How to Manage Work Orders in Manufacturing ERP

Every manufacturing operation, whether you're running a small machine shop or a growing electronics assembly plant, depends on one critical process: work order management. Without a clear system to track what needs to be produced, when, and with which materials, even the most skilled production teams fall into chaos. That's where manufacturing ERP transforms your operations from reactive firefighting to proactive production control.

This guide walks you through the complete process of managing work orders in InFlow Manufacturing, from initial creation to final quality approval. Whether you're new to production management software or transitioning from spreadsheets, you'll learn practical techniques to streamline your shop floor operations.

Understanding Work Orders in Production Management#

A work order is essentially a production instruction document that tells your team exactly what to build, which materials to use, and what steps to follow. In a BOM software system like InFlow Manufacturing, work orders connect directly to your bill of materials, inventory levels, and scheduling calendar.

Before creating your first work order, ensure you have these elements in place:

• Finished product defined with complete specifications
• Bill of materials (BOM) listing all required components and quantities
• Routing information detailing production steps and workstations
• Inventory visibility showing current stock levels of raw materials

The best MRP software 2025 platforms like InFlow automatically check material availability when you create work orders, preventing the frustrating scenario of starting production only to discover you're missing critical components.

Step-by-Step Work Order Creation#

Creating effective work orders requires attention to detail and understanding of your production capacity. Here's how to do it right:

Step 1: Select the Product and Quantity#

Navigate to the Work Orders module and click "Create New." Select your finished product from the dropdown menu. The system automatically pulls the associated BOM and calculates material requirements based on your specified quantity.

Pro tip: For manufacturing ERP small business users, start with smaller batch sizes until you've validated your BOM accuracy and production timing estimates.

Step 2: Verify Material Availability#

InFlow's BOM management system displays real-time inventory status for each component. Green indicators show sufficient stock, while yellow or red flags alert you to potential shortages. If materials are unavailable, you can either adjust the production date or create a purchase order directly from the work order screen.

Step 3: Assign Production Dates and Resources#

Set your planned start date and target completion date. The capacity planning feature shows workstation availability, helping you avoid overloading specific machines or work centers. Assign responsible operators or teams to each production stage.

Step 4: Add Special Instructions#

Include any batch-specific notes, customer requirements, or quality checkpoints. This information travels with the work order throughout production, ensuring nothing gets lost in translation between planning and the shop floor.

Tracking Production Progress on the Shop Floor#

Once work orders are released to production, real-time tracking becomes essential. Production planning software should provide visibility without creating additional paperwork for your team.

InFlow Manufacturing offers multiple tracking methods:

• Barcode scanning: Operators scan work order barcodes to log start times, completions, and material consumption
• Touch-screen kiosks: Shop floor terminals allow quick status updates without leaving the workstation
• Mobile app: Supervisors can monitor and update work orders from anywhere in the facility

As production progresses, the system automatically updates inventory levels, deducting consumed materials and adding finished goods. This eliminates manual inventory adjustments and provides accurate real-time stock visibility.

Quality Control Integration#

Quality issues caught early cost far less than those discovered after shipping. InFlow's integrated quality control features allow you to embed inspection checkpoints directly into work orders.

Configure quality gates at critical production stages:

• Incoming inspection: Verify raw material quality before production starts
• In-process checks: Validate dimensions, tolerances, or other specifications at key steps
• Final inspection: Complete quality review before marking the work order complete

When operators record inspection results, the manufacturing ERP maintains a complete quality history for each batch. This documentation proves invaluable for customer audits, warranty claims, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Optimizing Work Order Performance#

After running work orders for several weeks, you'll accumulate valuable production data. Use InFlow's analytics to identify improvement opportunities:

Compare planned versus actual times: If work orders consistently take longer than estimated, investigate the root cause. You might need to update routing times, address equipment issues, or provide additional operator training.

Analyze material variances: Significant differences between expected and actual material consumption could indicate BOM errors, quality problems with incoming materials, or process inefficiencies.

Track on-time completion rates: This metric reveals scheduling accuracy and helps you set more realistic customer delivery commitments.

The best production management systems learn from historical data to improve future planning. InFlow uses your actual production performance to suggest more accurate lead times and identify potential bottlenecks before they impact delivery schedules.

Take Control of Your Production Floor#

Effective work order management transforms manufacturing operations from chaotic to controlled. By implementing structured processes for creation, tracking, and quality control, you gain the visibility needed to meet customer commitments while minimizing waste and rework.

InFlow Manufacturing provides all the tools discussed in this guide, designed specifically for growing manufacturers who need professional-grade production management without enterprise-level complexity. From BOM software capabilities to comprehensive shop floor tracking, every feature works together to streamline your operations.

Ready to modernize your work order management? Try Manufacturing Module and discover how InFlow helps manufacturing businesses like yours achieve production excellence.