Lesson 4: Notifications and Work Orders

You'll be able to

Tell a notification from an order
Review the operations a task list copied into an order
Apply Palmer's view of labor estimates

Why it matters in the plant

The planner's review of each order is where planning adds value: right crafts, right hours, and history checked.

In this lesson

Handle notifications and orders IW21IW22IW23IW31
Review the operations copied from the task list IW32
Adjust the plan using history and judgment IW32IW39

Common mistakes

Editing the routine PM order to cover a corrective finding: raise a notification and a separate order instead [S11].
Trying to make every estimate perfect: across a week's batch, the total often lands within about 15% [S19].

Steps and transactions

Each step pairs the planning work with the transactions you'll use. Codes link to the reference.

1Handle notifications and orders

A notification brings a problem or request into the system. Create it with IW21. Create orders with IW31 and change them with IW32. A PM order usually comes from the plan. A finding on a route becomes a notification, then a separate corrective order.

Craft notes

Mechanical: a high vibration reading on the pump becomes a notification, then a corrective order.

Sources [S11] SAP Learning, Creating Orders; [S3]

2Review the operations copied from the task list

Specify the task list and dates, and the operations are copied over. Each operation carries a work center, work hours, duration, number of people and a control key.

Craft notes

Mechanical: a mechanical work center for seal and alignment work, and possibly a separate one for vibration (illustrative Unverified). I&E: an instrument work center for calibration and the proof test.

Sources [S3]; [S11]

3Adjust the plan using history and judgment

Planning prepares future work, using history kept at the component level and labor estimates based on the planner's judgment. A single job's estimate can be off by as much as ±100%, but a week's batch of work often lands within about 15%. A candidate transaction for reviewing history is IW39, Display PM Orders list [map E] Unverified.

Craft notes

Same principle for both crafts.

Sources [S17] Palmer, Purpose and principles; [S19] Palmer, Math of planning

Templates for this lesson

Templates coming.

Downloadable task list / plan templates for this lesson will appear here. [Owner to supply]

Check your understanding

Questions and answer key

A route finds high vibration. What should the planner do?
Individual estimates can be off by ±100%. About how close does a week's total land?
What does each copied operation carry?

Answer key

Create a notification, then a separate corrective order [S11]
Within about 15% [S19]
A work center, work hours, duration, number of people and a control key [S3][S11]

Interactive scoring and certificate tracking come with student accounts (see the dashboard preview).

Discussion

Discussion is coming.

Questions and answers from other planners will appear here once student accounts exist. Moderation approach: [TBD by owner].