Overview	Top

Stages are a point in the manufacturing process where something is being done to a Batch. Mixing, shaking or grinding for example. You can include Sampling and Testing for a Stage and optionally integrate the Stage Life Cycle into the Batch Life Cycle requiring that all Stages are complete before a Batch can be released. Batch Stage Templates allow you to define an Approval process for Stages as well as Categories to group Stages.

Stages are added to a Batch in two ways:

Optionally you can identify common Process Stages and define them as Reference Types to be used when adding Stages.

Define Common Process Stages	Top

When preparing to incorporate Stages into a Batch you may want to identify common Process Stages. You can then define them as a Reference Type, these will default as options when adding Stages in a Sampling Plan or Adhoc Stages. See Reference Types for more information about adding common Process Stages as Reference Types.

Batch Stage Templates	Top

Batch Stage Templates allow you to define the process for Approving a Batch Stage. When the Template is referenced in the Sampling Plan or in Adhoc Stages the Approval process defined here will be used to Approve Stages as they move through the Stage Life Cycle. Here you can also define Categories for Batch Stages.

Location

From the Batch Stage List page click the "Add" button, the Add Batch Stage page displays.

Enter a description for the Stage Template and any notes. You will be prompted to enter a Template ID when you click "Save".

The Save As Template window displays. Enter a Template ID. When associating a Batch Stage Template with a Stage this is the value that will identify this template.

Once you click "OK" and the Template is saved the Approvals and Categories tabs become available.

Approvals Tab

Clicking the "Add Type" button opens the Select Approval Type window where you can select a pre-defined Approval process. Select the Approval you want to use and click the "Select and Return" button.

The Approval will appear in the Approvals tab. Assign a User to the Approval in the Assigned To field.

Categories Tab

A Category allows you to group Batch Stages into Categories you define. Defining a Category here will group any Stage referencing this Batch Stage Template into the defined Category.

Adding Stages by Sampling Plan	Top

When defining a Sampling Plan you can optionally include Stages as part of the plan. Doing so defines a Stage in the manufacturing process at which something is performed (mixing or shaking) and whether or not to create Samples associated with the Stage.

Location

Add a new Sampling Plan and click "Save", the Process Stage and Level Samples tabs become available.

Clicking the "Add" button in the Process Stages tab gives you the following options to add Stages to the Sampling Plan:

You can define multiple Stages in each Sampling Plan.

In the Level Samples tab you can optionally add Samples for a Stage.

Select a Stage from the Stage drop down list (the Stages listed are the Stages you defined in the Process Stage tab) to create the Sample for that Stage, otherwise you are creating a Sample not associated with a Stage. Each Stage, Level and Source Label combination must be unique. Use the Count field to create multiple instances of the same Sample.

See Level Samples for detailed information about defining Level Samples

These Stages and Samples will default to a Batch during Batch creation when the Sampling Plan is referenced.

Adding Adhoc Stages	Top

You can add Stages to an existing Batch on the Batch Maintenance Page by clicking the "Add Adhoc Stage" button in the Batch Stages tab.

The Adhoc Stage window displays.

In the Adhoc Stage window define:

Click "Ok" to add the Stage to the Batch. To add additional instances of a Stage either add a new stage with the same Batch Stage Label or select the Stage and click the "Redo Batch Stage" Button (for a description of the Redo Batch Stage button see Batch Stages Tab on the Batch Maintenance Page). This adds another instance of the Stage.

Each time you add a Stage with the same Label or "Redo" a Stage, a new instance is created. For example, Redo 1 = Instance 1, Redo 2 = Instance 2 and so on. The instances are identified in the Process Instance column in the Batch Stages tab.

Once you have added an Adhoc Stage you then have the option to add Samples to that Stage. Selecting the Stage and clicking "Add Samples to Stage" displays the Add Samples to Batch window.

Check "Create Sample Using Sampling Plan": (referenced in red). You can then define the following:

Clicking "Ok" adds the Sample(s) to the selected Stage.

Batch Sample Policy Decision

Depending on your decision in BatchSamplePolicy, Sampling Plan Version to be used for Adhoc Samples, you will either see the pre-determined Sampling Plan Version to be used next to the Sampling Plan or be presented with the option to select either the Logged Version or the Current Version. See BatchSamplePolicy for detailed information about defining the Sampling Plan Version to be used.

Batch Stages Tab on the Batch Maintenance Page	Top

Upon entering a new Batch or editing an existing Batch you will see the Batch Stages tab on the Batch Maintenance page. If you defined Stages in, and applied a Sampling Plan, the Stages will fill in. From the Batch Maintenance Page you can manage Stages by selecting the Stage and clicking any of the following buttons:

Stage Life Cycle	Top

Stages have their own lifecycle. With each Stage you can associate:

Before a Stage is considered complete and ready for Release it must meet complete all Samples and Approvals as established by the Sampling Plan, Adhoc Stage creation and/or Batch Stage Template.

Stage Status

Batch Stages can have the following Status:

Requirements for Stage Release

Before a Stage is considered complete and ready for Release it must meet all requirements established by the Sampling Plan, Adhoc Stage creation and/or Stage Template. Following is a list of potential Stage requirements:

Note: Stages can include some or all of these requirements.

Stages with Open Incidents

The Batch Stage Life Cycle considers any open incidents on the Batch Stage or Samples under them. Your Batch Sample Policy defines how the Batch Stage Life Cycle handles open incidents: