Where does Shop Floor Insight store work instructions in Business Central, and what sources does it pull from?
Work instructions in Shop Floor Insight are stored entirely within Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. There is no separate database or external repository involved. Instructions are pulled from operation comments on the routing and from comments on the production order header, making them available to operators on the shop floor interface in real time.
How Work Instructions Are Sourced
Shop Floor Insight surfaces work instructions from two places within Business Central. The first source is the operation comments attached to a specific routing step. These comments are tied to that individual operation and will appear whenever an operator clocks into the corresponding production order routing line. The second source is the production order header comments, which provide broader instructions relevant to the entire order rather than a single step. Both sources display together in the Work Instructions panel on the shop floor client.
Extending Work Instructions with Document Links
When text-based comments are not sufficient, Shop Floor Insight supports linked documents displayed alongside the work instructions panel. Using the DocXtender application from Insight Works, drawings, diagrams, specifications, or other reference files can be dragged and dropped directly onto an item card or production order. Those documents then appear as clickable links within the shop floor interface. This approach allows operators to access detailed visual references without navigating away from their active time card.
Controlling Access to Linked Documents
Access to linked documents is permission-based. If an operator does not have the underlying Business Central permissions to view the documents stored on an item card or production order, those links will not appear in the shop floor client. This provides a practical layer of access control without requiring additional configuration in Shop Floor Insight itself.
Relevant Tools
Shop Floor Insight is a comprehensive MES solution from Insight Works that integrates directly with Dynamics 365 Business Central. It surfaces work instructions from routing and production order comments in real time, displaying them within the shop floor web client for operator reference. DocXtender is a free app from Insight Works for Business Central. This is a completely free app from Insight Works for Business Central. It provides drag-and-drop document management with storage in SharePoint, enabling manufacturers to attach drawings and specifications to item cards and production orders for display in Shop Floor Insight.
Work instructions in Shop Floor Insight are stored in Business Central and drawn from routing operation comments and production order header comments. For richer instructions, document links through DocXtender extend what operators can access directly from the shop floor client, with access governed by standard Business Central permissions.