Create, update and delete a kanban loop

What’s a kanban loop?

A kanban loop is a kanban card flow defined by:

• A single part;
• A unique supplier;
• A unique customer.

In kanban board, every single row of kanban cards defines a single and unique kanban loop.

Create a new kanban loop

Mandatory fields

During the creation of a new kanban loop, it’s important to fill all suggested fields. Let’s see what’s the meaning of the key fields.

Procedure:

1. Get in Kanban > New Kanban and choose new kanban loop type.

   Field	Description
   Type of kanban	Production: kanban between an internal supplier and an internal customer for the transformation or assembly of a certain product. Purchase: kanban with an external supplier. Sales: kanban with an external customer. Move: transportation kanban between an internal supplier and an internal customer.

2. After choosing the type of kanban, and clicking Create new project, fill following data:

   Field	Description
   Part number	The Serial number of the part. Search the number in parts master with the drop-down menu or with the magnifying glass. Otherwise add part number.
   Supplier	Supplier (internal or external) of the part. Search the supplier in partners master with drop-down menu or with the magnifying glass. Otherwise add supplier. It is possibile to choose as supplier a multisourcing strategy. To define a multisourcing strategy, read the article Multisourcing strategy.
   Customer	Customer (internal or external) of the part. Search the customer in partners master with the drop-down menu or with the magnifying glass. Otherwise add customer.
   Lead time	Number of working days necessary to replenish a kanban card.
   Maximum onsumpion per day	Maximum daily consumption of the part. Compute it according to historical use or forecasts. This isn’t a mandatory field, but allows usage of kanban calculator.
   Bin	Bin used for this part. Search the bin in bins master with drop-down menu or with the magnifying glass. Otherwise add bin.
   Maximum bin capacity	The maximum number of parts that can be stored in the bin or general package. This isn’t a mandatory field, but allows usage of kanban calculator.
   Number of full cards in simultaneous consumption	Number of kanban cards in full status in simultaneous consumption. If 0, the kanban card is released when the bin is opened. If 1, there is only one bin in use and the kanban card is released when the bin is empty. If greater than 1, there are more bins in simultaneous consumption and the kanban card is released when the bin is empty. Default value: 1. The default value can be changed from Settings > Company Settings > Default values ​​for the new kanban loops > Default number of full cards in simultaneous consumption.
   Policy	Kanban: every single empty kanban card generates a single replenishment order to the supplier. Batch kanban: generate replenishment order to the supplier when minimum batch size is reached. Signal kanban: generate replenishment order to the supplier when single kanban reaches reorder point. Synchro: orders not managed by kanban: the consumption of a bin doesn't automatically release a replacement order for the supplier. Is recommended to follow suggestion by kanban calculator to fill this field.
   Number of kanban cards	Overall number of kanban cards for this kanban loop. Is recommended following suggestion by kanban calculator to fill this field.
   Quantity per Kanban	Number of pieces to be replenished for a kanban card. Is recommended to follow suggestion by kanban calculator to fill this field.
   Batch of Kanban	If the policy selected is Batch kanban, fill the number of kanban card that make a batch in this field. Is recommended to follow the suggestion by kanban calculator to fill this field.
   Reorder point	If the policy selected is Signal kanban, fill the number of parts below wich a replenishment order is set to the supplier. Is recommended to follow the suggestion by kanban calculator to fill this field.
   Apply changes	In case of a kanban project, it is possible to choose if activate changes: Immediately: when the loop is created or modified, changes are immediately activated. At a future time: the project will be activated at the selected Date of activation. When the project is activated, all new kanban cards are released automatically. In addition, KanbanBOX sends an email notification to the loop manager and to the user who has done the last change to the loop.

3. In addition to key fields, there are other optional fields important to fill in the creation of kanban loop (see Advanced fields).

4. Click Apply now to confirm the creation. KanbanBOX saves kanban loop and creates in Board as planner kanban card set in status New. Now print kanban cards and set in their actual status.

Advanced fields – general information

Field	Description
Manager	He’s the owner of the kanban loop. The manager receives the email notifications when there is a loop limit (when kanban loop reaches the limit or the alert of shortly amount), the email notifications when a comment is added to a card and the email notification when the loop is out of stock (there are no cards in Full status).
Location at supplier	Part location at supplier’s supermarket, warehouse or production line.
Location at customer	Part location at customer’s supermarket, warehouse or production line.
Kanban Card	Kind of Kanban card: Throwaway: whenever a kanban card changes from Full to Empty the system changes the identification code of 8 alphanumeric characters. Useful to simplify kanban maintenance and remove the whiteboard to collect replenished kanban cards. Reusable: the kanban cards of this loop will always remain with the same identification code. Is recommended to use a whiteboard to collect replenished kanban cards.
Price	Price of the item.
Currency	Reference currency for the loop (ex. EUR, USD, GBP).
Default card reference	Scheduled Purchase Order: the order reference does not change with subsequent releases.
Kanban custom field 1, 2 and 3	Fill custom fields. Remember to define the field in Company settings.

Advanced fields – Process information

Field	Description
Safety lead time	Number of working days added for a supplier’s possible delay. Safety lead time is added to Lead time in kanban loop sizing and implies an oversized supermarket. Safety lead time do not affect replenishment lead time granted with the supplier.
Minimum batch size	Minimum quantity of components for the part number managed in Kanban system. This quantity can be greater than the number of pieces for each kanban container.
Multiple batch size	Multiple quantities of components for the part number managed in Kanban system. This quantity can be greater than the number of pieces for each kanban container.
Processing time	Processing time per unit of part production. For production kanban, used for calculating processing time of one kanban card.
Grouping	Identification, category or group of parts. For example, type of setup for production kanban card.

Update a kanban loop

Procedure:

1. Get in Kanbans > Active kanban loops.
2. In Kanban Loops list, search or filter kanban loop to modify.
3. In kanban loop row, click the button Edit kanban loop.
4. Once update, to confirm click Activate Kanban. You’re now redirect to Board as planner, where you can find in the first row kanban loop updated, with its kanban cards.

Delete a kanban loop

Procedure:

1. Get in Kanbans > Active kanban loops.
2. In Kanban Loops, search or filter kanban loop to delete.
3. In kanban loop row, click the button Delete kanban loop.
4. If there are or not any active kanban cards:
   1. Without active kanban cards, click next to Delete kanban loop?
   2. With active kanban cards:
      1. Click next to Delete kanban loop but not kanban cards if kanban cards are in use and should stay active till last empty.
      2. Click next to Delete kanban loop and all kanban cards if kanban cards are no longer active or have been already eliminated.
5. After clicking , a pop-up to confirm the choice is opened.
6. If you select Yes, the loop is deleted and you won't find the kanban loop in the kanban loops list anymore. If you select No, the loop remains active

It is possible to see all deleted kanban loops of the license.
Procedure:

1. Get in Kanbans > Active Kanban Loops.
2. In the Kanban Loops table, clicking at the top right of the table Show deleted loops.
3. In the Deleted Kanban Loops table there are all the deleted kanban loops of the license. Add the Delete date column to see the date on which the loop was deleted and the Deletion user column to see the user who has deleted the loop.

Reactivate a deleted kanban loop

Procedure:

1. Get in Kanbans > Active kanban loops.
2. In the Kanban Loops table, clicking at the top right of the table Show deleted loops.
3. In the Deleted Kanban Loops table there are all the deleted kanban loops of the license. In the column Operations it is possible to reactivate a deleted kanban loop by clicking on the button Reactivate loop.
4. On the top portion of the screen a message will appear, confirming the reactivation of the loop.