Overview
Knowlix Manufacturing coordinates the full production lifecycle from bills of materials and work centers to finished goods delivery. Schedule and process manufacturing orders, manage work order queues through Shop Floor, track time and equipment effectiveness, handle subcontracting arrangements, and plan long-range production with the master production schedule. Key features:- Manufacturing order (MO) creation and processing
- Bills of materials with component, operation, and by-product tracking
- Work order management with Shop Floor interface for real-time processing
- Master production schedule (MPS) for manual demand planning
- Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) reporting per work center
- Allocation reports for reserving finished goods and components to priority orders
- Three subcontracting models: basic, resupply, and dropship to subcontractor
- Backorder creation for partial production runs
- Lot and serial number tracking throughout manufacturing
- Unbuild orders for dismantling products and recovering components
- Continuous improvement workflow connecting quality, PLM, and field service
Bills of Materials
A bill of materials (BoM) defines the components and operations required to manufacture a product. Navigate to Manufacturing > Products > Bills of Materials and click New. BoM form fields:- Product - the item being manufactured
- Product Variant - if the product has variants, specifies which one this BoM applies to
- Quantity - the number of units produced by one run of this BoM
- BoM Type - defines how the BoM is used:
- Manufacture This Product - standard production BoM
- Kits - the product is a kit assembled at delivery, not a manufactured order
- Subcontracting - production is handled by a third-party subcontractor
- Company - limits the BoM to a specific company in multi-company setups
- Routes - determines replenishment behavior for this product
Manufacturing Orders
Creating an MO
Navigate to Manufacturing > Operations > Manufacturing Orders and click New. MO form fields:- Product - what is being manufactured
- Bill of Materials - auto-fills when the product is selected if only one BoM exists
- Quantity - units to produce
- Scheduled Date - the planned start date and time; determines ordering in Shop Floor
- Responsible - the employee managing this order
- Source Document - the sales order or replenishment request that triggered this MO
Processing an MO
On a confirmed MO, the Work Orders tab lists all manufacturing steps with their assigned work centers. Click Produce All to complete production and close the MO. For MOs with work orders enabled, each step must be completed in sequence. Click the Open Shop Floor button on any work order line to process it through the Shop Floor interface. When production is complete, the quantity produced is recorded and inventory is updated to reflect the new finished goods and consumed components.Shop Floor
Shop Floor provides a visual interface for processing manufacturing orders and work orders in real time from a tablet or workstation on the production floor.Navigation
The Shop Floor module has three main views accessible from the top navigation bar:- All - shows MO information cards for every ready-to-start manufacturing order
- Work Center pages - each configured work center has a dedicated page showing only the work orders assigned to it. Add or remove work center tabs using the + button in the navigation bar
- My - shows only work orders assigned to the currently active operator in the panel
MO Information Cards
Each MO card on the All page displays:- MO reference number, product name, and quantity
- Status: Confirmed (not yet started), In Progress (work underway), or To Close (all work orders done, pending close)
- List of completed work orders with green checkmarks
- The current active work order with a link to its work center page
- Register Production step to record the number of units produced
- Close Production button (or Quality Checks button if checks are required)
Work Order Cards
Work order cards on work center pages display:- MO reference number and product
- Status: To Do or a running timer once work has started
- Step checklist with completion checkboxes
- Register Production step
- Mark as Done (if more work orders follow) or Close Production (if final step)
Operator Panel
The panel on the left side of Shop Floor shows all signed-in employees. Click an employee’s name to make them the active operator. Their active work orders and running timers appear below their name in the panel. To sign in an additional employee, click + Add Operator and select from the employee list. If a PIN is configured for the employee, enter it on the keypad. Each employee can be active on multiple work orders simultaneously. Each has its own timer.MO and Work Order Prioritization
Manufacturing orders appear in Shop Floor ordered by their Scheduled Date. Orders scheduled sooner appear before later ones. Set the scheduled date on the MO form by clicking the Scheduled Date field and selecting a date and time.Shop Floor Time Tracking
Shop Floor tracks two types of duration: total elapsed time per work order and individual time per operator per order.Tracking Time
When the active operator in the panel begins work on a work order, click the work order card header to start the timer. The header displays the cumulative time all operators have spent on this work order. In the operator panel, the work order reference appears under the operator’s name with a separate individual timer for the current session. Click the header again to pause both timers. The work order is removed from the active list in the operator panel. When the work order is marked as done, both timers stop automatically.Viewing Duration Records
Navigate to Manufacturing > Operations > Manufacturing Orders and open any completed MO. On the Work Orders tab, the Real Duration column shows the total time spent by all operators on each work order, including time tracked in Shop Floor and time manually logged on the MO form.Master Production Schedule
The master production schedule (MPS) is a manual planning tool for forecasting and coordinating production and purchasing over weeks or months. Enable MPS at Manufacturing > Configuration > Settings by ticking Master Production Schedule under Planning. Two additional settings appear:- Time Range - Monthly, Weekly, or Daily planning intervals
- Number of Columns - how many time intervals are displayed on the schedule
MPS Dashboard
Navigate to Manufacturing > Planning > Master Production Schedule. For each product added to the schedule, the following rows appear:| Row | Description |
|---|---|
| Forecasted Stock | Quantity expected at the start of each period |
| Forecasted Demand | Manually entered demand estimate for each period |
| Indirect Demand Forecast | Demand from existing MOs (for components only) |
| Suggested Replenishment | Recommended quantity to manufacture or purchase |
| Forecasted Stock (end) | Projected stock at end of period if replenishment is fulfilled |
- Green - replenishment order must be generated to reach the safety stock target
- Gray - replenishment already generated
- Yellow - replenishment generated but quantity falls short of the safety stock target
- Red - replenishment generated but quantity exceeds the safety stock target
Adding Products to MPS
Click Add a Product at the top of the MPS page. Configure:- Product - the item to plan
- Bill of Materials - links the BoM so components also appear on the schedule
- Safety Stock Target - minimum units to keep available at all times
- Minimum to Replenish - smallest quantity per replenishment order
- Maximum to Replenish - largest quantity per replenishment order
Replenishing from MPS
Three replenishment options:- Click Replenish at the top of the page to generate orders for all products below their safety stock target in the current period
- Click Replenish on the Suggested Replenishment row for a specific product
- Tick one or more product checkboxes, click Actions, and select Replenish
Work Centers
Work centers define the physical or virtual locations where manufacturing operations take place. Navigate to Manufacturing > Configuration > Work Centers and click New. Work center configuration:- Name - identifier for the work center
- Time Efficiency - percentage representing how fast or slow this center processes orders relative to the expected BOM duration. 100% means normal speed; 50% means half as fast (operations take twice as long)
- Capacity - number of units that can be processed simultaneously. Higher capacity reduces per-unit operation time
- OEE Target - the goal percentage of fully productive time for OEE reporting
- Alternative Work Centers - work centers that can accept orders when this one is unavailable
- Working Hours - the schedule defining when this work center operates
Work Center Time Off
To mark a work center as unavailable for a period (maintenance, equipment failure, scheduled closure):- Navigate to Manufacturing > Configuration > Work Centers and select the work center
- Click the internal link icon next to the Working Hours field to open the working hours page
- Click the Time Off smart button
- Click New and configure: Reason, Resource (the work center), Start Date, and End Date
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
OEE measures the percentage of a work center’s active time that is fully productive. It is calculated per work center and shown as a percentage.OEE Components
Fully productive time: The work center is processing a work order, all components are available, and the order completes within its expected duration. Reduced speed: A work order has exceeded its expected duration. The time beyond the expected duration counts as reduced-speed downtime. Material availability: The work center is available but required components are not in stock or are reserved for another order. Equipment failure: The work center is blocked due to maintenance. Time spent with a blocking maintenance request counts as equipment failure downtime.Viewing OEE Reports
Navigate to Manufacturing > Reporting > Overall Equipment Effectiveness to see OEE data across all work centers in bar chart format. To view OEE for a single work center, open the work center form at Manufacturing > Configuration > Work Centers and click the OEE smart button. Switch between bar chart, line chart, pie chart, pivot table, or list view using the icons at the top of the page.Allocation Reports
Allocation reports allow production teams to reserve finished goods for specific sales orders or components for specific manufacturing orders, preventing priority inventory from being consumed by other operations. Enable Allocation Report for Manufacturing Orders at Manufacturing > Configuration > Settings.Using Allocation Reports
Confirm an MO for a product. If there are open delivery orders or other MOs that need the same product or component, an Allocation smart button appears on the MO. Click the Allocation smart button to open the MRP Reception Report. Allocating to a delivery order: For finished product MOs, the report lists open delivery orders requiring that product. Click Assign All to reserve units for all quantities in an order, or Assign to reserve for a specific line. Allocating to another MO: For component MOs, the report lists open manufacturing orders that need the component. Use the same Assign All or Assign buttons. To release a reservation, click Unassign on the previously assigned line. After assigning, click Print Labels to generate reservation labels for the allocated units.Production Delays
Knowlix Manufacturing tracks production schedule adherence through several delay-related filters. Deadline calculation:- Make-to-Order MOs: deadline = sales order delivery date
- Replenishment MOs: deadline = today + manufacturing lead time
- Manually created MOs: no deadline set by default
| Filter | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Delayed Productions | Scheduled start date is later than the deadline |
| Late | Scheduled end date exceeds the deadline (shown in red) |
| Late Availability | Required components are scheduled to arrive after the deadline |
| Components Available | All components are available to begin production |
Production Analysis Report
Navigate to Manufacturing > Reporting > Production Analysis to access detailed statistics about manufactured products.Available Measures
| Measure | Description |
|---|---|
| Average Employee Cost/Unit | Average labor cost per unit produced |
| By-Products Total Cost | Total value of all by-products from manufacturing |
| Component Cost/Unit | Average component cost per unit |
| Cost/Unit | Total average cost including components, labor, operations, and subcontracting |
| Duration of Operations/Unit | Average operation time per unit |
| Quantity Demanded | Total units included in MOs |
| Quantity Produced | Total units actually produced |
| Total Component Cost | Cumulative component spending across all MOs |
| Total Cost | Total manufacturing spend |
| Total Duration of Operations | Cumulative time across all completed operations |
| Total Employee Cost | Cumulative labor cost |
| Total Operation Cost | Cumulative operation cost |
| Yield Percentage | Quantity produced vs. quantity demanded as a percentage |
| Count | Total number of MOs |
Example: Comparing Product Operation Costs
To identify which product has higher operation costs:- Enter both product names in the search bar
- Under Group By, select Product
- Click Measures and choose Total Operation Cost/Unit
- Switch to bar chart view
Example: Comparing Time Periods
To compare total manufacturing costs across two quarters:- Switch to pie chart view
- Select Total Cost from Measures
- In the search filters, select the current quarter under End Date
- Under Comparison, select End Date: Previous Period
By-Products
By-products are secondary outputs generated during manufacturing alongside the primary finished product. Enable By-Products at Manufacturing > Configuration > Settings under Operations.Adding By-Products to a BoM
Open a BoM at Manufacturing > Products > Bills of Materials. On the By-products tab, click Add a Line. Select the by-product, enter the quantity produced per manufacturing run, and optionally specify which operation produces it using the Produced in Operation field.Processing By-Products
When an MO is completed by clicking Produce All, inventory automatically updates to record both the quantity of the finished product and the quantity of each by-product. Click the Product Moves smart button on the MO to view the inventory movements, including by-product movements from the virtual production location to their destination storage location.Manufacturing Backorders
When production cannot be completed in full due to component shortages or capacity constraints, a backorder splits the original MO into two separate orders.Creating a Backorder
On an in-progress MO, update the Quantity field to reflect the number of units actually produced. Click Validate. When the “You produced less than initial demand” dialog appears, click Create Backorder. The original MO splits into:- -001: the units produced; closes immediately
- -002: the remaining units; stays open for later processing
Creating a Backorder in Shop Floor
On the work order card, reach the Register Production step and enter a quantity less than the total ordered (do not click the auto-fill button). Click Validate. Click Mark as Done. The original work order card fades and a new card with the -002 reference appears for the backorder.Scrapping During Manufacturing
Scrapping removes damaged or defective materials from inventory and moves them to a virtual scrap location that tracks losses without affecting usable stock counts.Scrapping from the Manufacturing App
To scrap components or finished products, open the MO, click the Actions icon, and select Scrap. In the popup, select the product, enter the quantity, and confirm the source and scrap location. Finished products can only be scrapped from MOs that are in the Done stage. Components can be scrapped from Draft or Confirmed MOs. Enable Replenish Scrapped Quantities in the scrap popup to automatically create a replenishment order for the scrapped component (recommended for two-step or three-step manufacturing workflows).Scrapping from Shop Floor
On any MO or work order card in Shop Floor, tap the options menu and select Scrap. Note that only components can be scrapped from Shop Floor; finished products must be scrapped from the Manufacturing app. View all scrap orders at Inventory > Operations > Scrap. Each record shows the date, product, and quantity scrapped.Split and Merge Manufacturing Orders
Splitting an MO
To split an MO into multiple orders, open the MO and click the settings gear icon next to the MO reference number. Select Split. In the split dialog, enter the number of resulting orders in the Split # field. Enter the quantity to assign to each resulting order in the table below. Click Split. Each resulting order receives a -001, -002, etc. suffix appended to the original MO reference.Merging MOs
To merge multiple MOs into one, navigate to Manufacturing > Operations > Manufacturing Orders and tick the checkboxes for the MOs to combine. All selected MOs must involve the same product and the same BoM. Click Actions > Merge. The merged order receives the next available sequential MO reference number. The Source field on the merged order lists all original references.Unbuild Orders
Unbuild orders dismantle a finished product back into its component parts, updating inventory counts for both the product and the recovered components. Navigate to Manufacturing > Operations > Unbuild Orders and click New. Unbuild order fields:- Product - the product being dismantled
- Bill of Materials - auto-populates based on the product; can be changed manually
- Quantity - how many units to dismantle
- Manufacturing Order - the original MO this product came from (optional)
- Source Location - where the product is currently stored
- Destination Location - where recovered components should be placed
- Lot/Serial Number - if applicable
Lot and Serial Number Manufacturing
Product Configuration
Enable tracking at Inventory > Configuration > Settings under Traceability. On each product form, set Track Inventory to By Lots or By Unique Serial Number.Lot Number Manufacturing
When creating an MO for a lot-tracked product, a Lot/Serial Number field appears after confirming the order. Click the plus icon to auto-generate the next lot number, or type a custom number. Numbers can also be assigned automatically when clicking Produce All.Serial Number Manufacturing
For serial-tracked products, each individual unit requires its own serial number. Single unit: Click Produce All to close the MO and auto-generate the next serial number. Multiple units: Click Produce All to open the Batch Production dialog. The system pre-fills the starting serial number and the count. Click Generate to preview the generated serial numbers. Click Prepare MO to split into individual MOs without closing them, or Produce to split and close all at once. Each split MO receives a -001, -002, etc. suffix. The Backorders smart button links to all split orders.Work Center Time Off
When equipment requires maintenance or a work center must close, configure time off to redirect incoming work orders to alternative stations automatically.Setup Requirements
- Configure at least two work centers that can perform the same operations
- On the primary work center, add the alternative in the Alternative Work Centers field and ensure both have the same equipment listed on the Equipment tab
Scheduling Time Off
Navigate to Manufacturing > Configuration > Work Centers, open the affected work center, and click the internal link next to Working Hours. Click the Time Off smart button, then New. Configure the time-off record with a reason, the work center as the resource, and the start and end dates of the unavailability period.Planning Around Time Off
When a confirmed MO requires the unavailable work center, open the MO and click Plan on the Work Orders tab. The work center assignment automatically changes to the configured alternative. After the time-off period ends, clicking Plan routes orders back to the original work center.Subcontracting
Subcontracting engages a third-party manufacturer to produce items that the contracting company then sells or stocks. Knowlix supports three subcontracting models. Enable subcontracting at Manufacturing > Configuration > Settings by ticking Subcontracting under Operations. With subcontracting enabled, BoMs gain a Subcontracting type option, and two inventory routes become available: Resupply Subcontractor on Order and Dropship Subcontractor on Order.Subcontracted Product Valuation
Total cost = Component cost (C) + Manufacturing fee (M) + Shipping cost (S) + Dropship cost (D) + Other costs (x) Not all variables apply to every arrangement. For example, if the subcontractor dropships finished goods, no inbound shipping cost from the subcontractor is incurred.Basic Subcontracting
In basic subcontracting, the subcontractor is fully responsible for sourcing all components. The contracting company only creates and confirms purchase orders. Product configuration:- Under the Purchase tab, add the subcontractor as a vendor with a price
- Under the Inventory tab, set the route to Buy (for delivery back to your warehouse) or Dropship (for direct delivery to the customer)
- Set BoM Type to Subcontracting
- Add the subcontractor in the Subcontractors field
- Under the Miscellaneous tab, enter the manufacturing lead time in Manuf. Lead Time
- No components need to be listed (the subcontractor handles sourcing)
- Create a sales order (if fulfilling a customer order)
- Confirm the purchase order to the subcontractor - a receipt or dropship order is created automatically
- When the subcontractor delivers, validate the receipt or dropship order
- If the product was not dropshipped, deliver it to the customer and validate the delivery order
Resupply Subcontracting
In the resupply model, the contracting company ships components from their own warehouse to the subcontractor before production can begin. BoM configuration:- BoM Type: Subcontracting
- Add the subcontractor
- List all required components with quantities
- Assign the Resupply Subcontractor on Order route to each component on its product form
- Enter the Manuf. Lead Time on the BoM’s Miscellaneous tab
- Confirm a purchase order to the subcontractor
- A Resupply smart button appears on the PO - click it to open the component shipment order
- Set the scheduled date to account for shipping time before the deadline
- Validate the resupply order when components are shipped
- Validate the receipt when the finished product arrives
Dropship to Subcontractor
In the dropship subcontractor model, a vendor ships components directly to the subcontractor rather than going through the contracting company’s warehouse. BoM configuration:- BoM Type: Subcontracting
- Add the subcontractor
- List required components
- Assign the Dropship Subcontractor on Order route to each component
- Set the delivery lead time for each component vendor on that component’s Purchase tab
- Enter the Manuf. Lead Time on the BoM’s Miscellaneous tab
- Confirm a PO to the subcontractor with an expected arrival date that accounts for component delivery plus manufacturing time
- Navigate to the automatically created component PO and confirm it before the Order Deadline
- After the vendor delivers components to the subcontractor, validate the dropship order
- Validate the receipt when the subcontractor delivers the finished product
Continuous Improvement
Knowlix supports a structured product improvement cycle using multiple modules together.Step 1: Identify Problems
- Support tickets provide external feedback from customers. Support team members can create quality alerts from tickets to escalate product issues to the quality team.
- Quality control points trigger automatic inspections during production. Failed checks prompt employees to file quality alerts.
Step 2: Suggest Improvements
- Quality alerts include Corrective Actions and Preventive Actions tabs for documenting how to fix the current issue and prevent recurrence.
- Engineering change orders (ECOs) in PLM allow product engineers to create new BOM versions with component or operation changes, staging them through an approval process before they affect production.
Step 3: Implement Strategies
- Once an ECO is approved, applying it promotes the revised BOM to production. All new MOs created after approval use the updated BOM.
- Field Service can be used to dispatch technicians to update or repair products already delivered to customers.
Step 4: Review Actions
- Continue using support tickets and quality checks to monitor whether the changes resolved the original problem.
- Send customer surveys after delivering an updated product to gather direct feedback on the improvement.