Setting up build orders for new-unit pre-delivery

Why build orders matter for pre-delivery

When a new machine arrives, it rarely ships ready to hand over. Pre-delivery inspection, accessory fitment, commissioning and final checks all have to happen before the unit reaches the customer — and when that work lives in someone's head or on a paper sheet, steps get missed and handovers slip.

Build orders turn pre-delivery into a repeatable, auditable process. MDMS is the only equipment DMS in Australia with a dedicated build order module, so the steps to turn a raw unit into a customer-ready machine are first-class records rather than notes bolted onto a generic work order.

Define a template per product family

Start by creating a build order template for each product family you sell — a tractor template differs from an excavator or a ride-on mower. Each template captures the standard tasks for that family: inspection points, accessories to fit, commissioning steps and final sign-off checks.

Defining templates once means every unit in that family follows the same sequence. New staff inherit the process instead of relearning it, and management can see exactly what 'ready for delivery' means for each type of machine.

Set the parts gate

A build order can require that the parts and accessories it needs are present before the build is allowed to progress. Setting this PO gate links the build to parts and warehouse so a unit is not marked complete while it is still waiting on a back-ordered accessory.

Because parts draw from the same inventory the workshop and parts counter use, stock stays accurate as accessories are consumed against the build, and you avoid the classic problem of promising a delivery date the parts cannot support.

Add the commissioning checklist

Commissioning checklists capture the safety and functional checks each unit must pass before handover. Building these into the template makes them mandatory steps rather than optional ones, and each completed check becomes part of the unit's record.

The result is an audit trail: for any delivered machine you can show what was inspected, what was fitted and who signed it off, which matters for warranty, compliance and customer confidence.

Run it as standard

With templates, the parts gate and commissioning checklists in place, raising a build order for a new unit takes minutes, and the workshop has a consistent, trackable pre-delivery process. Because build orders sit alongside sales, equipment inventory, workshop work orders and parts in MDMS, the whole journey from stock arrival to customer handover stays connected on one platform.