Production diagnostic
Trace late job orders to the first controllable cause
A delayed job is usually the visible result of an earlier information, material or decision failure. Use this sequence to find the first point where the plan stopped matching reality.
Confirm the demand promise
Check order priority, approved specification, quantity, due date and change history. Determine whether the job was late before production began because the promise was not tested against capacity or material.
Reconstruct material readiness
Compare required BOM quantity with available, reserved, quarantined, rejected and subcontracted stock at release time. Record shortages, substitutions and delayed purchase decisions.
Check routing and capacity
Review the approved routing, work-centre load, labour, tooling, maintenance and outside-processing lead times. Distinguish planned capacity from capacity that was genuinely available.
Follow the job event by event
Use timestamps for release, issue, start, completion, rejection, rework, transfer and hold. The longest interval is not always the root cause; identify the first unplanned wait and its owner.
Convert findings into control
Define the signal, responsible role and action that would prevent recurrence. Useful controls include material-readiness gates, frozen priorities, exception queues and escalation times.
Practical worksheet
Evidence for one delayed job
- Original promise and revisions
- Approved BOM and routing
- Material position at release
- Capacity and downtime record
- Operation timestamps
- Quality hold and rework history
- Subcontract movement and due date
- Named delay cause and corrective owner
Frequently asked questions
Why do production plans fail after release?
Plans fail when assumptions about material, capacity, instructions or priorities are not verified and exceptions are not assigned quickly.
What should a job-order dashboard show?
It should show current operation, completed and pending quantity, material constraints, quality status, external processing, due-date risk and the next responsible action.
Can ERP alone eliminate production delays?
No. ERP can expose and control the required information, but process ownership and timely operating decisions remain essential.