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Groups
Groups organise machines that do not operate in a fixed production sequence. They sit alongside production lines in a factory and are useful for shared systems, standalone equipment, or any collection of assets that operators recognise as belonging together.
For example, use a Group for a heating or cooling system shared across several lines, workshop equipment, utilities, or machines that do not process a product in a defined order.
A machine that belongs to a Group is labelled Asset in the portal and mobile UI (the "Add Asset" button, "Assets" section header, and so on) rather than "Machine" — this page uses "machine" throughout since the underlying record and its checks, results, and actions are identical either way, but expect to see "Asset" on screen when working inside a Group.
Choose A Line Or A Group
| Use a production line when… | Use a Group when… |
|---|---|
| Product moves through machines in a fixed sequence. | Machine order has no operational meaning. |
| Operators need an ordered route through the machines. | Operators can visit the machines in any order. |
| The structure needs line formats and format-change checks. | The machines do not share a line format. |
| The team records production output for the structure. | The structure does not need output tracking. |
Both structures contain machines. Checks, results, actions, and check reporting work the same way for machines in a Group as they do for machines on a production line.
Who Can Do This
Owners and Admins can create and edit Groups as part of factory configuration.
Before You Start
- Decide which machines belong together from an operator's point of view.
- Choose a clear name that people already use on the floor.
- Confirm that the machines do not need a fixed sequence, line formats, or production output tracking.
Create A Group
- In the portal, go to
Settings->Factories. - Open the factory. This lands on its Setup tab.
- Find the Groups section and choose
Create Group. - Give the Group a clear name.
- Add the machines that belong to it.
- Save the group.
Machine order is not used within a Group. In the mobile app, operators select the Group and machine before completing due checks in the normal way.
Checks On Group Machines
You can create CIL and centreline checks for a machine in a Group. Periodic, shift-start, and manually triggered checks behave as they do on production-line machines.
Groups do not have an active line format, so On Format Change checks do not apply. Groups also do not record line output.
Expected Result
The Group appears alongside the factory's production lines, contains the intended machines, and lets operators complete checks without imposing an artificial machine sequence.
Common Problems
A Machine Needs Formats Or Output Tracking
Use a production line if the structure needs an active line format, format-change checks, or production output. Groups are intentionally unordered and do not provide those line-level features.
The Machines Actually Follow A Fixed Route
Use a production line when operators should work through machines in sequence. Do not use a Group only to avoid arranging the machines correctly.
The Group Is No Longer Used
Archive the Group instead of deleting it so historical check results and actions retain their factory context.