The quick answer
Open the In Process work order, click Enter Completion, choose Starting Operation 10 and Ending Operation 10, enter the Completed Quantity and save. Built normally stays at 0 because operation 10 is not the last operation. Enter a second completion for operation 20. It ends at the last operation, so Quantity to Build fills in and Built rises by the finished quantity, 20 in this example.
The screenshots show sample data. Person and company names are fictional. Use your own work order when following the steps.
Before you start
In this example, Alex Morgan at Example Supply Co. is the production supervisor. WIP work order WO-4410 is for 20 WH-420 Assembled Bike Wheels at Tulsa Plant. The components were issued on WOI-4411, and the routing, WH-420 Assembly Routing, has two operations: 10 Assemble Wheel and 20 Quality Inspection. Assembly finishes on 10/14/2026 and inspection happens the next day, so Alex enters two completions.
A few things have to be in place.
- A WIP work order with a routing. Routed operation completions need a WIP work order with a manufacturing routing. A WIP work order without a routing is completed by quantity, without operation ranges. The Operations subtab lists the operations.
- Components already issued. This example issued them on WOI-4411 and enters the completions without Backflush. A completion with Backflush consumes eligible components as it saves, so review the derived quantities first.
- Your role and an open period. Your role can enter work order completions, and the date you use falls in an open posting period. Forms and fields can vary with role and customization.
- Inventory Detail, if the assembly needs it. When the finished assembly is bin, lot or serial controlled, or its location requires inventory status, enter the finished-good inventory detail before you save the completion that builds it. The requirement depends on the item, the location, the enabled features and the form.
This walkthrough follows one two-operation routing in one account. Operation names, work centers, minutes and amounts are examples, and the status and buttons on a work order can vary with your release and setup. Each operation here completes the whole quantity at once. Splitting an operation across several completions follows the same rules.
01. Open the in-process work order
Open the work order. WO-4410 is In Process and Built is 0. Click the Operations subtab to see the routing operations with their input and completed quantities. In this example operation 10 Assemble Wheel and operation 20 Quality Inspection each show an Input Quantity of 20 and a blank Completed Quantity, because nothing has been completed yet. Then click Enter Completion at the top of the work order.
02. Complete operation 10 only
Leave Backflush cleared. Select Starting Operation 10 and Ending Operation 10, then enter Completed Quantity 20. On the Operations subtab of the form, operation 10 shows Quantity Remaining 20 and defaults its setup time to 15 and its run time to 200 minutes. Run time is generally the Completed Quantity times the run rate, so check the minutes before you save. In this example operation 20 is greyed out because its Predecessor Completed Quantity is 0. Whether NetSuite blocks, warns about or allows an out-of-sequence quantity depends on your completion validation setting. Quantity to Build stays empty. Click Save.
In this example the saved completion, WOC-4412, shows Starting Operation 10, Ending Operation 10 and Completed Quantity 20. Quantity to Build is 0. Every save creates its own Work Order Completion with its own reference number.
03. Check the work order
Click the Work Order #WO-4410 link. The Status is still In Process and Built is still 0. On the Operations subtab, operation 10 shows a Completed Quantity of 20 and operation 20 is blank. The first completion records the progress of operation 10 and any labor, machine or overhead charges configured for it. With Backflush cleared the components stay as issued, and since it ends before the last operation no finished wheels are created. Click Enter Completion again.
04. Complete the last operation
Select Starting Operation 20 and Ending Operation 20, then enter Completed Quantity 20. Operation 10 now shows Quantity Remaining 0. Operation 20 shows Quantity Remaining 20 and a Predecessor Completed Quantity of 20, so with validation on and no other restriction it can take up to 20 units. Operation 20 is the last operation, so Quantity to Build is derived from the completed quantity and fills in as 20. Scrap, yield, overage and earlier completions can change it. If the finished assembly needs Inventory Detail, enter it now. Then click Save.
In this example the saved completion, WOC-4413, shows Starting Operation 20, Ending Operation 20, Completed Quantity 20 and a Quantity to Build of 20. Open its GL Impact subtab when you want to see the posted costs.
05. Confirm the built quantity
Click the Work Order #WO-4410 link. Built now reads 20, and the Operations subtab shows a Completed Quantity of 20 on both operations. In this example Related Records lists WOC-4412, WOI-4411 and WOC-4413. The Status still reads In Process and Close is still on the button bar, so Built and the Operations subtab are where the finished quantity shows. Depending on your account and the remaining WIP, the status can differ. Closing a WIP work order clears remaining WIP and posts variances as its own step, so review the remaining components, WIP balance and any expected variance before you close it.
Check the result
- WOC-4412 covers operations 10 to 10 with Completed Quantity 20 and Quantity to Build 0.
- After it, WO-4410 shows Built 0 and a Completed Quantity of 20 on operation 10.
- WOC-4413 covers operations 20 to 20 with Completed Quantity 20 and Quantity to Build 20.
- WO-4410 shows Built 20 and a Completed Quantity of 20 on both operations, and Related Records lists both completions.
Common questions
How do I complete a routed work order one operation at a time in NetSuite?
Open the WIP work order, click Enter Completion, choose a Starting Operation and an Ending Operation for one operation or a contiguous range of operations, enter the Completed Quantity and save. Enter another completion for the next range. Every save creates its own Work Order Completion. Check that the range fits the predecessor quantities and your completion validation setting.
Why is Built still 0 after I completed operation 10?
A completion that ends before the last operation records progress through the routing and does not receive finished assemblies. Quantity to Build is normally derived when a completion includes the last operation, and Built then increases by the eligible finished quantity. Scrap, yield, overage, earlier completions and validation settings can change that quantity.
What do Predecessor Completed Quantity and Quantity Remaining mean on a Work Order Completion?
Predecessor Completed Quantity shows the quantity the previous operation has completed, and Quantity Remaining shows the quantity still available for the operation based on the work order and earlier activity. Whether NetSuite blocks, warns about or allows an out-of-sequence quantity depends on your completion validation setting. In this example operation 20 starts at a Predecessor Completed Quantity of 0 and shows 20 once operation 10 is complete.
Which Work Order Completion builds the finished assembly?
A completion whose ending operation is the last operation of the routing can create finished assemblies. Quantity to Build and the inventory received come from the eligible quantity, and scrap, yield, overage, earlier completions and inventory detail requirements can change the result. Enter inventory detail for the finished assembly when the item, the location, bins, lots, serial numbers or inventory status require it.
Can I enter more than one Work Order Completion for the same work order?
Yes. A routed WIP work order can have several completions. Each can cover one operation or a contiguous range, subject to earlier completions, remaining quantities, validation settings and overage rules. This example uses two, one for each operation, and Related Records lists both.
Why does the work order still say In Process after the last operation?
Completing the planned quantity does not close the work order. In this example Built reads 20, both operations show a Completed Quantity of 20, and Status still reads In Process with Close available. Your account can leave the order In Process, mark it built or ask for a separate Work Order Close, which clears remaining WIP and records variances. Check the remaining components and WIP balance after you save.
Is setup time recorded on every completion?
Setup time is generally recorded once for an operation, when Record Setup Time is selected and the setup has not been recorded yet. In this example the box is selected for operation 10 on the first completion and cleared on the second, and your account can behave differently. Run time defaults from the Completed Quantity multiplied by the run rate, so 20 units at 10 minutes each gives 200 minutes for an operation with one machine and one labor resource.
When should I use Enter Completion with Backflush instead?
Use Backflush when the completion should also issue the eligible components for the selected operations. It does not always consume every component, because operation assignment, yield, earlier issues, inventory detail and account settings shape the quantities. The components in this example were already issued on WOI-4411, so Backflush is cleared to avoid recording another issue. Check the component quantities before you save.