Adding Orders to the Build Queue

Once you’ve created an order, the next step is adding it to your build queue to start production. This guide shows you how.

Prerequisites

Before adding an order to the queue:

• ✅ Order must be created and saved
• ✅ Order status should be “Received”
• ✅ Sufficient materials must be in stock

How to Add Orders

Method 1: From the Order Detail Page

1. Open the order
2. Click Add to Queue
3. Confirm material availability
4. The order moves to your first workflow stage

Method 2: From the Build Queue Page

1. Go to Build Queue in the sidebar
2. Click Add Order button
3. Select the order from the list
4. Click Add

Method 3: From Orders List

1. Go to Orders
2. Find the order
3. Click the three-dot menu
4. Select Add to Queue

Material Availability Check

When you try to add an order, MakeFlow checks if you have enough materials in stock.

Sufficient Materials ✅

If all materials are available:

• Order is added immediately
• Materials are reserved (not deducted yet)
• Reserved amounts show in inventory
• Order appears in the queue

Insufficient Materials ❌

If any materials are low or missing:

• Warning message displays
• Shows which materials are short
• Lists how much you need vs. have
• Order cannot be added until restocked

Example warning:

Cannot add to queue:
- Stoneware clay: Need 5kg, have 2kg (short 3kg)
- Clear glaze: Need 300ml, have 100ml (short 200ml)

Material Reservations

What Happens When You Add to Queue

Materials are reserved but not immediately deducted:

• Total quantity stays the same
• Available quantity decreases
• Reserved quantity increases

Example: Before adding order:

• Stoneware clay: 25kg total, 25kg available

After adding order (needs 5kg):

• Stoneware clay: 25kg total, 20kg available, 5kg reserved

Why Reservations Matter

Prevents over-committing materials:

• Can’t add two orders if both need the same materials
• See what’s truly available for new orders
• Materials are “claimed” for specific orders

When Materials Are Actually Deducted

Materials move from “reserved” to “used” when:

• Order is marked as Finished
• Order is manually completed
• Order moves to your final workflow stage

At that point:

• Total quantity decreases
• Reserved amount goes to zero
• Available amount reflects the deduction

Queue Position

Where Does the Order Go?

New orders are added to:

• First workflow stage (typically “To Do”)
• Bottom of that column (can be reordered)

Reordering

Drag and drop to prioritize:

• Move urgent orders to the top
• Group similar work together
• Adjust based on materials available

Order Status Changes

When added to queue, the order status automatically updates:

• From: Received
• To: In Queue

As you move through workflow stages, status updates automatically.

Common Scenarios

Adding Multiple Orders

To add several orders at once:

1. Go to Build Queue
2. Click Add Order
3. Select first order, add
4. Repeat for each order

MakeFlow checks materials for each order individually.

Rush Orders

For urgent orders:

1. Add to queue
2. Drag to top of first column
3. Optionally mark as high priority

Pre-Orders

For orders not ready to start:

• Keep them in “Received” status
• Don’t add to queue yet
• Add when you’re ready to begin

Material Shortages

What If You’re Short Materials?

Option 1: Restock First

1. Purchase needed materials
2. Add to inventory
3. Then add order to queue

Option 2: Partial Production If the order has multiple items and you have materials for some:

• Consider splitting the order
• Make what you can
• Queue the rest later

Option 3: Remove Other Orders If materials are reserved for lower-priority orders:

1. Remove those orders from queue
2. Materials become available again
3. Add the higher-priority order

Checking What’s Reserved

To see material reservations:

1. Go to Materials
2. Click on a material
3. View “Reserved” amount
4. See which orders have reserved it

Tips for Success

Check Before Adding

Before adding orders, review:

• Current queue capacity
• Material availability
• Timeline and due dates

Add in Priority Order

Add orders in the sequence you’ll work on them:

• Due date urgency
• Material availability
• Customer importance

Don’t Overload

Limit how many orders are in “In Progress” at once:

• Focus on completing orders
• Prevents work-in-progress pile-up
• Keeps queue moving

Regular Review

Check your queue daily:

• Add new orders as ready
• Remove completed orders
• Adjust priorities as needed

Troubleshooting

Q: Order won’t add to queue A: Check material availability. The error message shows what’s missing.

Q: I have materials but MakeFlow says I don’t A: Materials might be reserved for other orders. Check the “Available” amount (not just total).

Q: Can I add an order without enough materials? A: No. This prevents you from starting work you can’t complete. Restock first.

Q: What if material quantities are wrong? A: Update your inventory quantities, then try adding the order again.

Next Steps

• Understanding the Build Queue
• Customizing Workflow Stages
• Managing Material Reservations

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Need help? Contact support@makeflow.xyz