Dispatch: Pro-Tips

Reported Challenge: An operator was trying to enter a maintenance call for his equipment being down (Code Red). L2L would not let him create the Dispatch because the System shows an open critical dispatch. I can not find any open Code Reds for this machine so not sure why we can't enter the dispatch.

Solution: The issue the customer encountered was due to having multiple dispatch types with the setting "only one dispatch allowed per machine one at a time" enabled. *This error will happen as this setting is not just restricted to just Code Red Dispatch Types.

Recommendation: Look through your open Dispatches for the machine to determine any other Dispatch types that may be open and have this setting applied. This will help you quickly troubleshoot this type of issue. 

• Allow Only One Dispatch per Machine Open Simultaneously: This setting is used to limit 1 critical Dispatch Type against a machine at any given time. If this option is selected and the machine already has open dispatch of the same type operator will receive "Machine is Already Down for Critical Dispatch Type". This setting essentially marks the Dispatch Type as critical.

There are circumstances where you only want one Dispatch open at a time for a given Machine. For example, if you already have a Machine down for a Code Red Dispatch, even if there is another concurrent issue, you don't want double downtime accruing. For those Dispatch Types, check the 'Allow only One Dispatch per Machine at One Time' box in the Dispatch Detail page (the Dispatch setup for each individual Dispatch Type). This will prevent multiple Dispatches being created against a Machine at the same time. 

There are other circumstances where it makes sense to allow more than one open Dispatch against a Machine. For example, an Operator may be able to perform portions of multiple overlapping TPMs on the same machine at the same time. Perhaps there is also an open Kaizen Dispatch on the same Machine. For some Dispatch Types, you will not want the 'Allow only One Dispatch per Machine at One Time' box checked in the setup for those Dispatch Types. 

This functionality can be enabled or disabled by individual Dispatch Type from the SETUP menu. Ask your Team L2L Admin or your Site L2L Champion if you're not sure which setting is appropriate. 

When one person creates a Dispatch, and someone else is Dispatched as a Resource to that Dispatch, and yet another someone edits the Dispatch, how does L2L keep track of all that? 

By whomever is logged into the System each step of the process, whether from their mobile device or computer. The person who creates the Dispatch is not necessarily the person who is Dispatched as a Resource to perform the work. Likewise, neither of the above may make subsequent edits to the Dispatch: complete checklists, add Actions & Components, answer Dispatch Questions, etc. 

Notice in the screenshot below that the person who created the Dispatch is not the same person who was Dispatched as a Resource in one of these examples. When you open the Dispatch and then click on the 'Dispatch Change History' button at the bottom of the page, you will see all of the detailed history for this Dispatch: who created it, when it was created, who made each edit and addition, who Completed and Closed the Dispatch, etc., as well as all corresponding times. 

The complete history and life and times of a Dispatch is at your fingertips! 

You may notice that you are able to edit a dispatch after it has been created such as changing the Dispatch Type, Area, Line, Trade, Machine, Tooling, Status, Reason, or Product.

When changing the Dispatch Type of an event. This feature is for when a Dispatch was created using the wrong Dispatch type; not for when you worked on the event as one Dispatch and now you want to move it to another. For example, you have a Code Red and have done the necessary Code Red work and there is still some stuff to be done but the machine is back up, so you want to move it to a Code Yellow. In this instance, you should create a follow-up Code Yellow Dispatch, not change the Dispatch Type to a Code Yellow. This will make the entire Dispatch from start to finish a Code Yellow, losing the valuable information about the Code Red Dispatch. Changing from one Dispatch Type to another also does not attach the necessary documentation or dispatch questions.

If you find that employees are changing Dispatch Types and you want to curb that behavior, there is a feature to only allow Administrators the ability to change Dispatch Types. L2L support is happy to enable that feature for you.

NOTE:  When you make and save these changes if you have any designated Dispatch Questions, Documents, and/or Attachments that are associated with the new changes you have selected, they will NOT be updated in the original dispatch.

You're looking at the Operator Portal. Wow! Where did that downtime come from? You look through all the currently open Dispatches. There are no Code Reds. Huh? 

Before you drive yourself crazy, stop for just a second. Take a deep breath. Now look at what Dispatch seems to correspond with the amount of downtime reflected in the Operator Portal. This is not a Code Red Dispatch... or is it? Or rather, was it, at any time? 

Here's how to know for sure. Pull up the Dispatch you think might be responsible for the displayed downtime. Open the Dispatch and scroll to the very bottom of the page. See that button labeled, "DISPATCH CHANGE HISTORY"? Click on that button and you will see every change made to the Dispatch. 

If the Dispatch Type has been changed from a Code Red to a non-downtime incurring Dispatch Type, this is likely the Dispatch that caused the downtime accrual. It's difficult to spot at the Operator Portal because there are no currently open Code Red Dispatches. Keep this in mind if you find yourself in that situation. The Dispatch TYPE may have been changed at some point.

*Note: if this does occur, this is an excellent opportunity for coaching your teams so they understand the impact. Not only of changing the type of Dispatch, but also why it is a best practice to stay on top of open Dispatches. 

*Another item of note: if your leaders are working remotely, if you have a large influx of new employees, if communication on off shifts is less than ideal, a site setting is available to restrict the ability to change the Dispatch Type to only people with Administrator accounts in L2L. 

As always, do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or to have that site setting enabled to restrict who is able to edit Dispatch Type after the Dispatch has been created. 

You have created and are working a Kaizen! You have identified additional machines and you would like to add Dispatches to the existing original Kaizen.

From time to time, you will need to add additional Dispatches from the originating Kaizen.

One item to keep in mind is that in the originating Kaizen, you have likely referenced and associated this Kaizen within an Area / Line or Machine. The Kaizen system will now associate all future work and additional Dispatch selections around the originating machine associations.

For example, if you determine you would like to add an additional Dispatch from the originating Kaizen, you may come across a scenario where the Kaizen 'Add Dispatch' will not allow the user to create an additional Dispatch for the machine required. 

The Leading2lean Kaizen System links the applicable group of machines based upon the originating Area, Line and/or machines that have been pre-defined in the originating Kaizen. For Example, if you create a Kaizen for Machine #1 on Line #A, and you would like to implement this Kaizen idea to Machine #8 on Line #B,  you may run into a situation where within the Kaizen you are not able to create a Dispatch within the originating Kaizen because the Kaizen has a determined machine group that has been associated during the original creation. 

If the originating Kaizen was associated with Line #1 and Machine #A, you will only be allowed to select a Dispatch for this group. You will only be allowed Machine selections around the originating groups associated with the original selections and associations defined in the original creation. 

Only the defined selections in the original Kaizen will be allowed as selections for future work and Dispatch Selections from and within the originating Kaizen.

There are many ways to solve this problem. The original selections that have been defined in the Kaizen can be edited. Adding the new Area / Line or Machine to the Kaizen will now allow the user to create additional dispatches to the newly identified machines. 

This function within the Kaizen Module is meant to limit the applicable machines that could be potential candidates for future applications. This will also minimize the opportunity to select future work or Dispatches inadvertently on the wrong machine. You will only be allowed to select from within the defined associations in the Original Kaizen.

 Additional Dispatches will be limited to Machines Defined within the Originating Kaizen.