---
pdfexport: true
alias: tutorials-sendaheadrun
timetoread: true
tutorial: full
description: "A Send-Ahead Run processes a material's sub-section while the rest waits, enabling equipment checks and rework if needed"
---

# Send-Ahead Run

A **Send-Ahead Run** represents a scenario where a given **Sub-Material** from a specific **Material** undergoes certain defined processing steps while the remaining lot becomes a Waiting Material that is held at a Wait Step.

!!! info
    For Materials without Sub-Materials you need to Expand one or more units of that Material so you can create a Send-Ahead Run. Another alternative to create a Send-Ahead Run for Materials without Sub-Materials is to use the Send-Ahead Run Entity, and not the Material directly.

This document will guide you through the required configurations and set up for the **Send-Ahead Run** functionality.

## Overview

The **Send-Ahead Run** functionality is used with **Material** for tracking, connecting, and checking purposes. This is, from a certain material group, a material or a small set of materials are sent ahead to check for equipment and process correctness, while the rest of the material group is put on hold automatically in the waiting step until the results are available. When the processing of the materials that were sent ahead is checked successfully, the rest of the material group can proceed. However, if the send-ahead material processing fails, the send-ahead materials can be sent to rework, scrapped or just stay in the step, and a new send-ahead material can be used - ignoring/clearing or not the result of the first send-ahead material.

!!! note
	You can also define a Send-Ahead Run via [[future-actions]] or as part of an [[user-guide-experiment-index]].

## Setting up Send-Ahead Run

To have a functioning **Send-Ahead Run**, you have to set up other Critical Manufacturing MES entities as shown in the following table:

| **Step Number** | **Step**                                            | **Description**                                         |
| --------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| **1**           | **Create a Flow** | Create a **Flow** with **Steps**. |
| **2**           | **Create a Material** | Create a **Material**. |
| **3**           | **Create a Reason** | Create a **Reason** of type **Hold** and configure it. |
| **4**           | **Create a Data Collection with Limit Set** | Only if Results Capture Mode equals Data Collection Within Limits. |
| **5**           | **Create an SPC with an SPC Rule** | Only if Results Capture Mode equals SPC With No Violation. |
| **6**           | **Link Data Collection, Data Collection Limit Set, and SPC to the Step** | Only if any of the two Capture Modes above are used. |

Table: Steps to set up the Send-Ahead Run-related Entities

The image below provides an example of a basic **Send-Ahead Run** scenario:

![With Physical Split](../../images/sar_physical_split.png)

The next sub-sections will cover the required configuration steps in more detail.

### Step 1: Create a Flow

1. Create a [[user-guide-flow-index]] and make sure that it has **Steps**. This tutorial will use three different **Steps** for the Wait, Evaluate, and Merge steps in the **Send-Ahead Run**:

    ![Flow with Steps](../../images/sar_flow.png)

    !!! note
	    It is not mandatory to have different Steps.  

### Step 2: Create a Material

1. Create a [[user-guide-material-index]] and make sure that it is configured to use the **Flow** you created. For this tutorial the **Material** is configured with **Sub-Materials**, one of which will be sent ahead:

    ![Material with Sub-Materials](../../images/sar_material.png)

### Step 3: Create a Reason

1. Create a [[user-guide-reason-index]], give it a Name, to use for configuration purposes, and select **Create**:

    ![Hold Reason](../../images/sar_hold_reason.png)

2. Configure the **Reason** by going to **Administration** followed by **Configuration**. Find and select the following key to be able to **Edit** it:

      * `/Cmf/System/Configuration/SendAheadRun/HoldReason/`

        ![Find Configuration](../../images/sar_config_reason.png)

3. Select **Edit**, complete the **Value** field with the Name of your **Reason**, and select **Save**:

    ![Enter Configuration Value](../../images/sar_config_entry.png)

4. Optionally, configure the **NameGenerator** for the **Send-Ahead Run** Split Material by going to **Administration** followed by **Configuration**. Find and select the following key to be able to **Edit** it:

      * `/Cmf/System/Configuration/Business/NameGenerators/SendAheadRunSplitMaterial/`

        ![Find Configuration](../../images/sar_config_split_material.png)

!!! note
    You can only edit a Configuration if it is selected. For more information, see [[user-guide-configuration-index]].

Here is an example of the configured **Name Generator**:

![Name Generator Configuration](../../images/sar_config_split_material_01.png)

## Using Send-Ahead Run

After setting up the required configurations mentioned above, you can create the **Send-Ahead Run** and use it to process your **Material**, as described in the next sections.

### Create the Send-Ahead Run

You can create the [[user-guide-send-ahead-run-index]] directly from the **Material**, **Step** or **Resource** view.

For the purpose of this tutorial, the **Send-Ahead Run** will be created from the **Step** view:

![Screenshot showing the Step view in the user interface with a focus on creating a Send-Ahead Run.](../../images/sar_step_view_01.png)

On selecting Create under **Send-Ahead Run**, the wizard opens:

![Screenshot showing a wizard for creating a "Send-Ahead Run" with fields labeled as per OCR output.](../../images/sar_create_01.png)

Before moving on, you could configure the **NameGenerator** for the **Send-Ahead Run** by going to **Administration** followed by **Configuration**. Find and select the following key to be able to **Edit** it:

* `/Cmf/System/Configuration/Business/NameGenerators/SendAheadRun/`

![Screenshot showing a configuration page for a Name Generator, specifically for Send-Ahead Run settings.](../../images/sar_config_name_generator.png)

Since for this tutorial the **NameGenerator** was configured, select **Next** in the **General Data** step.

Out of curiosity, this is how the **NameGenerator** for the **Send-Ahead Run** was configured:

![Screenshot showing a configuration dialog for the NameGenerator used in the Send-Ahead Run.](../../images/sar_name_generator.png)

In the **Waiting Materials** step, select `Physical` for the Split Type and `Temporary` for the Split Scope:

![Screenshot showing a step to create a Send-Ahead Run, with options for Split Type and Split Scope.](../../images/sar_create_02.png)

Select **Next** to move to the **Sub-Materials to Send-Ahead** step, and select the desired **Sub-Material**, followed by **Next**:  

![Screenshot showing a UI with a heading "Create Sere Ahead Run" and options to select sub-materials.](../../images/sar_create_03.png)

For the **Details** step be sure to complete the following:

* Wait Step - where the main **Material** will be put on hold, and hold reason is assigned. For more information, see [[user-guide-manage-reasons]].
* Evaluate Step - where you will evaluate the **Material** that was sent ahead.
* Merge Step - where the main **Material** and the **Material** that was sent ahead will merge, and only if the Split Scope is different from `Permanent`.
* Results Capture Mode - when results are recorded. For more information on the available options, see [[user-guide-create-send-ahead-run]].

![Configured Send-Ahead Run](../../images/sar_configured.png)

!!! info
	The default of the Results Capture Mode is Manual. For this tutorial it is Manual at Track-Out so you can see how it works.

	The default of the Auto Release on Pass is `true`. For this tutorial it is `false` so you can see the manual release workflow.  

When created, the **Send-Ahead Run** page contains all your configurations including details on the **Send-Ahead Materials**:

![Send-Ahead Run Details](../../images/sar_page.png)

For more information, see [[user-guide-cancel-send-ahead-run]], [[user-guide-change-send-ahead-run-materials]], [[user-guide-manage-send-ahead-run-materials]], [[user-guide-clear-send-ahead-run-result]], and [[user-guide-ignore-send-ahead-run-result]].

Moreover, notice how, as defined in the Wait Step of the **Send-Ahead Run**, the main **Material** is on hold at the **Mixing** step:

![Material On Hold](../../images/sar_main_material_hold.png)

### Process the Material

1. From the **Material** to be sent ahead, select **Dispatch and Track-In**.

    ![Screenshot showing a dispatch and track-in selection interface for sending ahead material.](../../images/sar_send_ahead_material.png)

2. Select an available resource and **Track-In**:

    ![Track-In Resource](../../images/sar_track_in_resource.png)

3. Select **Track-Out** and perform the necessary steps in the **Track-Out Material** wizard to **Track-Out**.

4. Select **Move-Next** on the top ribbon, and then again in the **Move Material to Next Step** wizard to move the **Material** to the **Evaluate Step**. In this case, Moulding:

    ![Move Material to Next Step](../../images/sar_move_next.png)

5. The **Material** is now in Moulding, the configured **Evaluate Step**, and you need to repeat the **Dispatch and Track-In** and **Track-Out** process.

6. Since you selected `Manual at Track-Out` as the **Results Capture Mode**, the last step of the **Track-Out Material** wizard is when you manually record the **Send-Ahead Run Materials Result**. The available options are **Pass** or **Fail**, and you can include **Remarks**:

    ![Send-Ahead Run Materials Result](../../images/sar_track_out_results.png)

7. Select **Track-Out** and your **Material** is tracked out successfully.

8. Return to the **Send-Ahead Run** and select **Release** on the top ribbon:

    ![Send-Ahead Release Waiting Material](../../images/sar_release.png)

    !!! note
	    A Material can be released directly in the Material entity, Resource View or Step View.

        Information regarding the Send-Ahead Materials is updated.

	    This operation is not needed if the Auto Release on Pass is set to `true` when creating the Send-Ahead Run.

    And again in the **Release Waiting Material** wizard:

    ![Send-Ahead Release Waiting Material](../../images/sar_release1.png)

9. Now you need to perform **Dispatch and Track-In**, **Track-Out**, and **Move-Next** to your main **Material** (no longer on hold) until it reaches the **Merge Step** (Baking), at which point it will be waiting for merge:

    ![Main Material Waiting](../../images/sar_main_material_waiting.png)

10. Go to the **Material** that was sent ahead, **Move-Next** and the **Materials** will be merged:

    ![Materials Merged](../../images/sar_materials_merge.png)

11. The **Sub-Material** that was used for the **Send-Ahead Run** process has returned to the main **Material**:

    ![Main Material Active](../../images/sar_main_material_active.png)

12. The **Send-Ahead Run** is Terminated and Closed:

    ![Send-Ahead Run Terminated](../../images/sar_terminated.png)

!!! info
	When the result of the Send-Ahead Run is a `Pass`, you can Extend Send-Ahead Run. For more information, see [[user-guide-extend-send-ahead-run]].