Create a Checklist#

Creating a Checklist#

In this section, we will create a Checklist in Critical Manufacturing MES, configure its essential properties, and set up Checklist items to customize its functionality.

To create a Checklist, begin by locating the Checklist entity on the Business Data menu and select the New button on the top ribbon. Since Checklists are versioned objects, we will have to create a Change Set or choose one already created. After that, select Next to proceed.

Start by naming the Checklist and optionally providing a description. Next, choose the appropriate Checklist scope. Depending on the selected scope, the Create Checklist wizard may change. The following images show how the configuration looks for each scope option:

In this example, we are creating a Material Tracking Checklist, allowing us to specify a Product, a BOM, and a Data Collection. This setup helps narrow down the Checklist to be executed only for specific Products and enables the definition of Conditions for executing certain Checklist items. For more information, see Conditional Checklist items.

Next, enable time-tracking features by selecting the Define Standard Times and Track Execution Times toggle buttons. Activating the Track Execution Times option allows us to monitor the time spent on each Checklist instance, and which can be reviewed in the Checklist Page. This option also enables the Pause and Resume functionality, allowing us to temporarily stop the time-tracking counter when needed and resume the Checklist execution when ready. For more information, see Pause & Resume a Checklist Instance.

For a step-by-step guide on creating Checklists, see How to Create a Material Tracking Checklist or watch the video below.

Adding Checklist Items#

After successfully creating a Checklist, the next step involves customizing it by adding and configuring Checklist items. To do this, select the Edit button on the top ribbon, and begin adding Checklist items. The following sections outline the options and settings available for configuring Checklist items in Critical Manufacturing MES.

General Data#

The General Data tab is available for all Checklist scopes. Begin by entering a clear, descriptive name for the Checklist item that accurately represents the action to be performed. This will help when executing the Checklist instance.

Next, choose the Activity Type, which could be an Automatic or a Manual Action, a Manual Task or a Signature. For detailed information on each activity type, see Checklist Items and Checklist with Different Activity Types. In this example, we will choose a Manual Task.

Choose the Tracking Type, which could be Start And End or End. For detailed information on each tracking type, see Checklist Items and Undo Start While Performing a Checklist Instance. In this example, we will choose the tracking type Start And End to enable the Undo Start feature, allowing us to restart the item if a mistake is made.

Since we enabled the Define Standard Times option when creating this Checklist, we need to specify the Time Category. The choices are Value Added, Non-Value Added or Required Non-Value Added. If you need clarification on these categories, see Lean Thinking Methodology ⧉. In this example, we will set the Time Category as Value Added. We also need to specify the Standard Duration for this Checklist item, and we will set it at 2 minutes.

Finally, you may choose to mark the item as Floating, Optional, or Executed Out of Order. For more information on what each implies, see Checklist with Floating, Optional and Execute Out of Order Items.

Watch the video below for a walkthrough on adding and configuring the General Data of Checklist items.

Instructions#

The Instructions tab is also available for all Checklist scopes, and we can take advantage of the rich-text editor to provide any specific guidelines to ensure accurate execution of each Checklist item.

The rich-text editor allows us to format the text in various ways, such as adjusting the font size and color, highlight text, and apply formatting options such as bold, italic, and underline. Additionally, we can organize the content using different headings.

The three-dot menu provides more advanced formatting features that may be useful for specific needs. Watch the video below for an example.

Diagram#

Similarly to the General Data and the Instructions tab, the Diagram tab is available for all Checklist scopes. We can use this tab to add diagrams that illustrate specific procedures associated with a Checklist item. We also have direct access to the BOM drawing associated with the Checklist, as well as any images, diagrams, and other document types linked to the BOM Products of the Checklist.

The Diagram tab also includes built-in annotation tools. To get started, upload a file and select the icon. This action opens the annotation wizard, as shown below:

Within the wizard, we can add text boxes, polygons, or other images using the icons , , and , respectively. Customize annotations by adjusting font size, text color, borders, backgrounds, and arrow styles. To remove an annotation, use the icon. When finished, select Add.

To hide annotations, select the icon. To display them again, select the icon.

To download the file, select the icon and choose whether to download the file with or without annotations. If needed, delete the file by selecting the icon. For more information, see the Diagram section or watch the video below.

Parameters#

The Parameters tab is available for all Checklist scopes when the Activity Type is either a Manual Task or a Signature. We can add Parameters by selecting the Add button, which opens the Add Parameters wizard. In this wizard, select the icon and start filling in the required information.

For example, let's create a Parameter named Diameter. We’ll set the Source to Free and the Type to Decimal. We can also define Minimum and Maximum values for the Parameter and toggle the Minimum Inclusive and Maximum Inclusive properties to true, allowing these boundary values during the Checklist instance execution. When finished, select the Add button.

Watch the video below for a closer look. For more information, see the Parameters section.

Conditions#

The Condition tab is available for every Checklist scope, but the BOM Items and Expression conditions are only available for Material Tracking Checklists. For more information, see the Condition section.

Let’s create a Date Interval condition for the second Checklist item. Start by entering the Valid From date, which will be today’s date, and the Valid To date, set to one month from today.

After setting the condition, save the Checklist and use the Preview functionality to see how this affects the Checklist instance.

When prompted for a date in the Preview wizard, choose today’s date and select Next. As expected, the second Checklist item appears as available.

For demonstration purposes, choose yesterday’s date instead and select Next. This time, the second Checklist item does not appear because the selected date is outside the defined date range. The detailed instructions are shown in the video below.

Now, let's add a BOM Items condition. Notice that if you save the Checklist without adding BOM Items, the system will through an error. To avoid this, select the BOM tab and then select the Add button. After, simply select the icon and add as many Products as desired. For more information, see the BOM section.

Similarly as for the Date Interval condition, save the Checklist and select the Preview button. In this case, the system will prompt for the choice of a Material or a Product. Let's choose a Material that fulfils the BOM requirements and, as expected, we can see that the second Checklist item appears as available.

Watch the video below for detailed instructions.

Let's wrap up by adding an Expression (Simple) condition, which allows you to select a Product and reference its specific characteristics. Since we associated a Product with this Checklist, the Product field is already populated. All that’s left is to fill in the JSONata expression ⧉.

To add an Expression, we must ensure that the selected Product has Characteristics defined. To do so, navigate to the Product page and, in the Characteristics and Rules section, select the Manage Characteristics button. In the Manage Characteristics wizard, enable the Configurable property by toggling it to true and select Next. Add Characteristics by selecting the icon. We will name this characteristic Crunchiness. Optionally, we can provide a description.

In the Value Table field, select a valid Lookup Table containing all possible values for the characteristic For more information, see Creating a Lookup Table. For this example, we already have a Lookup Table named Crunchiness with values ranging from 1 to 5. Finally, let's set the Default Value to 3 and select Update to complete the operation. Watch the video below for a closer look.

With the Product Characteristic created, let's add an Expression Crunchiness >= 2. The expression editor supports predictive text and provides helpful formatting tips, as shown below:

After adding the Expression, save the Checklist and use the Preview functionality. When prompted for a Material, choose Cookie A1, which has a Crunchiness value of 3. As expected, the second Checklist item appears as available.

Watch the video below for a detailed walkthrough.

Signatures#

The Signatures tab is available when the Activity Type is set to Signature in the General Data tab of each Checklist item. Once done, navigate to the Signatures tab and select the Manage button. In the wizard, dd as many signatures as desired by selecting the icon. For more information, see the Signatures section.

For this example, we will add a Supervisor Signature and assign a Role of Cookie Manager, as shown below.

To see this in action, see the Checklist with Different Activity Types section.

Document#

The Document tab becomes available when a Documentation URL is added to the General Data tab of each Checklist item.

For this example, let’s add a Documentation URL to activate the Document tab. If the interface doesn’t display the document correctly, open it in a new tab.

Data Collection#

The Data Collection tab is only available for Checklists with scopes Maintenance Management, Material Tracking, or Resource Tracking.

To add a Data Collection to a Checklist item, navigate to the Data Collection tab and select the Add button. In the Add Data Collection Parameters wizard, select the icon to add Parameters. First, select a Parameter previously defined in the current Data Collection. Add as many Parameters as defined in the Data Collection associated with the Checklist. If additional Parameters are needed, we must Manage Data Collection Parameters. Notice that to add Parameters to a Data Collection, they must be created in the system first. For more information, see How to: Create a Parameter.

For this example, we will select Thickness as the Parameter and choose to post readings from samples 1 to 3, as shown below. Notice that the number of samples must be within the minimum and maximum range configured for the Parameter.

After adding the Data Collection Parameters, we can review the information in the Data Collection tab or edit it by selecting the Manage button.

BOM#

The BOM tab is only available for Long Running Checklists with scopes Maintenance Management or Material Tracking.

To add BOM Items, locate the BOM tab and select the Add button. In the Add BOM Products wizard, select the icon to add Products. First, select a Product previously configured in the BOM associated with the Checklist. Add as many Products as defined in the BOM associated with the Checklist. If additional Products are required , we must Manage BOM Items.

After adding the BOM Items, we can review the information in the BOM tab or edit it by selecting the Manage button.

Previewing the Checklist#

The Preview Checklist feature in Critical MES lets you simulate the execution of a Checklist with scopes Material Tracking or Maintenance Management. This feature ensures that all Checklist items are displayed and filtered correctly based on any conditions set during configuration. It provides two main functionalities:

• Previewing Checklists Without Conditions - simulate a Checklist in its default state, without any contextual filters or conditions. For more information, see Preview Checklist.
• Previewing Checklists With Conditions - simulate a Checklist with filters applied based on defined conditions, such as date intervals, associated materials, or product characteristics. For more information, see Preview Checklist.

Watch the video below to see this functionality in action.

After previewing the Checklist, we may Open a Checklist.