Managing Bulletins in Plex ERP

Overview

Plex ERP bulletins provide targeted communication for employees working with parts, operations, workcenters, buildings, jobs, and timeclock activities. Depending on where a bulletin is configured, it may appear on the Control Panel, at a specific workcenter, for an entire building, or on a dedicated timeclock.

Bulletins are useful for communicating:

• Work instructions
• Quality alerts
• Safety notices
• Tooling or machine requirements
• Process changes
• Maintenance information
• Production priorities
• Shift or building-wide announcements

Plex supports several bulletin types and display locations. The most commonly used are Part Bulletins, Workcenter Bulletins, Building Bulletins, and the Bulletin Board.

Bulletin Types in Plex

Availability and display behavior may vary based on customer settings, security permissions, module configuration, and the Plex screen layout used by the organization.

Part Bulletins

A Part Bulletin is a message associated with a specific part and operation within a process routing. It is displayed on the Control Panel when an operator selects the matching part and operation.

Part bulletins are appropriate when the information applies only to a particular operation, such as:

• A required inspection point
• Special setup instructions
• A temporary process change
• A customer-specific requirement
• A quality or safety warning
• Required tooling or material information

Create a Part Bulletin

1. Open the Part Bulletins screen.
2. Select Add on the Action Bar.
3. In the Part Selection Detail dialog box, specify:
   • Part number
   • Operation code
4. Click OK or continue to the bulletin detail screen.
5. In Part Bulletin Detail, enter the bulletin message.
6. Format the message as needed using the available rich-text options.
7. Save the bulletin.

The bulletin will be associated with the selected part and operation and will be shown when that combination is used on the Control Panel.

Edit or delete a Part Bulletin

1. Open the Part Bulletins screen.
2. Search for the required part and operation.
3. Open the bulletin record.
4. Edit the message or other available fields.
5. Save the changes.

To remove the bulletin, select the record and use the delete action, if permitted by the user’s security role.

Workcenter Bulletins

A Workcenter Bulletin is associated with a specific workcenter or machine. It is intended for information that applies to all operators using that workcenter, regardless of the part being produced.

Examples include:

• Machine operating instructions
• Safety requirements
• Preventive maintenance notices
• Setup or changeover guidance
• Known equipment conditions
• Temporary production restrictions

Create or update a Workcenter Bulletin

1. Open the workcenter record or access the workcenter bulletin function from the Control Panel.
2. Locate the Bulletin field.
3. Enter the message.
4. Use the Rich Text Editor to format the message, including:
   • Font
   • Font size
   • Font color
   • Emphasis and other appearance settings
5. Select Update or OK to save the bulletin.

The message is displayed for users working at that workcenter.

Building Bulletins

A Building Bulletin applies to all workcenters within a building. This allows an organization to enter one message instead of maintaining the same bulletin on each individual workcenter.

Building bulletins can be used for:

• Building-wide safety information
• Plant or department announcements
• Temporary access restrictions
• Emergency instructions
• Shift information
• Building maintenance notices

Configuration requirements for Building Bulletins

Depending on the Plex configuration, the following settings may be required:

• Workcenter Bulletin Form Building Use
• Display Bulletin Link

Create or update a Building Bulletin

1. Confirm that the customer setting Workcenter Bulletin Form Building Use is enabled.
2. Confirm that Display Bulletin Link is enabled if the building bulletin link is not visible.
3. Use menu search to open Building Application.
4. Select the building where the bulletin should be created or updated.
5. At the bottom of the Building Application page, select the link to open the building bulletin page.
6. Enter or update the bulletin text.
7. Save the bulletin.

When configured correctly, the building bulletin is displayed on the workcenters associated with that building.

A building bulletin may apply broadly. Use a Part Bulletin when the instruction applies only to one part and operation, and use a Workcenter Bulletin when it applies only to one machine or workcenter.

Bulletin Board

The Bulletin Board is separate from the bulletins displayed on the Control Panel. It is intended for general company or organizational messages.

Bulletin Board messages are typically viewed through:

• The Bulletin Board screen
• The Dedicated Timeclock, when configured to display news

Typical uses include:

• Company announcements
• Employee communications
• Safety news
• General production news
• Events and notices
• Shift-related information

Listing Types

Bulletin Board entries use the Listing Type setup table to categorize messages. Before creating or viewing Bulletin Board entries, confirm that the required listing types are configured.

To display news bulletins on a dedicated timeclock:

1. Open the Listing Type setup table.
2. Enable the Timeclock column for the appropriate listing type.
3. Select the News listing type, or another listing type configured for timeclock display.
4. In the Time and Attendance Labor Tracking module, enable Timeclock Bulletins.
5. Save the configuration.
6. Create or update the Bulletin Board entry using the appropriate listing type.

The Dedicated Timeclock can then display Web Listings bulletins with the configured News type.

Archived Bulletins

The Show Archived option controls whether archived Bulletin Board records are visible.

• Users with Add/Edit permission can select Show Archived to view archived records.
• Users without Add/Edit permission cannot view archived records.

Job Bulletins

Bulletins may also be entered at the job level. Job bulletins should be used when the message applies to one production job rather than to every job for a part, operation, or workcenter.

Examples include:

• Customer-specific job instructions
• Temporary routing or scheduling information
• Special inspection requirements
• Job-specific packaging instructions
• Material substitutions approved for one job

Because job bulletin availability depends on the configured job screens, users should enter job messages from the job-related bulletin function provided in their Plex environment.

Timeclock Bulletins

Timeclock Bulletins provide messages to employees using a Dedicated Timeclock. They are useful for communicating information that employees need to see when clocking in, changing shifts, or accessing time and attendance functions.

Examples include:

• Safety reminders
• Attendance announcements
• Shift changes
• Payroll notices
• Emergency communications
• Company news

Timeclock Bulletins generally depend on both:

1. A listing type configured for timeclock display.
2. The Timeclock Bulletins setting being enabled in the Time and Attendance Labor Tracking module.

Choosing the Correct Bulletin Type

Use the narrowest scope that matches the message:

• Use a Part Bulletin for one part and operation.
• Use a Workcenter Bulletin for one machine or workcenter.
• Use a Building Bulletin for all workcenters in a building.
• Use a Job Bulletin for one production job.
• Use a Bulletin Board entry for general company or organizational communication.
• Use a Timeclock Bulletin for messages displayed to employees at a dedicated timeclock.

Using the correct scope prevents operators from seeing irrelevant messages and reduces the need to maintain duplicate bulletins.

Security and Configuration Requirements

Part Bulletin security actions

Users who create or maintain Part Bulletins may require the following security actions:

• Part Bulletins
• Part Bulletin Detail
• Part Selection Detail
• Edit Part Bulletin
• Delete Part Bulletin

Related data dependencies

Part Bulletins depend on the following Plex records:

• Parts
• Process routings
• Operations

A valid part and operation must exist before a Part Bulletin can be assigned.

Other configuration dependencies

Depending on the bulletin type, the following may also be required:

• Workcenter records
• Building records
• Listing Type setup
• Time and Attendance Labor Tracking configuration
• Dedicated Timeclock configuration
• Customer settings for building bulletin access
• Appropriate user security permissions

Best Practices

• Keep messages short and actionable.
• Start with the required action when possible, such as “Inspect first piece before continuing.”
• Include an expiration date in temporary messages.
• Use Part Bulletins for operation-specific instructions rather than posting them at every workcenter.
• Use Building Bulletins only for information relevant to all workcenters in the building.
• Avoid duplicating the same message across multiple bulletin types unless users need to see it in more than one location.
• Review and remove outdated bulletins regularly.
• Use consistent formatting for safety alerts, quality instructions, and temporary notices.
• Confirm the bulletin appears in the intended location after saving.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

The Part Bulletin does not appear on the Control Panel. What should I check?

Verify that:

• The correct part number was entered.
• The correct operation code was selected.
• The operator selected the matching part and operation.
• The bulletin was saved successfully.
• The user has access to the relevant Control Panel functions.
• The part has an active process routing and operation.

A Workcenter Bulletin is not visible.

Check that:

• The bulletin was saved or updated.
• The user is working at the correct workcenter.
• The message was entered for the correct workcenter.
• The Control Panel layout displays workcenter bulletins.
• The user has the required permissions.

The Building Bulletin link is missing.

Confirm that the following customer settings are enabled:

• Workcenter Bulletin Form Building Use
• Display Bulletin Link

Also confirm that the user has permission to access the Building Application and modify building information.

Why can operators see a Workcenter Bulletin but not a Part Bulletin?

A Workcenter Bulletin applies to the machine and may appear for every part processed there. A Part Bulletin appears only when the specific part and operation combination is selected.

Why is a Bulletin Board message not appearing on the timeclock?

Check that:

1. The bulletin uses a listing type enabled for timeclock display.
2. The listing type is configured in the Listing Type setup table.
3. Timeclock Bulletins is enabled in the Time and Attendance Labor Tracking module.
4. The bulletin is active and not archived.
5. The Dedicated Timeclock is configured to display news or Web Listings.

Why can one user see archived bulletins while another cannot?

Only users with Add/Edit permission can use Show Archived to view archived Bulletin Board records. Users without that permission will not see archived records.

Can a Part Bulletin be created without a process routing?

A Part Bulletin requires a valid part and operation. Because operations are associated with process routings, the required routing and operation records must exist before the bulletin can be assigned.

When should I use a Bulletin Board instead of a Control Panel bulletin?

Use the Bulletin Board for general communication that is not tied to a specific part, operation, workcenter, or job. Use a Control Panel bulletin when the message must appear in the context of production work.