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Introduction

This document provides instructions for enabling the Future Messages feature. This feature allows customer service to define a message to appear at a future tray track station along with forcing it to become a Stop Job at that point.

Procedure

Setup

Add Custom Configurations

From the Optifacts main menu:

Select Option 3 - Editor Utilities and press Enter.

Select Option 6 – Configuration Editor and press Enter.

Select Option 6 – Edit Custom Configuration and press Enter.

• Press ‘Q’ to Query.
• Ensure that the table below exists.

If the table does not exist:

• Press ‘A’ to add a new record.
• Enter all the information as per the example (s) below.
• Press Escape to save the data.

Add Tray Track Station

Add a tray track station called ‘CONTINUE JOB.’  You can use any station number and station type, but it must be named ‘CONTINUE JOB.’  This station gets used for scanning through to clear the STOP JOB state of a station message.

From the Optifacts main menu:

Select Option 7 – Tray Track and press Enter.

Select Option 12 – Tray Track Configuration and press Enter.

Select Option 2 – Sub-master Station Number Setup and press Enter.

• Press ‘Q’ to Query.

Ensure that the following entry shown below exists.

If the entry does not exist:

• Press ‘A’ to add a new record.
• Enter all the information as per the example below.
• Press Escape to save the data.

Customer Service

Add a Future Station Message in Quick Look-up

Select Option 7 – Tray Track and press Enter.

Select Option 1 – Quick Lookup and press Enter.

Select a tray in Quick Lookup that you’d like to add a Future Station Message.

• Press the ‘F’ key. 
• Press ‘A’ to add a station message.

The ‘Add Future Station Message for Tray’ window is displayed.

• Enter the station number where you want the message to appear. 

The station name appears below the prompt.  Please note that the message only appears if you use the Station Assignment screen for that station number – it won’t work for order entry, interface, mailout, or verify stations that do not use the Station Assignment screen.

• Press ‘Y’ if you’d like this treated like a ‘STOP JOB.’

When the message appears at the required station, we call the stop job script, which moves aside all interface files and won’t allow you to assign the tray to any other station.  The message continues to appear when scanned into any other station through the Station Assignment program until the tray gets cleared.  You have to scan the tray has into the ‘CONTINUE JOB’ station to move the interface files back in place and to allow continued production for the job.

• Press ‘N’ if you’d like this message to only appear when the tray gets scanned through the required station.
• Then, type in the message you would like to appear.

• Press Enter past the last message field to save the data. If you press Escape, the message won’t save.
• Press any key to exit.

View Station Messages in Quick Lookup

If a job has a station message, you see the ‘S’ indicator on the far right side of the job row.

• Select a tray in Quick Lookup that you’d like to view any entered station messages and hit the ‘F’ key.
• Press ‘V’ to view the station message

To the left of each message, it states ‘STOP MESSAGE’ if the message stops the job or ‘NO STOP’ if the message is view only.  To the right of each message, it shows the date and time the message last viewed at the station.

Tray Track

View Messages in Station Assignment

Select Option 7 – Tray Track and press Enter.

Select Option 7 - Station Assignment and press Enter.

• Scan a tray with a station message into the station with the message.

The tray gets updated to that station.

If this was a stop message, the interface files get moved, and the job won’t be assigned to another tray track station until it gets scanned through ‘CONTINUE JOB.’  The message, and ‘This Job has been STOPPED,’ appears at each scanned station, until it goes through the ‘CONTINUE JOB’ station. Notice in the diagram below that the tray did NOT get updated to the next station.

Try to Verify a Stopped Tray

A stopped tray won't allow you to go through Verify.

Mail Out

Try to Mail a Stopped Tray

A stopped tray won't allow you to mail it out.

Continue a Stopped Job

When customer service needs to apply a ‘CONTINUE’ condition, they assign the Tray Number of the job to the station number for ‘CONTINUE JOB.’ 

From the Optifacts main menu:

Select Option 7 – Tray Track and press Enter.

Select Option 7 – Station Assignment and press Enter.

The Station Assignment window displays.

• Enter the station number applicable to the “CONTINUE JOB” station and press Enter.
• Scan the tray number and press Enter. Alternatively, enter the job, invoice, or tray number and press Enter. (Precede Job with J, Invoice with I)

The tray gets updated in Tray Track, and the job may continue further in production.

To view and download these instructions as a PDF file, click on the following document image.

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