are therefore not optional configuration — they are a gating requirement for every item that will be scheduled in PT.

The ERP manages storage area data in the aps schema. PT reads the data through export views; it does not write back to storage area records in Phase 1.

2. The Three Storage Area Types

Every storage area has an ERP Type that describes how it is linked to the ERP:

Type What it represents Storage Area ID generated as
Location Linked to a specific ERP material location (mat_loc_cell). Use when one location's inventory maps cleanly to one PT storage area. LOC-{location_id}
Cell Group Linked to a named set of bank/column/row ranges (aps.cell_groups). Use when physical cells defined by a cell group represent a single logical storage area. CELLS-{cell_group_slug}
Placeholder No ERP link. Used for default/unmapped areas such as UNMAPPED or AMS_PLACEHOLDER. The storage area name itself

Storage area IDs are generated automatically by a database trigger. You supply a name when creating the area; the system assigns the ID based on the type and linked object. Once created, the ID is frozen — it cannot change even if the name is edited later.

A storage area cannot link to both a location and a cell group at the same time. The system enforces an either/or (XOR) rule. Selecting a different ERP Type in the create form automatically clears the other field.

The Default / Unmapped Placeholder

Every active warehouse should have at least one placeholder storage area that acts as the unmapped default. When an item/warehouse pair does not yet have a business-owned storage area assignment, the export system can assign it to this default row so PT can still import the item. Without a default, those items fail the ItemStorage requirement and block the export.

Use the Validate / Readiness check (see Section 5) to confirm each warehouse has a default before exporting.

3. Cell Groups and Mappings

A Cell Group is a named, reusable set of physical cell ranges. It exists independently of any single storage area and can be referenced by exactly one active storage area at a time.

Each cell group has:

Cell Group Mappings define which physical cells the group covers. Each mapping row specifies:

One cell group can have many mapping rows — one per bank or contiguous range. The union of all mapping rows describes the full set of cells the group covers.

4. The ERP Data Model

All storage area data that flows to PlanetTogether is owned in the aps schema. PT reads from export views (aps.*_v) that filter and shape the source tables.

Source Tables

Table What it holds
aps.storage_area_source Storage area master records. Holds erp_type, erp_inv, mrp_nettable, constrained, erp_location_id, and erp_cell_group_id. The storage_area_id column is trigger-assigned on insert and cannot be changed afterward.
aps.cell_groups Cell group master records. The slug column drives the CELLS-{slug} storage area ID.
aps.cell_group_mappings Bank/column/row range rows for each cell group.

Export Views (what PT reads)

View Feeds PT object Notes
aps.storage_areas_v Inventories / ItemStorage reference Active storage areas only.
aps.item_storage_v ItemStorage Active item/storage area pairs only.
aps.item_storage_lots_v ItemStorageLots Active lot-level assignments.

The ERP is the authoritative source. Changes made inside PT to storage area data are not written back in Phase 1.

5. Using the Inventory Manager Setup Screen

The Setup tab in the Inventory Manager app is the central place to maintain storage areas and cell groups.

Access to create, edit, and retire records requires the Quality Manager role.

The screen operates in two modes controlled by toolbar toggles. The default mode when you open the tab is Storage Areas.

Main Toolbar

Button What it does
Show / Hide Storage Areas Toggles the Storage Areas list. Visible by default.
Show / Hide Setup Tools Toggles the Setup Tools section (cell groups and mappings). Hidden by default.
Validate / Readiness Runs a live readiness check and opens the results modal.
Preview Ensure Item Storage Shows which item/warehouse pairs would receive a default storage area assignment if the ensure function were run.
Refresh Reloads the storage areas list from the database.

Storage Areas List

This grid shows all storage areas from aps.storage_area_source.

Columns displayed: Storage Area ID, Name, Warehouse, ERP Type, ERP Inv, Location / Cell Group link target, Default, Default-only Item Count.

Toolbar actions:

Action Behavior
Create Storage Area Opens the create modal.
Edit Opens the edit modal for the selected row. Requires exactly one row selected.
Retire Prompts for confirmation, then marks the storage area inactive. Records are never physically deleted. A default placeholder cannot be retired if it is the only default for its warehouse.

Create / Edit Storage Area Modal

Both create and edit use the same form. In edit mode, the Storage Area ID is shown as read-only — it was assigned at creation and cannot change.

Form fields:

Field Required Notes
Storage Area Name ✅ The display label in PT and in the ERP.
Warehouse ✅ Autocomplete from active warehouses.
ERP Type ✅ Location, Cell Group, or Placeholder. Changing type resets the other link field.
Inventory Class ✅ INV, WIP, or AMS. Defaults to INV.
ERP Location Context Shown when ERP Type is Location. Autocomplete from active ERP material locations.
Cell Group Context Shown when ERP Type is Cell Group. Autocomplete from active cell groups, sorted by slug.
MRP Nettable Checkbox. Defaults to checked. Controls whether PT includes this area's stock in net requirements.
Constrained Checkbox. Defaults to unchecked.
Notes Optional free text. Not sent to PT.

ERP Location and Cell Group are mutually exclusive. Only one field is visible at a time based on ERP Type. Switching types clears the previously chosen value.

Validate / Readiness Modal

Click Validate / Readiness in the main toolbar to open this modal. It displays four counters plus a row-level issue list.

Counter What it flags
Warehouses Missing Default Warehouses with no active placeholder storage area marked as default.
Items Missing Storage Item/warehouse pairs with no ItemStorage row — these will fail PT import.
Inactive Location Links Storage areas of type Location whose linked mat_loc_cell row is no longer active.
Inactive Cell Group Links Storage areas of type Cell Group whose linked cell group is no longer active.

The issue list provides row-level detail: the issue code, a plain-language message, and the affected Storage Area ID if applicable.

This modal is read-only. Resolve issues by correcting the underlying storage area, location, or cell group data, then run the check again.

Preview Ensure Item Storage Modal

Click Preview Ensure Item Storage to see which item/warehouse pairs currently lack an ItemStorage row. The modal shows the row count that would be inserted and a table of the affected item/warehouse/storage area combinations.

This is preview-only. No data is written when you open this modal. The actual ensure operation requires a separate approval step and is run through a database function before export.

Use this preview as a pre-export check to confirm all items are covered before kicking off a PT import.

Setup Tools — Cell Groups

Click Show Setup Tools in the main toolbar, then Show Cell Groups to manage cell groups and their mappings.

Cell Groups grid toolbar:

Action Behavior
Create Cell Group Opens the cell group form in create mode.
Edit Opens the form for the selected cell group.
Retire Marks the cell group inactive. Blocked if an active storage area currently references this cell group.
Show All (incl. Inactive) / Show Active Only Toggles visibility of inactive cell groups.

Cell group form fields:

Field Required Notes
Name ✅ Human-readable label.
Slug ✅ Uppercase letters, digits, and hyphens only. Drives the CELLS-{slug} storage area ID. Must be unique.
Description Optional.
Notes Optional internal notes.

Cell Group Mappings grid:

Selecting a cell group row filters the Mappings grid to that group's rows. Each mapping covers one bank/range.

Action Behavior
Add Mapping Opens the mapping form. Select a bank and enter column/row ranges.
Retire Removes the mapping row from the active set.

Mapping form fields: Bank (autocomplete from ERP racking banks), Col From, Col To, Row From (optional), Row To (optional), Notes (optional).

6. Phase 1 Scope: What's Used and What's Not

Feature Phase 1 Status Notes
Storage area create / edit / retire ✅ Used Full CRUD via Inventory Manager Setup tab.
All three ERP Types (Location, Cell Group, Placeholder) ✅ Used All supported.
Cell group create / edit / retire ✅ Used Managed in Setup Tools.
Cell group bank/column/row mappings ✅ Used Add / retire mapping rows per cell group.
Validate / Readiness check ✅ Used Four-counter check plus row-level issue list.
Preview Ensure Item Storage ✅ Used Pre-export coverage check.
ERP location editor (create/edit ERP locations) ❌ Deferred Locations are read-only lookup targets in Phase 1.
Racking cell / cell range preview ❌ Deferred Phase 2 Setup Tools expansion.
Legacy Material setup functions ❌ Deferred Ported from Tcl in a later phase.
PT write-back (PT → ERP storage area changes) ❌ Not in scope ERP is authoritative; PT is a read-only consumer for Phase 1.

7. Summary: The Minimum You Need Before Items Can Export

Before PlanetTogether can successfully import item and inventory data, the following must be true:

  1. ✅ Every active warehouse has at least one default placeholder storage area.
  2. ✅ Every active storage area of type Location links to a currently active ERP material location.
  3. ✅ Every active storage area of type Cell Group links to a currently active cell group with at least one mapping row.
  4. ✅ Every item/warehouse pair that will be exported has at least one ItemStorage row — confirm with Preview Ensure Item Storage before running the export.
  5. ✅ Validate / Readiness shows zero issues in all four counters.

Missing any of these will cause PT to reject the affected items and all dependent sales orders, work orders, and job materials during import.