Activities

Create and define the activities that employees can report having spent time on during their work day.

Pre-defined activities are used to generate activity events that fill the gaps between logged activity events and to account for unpaid breaks.

Note: You cannot edit, duplicate, or delete pre-defined activities.

The system includes the following pre-defined activities:

Pre-defined values

Activity description

IDLE

Idle activity used by the system to fill gaps between logged activity events.

MEALBREAKUNPAID

Meal Break activity used by the system to account for unpaid, automatic meal breaks.

MEALBREAKPAID

Meal Break activity used by the system to account for paid meal breaks.

Each activity functions as a top level hierarchy that can consist of up to four levels. The top level of an activity is called “Level 1.” After Level 1, the term “levels” is synonymous with “sub-level activities.”

For example, If "Welding" has been defined as a level 1 activity, it could be configured with "Joint" as a sub-level activity.

  1. Select Application Setup > Activities Setup > Activities.
  2. To create an activity, click Create .
    • To search for an activity to edit, delete, or duplicate as the basis for a new activity, use the Activity Query drop-down list or Activity Name field, click Search, and select the activity.
    • You can use the query and name fields together to filter the list of activities further. For example:
  3. Activity name entry What it finds

    Act1/1012/Shop

    Level 3 activity with that name if it satisfies all other conditions of the activity query.

    Act?/10*

    Level 2 activities that satisfy conditions in the query and all of the following name criteria:

    Are associated with level 1 activities whose names contain four characters and begin with “Act”.

    Have names that begin with “10”

    • If you click Edit , proceed to the step 5.
    • To delete the activity, click Delete . You cannot delete an activity that has time logged against it.
    • The query named “My Recent Activities” includes the last 10 activities you have selected, but does not include activities with a status of “Complete,” “Canceled,” or “On Hold.”
  4. Enter the name of the activity. Consider the methods that employees will use to enter data:
    • Manual entry of a long name at a data collection device increase the time to complete the form and the chance for error.
    • Do not use the following characters as part of an activity name:
    • & _ * % ? : ; = ( ) / \ [ ] | # @ < > “ ”
    • If employees will use data collection devices with numeric-only keypads or a bar code scanner, the name of the activity must be numeric.
  6. (Optional) Enter the description of the activity.
  7. Complete the information on each tab:
  8. Click Save when finished.

The system updates an activity's status based on information submitted by a form or through the user interface. For example, the first time that an employee starts an activity, the status changes from Not Started to Incomplete. You can refine status information further in the Header and Process tabs.

Note: To edit some fields on the Status tab, the applicable activity setting must be enabled in Application Setup > Activities Setup > Activity Settings. See Activity Settings.

Field Description Enable in Activity Setup

Start Dates

Enter one of the following:

  • Scheduled: Enter the date for the activity to start.
  • Revised: Enter a new start date.
  • Actual: Updated by the system when a user first logs time to this activity.

Yes

Complete Dates

Enter one of the following:

  • Scheduled: Enter the date for the activity to end (you cannot start the activity after the scheduled end date).
  • Revised: Enter a new end date.
  • Actual: Updated by the system when a user closes the activity.

Yes

Complete Status

Enter one of the following:

  • Not Started: No employee has logged time to the activity.
  • Incomplete: The activity has been started but is not finished. You can also enter I in a form (Completion Status field).
  • Complete: The activity is finished. To indicate this status, select Complete or enter C in a form (Completion Status field).
  • Canceled: The activity has been canceled. To indicate this status, select Canceled or enter X in a form (Completion Status field).

Note: If an activity's Complete Status is "Complete" or "Canceled," employees cannot log time to the activity.

Yes

Completed Percent

Shows information that a person entered on a form or directly in the Setup tab. If an activity is 100 percent complete, an employee cannot log time to it. This value is not updated as the user enters quantity information. (This field is enabled in Application Setup > Activities Setup > Activity Settings.)

Yes

Held History

Enter one of the following:

  • Never Held or Released: The activity has never been on hold
  • On Hold: The activity is on hold. Employees cannot log time to the activity.
  • Released: The activity was taken off of "Held" status. Time can be charged to the activity.

Yes

Unit of Measure

Enter the way that quantity is measured. (Units of measure are defined in Application Setup > Activities Setup > Units of Measure.)

No

The system updates an activity's status based on information submitted by a form or through the user interface. For example, the first time that an employee starts an activity, the status changes from Not Started to Incomplete. You can refine status information further in the Header and Process tabs.

Field Description Enable in Activity Setup

Required Quantity

Enter the quantity required for the activity status to be considered complete.

Yes

Completed Quantity

Shows the completed quantity that a person entered at a data collection device or from a form. If the item has an Automatic Move Multiplier (for example, ten pieces are made from one sheet of material), the number of finished items appears here.

Yes

Moved Quantity

Shows the quantity of completed items that have moved to the next activity.

Yes

Received Quantity

Shows the quantity from a previous activity when material is moved to this activity.

Yes

Automatic Move Multiplier

Enter a number that the system uses as a multiplier if the quantity of items received is less than the quantity moved.

For example, if an employee cuts ten brackets out of one sheet of metal, the multiplier is 10. The employee reports having completed five sheets, and a quantity of 50 is moved to the next activity.

No

Scrapped Quantity

Shows the quantity that cannot be used (scrapped) as reported from a form. Scrapped quantity can be moved to a rework activity. In the rework activity, the defective quantities are reworked and then recorded as completed quantity.

Yes

Moved to Rework Quantity

Shows the quantity of items categorized as “rework” in one activity and then moved to a specific rework activity.

No

Unaccounted Quantity

Shows the result of the equation:

received quantity – completed quantity – scrapped quantity = unaccounted quantity

No

The tab allows you to set options for each level 1 activity. These settings apply to all sub-level activities of the level 1 activity.

Field or Check Box Description

Type

  • Direct: Activities that directly affect production.
  • Indirect: Activities that do not directly affect production; for example, meetings.

Sequence validation

method

  • None: Activities and their sub-activities can be completed in any order.
  • Standard sequence validation: Activities in the hierarchy must be started in order. Before an activity can start, previous Setup activities must be completed and previous Run activities must have started. For example, if an employee completes five of ten pieces, the five finished items can move to the next activity.
  • Run sequence validation: Activities in the hierarchy must be completed in order. Before an activity can start, previous Setup and Run activities must be completed. The partial quantities can be moved, but the activity cannot be started.

Include quantity in efficiencies: Scrapped, Reworked

Selected check boxes require the system to include scrapped quantities, reworked quantities, or both when it calculates efficiencies.

Extend completion status

Select if you want the system to change the status of Level 2, 3, or 4 activities to "Complete" when the associated Level 1 activity is reported as complete.

Hold parent

Select if you want the system to change the status of the Level 1 activity to "On Hold" when all other levels in the hierarchy are on hold.

Enable automatic moves

Select if you want the system to automatically move completed quantities from one activity to the next activity in the hierarchy.

Allow activities to be started before scheduled start date

Select to allow employees to start activities before the activity's scheduled start dates.

Allow activities to be started after scheduled end date

Select to allow employees to start the activity after its scheduled start dates.

Customershort name

Enter a shortened version of the name of the customer associated with the activity. Use the Search capability to see a list of customers.

Use the Process tab to specify whether the activity is a "Run," "Setup," or "Rework" activity, as defined in the following table. This tab is also used to indicate attributes such as whether the activity can be set as a default activity and the method for allocating hours to the activity.

Field or Check Box Description

Process

  • Run: This activity is a normal part of the activity process. It produces results that contribute to a parent activity or this activity is a Level 1 activity; for example, run the drill press.
  • Setup: This activity produces results that contribute to a parent activity or this activity is a Level 1 activity; for example, warming up the drill press prepares for the next activity. A Setup activity must never include a quantity.
  • Rework: This activity modifies the work done in another activity; for example, it reworks quantities produced in a different activity.

Allow Activity to be selected as default in Activity Profile and Person record

Select if you want to use the activity as a default activity when employees assigned to the activity profile start an activity.

Exclude from sequence validation

Select if the activity does not depend on other activities being complete before it can be started.

Milestone

Select if you want other activities that are on the same level for a common parent activity to be marked as complete when this activity is complete.

Priority

Enter how the activity should be prioritized in relation to other activities:

  • High
  • Medium
  • Low
  • Urgent

Labor Hours Allocation Method

Indicate how the system allocates hours to this activity when an employee is logged on to multiple activities at the same time.

Select one of the following:

  • All Hours: All hours are applied to this activity. All other activities that the employee is logged on to receive zero hours.
  • Even: Hours are evenly distributed among the activities the employee is logged on to. For example, if an employee works on two activities for 8 hours, the system allocates 4 hours to each activity.
  • Extended Standard: Hours are allocated based on a percentage that is determined using the standard hours Non-overtime hours that each employee is expected to work. multiplied by the reported quantities for the activity.
  • Quantity Complete: Hours are allocated based on the quantity that the employee completes during the time span. If a quantity is not specified, the activity gets zero allocated hours.
  • Quantity Required: Hours are allocated based on the required quantity for the activity to be complete.
  • Standard Time to Complete: Hours are allocated based on the standard hours it takes to complete a standard quantity.
  • Weighting Factor: Hours are allocated based on a weighting factor that you assign to the activity.
  • Zero: Employee hours are not allocated to this activity unless it is the only activity on which the employee is working. If the employee is logged on to any other activity, this activity receives zero hours.

Weighting Factor

If Labor Hours Allocation Method is set to "Weighting Factor", enter the weight value for this activity.

Minimum Hours to Complete

Enter the fewest number of hours this activity can take to complete (informational only, not calculated).

Maximum Hours to Complete

Enter the most number of hours this activity can take to complete (informational only, not calculated).

Minimum duration transaction entry amount allowed

Enter the minimum amount of time allowed for a duration transaction entry. The smallest allowable entry is 1 minute (00:01); the largest allowable entry is 23:59.

Maximum duration transaction entry amount allowed

Enter the maximum amount of time allowed for a duration transaction entry. The smallest allowable entry is 1 minute (00:01); the largest allowable entry is 23:59.

User Field 1–4

User fields provide a way to automatically attach customer -specific information to an activity event record, span, or transaction.

This tab contains settings that determine which types of quantities are validated and how quantities are allocated employees that work on the activity.

Field or Check Box Description

Validate required quantity

Select if you want the system to validate the required quantity for this activity against a defined range. See "Percentage Over and Under" next in this table.
Percentage Over and Under

If you selected "Validate required quantity," enter the range into which the reported quantity must fall.

Validate required reworked and scrapped quantity

Select if you want the system to validate reported reworked and scrapped quantities against a defined range.

Validate required quantity

If selected, the system verifies that the quantity reported as completed falls within the allowed range.
Percentage Over and Percentage Under

Enter the range into which the reported quantity must fall. The reported quantity can exceed or fall short of these percentages.
Validate received quantity

If selected, the system verifies that the quantity reported as completed falls within the allowed range.

Use this area to assign a data access type to activities. Available options are:

  • All: Anyone can work on this activity; the activity will appear for all users.
  • Generic Job: When a Job is selected in the Activity, this indicates that an activity is restricted by the employee’s Primary Job or Jobs included in their Job Transfer Set.
  • Labor Category: When a Labor Category Entry List is selected in the Activity, this indicates that an activity is restricted by the employee’s Primary Labor Category or assigned Labor Category Profile.
  • Organizational Set: When an Organizational Set is selected in the Activity, this indicates that an activity is restricted by the employee’s Job Transfer Set or Primary Job location.

Use this area to assign Employees to the Activity. Use the Search button next to Assign Employees to find the employee you would like to assign to the Activity.

Employees can select different transfers when logging time against an activity using a pre-defined list of transfers called the Activity Transfer List.

Activity Transfer List

To create new transfers to be included in the activity transfer list, select Add Transfer.

Add, edit, and delete transfers included in the Activity Transfer List

  1. To add a new transfer, click Add Transfer. The Add Transfer right-panel appears. For more information, see Configuring transfers included in the Activity Transfer List.

  2. To add a new empty transfer, select Add Empty Transfer. A new transfer appears in the Activity Transfer List with "Empty Transfer" in the Activity Transfer Label column.

  3. To edit an existing transfer, select the transfer from the Activity Transfer List table and click Edit. The Edit Transfer page appears. For more information, see Configuring transfers included in the Activity Transfer List.

  4. To delete an existing transfer, select the transfer from the Activity Transfer List table and click Delete.

Configuring transfers included in the Activity Transfer List

When adding a new transfer or editing an existing transfer in the Add Transfer or Edit Transfer right-panels, activity transfers are configurable with the following options:

  1. Activity Transfer Label: Enter a user friendly label to assist employees with selecting the transfer. Activity Transfer Labels are not required.

  2. Location: Select Add Location to associate a location with the transfer.

  3. Work Rule: Select Add Work Rule to associate a work rule with the transfer.

    Work Rule Setting Applied from Activity Work Rule
    Punch The entries on a timecard that mark the beginning (in-punch) or end (out-punch) of a work interval, such as the beginning of a shift or transfer. Rounding Rounding is a way to simplify payroll accounting and reporting, and to enforce shift start and end times. Punch rounds divide hours into equal segments of an hour. No
    Interval Rounding No
    Shift Guarantee No
    Exception Yes
    Call-in No
    Auto Resolved Exception Yes
    Day divide Time that defines when one day ends and a new day begins. The day divide is defined in a pay rule. If a shift crosses the day divide, the pay rule defines how the hours are allocated: to the day before, the day after, or to the day on which the worked hour occurred. override No
    Unapproved OT (Unapproved and Denied Pay Codes) Yes
    Weighted average OT Yes
    Breaks No
    Deduct Rules No
    Bonus/Deduct rules wit trigger set to any of the options other than pay code (time of day, length of shift, spread of hours) No
    Bonus/Deduct rules with trigger set to pay code Yes
    Core hours Yes
    Pay Code Distribution & Combination Rule Yes
    Deviations Yes
    Overtimes Yes
    Zones Yes
    Majorities Yes
    Total Break Exceptions No
    Rest between shift Yes

  4. Cost Center:Select Add Cost Center to associate a cost center with the transfer.

  5. Labor Categories: Select Add Labor Categories to associate a labor category with the transfer.

  6. Select the Default field to make this the default transfer.

  7. Click Apply to save your changes or Cancel to discard.

To select a transfer to use as the default transfer, select the desired transfer from the Activity Transfer List table and select Make Default.

Note: Activity transfers will override timekeeping transfers and will be attached to the activity segment.

Use this area to associate a Standard with an Activity. Associating a Standard to an Activity sets a benchmark used to calculate efficiency by comparing the standard against entered results. Efficiency results can be found in the Activities Summary Tab or Glance (also known as a contextual callout) Provides information and actions in a dialog box for an item on the screen when the user right-clicks or taps the item..

  1. Click Add Standard.
  2. In the Create Standard window complete the following fields:
    1. Effective Date: Select the date for which this standard will be put into effect.
    2. Labor Standard Hours: Set the number of hours it should take to complete the number being set for Labor Standard Quantity.
    3. Labor Standard Quantity: Set the quantity that should be completed in the timeframe being set for Labor Standard Hours.
    4. Click Save.

Multiple standards can be set for the same activity. The standard that will be used is determined by the Effective Date. Each standard that is entered will be used until the Effective Date of the following standard has been reached.

Note: In order to calculate standards, employees must have the ability to submit quantity results (for example: quantity completed, reworked, etc.). The ability to submit quantity results is configured in the Activity Results Template tab

Use this area to select an Activity Results Template that will be associated with the new activity. The Activity Results Template will determine which results are available for the activity. Results will appear when using a control step in the form. Use the Search field and button to find locate the desired Activity Results Template and link it to the new activity.