Overview
Blended is primarily a lot-based system. While Lots live in vessels within the winery, it is optional for them to do so within Blended. The most significant advantage to this is that work doesn't have to stop in order to fully update where a Lot is located. Data can be recorded against Lots that aren't in vessels. Similarly, group composition can be updated at any point, even outside a movement event.
Managing Facility Data
Unique Vessel Names
Giving each vessel a unique name in Blended is important for effective tracking and management within the facility.
When vessels have unique names, you can easily identify and differentiate them. This reduces confusion and prevents errors during various operations. For example, when creating or managing work orders, unique names ensure that the correct vessel is selected.
Additionally, unique names improve the search functionality in Blended. You can quickly locate a specific vessel by entering its name in the search bar. This is especially useful if you have many vessels in your facility.
Suggestions for Tanks
For tanks, bins, and other non-barrel vessels, we typically see naming conventions that use the Type of Vessel and a Number. For example, using T-01 for a steel tank and B-01 for a bin.
Suggestions for Barrels
For barrels, we typically see naming conventions that use the vintage of the barrel and a number. For example, barrels purchased new in 2024 would then carry the name 24-01 and so on.
Table Controls
The tables within the Facility have pivot table-like controls that enable you to manipulate large volumes of data easily. To get the most out of these controls, consider which types of questions you tend to ask in relation to vessels and consider adding Tags to supplement the base data. For example, if you had multiple barrel warehouses onsite, consider a Location tag so that it would be easy to filter barrels by location.
Click on a column header to see the column controls. Column controls can be used in combination with each other. Clicking on the control icon will remove it. If multiple functions are active on a single column, you will see them next to each other.
Sort
Sort appears as an Arrow icon in the column header. Each column header can be sorted from A-Z or Z-A. Blended allows sorting on multiple columns at once.
Filter
Filter appears as a magnifying glass icon in the column header. All filter options will be listed. If the number of options is too large relative to your screen size, you will instead be presented with a Filter By option that will allow you to type in the value to filter on.
Group
Group appears as 3 lines in the column header. The group function will summarize the data within the table by the category selected. For example, Group by Cooper will display a row for each Cooper with summarized column data (ie, a count of the number of vessels for each Cooper, a sum of their total capacity, etc). Grouped rows will display an arrow icon that can be clicked to expand that grouping out to each individual vessel that comprises that group.
The group function is a great tool for summarizing large datasets. Consider using it in combination with a filter to see how many barrels of which cooper are empty at the moment.
When table controls are active, they appear as an icon to the right of the column header (see the image below). They can be easy to miss and are often the reason a specific piece of data isn't being displayed.
Pagination
Blended uses pagination to manage large datasets. Users have the option to set their pagination within Facility at 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, or 500 items. Blended will automatically remember your last pagination choice within Facility for the session you are in.
Archive
When a vessel is no longer in use, users have the option to archive it. Use the checkbox to select the vessel and choose "Archive Vessel" from the menu. Archived vessels can still be viewed through the Archive table control.
We recommend archiving old Vessel Groups when they are no longer in use, so that menu choices don't become too lengthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unique vessel names help you easily identify and manage each vessel within Blended. This reduces confusion and ensures accurate tracking of production data.
To create a vessel group, combine multiple vessels into a synthetic group. This helps you efficiently manage operations involving many vessels by treating them as a single unit.
The search bar, represented by a magnifying glass icon, allows you to quickly find specific vessels or groups by name. You can also use it to search through various tables and views in Blended.
Blended offers a variety of filter options such as Date Created, Volume, Vessel(s), Operations, Potassium, Production Protocol, Temperature, and more. These filters help you narrow down specific production data relevant to facility management.