What is the difference between "Time and Quantity" and "Quantity Only" as labor entry methods?

Epicor ERP 10
1

Hello All,

When we are selecting a labor entry method is there a benefit to using “time and quantity” vs “quantity only”? Additionally, if we were not seeking the benefits of using Time & Quantity, would it make any difference to select Quantity only? In other words why did Epicor make the Quantity Only option? Labor entry is still the same process isn’t it? Someone has to punch into a job then clock out of a job to report the labor right?

Respectfully,

Utah

2

Hi Utah,

My experience is that when you set the quantity only, the time doesn’t matter on your labor detail records. Once the quantity is completed, the labor detail record just multiplies that quantity by the run-time to get your labor time. The actual time is not used at all. This is what we see when we tested recently in our Pilot. Give it a try to confirm.

Mark W.

1 Like
3

Hi Mark,

Thanks for your reply. I will test it out.

4

When you set a part operation to “Quantity Only”, when the production employees use the “Report Quantity” function in the MES it will automatically calculate the labor/burden time and cost and apply it to the job operation. If you only care about having labor estimates applied to the job operation then this is a good option. If you want to track ACTUAL labor time and cost on the job operations, then set up the part operation with “Time & Quantity”. Then the shop employees will need to use the “Start Production Activity” and “End Activity” functions in the MES to enter labor times on the jobs.

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5

Are you implying that they would not need to use the “Start Production Activity” and “End Activity” to enter labor quantities on jobs if the operation were Quantity Only? @greg.bakker

Thanks for the bit about the costing as well. That is interesting.

6

Utah,

The “quantity only” labor entry option is used with the back flush labor process.

The scenario for use is generally something like this:

  • Payroll is handled outside of Epicor
  • The actual time spent per job is low enough where the time to do the clock in and out entries is not worth the employee time.
  • Think cell or assembly line situation where multiple people would need to each clock in to a job and it does not make sense to attempt to capture actual job labor time
  • A dummy back flush employee can be setup for the department or resource group
  • Job quantity is reported and the standard time from the job operation is reported for time the next time the back flush labor process runs
  • Most people using this would have the back flush labor process running continuously
  • Accounting would then import the payroll dollars into Epicor as journal entries and depending on the payroll level detail you would be able to compare the direct labor to the back flush employee labor
  • Typically this accounting comparison would be at a department or resource group level

So this is not like the time and quantity option at all.

Brad Boes
bradboes@boosterpconsulting.com
231-845-1090

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Brad,

Time And Quantity also backflushes the prior operations the same as Quantity only does. Your bullet points are mainly focused around the results of backflush operations, correct? We also use backflush running continuously.

I am asking about Time and Quantity and Quantity only operations. What @greg.bakker said about job costing makes sense. For time and quantity the actual labor cost will be posted to the job and for quantity only, the job cost will use the estimates * run qty.

@BoostERP do we only need to do one click and record action for Quantity Only and not Start activity and End activity like we have to do with Time and quantity ?

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The Backflush option will backflush the quantity from the next operation.

Quantity only lets you enter the Quantity for the operation, but the labor is back flushed as you have stated. The start and end clicks are the same. Someone in the thread mentioned the Report Quantity feature as well which lets you accumulate quantity entries before ending activity.

What is the scenario you have where you are considering this or are you just trying to understand what it does?

Brad Boes
bradboes@boosterpconsulting.com
231-845-1090

E3FEB85129DB48D1BB79420BCDAFE2E9.png708×1 83 Bytes

9

I just didn’t understand what the difference was between the two in terms of costing etc. It seems it is just the costing portion that is different as well as the report quantity option which allows you to accumulate quantity entries before ending activity (that is pretty cool). This stems from a user request.

We have a user asking us to default the labor entry method field on the engineering workbench when a new operation is added. I do not know how to do this by using native Epicor so I am thinking we would have to make a form customization… is that correct?

In short, we have always used a mix of quantity only and time and quantity and I wanted to understand why one would ask to use just one method instead of the other.

Thanks a ton for your feedback. Do you know offhand if you can default a drop down field without using customization?

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That sounds like a customization.

Brad Boes
bradboes@boosterpconsulting.com
231-845-1090

11

:sweat_smile:

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Would it be simpler to use an in-transaction data directive on record creation, and default the field? It would be a non-code simple field setter, so it would likely upgrade automatically.

1 Like
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Hi Boost!
I am trying to understand what it does between using setup Labor with “Quantity only” vs “Time and Quantity” what will be applied to the job of labor/burden time and cost on each setup?

In MES, I know if we have setup Labor with “Quantity only” and we use the “Report Quantity” button, it will automatically calculate the labor/burden time and cost and apply it to the job operation. We will also have labor estimates applied to the job operation.

But what happen if in MES, we leave the setup Labor with “Quantity only” and we use the “Start Production Activity” and “End Activity”? What will be applied to the Job?

Thanks!!
Lucia de Anda
ldeanda@onealmex.com