Can an operator clock into multiple jobs concurrently in Shop Floor Insight, and how is labor time split when operations overlap?
Yes, Shop Floor Insight supports concurrent clocking into multiple production orders or operations. The system provides three distinct approaches to handle situations where an operator is working on more than one job at a time, and the appropriate method depends on how closely the organization needs to track individual time allocations across those concurrent activities.
Independent Concurrent Clocking
The most straightforward approach is to manage each clocked-in operation independently. An operator can have multiple production order lines open on their time card simultaneously, and each line accumulates time based on when it was clocked in and clocked off independently. This approach is useful when jobs genuinely run at different times that happen to overlap, and it preserves distinct clock-in and clock-out timestamps for each operation.
Auto-Split Batching
For situations where an operator is running several short-cycle operations in sequence or genuinely working across multiple jobs during the same period, Shop Floor Insight provides auto-split batching. The operator scans all of the relevant production orders into a batch at the start of the work period. When they clock off the batch, the system automatically distributes the total elapsed time across all the operations in the batch. Time can be split proportionally based on the input quantity of each operation, proportionally based on the defined run time for each routing step, or divided equally across all lines, depending on how the Shop Floor Work Center is configured.
Operator-Controlled Independent Clock-Off
A third option allows operators to manage concurrent lines themselves using the same entry mode configuration that keeps prior clock-in lines open rather than automatically closing them. This is controlled through the Time Entry Mode setting on the Client Configuration Card. When set to allow multiple concurrent open lines, the operator decides independently when to clock off each operation without the system automatically closing the prior one.
Relevant Tools
Shop Floor Insight is the MES solution from Insight Works for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Its auto-split batching feature and configurable Time Entry Mode settings give manufacturers flexible tools for capturing labor time accurately across concurrent and multi-operation scenarios, with all configuration managed through Client Configuration Cards and Shop Floor Work Center records in Business Central.
Shop Floor Insight handles concurrent job clocking through independent tracking, auto-split batching, or operator-managed multi-line entry. The auto-split option is particularly well suited to high-volume, short-cycle manufacturing where manually clocking in and out every few minutes is not practical.