---
alias: user-guide-general-operations
description: "The system provides entity operations through ribbons with visible and hidden actions"
---

# Entity Operations

All the available entities in Critical Manufacturing MES display a top ribbon with actions and operations that you can perform. These take that shape of buttons with appropriate and user-friendly icons.

Depending on the entity in question you may have more of less visible buttons. Take the following entities as examples:

* **Material**:

![Screenshot showing a list of entity operations.](images/entity_op_01.png)

* **Container**:

![Screenshot showing a container with an unknown label "Containeroo1" and a value "Pe".](images/entity_op_02.png)

Giving visibility to the the most frequently used buttons avoids a cluttered GUI and helps with the fluent managing of operations.

However, you can see all the other operations by using the following:

## More Actions

![Screenshot showing a list of additional actions with the heading "More Actions".](images/entity_op_03.png)

By selecting this button you are provided with access to more options, which are other possible operations for this entity:

![Screenshot showing a UI with a "Cancel" button and an "Add" button.](images/entity_op_04.png)

## Inactive Actions

Furthermore, within the **More** button, you have the following option:

![Screenshot showing an example of inactive actions with a corresponding error message.](images/entity_op_05.png)

The **Show Inactive Actions** option allows you to see all those actions that are not available for this entity:

![Screenshot showing an inactive action option in the user interface.](images/entity_op_06.png)

You can hide these actions by selecting the **Hide Inactive Actions** option.

In the eventuality that you select one of the **Inactive Actions**, the system will return a message to let you know why you cannot perform that operation:

![Screenshot showing an error message indicating that certain actions are inactive due to "Remaning Hours" having been deemed invalid.](images/entity_op_07.png)