How to Require a Finished Quality Inspection Test Before Recording Output on the Next Operation ( How to use the “Check That Tests Exist When” configured to “Before Starting Next Operation” setting )

This article explains how to prevent users from recording output on the next production order operation until there is at least one Finished Quality Inspection test on the previous operation by leveraging the setting “Check That Tests Exist When” configured to “Before Starting Next Operation”.

The Before Starting Next Operation setting is a validation control. It does not create Quality Inspection Tests by itself. Tests must already exist, either because they were created manually or through a Quality Inspector production generation rule. When this option is enabled, Quality Inspector checks the preceding production routing operation before allowing production to progress to the next operation.

This configuration is commonly used when a quality approval or checkpoint must be completed before production can continue to the next routing step.  This setting can be used when you require finished Quality Inspection Tests on all prior operations in a production order.

It’s important to note that the grade for this setting does not matter.  A Quality Inspection Test that is finished in either a passing grade or a failing grade will still allow output on the next step.   To prevent transactions for quality inspection tests with failing or in-progress grades leverage the transaction specific grade feature (you will need to use lot or serial tracking to accomplish this)  https://kb.dmsiworks.com/knowledge-base/automate-block-and-unblock-lot-transactions-in-quality-inspector/.

Example Scenario

You want to prevent users from recording output for operation 20 unless there is already a Finished Quality Inspection test for operation 10.

If this restriction is enabled and no finished test exists, users will receive an error similar to the following:

There must be at least 1 finished tests for document XYZ for item YOURITEMHERE but there are only 0.
Navigate to Quality Inspection Tests, create the appropriate test(s), finish the test(s) first, and then try again.
This restriction can be altered on the Quality Inspector Setup, the current restriction is “Before Starting Next Operation”.

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Configure the Restriction

1. Navigate to Quality Inspector Setup.
2. In the Production section, locate Check That Tests Exist When.
3. In the Production dropdown, choose:Before Starting Next Operation
4. In Auto Output Configuration, choose:Any Output Entry (time or quantity)

What This Setting Does

When this setting is enabled, users cannot record output on a routing operation unless the previous operation has at least one Finished Quality Inspection test.

The test must be in the Finished state to allow recording output. An Open test is not sufficient.

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Example Walkthrough Using Contoso Demo Data and Quality Inspector Demo Data

This example uses the standard Business Central Contoso manufacturing demo data together with the Quality Inspector sample data.

Step 1: Create a Production Order

1. Create a Released Production Order for item:SP-BOM2000 (Reservoir Assembly)
2. Use a quantity of:1
3. Refresh the production order so the routing lines are generated.

The default routing contains these operations:

Operation No.	Description
10	Reservoir Assembly
20	Electrical Wiring
30	Testing

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Step 2: Create a Quality Inspection Test Generation Rule for the First Operation

In this step we’re creating a test generation rule for the first operation, so that when output is recorded on the first operation a Quality Inspection Test is created automatically.

1. Navigate to Quality Inspection Test Generation Rules.
2. Choose Create Production Rule.
3. On Choose Template, select:PACKAGING
4. Choose Next.
5. For the document type, choose:Production Orders
6. Choose Next.

Configure Routing Filters

Set the following values:

Field	Value
Routing No.	SP-BOM2000
Operation No.	10

Choose Next.

Configure Item Filter

Set:

Field	Value
Specific Item	SP-BOM2000

Choose Next.

Review Filters

The resulting filters should resemble:

Filters

WHERE(Routing No.=FILTER(SP-BOM2000),Operation No.=FILTER(10))

Item Filter

WHERE(No.=FILTER(SP-BOM2000))

Configure Automatic Test Creation

For Automatically Create Test, choose:

When Output is Posted

Choose Finish.

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Step 3: Attempt to Post Output on Operation 20

In this step we’re verifying that you get an error message preventing recording output on operation 20 until operation 10 has a finished Quality Inspection Test.  At this point, no Quality Inspection Test yet exists for Operation 10.

1. Navigate to the Output Journal.
2. Select the production order created earlier, and choose the item in that production order.
3. Enter:

Field	Value
Operation No.	20
Output Quantity	1

4. Choose Post.
5. When prompted to post the journal lines, choose Yes.

Expected Result

Posting is blocked with an error because operation 10 does not yet have a Finished Quality Inspection test.

At this point, no inspection test exists yet for operation 10 and this error is expected.

The error will look like this ”

“There must be at least 1 finished tests for document 101001 for SP-BOM2000 but there are only 0.

Navigate to Quality Inspection Tests, create the appropriate test(s), finish the test(s) first, and then try again.

This restriction can be altered on the Quality Inspector Setup, the current restriction is “Before Starting Next Operation”” (where the document number will be different on your system).”

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Step 4: Post Output for Operation 10

In this step, we’re going to post output for operation 10 ( the first operation).  This will be allowed because there is no previous operation, thus no test required.

Posting Output at this step will automatically create a test for Operation 10.

1. Change Operation No. on the existing output journal line from the previous step to:10
2. Choose Post.
3. When prompted, choose Yes.

Expected Result

Posting succeeds because operation 10 is the first routing step and there is no prior operation requiring a Finished test.

A Quality Inspection test is automatically created for operation 10.

However, the test is still in the Open state.

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Step 5: Attempt Operation 20 Again

At this point a Quality Inspection test now exists for operation 10, however it’s still open, not finished.  We expect moving to the next step of operation 20 to still be blocked and output recorded on operation 20 should still be blocked.

1. Return to the Output Journal.
2. Select the production order created earlier, and choose the item in that production order.
3. Enter:

Field	Value
Operation No.	20
Output Quantity	1

3. Choose Post.
4. Choose Yes when prompted.

Expected Result

Posting is still blocked.

Although a Quality Inspection test now exists for operation 10, the test is still Open rather than Finished.

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Step 6: Finish the Quality Inspection Test for the prior operation 10.

At this point we have a Quality Inspection test for operation 10, it’s still open and preventing recording output to operation 20.

To allow recording output to operation 20 we need to finish the Quality Inspection Test for operation 10.

Note: whether the test passes or fails is immaterial to this specific setting, only whether the Quality Inspection Test is open or finished matters.

1. Open the Quality Inspection test created for operation 10.
2. Enter values for all required inspection fields.

If using the PACKAGING sample template, example values include:

Field	Example Value
Packaging Visual	UNDAMAGED
Package Width	10
Package Length	30
Package Height	15
Shipping Label	BLURRED

The specific values and resulting grade are not important for this example.

3. Choose Finish.
4. When prompted to confirm finishing the test, choose Yes.

The test status now changes from Open to Finished.

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Step 7: Post Operation 20 Successfully

At this point a finished Quality Inspection test now exists for operation 10.

1. Return to the Output Journal.
2. Locate the journal line for operation 20 created earlier.
3. Choose Post.
4. Choose Yes when prompted.

Expected Result

The journal line now posts successfully because operation 10 has at least one Finished Quality Inspection test.

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Summary

With this configuration:

• You can post output on the first operation normally.
• Later operations require at least one Finished Quality Inspection test on the previous operation.
• Open tests do not satisfy the requirement.
• This helps enforce mandatory quality checkpoints between routing operations.
• This can help prevent Finishing a production order by preventing recording output on the next operation, when there is no finished test on the previous operation.

When this validation runs, Quality Inspector uses the Previous Operation No. on the production routing line to determine which operation must be checked. If there is no previous operation, such as on the first operation in a routing, no previous-operation test is required. If the routing references multiple previous operations, each applicable preceding routing line is checked.

For each required preceding operation, Quality Inspector looks for at least one related Quality Inspection Test with a status of Finished. An Open test does not satisfy this requirement. This setting checks whether the inspection has been completed; it does not require the test to have a passing grade. If production must also be prevented from continuing when an inspection has failed, configure the appropriate Quality Inspector transaction or lot-blocking controls in addition to this setting.

The validation can occur when output is posted and when a production routing line progresses to In Progress or Finished. For this reason, when the requirement should apply regardless of whether an operator records time, quantity, or another type of output entry, configure Auto Output Configuration so the applicable output activity is evaluated.

The Validation Behavior setting determines what happens when the required Finished test cannot be found. Error prevents the transaction from continuing. Confirm When Possible allows an interactive user to choose whether to proceed, while non-interactive processing treats the condition as an error. Message displays the validation issue without preventing the transaction.