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Bulk Operation Types

Overview

Operation Types allow you to create new operations templates for the different classes of operations (known as Operation Groups).

Creating new operation types allows you to:

  • name the operation types using codes that you and your team recognise
  • include standard operation text that is copied onto operations when you use them (for safety or procedural purposes)
  • set a standard allowable variance so that some level of loss it normal but has a defined limit
  • specify default additives and their usage rates so these will be pulled onto worksheets/bulk operations when you use this operation type
  • Optionally you can also supply a “To Do” message to the lab for when the operation is completed.

In this document:

Choosing the Operation Group

The operation group can determine what you can do within operations where they are used.

For example:

Additions and Adjustments will not have an area for nominating destination vessels so volumes or quantities can only be adjusted within the same vessel.

Crush operations are those where fruit from in taken from a harvest entry and converted into volume in a vessel. Crush operations can only be created from harvest entries not on a worksheet/bulk operation itself.

Receival operations likewise bring volume into vessel from an outside source and the bulk operation must be created from the bulk receival entry.

Despatches send column out of the system to an outside party and the bulk operation must be created from the bulk despatch.

Transfers move volume between vessels and encompass blending, racking, transfering, all kinds of movement. It is worth noting that any movements on the same operation number constitute a blend or combining of different batches so be careful, and if this was not your intention, you should write different operations for each.

Setting a Standard Allowable Variance

Vinsight will prompt you if you are trying to complete an operation and it is losing or gaining a percentage volume that is outside what you have said is normal.
The idea is to help catch mistakes and identify operational anomalies. For this reason it is important to ensure that you neither over or under estimate  expected variances.
If you set the acceptable loss to 0% on an operation that always has a small loss or gain, you’ll create ‘noise’ in the system by being constantly alerted to variances that are actually expected.
Equally if you set a high standard allowable variance, just to stop the system ‘pestering’ you with alerts, then you may miss genuine mistakes or typos in the volumes you have entered, effectively ‘pre-authorising’ abnormal losses.
Try and set the allowable variances so that ~95% of operations don’t warn you about losses or gains, that way the remaining 5% will genuinely catch your attention to see if they are typing or operational mistakes.

Entering Default Components and Instructions

Standard operating instructions such as those for safety or procedural descriptions can be entered (see example in the image below). When you later create a new operation using this operation type, the instructions will be automatically added to the operation worksheet.

 

Equally if there are ingredients/additives/bill of materials that always occur with operations of this type then you can add them here as a sort of ‘recipe’ if you like. The example above is a specific use case for beer, but it could simply be a zero rate addition to prompt the operation author to consider using an additive at the time eg adjusting sulphur dioxide after filtration etc.