What happens if employee forgets their PIN code?

HR or supervisor can reset PIN code in employee record's HR Settings tab. Keep master list in secure location for emergencies.

Can multiple employees work on the same work order simultaneously?

Yes, but only one employee logged in at time via shop floor interface. Primary operator logs in while others work under supervision. Labor cost calculated for logged-in employee's time.

How are labor costs calculated in Cost Analysis?

System uses employee's hourly rate multiplied by time logged on work order. If Employee A ($25/hr) spends 2 hours, labor cost = $50.

Can I restrict workcenter access without requiring PIN login?

No—if you add Allowed Employees to workcenter, PIN login becomes mandatory for accountability. Leave field empty for unrestricted access, but lose traceability.

Workcenter Employee Assignment in Odoo 18

Manufacturing supervisors relying on verbal shift assignments create accountability gaps: workers clock in but supervisors don't know who's actually at CNC Machine #3 right now, untrained operators accidentally start jobs on equipment they're not certified for, time spent at workcenters isn't tracked to actual employees causing labor cost analysis to fail, and when quality issues arise, you can't trace which operator ran the defective batch because there's no digital record of who logged into the workcenter.

Odoo 18's Workcenter Employee Assignment eliminates guesswork by requiring operators to log into workcenters with PIN codes before starting work orders. Restrict workcenter access to certified employees, track exactly who performed each operation with timestamps, calculate labor costs per work order based on actual operator time, and generate accountability trails showing which employee ran every production step—all through shop floor tablet logins.

Workcenter Employee Features:

Employee PIN code authentication
Restrict workcenter access by employee
Shop floor tablet login interface
Real-time operator tracking
Labor cost calculation per work order
Accountability trail for quality issues
Employee productivity reporting
Certification/skill enforcement

Understanding Workcenter Employee Assignment

By assigning specific employees to workcenters, you control who can operate equipment and track labor costs accurately.

Why Employee Assignment Matters

Skills Enforcement

Only certified welders access welding workcenters, CNC-trained operators run CNC machines—prevents untrained workers from using dangerous or precision equipment

Labor Cost Tracking

Calculate true production cost by tracking which employee (hourly rate) worked how long on each work order—precise job costing

Quality Accountability

When defects discovered, trace exact operator who performed operation—enables targeted retraining rather than blaming entire shift

Productivity Analysis

Compare operator performance—Employee A completes assembly in 20 min avg while Employee B takes 35 min, identify training needs

Step 1: Enable Workcenter Settings

Configuration

Navigate to Manufacturing → Configuration → Settings
Under "Operations" section, enable "Work Centers"
Click Save

Note: Work Centers must be enabled before you can create workcenters or assign employees.

Step 2: Create Workcenter

Workcenter Creation

Access Workcenters: Go to Manufacturing → Configuration → Work Centers
Create New: Click New
Configure Work Center:
- Work Center Name: Descriptive name (e.g., "Assembly Line 1", "CNC Machine 3", "Welding Station A")
- Code: Short identifier for reports
- Working Hours: Select shift schedule
- Company: In multi-company setup

General Information Tab

Key Configuration Fields:

Alternative Work Centers

If primary workcenter full, operations can overflow to backup workcenters

Step 3: Assign Allowed Employees

Employee Restriction

In the workcenter form, scroll to find the "Allowed Employees" field.

Click "Allowed Employees" field
Select employees from dropdown
Example: For "Welding Station A", select only certified welders
Multiple employees can be assigned to same workcenter
Click Save

Result: Only listed employees can log into this workcenter from shop floor tablets.

Step 4: Set Employee PIN Codes

PIN Code Configuration

Employees need PIN codes to log into workcenters via shop floor tablets.

Access Employees: Go to Employees module
Open Employee Record: Select employee from list
Navigate to HR Settings Tab
Set PIN Code:
- Find "PIN Code" field
- Enter 4-6 digit numeric code
- Example: 1234, 5678, 0000
Save Employee Record

Important: Without PIN code, employee cannot log into shop floor interface.

Step 5: Create BoM with Workcenter Operations

Bill of Materials Configuration

Create BoM: Go to Manufacturing → Products → Bill of Materials
Set BoM Type: "Manufacture this product"
Select Product: Product to manufacture
Add Components: Raw materials required
Configure Operations Tab:
- Click Add a Line
- Operation: Name (e.g., "Weld Frame", "Assemble Components")
- Work Center: Select configured workcenter
- Default Duration: Expected time (minutes)
- Add multiple operations as needed

Step 6: Create Manufacturing Order

Production Order Creation

Go to Manufacturing → Operations → Manufacturing Orders
Click New
Select Product
Select Bill of Materials (with configured operations)
Set Quantity
Click Confirm

Result: Work orders created for each operation in Work Orders tab.

Step 7: Employee Shop Floor Login

Tablet Interface Workflow

Access Shop Floor View

From tablet on shop floor, navigate to Work Orders → Shop Floor view

Select Work Order

Tap on work order in "Ready" status

Employee Selection Popup

System shows list of Allowed Employees for this workcenter

Enter PIN Code

Employee selects their name, enters PIN code

Start Work

Upon successful login, employee assigned to work order, timer starts tracking labor time

Complete Operation

When finished, tap "Mark as Done" to complete work order

What Happens After Login

Work Order Updated

Logged-in employee name now shows on work order instead of default assignee

Time Tracking Starts

System records start time for labor cost calculation

Accountability Established

Digital record proves which employee performed this operation

Step 8: Cost Analysis

Viewing Labor Costs

After manufacturing order completion, "Cost Analysis" smart button appears
Click smart button to view cost breakdown
Report shows:
- Material Costs: Raw material expenses
- Labor Costs: Employee hourly rate × time spent
- Overhead: Workcenter operational costs
- Total Cost: Full production cost

Benefit: Accurate job costing because labor tracked to actual operators, not estimates.

Best Practices

Limit by Certification

Assign employees to workcenters based on training certificates (e.g., only forklift-certified workers access material handling workcenters).

Unique PIN Codes

Never share PIN codes—each employee needs unique code for accountability. Change codes if security compromised.

Review Cost Analysis Regularly

Compare actual labor costs to estimates—if consistently over/under, update BoM estimated times for accurate quoting.

Cross-Train Employees

Assign employees to multiple workcenters where appropriate—prevents bottlenecks when primary operator unavailable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Odoo 18's Workcenter Employee Assignment transforms verbal shift assignments into digital accountability by requiring operators to authenticate with PIN codes before accessing equipment. By restricting workcenters to certified employees, you prevent untrained workers from operating dangerous machinery, enforce safety protocols, and ensure quality standards through skill-based access control.

The shop floor tablet login creates an unbroken chain of custody showing exactly who performed each manufacturing operation, enabling precise labor cost calculation using actual operator hourly rates and time spent. When quality issues arise, you can trace defects to specific operators for targeted retraining rather than broad accusations. Whether managing a 10-workcenter job shop or a 100-station assembly line, employee assignment provides the accountability, cost accuracy, and safety enforcement necessary for modern manufacturing excellence.

Need Help Optimizing Manufacturing Operations?

Our manufacturing experts can help you design workcenter workflows, configure employee certifications, implement shop floor systems, train operators on tablet interfaces, integrate time tracking with payroll, and build complete manufacturing operations that maximize efficiency and accountability.