First Steps

This guide shows you how to set up your first production workflow in OpenMES. You will go from creating a product to seeing it on the operator's screen. Just follow these five steps in order. It only takes a few minutes.

Step 1 – Create a Product Type

A Product Type is like a recipe card for something you make. It holds the product name, SKU (a unique code), unit of measure, and extra details like weight or size. Every work order needs a product type, so you always create this first.

How to create a product type

1. Go to Products & Traceability in the left sidebar.
2. Click the Products tab at the top.
3. Click + Add Product in the top-right corner.
4. Fill in these fields:
   • Product Name – a clear name (e.g., "Steel Bracket Type A")
   • SKU – a unique code to identify the product
   • Unit of Measure – pieces, kilograms, liters, meters, etc.
   • Product Category – optional, helps you group and filter products
5. If you want, add a Bill of Materials (BOM). This is a list of raw materials needed to make the product.
6. Click Save.

Step 2 – Create a Production Line

A Production Line is a place in your factory where things get made. It could be an assembly line, a machine cell, or a single workstation. Work orders are assigned to lines. Each line can have its own schedule and workers.

How to create a production line

1. Go to HR & Factory Structure in the left sidebar.
2. Switch to the Factory Structure tab.
3. You will see a tree structure: Site → Area → Line → Workstation. If you don't have a site yet, click + Add Site first.
4. Inside your site, click + Add Line. You can also add an Area first, then put a Line inside it.
5. Set up the line:
   • Line Name – a clear name (e.g., "Assembly Line 1", "CNC Cell B")
   • Line Code – a short code shown in scheduling views
   • Operating Hours – set the shifts and available production time
6. Click Save.

Your production line now shows up in the Production Planner chart. It is ready for work orders.

Step 3 – Assign an Operator to the Line

Operators are the workers on the factory floor who do the actual production. Each operator needs a user account. They also need to be assigned to at least one production line so they can see their work orders.

How to assign an operator to a line

1. Go to Production → Production Lines in the left sidebar.
2. Find the production line you created in Step 2 and click Configure to open its details.
3. Scroll down to the Assigned Operators section.
4. Use the Select an operator dropdown to pick a worker, then click + Assign. If you haven't created an operator yet, go to HR → Workers first and add one.

Step 4 – Create a Work Order with Your Product

A Work Order tells your factory to make a certain amount of a product on a certain line by a certain date. It connects the product type, the production line, and the schedule all in one place.

How to create a work order

1. Go to Work Orders in the left sidebar.
2. Click + New Order.
3. Fill in the details:
   • Product – pick the product type from Step 1
   • Quantity – how many units to make
   • Production Line – pick the line from Step 2
   • Planned Start & End – when production should happen
   • Priority – Normal, High, or Urgent
   • Customer – optional, link it to a customer order
4. Click Save.

The new work order shows up right away in the Production Planner chart. It appears on the assigned line at the scheduled time. You can drag and drop it to change the schedule.

Step 5 – View on the Operator Screen

The Operator View is a simple, touch-friendly screen made for the factory floor. Operators log in, pick their production line, and see a list of work orders ready to go.

How to access the operator screen

1. Log in with the operator account from Step 3. You can also use the demo role switcher to try the Operator view.
2. Pick the production line from the selector at the top.
3. The operator sees a list of scheduled work orders for that line, sorted by priority and start time.
4. To start making things, tap Start on the work order.
5. While producing, the operator can:
   • Report produced quantities (good parts and scrap)
   • Log downtime events with reason codes
   • Flag quality issues
   • View BOM requirements and attached documents
6. When the target quantity is done, tap Complete to finish the order.

Everything the operator reports – quantities, cycle times, downtime – flows back to the admin panel in real time. You can track it on the Dashboard, in Real-Time Monitoring, and in Reports & Analytics.

What's Next?

You now have a working production workflow in OpenMES. Here are some good next steps to get even more out of it: