---
alias: user-guide-open-protocol-instance
description: "This documentation outlines the process for creating and configuring a new protocol instance"
---

# Open Protocol Instance

:lock: ProtocolInstance.**Open**

## Overview

This operation is used to open a new **Protocol Instance**.
In order to apply and perform a **Protocol** in a certain production context, you need to open a new **Protocol Instance**, by clicking on the button located in the operations' ribbon. The **Protocol Instance** will inherit all the definitions from the **Protocol**.

## Setup

No special setup is required other than to meet the preconditions of the transaction.

## Preconditions

* A Protocol exists and is active.

## Sequence of Steps

### Step 1: General Data

1. Fill in the following fields:

    * **General Data**

        * **Name** - automatic; generated with the name of the **Protocol** and an incremental counter.
        * **Description** - optional, free text.

    * **Information**
        * **Owner** - the responsible for the **Protocol Instance** and the only user who can edit the instance.
        * **Problem** - description of the problem or event that triggered the **Protocol Instance**.

    * **Options**
        * **Inhibit Move From Step** - allows you to choose if you wish to override the inhibition of moving to next  step.
        * **Inhibit Ship** - allows you to choose if you wish to override the inhibition of shipping.

![Screenshot showing a protocol instance general data page with an option to inhibit ship.](../images/Protocol_Instance_General_Data.png)

!!! note
	These inhibitions are applicable to the materials associated to this Protocol Instance and valid until closure of the Protocol Instance.

### Step 2: Materials

1. To associate **Materials** with a **Protocol Instance**, you have to click :material-plus: and then search and select the **Material**. All the material information (context) will be shown below. You can associate one or several **Materials** to the **Protocol Instance**.

![Screenshot showing a protocol instance materials selection interface.](../images/Protocol_Instance_Materials.png)

### Step 3: Context

1. Identify the context of the **Protocol Instance**, in order to be able to determine, at a later stage, which **Product**, **Step**, **Facility**, **Flow** and **Resource** were involved. The **Product** description will also be displayed for information purposes.
If you have previously associated materials in the context tab, the system will provide suggestions for each field:

    * If you associate one material - the context tab will be filled in with that material's context, although it may be changed.
    * If you associate more than one material
        * and the context of each one is different, you will have to search for the required context.
        * and the context of each one is the same, the context tab will be already filled in with the unique context.

![Screenshot showing a protocol instance context.](../images/Protocol_Instance_Context.png)

### Step 4. Documents

1. Select :material-plus: and select the source of the documents to attach:

    * **File** - use the Browse button to select the File, select a type from the Generic table `AttachmentType` and write an optional description.
    * **URL** - fill in the field with the URL address, select a type from the Generic table `AttachmentType` and write an optional description.

![Protocol_Instance_Documents]( ../images/Protocol_Instance_Documents.png)

!!! info
	Alternatively, it is possible to create a Protocol Instance by accessing the main tab **Quality**, selecting Protocol Instances and opening a new instance. If you choose to do it this way, you will have to specify which Protocol you are going to use to open a new Protocol Instance.

Select **Open** to complete the operation and open a **Protocol** Instance.