Standard Steps
Last updated
Last updated
In a manufacturing environment, it's common to build up standard processes for working with similar parts. For example, all parts built out of a certain material my need an extra inspection method to make sure they haven't been damaged in production. It can be tedious to copy and paste the same instructions between many different procedures and introduces a risk that the instructions may not be copied correctly. In addition, changing the instructions in one place means you have to go find everywhere a process is used to ensure it is up to speed.
Standard Steps are designed to combat this problem by introducing a new type of step that can be shared between procedures. Standard steps can be independently revisioned from procedures. When a standard step is updated, it is automatically updated in all procedures and runs where it is used.
Standard steps are called out with blue S icon or the words Standard Step
Navigate to the standard steps view by clicking on Procedures in the sidebar. Standard Steps is displayed as a sub-heading of Procedures. You can navigate standard steps using both a card view and a list view.
The creation interface for standard steps is very similar to the Procedure creation interface, but there is no dependency editor or or part linker. Only one step is shown. Edit the standard step as you would a regular step. You can also optionally add child steps for longer more complicated operations, but you cannot add a standard step as a child step.
Standard steps use the same review process as procedures. To release a step, change its state to Review and add reviewers as required. When all reviewers have signed off, the step switches state to Released and may be copied into procedures and runs.
You can use standard steps in any place a regular step can be used. When creating a new step in a procedure or in a redline, enter the name of the standard step and select it from the step copy dialog.
Standard Steps can be also used as child steps to standardize one part of a larger action.
Standard Steps in Procedures and Runs will display the content of the most recently released version. For example, if you used version 1 of a standard step in procedure A and then released version 2 the standard step in procedure A will automatically update to reflect the changes in version 2.
After a standard step in a Run has been started, it will "disconnect" from the main standard step and stop updating. This is to maintain the Run's purpose as an accurate record of what actions were done.
Initializing is when the step takes on details of the latest released version the standard step.
You can execute a standard step the same way you execute a regular step in a Run. Standard steps initialize when the Status moves to any of the following:
IN PROGRESS
REDLINE
CANCELED
FAILED
COMPLETED
At that time, the details of the standard step will be updated to reflect the latest released version. This is indicated by the version you will see in the step queue and near the step title.
Coming Soon:
The ability to nest steps and standard steps introduces the concept of establishing process requirements within procedures. This means you can create a template for what a procedure should look like, even when the process is not fully defined. To accomplish this, you need to utilize the HOLD functionality.
By toggling any released version of a standard procedure to HOLD, you automatically place that standard procedure on hold in any run where it is used. Workers on the manufacturing floor will be unable to start these standard steps until the hold is released by the Manufacturing Engineer (ME). This allows planners to schedule production work before all the details are finalized, ensuring that the workflow can proceed smoothly once the process is fully defined.
