From setting up a dedicated Control workstation, through scanning batches and completing their missing required processes, to tracking control station output in a single throughput report, this guide walks you through the full Control Workstation workflow in Garment IO.

What Is a Control Workstation

A Control workstation is a dedicated production checkpoint. It confirms that a batch has passed through the process it is required to complete at that station, records which employee completed the process, and adds the batch to the station's count, all without running the batch through a full quality inspection.

Unlike a Quality workstation, a Control workstation does not capture defects, quality grades, or piece splits. It is designed to be a fast, pass-through confirmation step for checkpoints where a full inspection is not needed.

Before You Start

A Control workstation needs to be configured before operators can use it:

• Create or edit a workstation, select the Control production action for it, and flag it as a final control station. See the Workstations article for more on how workstation types and workstations work.
  

Add Control Workstation

• Create the required standard process under the Style Category, and set its process type to Control.
• Link this Control process to the Control workstation type, so the workstation type knows which process it needs to validate.
  
• The Control process's standard time can be set to zero, but this option must first be enabled from the Advanced Garment IO Settings in Factory Management.

Create Standard Process for Control Process

• On the Style page, add the Control process and link it under Checks. This is what allows the Control workstation to see this process and validate it for batches of that style.
  

Add Control Process

• The Control process type accepts 0 as a valid standard time value. If your factory's settings do not generally allow a zero standard time, check with your system administrator, since that setting can still affect whether a 0 time Control process is accepted when it is saved.
  

Scanning a Batch at a Control Workstation

Once the workstation is configured, the day to day flow works as follows:

• The operator scans the batch or batch group at the Control workstation.
• If the batch has missing required processes, Garment IO displays them as an unselected list. Nothing is finalized automatically.
• The operator selects every listed process. The confirm action stays disabled until all of them are selected, so processes can never be finalized partially.
• Confirming finalizes every selected process in a single action, attributes each one to the employee recommended for it, records the Control process, and increases the scanned batch count.
• If the system cannot recommend an employee for one of the selected processes, that process cannot be confirmed, and the whole finalization stays blocked until it can be.
  

When a Batch Has No Missing Processes

If a scanned batch has no missing required processes, Garment IO takes the operator straight to a scan summary screen instead of a selection list. The operator taps to confirm receipt of the batch's quantity, which records the Control process and increases the scanned batch count.

Confirm Receipt Of the Batch's Quantity

Rescanning an Already Controlled Batch

A batch whose Control process has already been recorded cannot be controlled again. Scanning it a second time is rejected, and the system shows a message stating that the batch has already completed the workstation's assigned processes. No new Control record is created and the scanned batch count does not increase.

Notes and Limitations

• Control scans never record quality grades, defects, or piece splits. That data is only captured at Quality workstations.
• Operating a Control workstation currently uses the same general workstation access permission as operating a Quality workstation. There is no separate operator role limited only to Control workstations.
• Every successful Control scan feeds a dedicated Control Workstation Throughput report. See the Control Workstation Throughput Report article for how to view, filter, and export it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

• What is the difference between a Control workstation and a Quality workstation?
  A Control workstation is a lightweight checkpoint that confirms a batch has passed through its required processes and records who completed them, without capturing grades, defects, or piece splits. A Quality workstation carries out full inspection, including grading and defect logging.

• How does the system know which process a Control workstation should validate?
  The Control process is created under the Style Category and linked to the Control workstation type. It is then added and linked under Checks on the Style page, which is what lets a Control workstation see and validate that process for batches of that style.

• Can I finalize only some of the missing processes and leave the rest for later?
  No. The confirm action stays disabled until every displayed missing process has been selected, so processes are always finalized together, never partially.

• What happens if I scan a batch that was already controlled?
  The system rejects the scan and shows a message that the batch has already completed the workstation's assigned processes. No new Control record is created and the scanned batch count does not increase.

• Does a Control workstation scan record defects or quality grades?
  No. Control scans only confirm that the required process was completed and attribute it to an employee. Grading, defect logging, and piece splitting are handled at Quality workstations.

• Where can I see how much a Control workstation has processed?
  See the Control Workstation Throughput Report article, which covers the dedicated report fed by every successful Control scan.

Have a question about this article?

Reach out to the Garment IO team. We're here to make sure you're getting the most out of every feature.