All the planning that goes into a manufacturing operation, defining the Bill of Materials, setting up Routing, running MRP, raising Purchase Orders, and receiving materials, leads to a single outcome: producing the finished product.
This is where the Production Run comes in. It is the execution stage of manufacturing in Apache OFBiz, the point where planning becomes production. A Production Run brings together the Bill of Materials (BOM), the Routing, and the available inventory to manufacture finished goods in a structured, trackable process.
In Apache OFBiz, Production Runs can be created manually for standalone requirements, or generated automatically when MRP identifies internal production requirements. Either way, the system handles sub-assembly dependencies, material allocation, and task sequencing automatically, ensuring production moves in the right order from start to finish.
A Production Run is a manufacturing job created in Apache OFBiz to produce a specific quantity of a finished product. It defines what is being produced, how much, in which facility, and through which sequence of operations.
In simple terms, a Production Run is the system's instruction to manufacture a product. Once created and confirmed, it drives every step of the process, from issuing raw materials to completing routing tasks to adding finished goods to inventory.
A Production Run in Apache OFBiz typically includes:
• Product and Quantity: What is being produced and how many units
• Facility: Where the production will take place
• Routing: The sequence of operations to be performed, fetched automatically from the product's defined routing
• Routing Tasks: Individual steps such as lamination, shaping, or final assembly
• Components: Raw materials and sub-assemblies required, drawn from the BOM
• Status: Tracks progress through stages such as Created, Confirmed, In Progress, and Completed
A Production Run does more than track a manufacturing job. In Apache OFBiz, it:
• Automatically pulls the correct components from the BOM so nothing is missed
• Sequences routing tasks in the defined order, preventing steps from being skipped or performed out of turn
• Creates dependent production runs for sub-assemblies automatically, so child components are built before the parent product
• Issues materials against each task, keeping inventory accurate throughout the process
• Records actual production output and adds finished goods to inventory once the run is completed
Apache OFBiz organizes production around the relationship between a finished product, its BOM, and its defined Routing. When a Production Run is created, the system references both to determine what materials are needed and what operations must be performed.
Parent and Child Production Runs
One of the most important features of Production Runs in Apache OFBiz is the automatic handling of sub-assembly dependencies. When a finished product requires a sub-component that itself needs to be manufactured, Apache OFBiz creates a child production run for that sub-assembly alongside the main (parent) production run.
The child run must be completed before the parent run can proceed. This sequencing is managed automatically by the system, ensuring that every component is available at the right stage of production.
For example, in skateboard manufacturing, the Deck is a sub-assembly made up of Core, Ply, Face, and Glue. When a Production Run is created for the skateboard, Apache OFBiz automatically creates a separate child production run for the Deck. The Deck must be fully produced and added to inventory before the final assembly of the skateboard can begin.
The Production Run is the last step in the manufacturing planning cycle. By the time a Production Run is created, the BOM is defined, Routing is set up, MRP has identified what needs to be produced, Purchase Orders have been raised for external components, and materials have been received into inventory.
This step is crucial because it:
• Converts approved internal requirements into active manufacturing jobs
• Allocates materials from inventory to specific production tasks
• Executes routing tasks in sequence, tracking progress at each stage
• Produces finished goods and sub-assemblies into inventory upon completion
• BOM Module: Determines which components and quantities are needed for each production run
• Routing Module: Provides the sequence of tasks to be performed during production
• Inventory Module: Tracks material consumption and adds finished goods to stock upon completion
• MRP Module: Generates internal requirements that are converted into Production Runs automatically
• Accounting Module: Records production costs against each run for accurate cost accounting
Let's revisit the skateboard manufacturing example used throughout this series. After MRP generated internal requirements for the Skateboard and its Deck sub-assembly, and after external components like Sticker (STC1001) and Warranty Card (STC1002) were received into inventory, the internal requirements are approved to trigger production.
Apache OFBiz automatically creates two Production Runs: one for the Deck (child run) and one for the Skateboard (parent run). The Deck run must be completed first.
For the Deck, two routing tasks are performed in sequence: Lamination and Shape Deck. Materials such as Glue, Face, Ply, and Core are issued against each task. Once both tasks are complete, the Deck is added to inventory as a finished sub-assembly.
With the Deck now available in inventory, the Skateboard production run proceeds. The Final Assembly task is performed, combining the Deck with the Sticker, Transfer, and Warranty Card. Once completed, the finished skateboards are added to inventory, ready for delivery against the original sales order.
Apache OFBiz supports two methods for creating Production Runs, depending on whether production is planned through MRP or initiated manually.
When MRP generates internal requirements, Production Runs can be created automatically by approving those requirements.
1. Navigate to Order > Requirements > Approve Requirements
2. Filter by Internal Requirement and click Find to list pending requirements
3. Select the relevant requirements and click Submit to approve them
4. Apache OFBiz automatically creates Production Runs for the finished product and any dependent sub-assemblies
5. Navigate to Manufacturing > Jobshop to view and confirm the created Production Runs
For ad hoc or planned production not driven by MRP, a Production Run can be created directly.
6. Navigate to Manufacturing > New Production Run
7. Enter the Product ID, Quantity, and Facility ID
8. Set Create Dependent Production Runs to Yes to automatically generate child runs for sub-assemblies
9. Click Submit to create the Production Run along with any dependent runs
10. Confirm the run and execute routing tasks in sequence, issuing components at each step
11. Once all tasks are complete, produce the finished goods into inventory
For detailed step-by-step instructions, refer to the Creating a Standalone Production Run and Automated Production Run from MRP Requirements guides on the Apache OFBiz Confluence wiki.
The Production Run is the point where all manufacturing planning comes together. It takes the BOM, the Routing, and the available inventory and turns them into a structured, trackable job that produces finished goods.
By automating sub-assembly sequencing, material allocation, and task execution, Apache OFBiz ensures that production moves in the correct order, with full visibility at every stage and accurate inventory records at the end.
With Production Runs complete and finished goods in inventory, the manufacturing cycle comes full circle. To understand how Apache OFBiz calculates the actual cost of what was produced, the next blog in this series covers Production Cost Calculation in Apache OFBiz, which explains how material, labor, and overhead costs are captured and allocated against each production run.
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