Add a Variable Test
Tests are building blocks to monitoring & receiving programmes. Variable tests are one of the building blocks you might create when setting up a monitoring/receiving programme. Variable tests are numerical i.e., when completing the test inside a record you will be inputting a numerical value and the value will then appear to pass or fail depending on the specification built into the test e.g. temperature, pH, weight, etc.
1. Enter Variable Test Details
- Enter the name of the test.
- You can organise your tests into folders to help you keep them in logical, tidy groups.
- Provide a brief description of the test (Providing a description here will allow you to hover over the test name in the monitoring record and the description will appear).
- If a procedure is required you can select the supporting document here (In the monitoring record, any test with a document attached will appear blue. You will be able to click on the test name to view the document).
2. Test Configuration
When building out a variable test you can choose single selection or multiple selection. When you choose single selection there are different test types to enable and only one can be used.
Single Selection
Test: Single Data Point (x)
The single data point will allow you to type in a numerical result in the record. It is just one single field.
1. To use this test simply tick the enable test box.
2. If you would like to get SPC analysis on this test you can tick the box.
3. The sample size for a single data point is always set to 1. This cannot be changed.
4. You can set how many decimal places the numerical value will default to e.g. 2.
Default Value, Format, Sample Label 1 + 2 are not used with this test.
Test: Percentage (%)
The percentage will allow you to type in an observed number e.g. for sampling, and this is then compared to a total number (default value) and the system will calculate the percentage.
1. To use this test simply tick the enable test box.
2. The sample size for a percentage test is 2. This cannot be changed.
3. You can set how many decimal places the numerical value will default to e.g. 2.
4. In the default value field you can set the Total Number to appear in the monitoring record. This is an optional field to set the Total number in advance.
Enable SPC, Format, Sample 1 Label, and Sample Label 2 are not used with this test.
Test: Differential Numerical (△)
The differential test is used to find the difference between two values e.g. perhaps you measure ham weight before cooking and then after cooking to see the weight difference.
1. To use this test simply tick the enable test box.
2. The sample size for the test is 2. This cannot be changed.
3. You can set how many decimal places the numerical value will default to e.g. 2.
4. By default sample 1 is labeled as X1. If you have the Receiving and Inspection Module and you are creating the differential numerical test to go into an inspection template in that module, you can change the X1 value to be something different e.g. weight of sample. For tests created going into the monitoring module the sample will always be labeled as X1.
5. By default sample 2 is labeled as X2. If you have the Receiving and Inspection Module and you are creating the differential numerical test to go into an inspection template in that module, you can change the X2 value to be something different e.g. weight of sample. For tests created going into the monitoring module the sample will always be labeled as X2.
SPC Analysis, Default Value, and Format are not used with this test. Sample 1 Label & Sample 2 Label will be populating as X1 and X2 for the test in the monitoring module.
Test: Differential Time (△T)
The differential time test will calculate the difference between 2 times e.g. to see how long a cooking process took by finding the difference between the start and finish time.
1. To use this test simply tick the enable test box.
2. The sample size for the test is 2. This cannot be changed.
3. By default sample 1 is labeled as T1. If you have the Receiving and Inspection Module and you are creating the differential time test to go into an inspection template in that module, you can change the T1 value to be something different e.g. Time material off truck. For tests created going into the monitoring module the sample will always be labeled as T1.
4. By default sample 2 is labeled as T2. If you have the Receiving and Inspection Module and you are creating the differential time test to go into an inspection template in that module, you can change the T2 value to be something different e.g. time material was moved to storage. For tests created going into the monitoring module the sample will always be labeled as T2.
5. You can choose the format for the time in the record. Choose either Timestamp or Hours:Minutes:Seconds.
SPC Analysis, Decimal Places, Default Value, and Format are not used with this test. Sample 1 Label & Sample 2 Label will be populating as T1 and T2 for the test in the monitoring module.
Test: Differential Date (△) - Only Available to Use in the New Receiving & Inspection Module
Please Note: This test is only available to use in the new Receiving & Inspection Module.
The differential date test will calculate the difference between two input dates. For example, maybe you are doing checks on packed meat arriving in and you don't want to accept a delivery that has product packed more than 3 days ago. You can input the pack date and today's date to see if it is more than 3 days or not.
1. To use this test simply tick the enable test box.
2. The sample size for the test is 2. This cannot be changed.
3. Sample 1 Label (D1) allows you to name the first date that you will be completing for the test e.g. Pack Date on Product.
4. Sample 2 Label (D2) allows you to name the second date that you will be completing for the test e.g. Today's Date.
SPC Analysis, Decimal Places, Default Value and Format are not used with this test.
Multiple Selection
The multiple selection test allows you to set the sample size for testing and also allows you to enable SPC analysis for the test. For example, every hour during production, the weight of 12 samples needs to be recorded.
1. Set the number of samples to be taken.
2. Set the number of decimal places to appear for each result.
3. Set what should define if the value/result you record in the record passed or failed.
Use Individual Sample Points - The value you add in the record is compared to the specification limits added to the test (see below).
Use SPC Rules - The value you add in the record is considered passed or failed based on historical data and statistical rules/calculations built into the system. Note: In order for the system to use SPC rules to flag the result as a pass or fail, there must be at least 25 instances of the test completed for variable tests and at least 25 days of the test having been completed for attribute tests.
Use Both - Use both SPC rules and specification limits set to see if the value you add to the record is in/out of spec or in/out of control.
4. Ticking this will allow the system to populate the SPC analysis for the test. SPC analysis on the test is found by selecting the monitoring program and any out of control or out of specification tests will be flagged on the SPC dashboards in the monitoring module.
5. With this test, there is an option to enable the Mean, Range, Standard Deviation and Summation for the data added to each sample. Choose to enable none or some of these.
Mean: The mean is the average of all the sample points. A column called mean will be visible a the end of sample points showing the mean. If this is enabled as well as SPC analysis, if the mean is out of control the value will appear red. Note: For the mean to flag as pass/fail there must of been at a minimum 25 lines of data filled in for variable tests or 25 days of data completed for attribute tests.
Range: The range is the difference between the largest and smallest value of the sample subgroup. A column called range will be visible at the end of the sample points showing the range. If this is enabled as well as SPC analysis, if the range is out of control the value will appear red.
Standard Deviation: The standard deviation is a measure of the amount of variation or dispersion of a set of values. A column called standard deviation will be visible at the end of the sample points showing the standard deviation. If this is enabled as well as SPC analysis, if the standard deviation is out of control the value will appear red.
Summation: All the samples are simply added up.
6. Tick the box opposite the tests you would like to appear in the record.
7. Set the decimal places for the samples.
When you choose 'SPC rules' or 'Use Both', the value you add in the record is considered passed or failed based on historical data and statistical rules/calculations built into the system. In order for the system to use SPC rules to flag the result as a pass or fail, there must be at least 25 instances of the test completed for variable tests and at least 25 days of the test having been completed for attribute tests. Until there is enough data under the column SPC result it will say Insufficient Result. For SPC what is tested/flags as a pass or fail, is the calculations of the Mean, Range, and Standard Deviation.
Specification Limits
1. Enter the unit of measurement of the test.
2. Set the limits for the test e.g. perhaps the product temperature should be between 140 to 160 and anything above or below is a fail. For a variable test, the limit must be entered in descending order from high to low.
3. If applicable, an event notice can be added, especially for the Upper and Lower Out of Spec fields e.g. contact manager or put product on hold.
4. If you would like the limits or spec to appear in brackets beside the test name in the record, tick this box.
Note: If you are using the Differential Time test, when you build out the limits the system will convert this to the format (Hours:Minutes:Seconds). See below for an example.
Note: The Date Differential value must be calculated in absolute values.
