Beacon how-to · October 2026

What's new: v2.164.0

Stages now run on the floor. Checkpoint Live, the line boards and Shift Review know which stage a line is running, count it in that stage's own unit, and post it as stage work — only the finishing stage counts finished cases.

  • v2.164.0

1. Patch notes v2.164.0 Oct 25, 2026

  • Start stage work: Start Line and Changeover offer planned stage work, for example 60170116 · Fill inners — 1,320 inner displays. The crew prompt suggests the stage's crew, and Pallet Complete counts the stage's unit and pallet size (420 inner displays a tap).
  • Both ways of running stages: one line can change over from one stage to the next, and two lines can run two stages of the same PO at the same time. Each stage is wrapped up on its own.
  • Line totals: the console, line cards and boards count finished units only. A line that ran only stage work shows its stage units against its stage plan instead of 0.
  • Boards: an earlier stage's goal rate, target and order progress use the stage's own standard and unit; the finishing stage's goal uses its own steps only. TV boards show stage progress too.
  • Shift Review: one row per PO and stage, one posted record per PO and stage, and stage records on the receipt. Only finished units count toward Built Qty and Close finished orders.
  • Synopsis: a Stage work table on screen and in the email. CPLH leaves stage hours out, and History's CPLH matches.
  • Fixed: submitting Shift Review no longer trims a later stage block against the finished units left; dropping a finishing-stage order on the planner sizes it with the SKU's crew.
Ferrara · ShanklinShanklin 60008691 can now run as one staged SKU (Fill inners, then Pack shippers) instead of 60008691WIP / 60008691FG and the extra “B” PO. Switching it over is planned with Maaz; until then keep running Shanklin the way you do today.

Screenshots are from Beacon's test site; the SKU, PO and figures are demo data.

2. Plan the stages

Set up the SKU's stages on its SKU page (see the v2.163.0 how-to), then plan each stage in the Labor Planner like any other block. Each stage block keeps its stage when you save the plan. The day's Total units counts finished units only.

Labor Planner, Sunday October 25: lane 1A has a Fill inners block then a Pack shippers block, lane 1B has a long Fill inners block with crew 4. Total units 176, peak crew 22. The tray shows Fill inners 91,320 stage units left of 96,000 and Pack shippers 6,923 left of 8,000.
Fig. 1Line 1A fills inners, then packs shippers; line 1B fills inners all day. Total units counts only the 176 shippers.

3. Start stage work

  1. On Checkpoint Live the line card names the stage and its units. Press Start Line.
  2. The crew prompt suggests the stage's crew (4 for Fill inners). Count who is there and press Start build.
  3. Tap Pallet Complete for each pallet. Each tap adds the stage's pallet size in the stage's unit.
Line cards 1A and 1B, both Ready: Today's first block 60170116 · Fill inners, PO 1063461 · Fill inners — 1,320 inner displays on 1A and 3,360 on 1B, each with a Start Line button.
Fig. 2Both lines start on Fill inners.
Who's on this build? PO 1063461, 60170116, Assembler suggested 4, Start build — 4 people.
Fig. 3The stage's own crew is suggested.
Line 1A console: Current order PO 1063461, Today 1,260 / 1,320 inner displays, Whole order 1,260 of 96,000 inner displays built, 420 inner displays per pallet, standard 480 an hour. This hour 1,260 of 480 inner displays. Today 3 pallets, 1,260 inner displays.
Fig. 4Three taps on Fill inners: 3 × 420 = 1,260 inner displays, against a goal of 480 an hour (4 people × 120).

4. Change over to the next stage

When the line is done with a stage for the day, press Wrap up PO — it shows the stage's units, here 1,260 inner displays. Then press Changeover and load the next stage. Its crew prompt suggests the SKU's crew (12 for Pack shippers).

Changeover: Load the next order for this line. 60170116 · Pack shippers, PO 1063461 · 176 units, Load.
Fig. 5The next stage of the same PO is offered like any other order.
Line 1A console on Pack shippers: Today 48 / 176 cases, Whole order 72 of 8,000 cases built, 24 cases per pallet, standard 117 an hour. Today 2 pallets, 48 cases.
Fig. 6After the changeover the line counts finished cases. The 1,260 inner displays from earlier stay out of the cases total.

Two lines can also run two stages of the same PO at the same time — one fills inners while the other packs shippers. Each line counts its own stage.

5. Boards and line totals

A line that ran only stage work shows that stage's units against its stage plan:

Board for line 1B: PO 1063461, today 840/3,360, whole order 2,100 of 96,000. Units per hour goal 480. All day made vs plan: 840 of 3,360 inner displays.
Fig. 7Line 1B, Fill inners only: 840 of 3,360 inner displays; the whole order counts both lines' inners (2,100 of 96,000).

A line that ran stage work and finished work counts finished units only, actual and plan alike:

Board for line 1A on Pack shippers: today 48/176, whole order 72 of 8,000, goal 117 cases an hour. All day made vs plan: 48 of 176 cases. Each hour shows 48.
Fig. 8Line 1A after Fill inners: the board shows 48 of 176 cases; the inners are not added to the cases.

The per-hour rates in these demo shots are high because the demo ran for a couple of minutes.

6. Shift Review and posting

Shift Review shows one row per PO and stage that ran. Each stage row uses that stage's plan, unit and crew. The line row counts finished units only (a line that ran only stage work shows 0 finished units there).

Shift Review table: 1A, 2 builds, 48 actual of 176 planned; PO 1063461 · Fill inners 1,260 of 1,320; PO 1063461 · Pack shippers 48 of 176. 1B, 1 build, 0, not planned; PO 1063461 · Fill inners 840 of 3,360.
Fig. 9One row per PO and stage.

Submitting posts one record per PO and stage. The stage record carries the stage units and 0 cases; only the finishing record counts toward Built Qty. The receipt lists both.

Shift review submitted. Posted to Beacon: PO 1063461 · 60170116 · 48 units · Build Schedule 48 of 8,000 built; PO 1063461 · Fill inners · 2,100 inner displays.
Fig. 1048 cases count toward the order; 2,100 inner displays post as stage work.

7. Synopsis

The Daily Synopsis and its email add a Stage work table: PO, SKU, stage, units in the stage's own unit, hours and efficiency against the stage's standard. The finished tables are unchanged, and CPLH leaves stage hours out.

Daily Synopsis: Stage work table with PO 1063461, SKU 60170116, Fill inners, 2,100 inner displays; Materials Breakdown 48 units built, 2 pallets.
Fig. 11Stage work beside the finished units.