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Evo-ERP and DBA Classic >> Manufacturing >> Enter Labor/Production
http://www.istechforum.com/YaBB.pl?num=1210942808

Message started by RPCAdmin on 05/16/08 at 06:00:07

Title: Enter Labor/Production
Post by RPCAdmin on 05/16/08 at 06:00:07

One of my employees is trying to enter labor in DC-A. He is getting the error - "Someone is already entering transactions for this employee number" - I had everyone log out, logged in only at the production station, and he keeps getting this error. I then checked in DC-D to see if there were any open jobs against the employee, and there are not. Anything I am missing?? :o

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by kkmfg on 05/16/08 at 06:46:03

I wonder if this has anything to do with this http://www.istechforum.com/YaBB.pl?num=1210689094. In their case they got a start time entered but could never enter the end time because the record seems eternally locked.

Is there a wide spread problem with the labor entry? Is anyone on this list currently successfully entering in labor with the current version of Evo?

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by kkmfg on 05/16/08 at 06:50:39

Incidentally, this is exactly why I think EvoERP needs a bugtracker. ISTech seems to often not even reply to these threads. Instead, people outside of ISTech (such as me) usually do. All of us try to help one another the best we can but we can't fix problems in the program.

And so, I think It'd be great if there were a central database of bugs so that people could check to see if ISTech really loves them and if their problem is being worked on / ignored / fixed / or bravely ran away from.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by RPCAdmin on 05/16/08 at 07:20:03

Collin,

I understand what you are saying. Most of the time the crew at EVO are very responsive and helpful, but every now and then, problems seem unaddressed (no doubt at times they are buried in issues or whines from us users. On this one, I would just like to know a way to free up this employee. The one option I have (if it would even work) would be to delete the employee and reenter him.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by JEMM on 05/16/08 at 11:52:17

The error message is occurring because there is a record for that employee in BKDCTLAB. You need to use maintain database and delete that record.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by RPCAdmin on 05/16/08 at 11:56:52

Mike,

That worked. Thanks much!!

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by Lynn_Pantic on 05/16/08 at 17:41:22

The F9 Key in DC-A is another way to clear the BKDCTLAB file for a given employee number.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by Dennis Wilkinson on 05/22/08 at 07:16:17

I was just about to send a message on this myself. We have approximately 65+ people entering labor and this is happens to about 6 to 10 people each day. Most time we can use the F9 key to flush, but sometimes we have to restart the server to clear. Unfortunately, this does not work every time and I had to go into the BKDCTLAB file and delete the employee record. However, it is happening so much, it is becoming a butt pain. As best as I can ascertain, this is happening mostly since release 03/27/08.

Dennis

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by Karen Mason on 07/25/08 at 13:37:37

JEMM & RPCAdmin: Once you use maintain database to clear the error, does it seem to resolve the issue for that employee or does the error keep coming back?

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by Lynn_Pantic on 07/25/08 at 14:08:26

We are trying to resolve this one but since it is so sporadic, while it is certainly a problem, it is not one we can programatically repeat and identify. I suggested to Karen at Bula Forge that they try using the HH version of enter Labor/Production for a while to see if that version is better behaved, since it is a true GUI version compiled in the Evo compiler. If anybody else can try that and report back if it is better, it would be helpful.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by RPCAdmin on 07/28/08 at 04:47:17

We have not had this show up again since that one instance. I also have a little sign out near the workstation where labor is entered about using the F9 key if it happens again.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by awaretech on 10/13/08 at 07:44:39

We just updated from 9/07 to 8/4/8 and immediately after the update began experiencing this problem. At one point this morning, I looked at the contents of BKDCTLAB, and every user that was listed in there was getting the error "Someone is already entering transactions for this employee number" (6 users). I got them into DC-A by using F9 to flush, but it's happening several times a day.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by Lynn_Pantic on 10/13/08 at 08:27:45

I just emailed you the latest version that a few people are testing. Please provide feedback. We do know that it has trouble scanning 3 digit Work Order dash numbers and are getting that fixed, but other than that, if your Work ORders are 1 or 2 digit dash numbers, the feedback I have gotten sounds like we may well have resolved this one. If anybody else wants this latest version, please let meknow. It will be posted as a patch as soon as we resolve the 3 digit dash number issue.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by awaretech on 10/14/08 at 13:13:17

Thanks Lynn. Yesterday I installed what you sent, and we made it through the whole day today with no more lockups. Looking forward to the final patch for this, as we stopped using the barcode scanner about a year ago because of the three digit issue.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by Lynn_Pantic on 10/16/08 at 18:12:03

Patch posted to www.istechsupport.com/status.php

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by RPCAdmin on 10/28/08 at 06:24:54

FYI - We still sometimes have to use F9 - not nearly as often - but it has not completely gone away. (maybe one or two instances per week)

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by awaretech on 10/28/08 at 06:52:44

Yes, same here. Still getting it a couple times a week. F9 does clear it, though.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by awaretech on 12/05/08 at 07:02:21

Actually, now it seems to happen every morning, and F9 only clears the problem sometimes. When F9 doesn't work, we end up with a rogue Work Order on the opening DC-A screen, with no assigned employee number:

http://68.143.189.181/dbaimages/dca.gif

And the record is found in BKDCTLAB.B03 with no assigned employee number (screenshot is wrapped):
http://68.143.189.181/dbaimages/bkdctlab.gif

Once I delete the record in Maintain DB, the employee is no longer locked out. This is becoming a real nuisance.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by Lynn_Pantic on 12/05/08 at 08:06:51

We are aware of the issue and are working on it. If those of you having the problem (and also anybody using DC and NOT having problems) could post the answers to these questions, it would help.

1. Does the locking occur never/extremely seldom or occasionally (couple of times/week) or frequently (several times/day)?
2. How many DC stations are being used?
3. If more than one, are they being used simultaneously when locking occurs?
4. Do you allow employees to clock in/out of multiple jobs?
5. Do you use Shift Start/Stop?
6. Have you noticed ANY kind of pattern?
7. If you get a lock, Open BKDCTLAB with maintain database and see if you have a record with NO Employee number..

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by Dave Miller on 12/11/08 at 10:48:43

FYI, when we have this issue all we need to do is close down evo (not the computer, just the program) on the data ccollection terminal and re-open the program. This frees up the program. It happens to us about once per day. I have looked in the BKDCTLAB file when this happens and there are no entires with no employee number.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by awaretech on 12/11/08 at 12:51:10

1. Does the locking occur never/extremely seldom or occasionally (couple of times/week) or frequently (several times/day)?
Around twice a day
2. How many DC stations are being used?
4 stations
3. If more than one, are they being used simultaneously when locking occurs?
Most likely; we run Evo in two buildings, and the majority of entries are made first thing in the morning and at the end of the day, which is usually when lockups occur.

4. Do you allow employees to clock in/out of multiple jobs?
Yes
5. Do you use Shift Start/Stop?
We just started using it for everyone today; prior to that, only certain employees used it.
6. Have you noticed ANY kind of pattern?
We definitely noticed that it only started occurring after the most recent update was installed. Prior to that, we were on version 9/07. To be fair, we also upgraded from Pervasive 8.7 to 10 at the same time, and also upgraded the server from an NT4 to a 2008 box. I notice another forum user said it started for them after the 3/08 update.

7. If you get a lock, Open BKDCTLAB with maintain database and see if you have a record with NO Employee number.
Yes, we have had this happen, although I can't say for certain it happens every time.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by awaretech on 01/30/09 at 08:51:32

Many times, we find that the lockup will occur if the DC-A screen is open and idle at one or more workstations. For instance, on workstations A and B, the DC-A screen is open, but no one is using it (i.e. employee field is blank). At workstation C, the message "BKDCPLAB is locked by another user" comes up. When I check the Pervasive monitor, the Record Lock Type on A and/or B for file BKDCPLAB is Single instead of Normal. Closing the DC-A screen on A and/or B will unlock C and they can proceed.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by awaretech on 01/30/09 at 10:32:28

I am able to reproduce the problem!!!

Steps to Reproduce Record Lock:

Enter Employee Number, and say Y to “<name>…Is this correct?” If employee has no work orders open, you will get a Single Record Lock in the Pervasive Monitor on BKDCPLAB. If employee already has some open work orders, you will get no Record Lock on BKDCPLAB.

That workstation will keep the Single Record Lock on BKDCPLAB until (A) you close DC-A or (B) another employee WHO HAS OPEN WORK ORDERS comes along and enters their employee number. Continuing along with this scenario, if BKDCPLAB does get unlocked via (A) or (B) and then another employee comes along who has no open work orders, the workstation will again get a Single Record Lock, and will stay locked until (A) or (B) happens again.

As a result, that workstation is able to continue entering labor, but no other workstations can enter labor until the Single Record Lock is cleared via (A) or (B).

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by NovaZyg on 01/30/09 at 11:02:17

Have you tried the latest T7DCA, it is in the update. This, from the feed back we have received so far, seems to solve the locking problems in DC-A.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by JDlugosh on 02/02/09 at 16:06:56

Hi Allen,

What is the latest DC-A version date? We are using 11-10-08 and are still encountering problems.

Thanks John

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by NovaZyg on 02/02/09 at 17:00:35

In the 12/21 update there is a new T7DCA for Evo only. It has no record locking issues in it, at least none that we have encountered. Also being tested and soon to be released will be the ability to post Parts or Parts and Labor automatically in DCA, and a new Internal rework operation.

;)

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by ddlong on 02/03/09 at 07:42:34

We just switched to the T7DCA.RWN Yesterday and it locked up about five times and already once today. I immediately get everyone off and all except for the employee trying to do labor reporting, were sitting at a blank DC-A screen like was mentioned by someone in a previous post. Each time getting everyone out does work, but this is cumbersome when it happens several times a day and we have workers on two sides of the street.

Any help appreciated!

Darla Long

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by JDlugosh on 02/03/09 at 11:41:04

Answers to Lynns questions

1. Does the locking occur never/extremely seldom or occasionally (couple of times/week) or frequently (several times/day)?
It locks 1 or 2 times a week, it depends if the employee leaves the transaction "continue entering for this employee" open or an error message appears and they do not close it.

2. How many DC stations are being used?
Qty of workstations 5

3. If more than one, are they being used simultaneously when locking occurs?

Yes.

4. Do you allow employees to clock in/out of multiple jobs? Yes

5. Do you use Shift Start/Stop?
Yes

6. Have you noticed ANY kind of pattern?

We have noticed that the problem seems to record lock when one of our users does not answer the question "continuing entering for this employee" Our barcode scaners automatically answer this question for the user and it has reduced this problem.
Since the barcode scanners are working properly now, (Updated to work with the new DC-A program) I don’t see a problem because it is automatically entered. It was an issue when employees are keying it by hand, because they don’t stop and READ it carefully…

7. If you get a lock, Open BKDCTLAB with maintain database and see if you have a record with NO Employee number..

We used to have this issue, but it was corrected.

Title: Re: Enter Labor/Production
Post by Lynn_Pantic on 03/02/09 at 14:15:19

We have made som more changes, both to DC-A and also DC-H which was also contributing to the locks. If you have the 12/21 update installed, you can download from www.istechsupport.com/dl/dclockfix.zip and unzip to DBAMFG. It includes the BKDCA and BKDCH which can be used in both Classic and Evo as well as a new T7DCA that is Evo only.