Overview
This guide covers the use of dropdown menus to record activities against Lots.
Locations of Dropdown Menus
Blended enables you to leverage dropdown menus from multiple screens.
Production Dashboards
The most common place is from the production dashboards. They exist on any tab. To activate them, use the checkbox next to any Lot(s).
Lot Details
Click on the name of the Lot to see the full details. Within the Events table, you will find the same dropdowns, enabling you to record data directly from this screen. There is no checkbox here; all data is recorded exclusively against the selected Lot.
Vessel Details
From Facility or Production, click on the name of the vessel or group that is associated with the Lot. You will be navigated to Vessel Details. From this screen, you'll find the dropdowns in the upper right corner of your screen.
If you are on Blended Mobile, scanning a QR code outside of a work order or workflow will direct you to this page.
Measurements
Use the measurement dropdown to record chemical analysis against one or multiple Lots.
By default, all analyses recorded are against the Lot as a whole, regardless of the number of vessels that are associated with it. To record against specific vessels, please refer to the instructions below. When measurements are recorded against a number of vessels on the same day, the data is summarized within the Lot Details screen with an average. Individual data points are graphed and accessible per vessel.
The measurements listed within the dropdown are a function of stage and your own account history. Blended is designed to learn the measurement combinations that you perform and when.
Measurements Against Multiple Lots
To record measurements against multiple Lots, navigate to the Production Dashboards. Use the checkbox to select all the Lots for which you are recording measurements. Then choose the measurement or measurement combo.
Create Custom Measurement
Use Custom Measurements to add to your account's dictionary either single measurements that aren't listed or specific combinations of measurements that you commonly perform together. Once you've completed a custom measurement, a new line will appear in the measurement dropdown, allowing you to use it again.
From the Measurements dropdown menu, you will see a list of standard measurements like Alcohol, Brix, pH, and others. At the bottom of this list, there is an option for Custom Measurement.... Click on this option to create a custom measurement.
Recording Measurements Against Individual Vessels Within a Group
When recording a measurement against a Lot that is in multiple vessels, you will see the option to record it against particular vessels rather than the group as a whole.
Use the radial dial to select By Vessel and then choose the vessels each measurement will be associated with. The "+" icon will add rows.
Additions
Use the additions dropdown to record an addition against a Lot. To record multiple additions against a single Lot, see Recording Data Through Protocols. Note, at this time, Blended does not support making additions to multiple Lots from the same screen.
The Additions dropdown will display a superset of all products from the Additions tab in your materials section, as well as any custom additives you've created.
Within the addition modal, you'll find the following fields:
Date: The date that the addition occurred
Category and Product: If you've selected a category with multiple products, you'll see the category populate along with a dropdown to choose the specific product. If you've chosen a product, you'll only see the product name.
Calculator: Depending on the product, you will have the option to input an Amount, Concentration, or Measurement. See the calculator section below for more details.
Batch: Choose one or more batches and designate how much material was consumed from each batch
Calculator
The additive modal includes an interactive calculator. Choose Amount to bypass the calculator and input the total amount of materials consumed.
Concentration: Concentration allows you to provide an addition rate, ie, g/L, by which the material is to be added. Users will select the concentration ratio, input the rate, and Blended will calculate the total.
Measurement: Some materials will have the option to add via a target measurement. Users will select the measurement to be used and then input the target value and last known value. Blended will then calculate the amount of material needed to increase the measurement to the target. This is particularly useful when doing SO2 adds with a specific free SO2 target in mind.
Note: Blended will automatically pull in the last measurement value and date if one exists. Users can override this if it isn't current.
Measurement Calculators Available
KMBS to reach a Free SO2 target
Acid additions to reach a pH or TA target
Water additions to reach a brix or SG target
Sugar additions to reach a brix or SG target
Honey additions to reach an SG target
Spirits additions to reach an ABV target
KMBS to reach a Free SO2 target: This calculator helps you determine the amount of Potassium Metabisulfite (KMBS) needed to reach your desired Free SO2 level. Enter the current and target Free SO2 values, and Blended will calculate the required amount.
Acid additions to reach a pH or TA target: Use this calculator to adjust your lot's pH or Titratable Acidity (TA). Input your current and target pH or TA values, and Blended will compute the amount of acid to add.
Water additions to reach a brix or SG target: This tool calculates the water required to achieve a specific brix or Specific Gravity (SG) target. Provide your current and desired brix or SG values, and the calculator will determine the necessary water volume.
Sugar additions to reach a brix or SG target: This calculator is used to add sugar to achieve a target brix or SG. Enter your current and target values, and Blended will tell you how much sugar to add.
Honey additions to reach an SG target: For mead-making, this calculator helps you reach a target SG by adding honey. Input your current and desired SG, and Blended will calculate the required honey amount.
Spirits additions to reach an ABV target: This tool is used to add spirits to reach a specific Alcohol By Volume (ABV) level. Provide your current and target ABV, and the calculator will determine the volume of spirits to add.
Helper Text
During the addition process, Blended will display helper text at the bottom of the modal. This helper text will display information about the related batches, including information such as
Amount remaining
If any batches are to be archived
If you are short on inventory or going negative
Volume Changes Due To Additions
If the additive is a liquid, Blended will automatically adjust the volume within the Lot and record it for TTB purposes.
If the additive is a solid, you will need to perform a volume adjustment after the addition to ensure an accurate inventory of the Lot is taken. Do this through the Loss/adjustment workflow.
Performing Additions Without Batches or Batches Going Negative
Blended allows you to perform additions without batches being available. Select a product or create a custom product and enter the quantity. Note: Costing is tied to the consumption of batches.
Blended allows additives to go negative. You can consume more than is available if the material is an additive. If the material is packaging, we do not currently allow negative values.
Operations
Use the Operations dropdown menu to record winemaking operations such as Punchdowns, sorting, movements, blending, volume adjustments and bottling.
Within the operations dropdown, you'll find a number of different types of operations: actions, movements, operational workflows, and tools.
Actions
Actions, record that an event took place, and users have the ability to leave a note as desired. Users can create any type of simple custom operations as desired. Examples of simple operations:
Pump Overs
Punchdowns
Sorting
Destem
Crush
Cold Soak
Custom operations that are set up fall into this category.
Movements
Within Blended, there are three types of movements: transfer, split, and blend/combine. When determining which to use, consider what is happening to the liquid within the Lot or Lots involved, rather than focusing on the specific vessels.
See a detailed breakdown of movement workflows in the Advanced Winemaking section.
Transfers: A transfer is a movement that is contained within a single Lot. The movement itself is a transfer from the present vessel(s) to a new vessel(s). The starting and ending location could be one vessel or many. It is possible to record transfer losses during this workflow.
Split: A split is a movement where the volume from the starting Lot is split into multiple ending Lots. A good example of this is a press event, where multiple press cuts are taken and segregated. Within the workflow, users have the ability to determine what happens to each resulting segment, specify volume, and take losses. Users also have the ability to transfer resulting segments into one or more vessels.
Blend/Combine: Blending is where volume from two or more starting Lots is combined to form a single output Lot. The blending workflow enables users to specify the volume to be extracted from the starting Lots and determine where that volume is allocated, either to a new Lot or an existing one. Users also have the ability to update vessel groups within the starting Lots and specify which vessel or vessels the result is associated with.
Operational Workflows
Several specific operational workflows are included in the dropdown. These are covered in more depth within the Advanced Winemaking section of the guide. They generally include operations such as:
Bottling
Volume Loss/Adjustments
Topping
Dispatch Out
Trial Blend
Trial blending is included in the operational dropdown. This is the only option that does not create an event upon completion, but is an analysis tool that can be used. Trial Blend is a simulation where users specify the constituent Lots, and Blended simulates Composition, Costing, Volume, and Chemistry. Users can generate up to three comparison blends at a time.
To use Trial Blend, use the checkbox to select the wines to be included and choose Trial Blend from the dropdown menu. Within the modal, assign percentages for each trial to the chosen wines. These percentages will define the ratio of inputs to the final blend. Use the tabs to flip between the different trials and the print icon to generate printable pdfs of the result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Custom measurements let you tailor data entry to your specific needs. You can create unique metrics like Spun brix and have them remembered for future use.
To edit a saved measurement, navigate to the Measurement Entry screen, select the lot, and modify the desired fields. Save the changes to update the record.
If there are validation errors, such as missing measurements, error messages will appear. Make sure all required fields are filled in to proceed.
You can review recorded data by clicking on a lot name in the Production screen. This will show the lot details, including its history, graphs, and measurements.