Labor Posting

Work in Progress > Job Postings > Labor Posting

Labor Posting

You use this program to post time against a specific job. Each labor entry increases the labor costs to date and the number of hours booked against the job.

WIP Labor Posting

Field	Description
Enter labor posting	Select this to accept the information entered and proceed to the detailed Labor Posting entry screen.
Preferences	Select this to indicate the default options you want to use when processing labor posting transactions (see Preferences).
Format	Indicate the format to be used for your labor postings. Labor formats are maintained using the WIP Labor Posting Format Maintenance program. The selected format determines the sequence in which fields are displayed as well as which fields can be accessed.
Format description	This displays the description of the labor posting format you have selected.
Batch information
Batch validation required	Select this for the entries in this run of the program to match a batch total before you exit the program.
Total time	Indicate the total batch time in hours to which your accumulated run and setup time entries must match before you can exit the program.
Posting information
Posting month	This indicates the current period of your Work in Progress module.
Posting year	This indicates the current year of your Work in Progress module.
Change posting period	Select this to use the Change Posting Period program to change the month to which you want to post transactions. You can post transactions to the current or previous two months, providing that the access status of the month is set to open.

Preferences

This screen is displayed when you select the Preferences option.

Field

Description

Save

Select this to save your selections against your operator code. Any selections you make will remain in force until changed.

Cancel

Select this to exit the preferences window without saving.

Retain between transactions

Retain machine code

Select this to automatically use the machine code entered for the current transaction for the next transaction.

Retain employee code

Select this to automatically use the employee code entered for the current transaction for the next transaction.

Retain dummy operations narrations

Select this to set the narration(s) used against the previous dummy operation for the next dummy operation.

Options

Issue positive allocations

Select this if you only want to be able to post material issues when the material is queued. After issuing materials, you will be unable to kit issue via the labour postings program.

If you do not select this preference, then positive material issues can be issued without the material being queued.

Default format

Indicate the default labor posting format you want to use.

Labor Posting

The field selections assigned to your labor posting format (WIP Labor Posting Format Maintenance) determine which fields are displayed and which can be accessed when you select the Enter labor posting function.

Toolbar

Field	Description
Tracking	Select this to use the WIP Browse on Operations Tracking program to view details of all operations assigned to the current job.
Scrap co-products	Select this to use the WIP Scrap Co-Product program to enter the scrap values against the co-products attached to the notional part. This only applies when you are posting labor to a job for a notional part and you enter a value in the Total quantity scrapped field.
Post	Select this to post the entries made against the job. For a subcontract operation, the subcontract value to issue calculated as: Unit value against the operation multiplied by the sum of the quantity completed and total quantity scrapped.
Close	Select this to return to the previous screen.

WIP Labor Posting

You use this screen to enter values for posting against the job if you did not select the Material queued for operation option (i.e. the material is ready for the operation, but work has not yet commenced).

If against your labor posting format you selected the option: Suppress time prompts if the rate is zero then you can only access time fields with a non-zero value.

When you post using the STD1, STD2 and STD3 labour formats and you tab off the job field, the rate indicator is set to 1. If you set a work center to always use employee rates, then the normal rate indicator is not relevant as you have to enter an employee.


You enter the values in all the ..time fields in the time unit of measure defined for the work center (see Work Centers). All times are calculated in hours. If you want to enter 30 minutes, then enter 0.5.

You enter the values in all the ..time fields in the time unit of measure defined for the work center (see Work Centers).

All times are calculated in hours. If you want to enter 30 minutes, then enter 0.5.

Field Description

Labor posting details

Date

Indicate the posting date required for this run of the program.

This defaults to the system date.

Refer to Transaction Date for the possible consequences of changing this date.

Time

If you selected Use current system time in your Preferences then this field displays the current system time and can not be changed.

If you selected Enter a time in your Preferences then this field displays the current system time but can be changed.

Job Indicate the job against which time must be posted.

Update job

Deselect this if you do not require the posting to be made to a specific job. Only the BOM Work Center table is updated and the Labour journal is output.

If Non-productive time to update job is selected (Work in Progress Setup) and you select Update job, then all the labour postings (productive and non-productive) are updated to the job.

If Non-productive time to update job is not selected and you select Update job, then only the productive time is updated to the job.

Operation

Indicate the operation to which postings must be made.

The program automatically displays the first operation that is not yet complete. If milestone operations exist, then the program displays the first milestone operation that is not complete. Refer to the Milestone operation entry in the Glossary for additional information on milestone operations.


	You cannot enter transactions for an operation if work has not already commenced on the previous operation and the option: Sequence checking on operations required was selected at the time of creating the job.

If there are no incomplete operations for the job, then you can add a dummy operation to which postings can be made. Dummy operations are created as milestone operations with an elapsed time of 1 and a movement time of zero.

If the job has no operations, then the start date of the job is used as the queue date, and the start and end dates of the operation and job delivery date is incremented by 1 working day.

If the job has operations, then the movement time of the last operation is decreased by 1 and its end date is used as the queue, start and end dates of the dummy operation.

If your labor posting format is configured to suppress the operation field and no operations are held against the job, then you will be able to add a labor allocation to the job.

If your labor posting format is configured to display the work center field before the operation field, then the next operation to be started for the work center is used as the default.

Work center

Indicate the work center against which postings must be made.

For subcontract operations you must specify a valid subcontract work center.

If you changed the description against the work center for the operation (WIP Job and Op Maintenance) then the new description is displayed here instead of the standard work center description.

Alternatively, the description held against the operation can be displayed here instead of the work center description. This is achieved by accessing the Preferences function of the Standard job card posting format and selecting the option: Use description held against operation against the Work center field.

When you post time to an operation using a work center that is different from the work center defined against the operation, the entered work center rates are used to post the time, but the work center against the operation is not changed. To see which work center was actually used in the posting, you can run the WIP Detail report in conjunction with the Job Status report.

If you are posting non-productive time that is not directly associated with a job, then you must indicate a valid work center in this field.

See Field considerations in Notes and warnings.

Rate indicator Indicate the work center rate to be used for this operation.

Manual rate

Select this to enter manual rates to assign to the operation.

Negative values cannot be entered.

Machine

Indicate the machine against which postings must be made.

This field is validated if you enabled the option: Validate machine code (Work in Progress Setup).

Employee

Indicate the employee against whom postings must be made.

This field is validated if you enabled the option: Validate employee number (Work in Progress Setup).

Employee rate indicator

Indicate the employee rate that must be used for this operation.

If the employee rates are zero then the work center rates are used. You can only access this field if (against the work center) you indicated that the employee rates must be used (Work Centers).

See Field considerations in Notes and warnings.

Material queued for operation

Select this if work has already commenced for the operation.

If you select to post the entry, then the queue date against the labor allocation record is updated.

If you do not select this option then when you select the Continue function the program displays the Labor Posting - Values screen.

If you do not want this option to be requested, then you can design the form and disable the Material queued for operation option (WIP Labor Posting Format Maintenance).

Labor posting values

Pieces completed

Indicate the number of pieces completed for this operation.

A warning message is displayed if the entry made here (together with the pieces completed so far) exceeds the quantity to manufacture against the job header multiplied by the unit number of pieces required for the operation.

Quantity completed

Indicate the quantity of finished goods that have been completed in this operation.

If an entry has been made at the Pieces completed field then the default quantity completed is calculated as the number of pieces completed divided by the unit number of pieces for the operation.

The entry made here is used to calculate the standard hours earned. This is added to the work center efficiency record for the period, month and year-to-date columns. It is also added to the machine and employee month-to-date columns.

Quantity scrapped

Indicate the total quantity to be scrapped.

If an entry is made here, then when you select the Post function you are required to assign a reason for the scrapping, with the option to adjust the quantity to make field against the job.

The entry made here creates a record in the scrap analysis file and can be analyzed using the Material Scrap Analysis program.

This field is disabled if you designed the form not to request Quantity scrapped (WIP Labor Posting Format Maintenance).

Non-productive code

Indicate the non-productive code (linked to a ledger code) to which the value of non-productive time must be apportioned.

The entry made here creates a record in the non-productive analysis file and can be analyzed using the Non-Productive Labor Analysis program.

Setup time

Enter the time taken to set up the operation.

The value you enter here is used in the overall calculation of elapsed time.

Startup time

Enter the time taken to produce the startup quantity of the item.

The startup time can be viewed as the productive setup time.

The value you enter here is used in the overall calculation of elapsed time.

Run time

Enter the time taken to produce the quantity completed of the parent item. This may be 1, or could also be all.

If you selected the option: Use employee rates (Work Centers), then the actual hours for the work center are decreased if you enter a negative value in this field.

Teardown time

Enter the amount of time taken to close down the operation.

The value you enter here is added to the overall calculation of elapsed time.

Subcontract value

Enter the value of the labor you are posting if you are posting to a subcontract operation.

Reference

This indicates the reference assigned to the posting.

The reference you enter here is printed on the following reports:

WIP Detail, providing you select the option: Include reference
Job Transaction Report

This reference is also displayed by the WIP Browse on Labor Details and WIP Query programs.

You can only access this field if you configured your Labor Posting Formats to request the Reference field.

Notation

This indicates the notation assigned to the posting.

The notation you enter here is printed on the following reports:

WIP Detail, providing you select the option: Include notation
Job Transaction Report

This notation is also displayed by the WIP Browse on Labor Details and WIP Query programs.

You can only access this field if you designed your Labor Posting Formats to request the Notation field.

Operation complete

Select this option to indicate that the operation is complete.

The completion date for an operation is set to the date on which the operation is marked as complete.

If you post additional labor to a completed operation then you must mark the operation as complete again in order to update the completion date.

The Job Receipts program is loaded automatically once you select the Post function, provided that the following conditions are met:

the last operation for a stocked job is marked as complete
the option: Sequence checking on operations required is enabled (Job Entry)
the option: Receipt stocked jobs automatically is enabled (WIP Labor Posting Format Maintenance).

The Part Billings program is loaded automatically once you select the Post function, provided that the following conditions are met:

the last operation for a non-stocked job is marked as complete
the option: Sequence checking on operations required is enabled (Job Entry)
the option: Part bill non-stocked jobs automatically is enabled (WIP Labor Posting Format Maintenance).

Print Journals

This function is displayed once you have posted entries, enabling you to print your journals on-line.

You can use the WIP Labor Journal program to print (and reprint) all journals in batch mode.

General Information

This pane displays information about the current job.

See Field considerations in Notes and warnings.

Scrap Entries

This screen is displayed only if a non-zero value was entered at the Total quantity scrapped field.

The fields enable you to assign reasons for the quantity that you are scrapping.

Field	Description
Scrap entry
Reason	Indicate the scrap reason code that you want to assign to the entry. Scrap reason codes are maintained using the Scrap Reasons program.
Quantity	Indicate the quantity of the item you want to scrap against the selected reason code.
Add	Select this to add your entry to the distribution list.
Remove	Select this to remove the currently highlighted entry from the distribution list.
Undistributed	This indicates the value of the scrap quantity not yet distributed to a reason code.
End Entries	Select this to end the scrap entry distribution function. If you select this option when the value in the Undistributed field is not zero, the Scrap Quantity Imbalance screen is displayed.
Cancel	Select this to ignore any information you entered and to return to the previous screen.

Scrap Quantity Imbalance

This screen is displayed if the total of all your scrap entries do not match the Total scrapped quantity specified on the WIP Labor Posting - Values window (i.e. when the value in the Undistributed field on the Scrap Entries screen is not zero).

Field	Description
Select option
Enter more scrap entries	Select this to return to the Scrap Entries window to add more entries.
Total scrapped to equal scrap entries	Select this to reset the total quantity scrapped to the quantity entered so far.
Cancel scrap entries	Select this to cancel your entries made within the Scrap Entries distribution window.
OK	Select this to proceed according to the option you selected.
Cancel	Select this to return to the previous screen.

Update Job Quantity to Make

This screen is displayed only if a non-zero scrap quantity is entered and you selected the option: Change quantity to make if scrap quantity not equal to zero (WIP Labor Posting Format Maintenance).

The fields enables you to adjust the quantity to manufacture for the job.

When you update the quantity to make the following applies:

If the actual scrap quantity is less than the planned scrap quantity and the current operation is not set to complete, then no changes are made.
If the actual scrap quantity is less than the planned scrap quantity against the current operation and the current operation is set to complete, then the planned scrap quantity of the current operation is adjusted and the start quantity of each subsequent operation and the net quantity to make are recalculated.
If the actual scrap quantity exceeds the planned scrap quantity against the current operation, then the planned scrap quantity of the current operation is adjusted and the start quantity of each subsequent operation and the net quantity to make are recalculated.
When manufacturing unit of measure is enabled and the job is created in a manufacturing unit of measure and you are updating the job quantity, then the quantity in the manufacturing unit of measure is applied to the job.

Field	Description
Adjust quantity to manufacture
No	Select this if you do not want to adjust the quantity to manufacture for the job.
Review	Select this to review the job before making changes.
Automatically	Select this to reduce the job's quantity to make by the total quantity scrapped, and to reschedule operations accordingly. This option is available only if the quantity to make for the job is greater than the quantity to scrap.
OK	Select this to process your selection.

Transaction Date

You can use the Date and Time fields to indicate the date and time that must be used for the transaction, if you selected the option Enter a time in the WIP Labor Posting Preferences.

Transaction Date

The transaction date is used as the journal start date and the inventory movement date.

When the transaction extends over two days (e.g. the processing of the transaction begins before midnight and ends after midnight) then the actual date of posting is used instead of the date on which the program was loaded. In this example, the date after midnight is used as the transaction date.


	Although a number of programs provide the facility to change the date to use for the transaction, we recommend that you exercise caution when setting the transaction date. If you change the transaction date manually, then the entered date is used regardless of the actual date on which the transaction is posted. However, regardless of the date you enter, the transaction is posted to the General Ledger period that matches the period of the module at the time the transaction is posted (i.e. posting to the General Ledger is period-driven, not date-driven). Reports are date-driven, so changes to the transaction date can affect the information included in a report.

The transaction date defaults to the current system date when the Set accounting date to system date option is enabled (Operators).

Notes and warnings

Restrictions and limits

If you want to enter negative values in the Pieces completed, Quantity completed or Total quantity scrapped fields, then you must use the Preferences function of the WIP Labor Posting Format Maintenance> program to enable negative values for these fields.

You can only print labor journals if you have access to the WIP Labor Journal program.
The password against the function: WIP Posting to a completed job (when defined) must be entered before posting to a completed job.

Default format

Note that the Default format defined in the Preferences overrides any default format defined using the Save Form Values functionality.

To define a default format per company, you need to use VBScripting.

Customization

If you need to apply default values to certain fields, we suggest that you do this using VB scripting in the Labor Posting program, on the OnLoad or OnRefresh event.

Sample VB script:

 Function WIPLaborPosting_OnRefresh()
     If WIPLaborPostingFormat.CodeObject.Format = "STD1" then
         'Set Checkbox to False
         WIPLaborPosting.CodeObject.UpdateJob = "<Field Value='0'  > </Field>"
         'Disable the Reference Field, and populate with standard Reference
         WIPLaborPosting.CodeObject.Reference = "<Field IsReadOnly='true' Value= '" & WIPLaborPostingFormat.CodeObject.Format & " - JOB LABOR POSTING - " & SystemVariables.CodeObject.Operator & "'> </Field>"
     End if
 End Function

eSignature considerations

Electronic Signatures provide security access, transaction logging and event triggering. This enables you to increase control over your system changes.

Access to the following eSignature transactions within this program can be restricted at Operator, Group, Role or Company level. You configure this using the eSignature Setup program.

eSignature Transaction	Description
WIP Labor posting	Controls access to the posting of labour in the WIP Labor Import and Labor Posting programs.

Field considerations

Operator access to the following fields within this program can be restricted. You configure this using the Security Fields function of the Operators program.

Field

Description

WIP Show rates in labor posting

Controls whether the rates associated with a work center and/or the employee rate indicator are automatically displayed when processing a transaction using the Labor Posting program.

This option does not deny the operator access to the Browse functions for the Work center or the Employee rate indicator fields.

You can prevent an operator from browsing on the employee rate indicator by denying the group to which the operator belongs access to the Browse on Employee Rate Descriptions program (see Security Access in the Groups program).

Password considerations

Password access to the following functions in this program may be defined in the Password Definition program. When defined, the password must be entered before you can access the function.

Field	Description
WIP Posting to a previous month	This password restricts access to posting Work in Progress transactions to a previous period (see Multi-period accounting).
WIP Posting to a completed job	This password restricts access to posting transactions to a job which is already set to Complete. This is a transactional based password, which means the password is requested every time you try to post to a closed (completed) job. Restricted transactions include: issuing to a completed job using the Job Issues program posting labor to a completed job using the Labor Posting program issuing stock from a sub-job to a completed job and issuing a reworked item back to a completed job using the WIP Inspection program processing a receipt for a completed job using the Job Receipts program

Field

Description

WIP Posting to a previous month

This password restricts access to posting Work in Progress transactions to a previous period (see Multi-period accounting).

WIP Posting to a completed job

This password restricts access to posting transactions to a job which is already set to Complete. This is a transactional based password, which means the password is requested every time you try to post to a closed (completed) job.

Restricted transactions include:

issuing to a completed job using the Job Issues program
posting labor to a completed job using the Labor Posting program
issuing stock from a sub-job to a completed job and issuing a reworked item back to a completed job using the WIP Inspection program
processing a receipt for a completed job using the Job Receipts program